Re: Re: Introduction to the group, From in Okinawa...

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

Actually the Torture Kings here, are just anesthesiologists. With no

neurologist in the clinic, it is not really a pain management clinic. So all

procedures are done with locals and no knock outs!! Even the nerve ablazias. I

have been to the full pain management clinics and that is nice to be out of it

and not remember, but you still feel the pain they cause afterwards!!

I am using the new drug they offer. I have to go to classes and all, but

it seems to be helping with the cravings and everything.

In a message dated 8/23/2007 7:35:23 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,

the_learningtree2000@... writes:

Welcome ! I know exactly what you are saying about your family

and how everyone's life revolves around your pain. It's the same way

at my house. I'm a single mom with 3 kids, ages 3,12,14 and some days

are very difficult. Thank God for Grandma's though! Both Grandma's

are close to us and help us a lot.

Pain, especially back pain can be very hard to diagnosis and many

people are in a great amount of pain that " shouldn't be " . I actually

had one dr. tell me " big deal, you have a disc bulge, so do lots of

people " . What many people and many doctors don't know is even if the

discs look " normal " on MRI's they can still be the source of pain.

Discs themselves can be painful. Many other pain sources (like si

joint dysfunction) don't show up on scans and can cause a lot of

pain. As you can probably tell I get very frustrated when someone's

pain is not taken seriously.

I will more then likely be having a 2 level fusion someday and had a

discectomy last spring. Like you I have done all the pain mgmt

procedures and injections. I love your nickname for them! I was very

lucky when I had my procedures done because they give a sedative and

I don't even remember having any of them done. But before I went to

pain mgmt I had some things done by a radiologist that were painful.

You sound like you are preparing yourself very well for surgery.

Smoking is probablly the most important thing to change because it

interferes with bones fusing. I need to quit too..how did you do it?

I wish you the best and hope the surgery gives you relief.

Take care,

>

> Hello Everyone,

> I hope this message finds you all Pain Free, or at least Pain

> Managed. I am , a father of 6, husband to a wonderful woman

whom

> without her support, I really don't know where I would be! My

family

> have all learned more about back pain then they ever wanted to

know.

> But most of all is that dad just can't most of the time. We've

changed

> our lifestyle, and everything seems to revolve around my pain. What

> about their aches and pains right? I know the rest of you have went

and

> are going thru this right now or just recently.

>

> I have a bilateral pars defect at L-5 on S1, With a grade 1

> Spondylolisthesis. Now in most people this problem does not cause

them

> any pain. However, in my case it does lots of it. Judging by the

rest

> of the groups problems mine are small in comparison. But, I

consider my

> pain without meds, intolerable! Manageable with medication to the

point

> that I can do something other than lay in bed and fight off tears.

My

> back pain started in Nov of 2002. I was active duty Air Force at

the

> time, and went to a chiropractor for help with chronic headaches. I

> wish the headaches were my only problem, at least I could hide in

the

> dark and live with them when they come around. Since, I am retired,

and

> my wife is still active duty, I am covered for medical treatment

thru

> the military. When she retires I hope to be in a way better

> place/situation.

>

> Sept 20th 2007 I will get the date that they will do a spinal

> decompression and fusion at L5 onto S1. They will be using

harvested

> bone, instead of taking the bone out of my hip. They will be doing

the

> procedure posteieraly. I am hopeful that this will at least

stabilize

> that region, and stop the pain. I am interested in hearing from

others

> that have had this problem and possible this surgery? Also I would

like

> to hear of tips, and things I can do to prepare for this surgery! I

am

> currently quitting smoking, losing 20+lbs and cutting out the

caffeine.

> Also I am trying to reduce the amount of narcotics that it takes to

> keep me comfortable in a day. The more I can cut out that is not

good

> for me the better the chance that the surgery will be a success.

>

> Of course, I have been thru all the Pain management treatments.

All

> the medications, and everything else. None have worked much more

then

> just aggravating the problem. In fact the flexion and extension X-

Rays

> last week exasperated the problem more then normal. I call the Pain

> Management Clinic the Torture Kings!! I think that all the doctors

that

> practice in these fields should have to have gone thru the

processes we

> all have to deal with. The Torture Kings said one day, this

procedure

> is not that bad, Ha! I told him he could take my place the next

time!

> Branch Medial Block is what they were doing on 3 levels. Anyway

they

> should have to deal with what we do, so that they would have a

better

> understanding of what its like to have a back problem!

>

>

> Well hope to hear from you all,

>

Cotton

Charter Manager, Saltwater Fishing Okinawa Japan

Chief Operations, Western Pacific Tackle Co. _www.westpactackle.com_

(http://www.westpactackle.com/)

Let's go fishing today! Call HP 633-7248 Cell 090-9788-5266 or email me

_cot1@..._ (mailto:cot1@...)

Group Fishingokinawa

Home page SFO _www.saltwater-fishing-okinawa.com_

(http://www.saltwater-fishing-okinawa.com/)

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