Guest guest Posted January 1, 1999 Report Share Posted January 1, 1999 Lil, I live in Abingdon at exit 17 off Interstate 81 which runs right down the Shannodoah Valley. I live really close to Tennessee (seven miles away in one direction, 18 down the interstate. We are considered part of the Tri-Cities metro area (now that's a laugh!) which centers around City TN, Kingsport TN, and Bristol TN/VA. I used to go to the medical center at UVa until my doctor retired and her replacement was an impossible (Bleep!). I need to find a new rheumatologist but just hate going through all of that again. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2001 Report Share Posted December 3, 2001 Dear Ray, I'm new to the Virginia area , I just moved here over the summer . The weather here is alot easier on my RSD than Penna. was. I still hurt but its not as bad as up North.I live in Barboursville not to far from Charlottesville. The people here are so much more pleasant and caring. My family is very understanding to my Pain, I'm 10 yr suffer full body including internal. I've always included them in Doctor visits and my every day life, I'm not saying from time to time my kids and grandsons don't get mad, but they miss the " FUN " mom. Their young its to be expected. Take Care!!! Gentle Hugs!!!! LiL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 > Lil, > I live in Abingdon at exit 17 off Interstate 81 which runs right > down the Shannodoah Valley. I live really close to Tennessee > (seven miles away in one direction, 18 down the interstate. We are > considered part of the Tri-Cities metro area (now that's a laugh!) > which centers around City TN, Kingsport TN, and Bristol > TN/VA. I used to go to the medical center at UVa until my doctor > retired and her replacement was an impossible (Bleep!). I need to > find a new rheumatologist but just hate going through all of that > again. > Ray Hi Ray, I'm new to this list and have been lurking until I read this message in the archives. It's amazing there is someone on this list who lives so close to me. I live in Bristol, VA near I81 exit 5 (I think that's it - not the Super Walmart one). I was diagnosed with post- traumatic fibromyalgia by Dr. Knickerbocker (Appalachian Orthopedics) after rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder. I was working at Dana Corp. and tore my shoulder up lifting heavy boxes. I had serious impingment (sp?) which caused my entire hand to seize up when my arm hung down and the pain was horrible. He had to do bone work and the impingment was corrected, but then I developed adhesions throughout my shoulder and it has never worked right since. Not long after surgery (Feb. '99) I started having aches and pains all through both shoulders I had never had before, up my neck and down into the scalpula. That's when he diagnosed the FMS. He said there was nothing else to do for it. He gave me a prescription for Ultram, which didn't help much. He gave me prescriptions for Celebrex and Vioxx, both which tore my stomach all up. I really can't tolerate NSAIDS and now I have IBS. As soon as he released me back to work I was laid off. When I settled with W.C. in Sept. 2000 I quit going to Knickerbocker because I felt like he thought I was just a pain in the rear. I haven't been to any doctors since then. My attorney had me settle because he thought I would be eligible for Social Security Disability, but several people have told me as long as I can get up and walk I better forget it. My legs work just fine at this point but I live in constant pain with my shoulders and neck. I have horrible nerve pain in my elbows and when my neck is bad the skin on my face goes numb. Sometimes I wear one of those neck collars around the house. I was a data entry operator and now I can't type fast at all and eventually my arm just gives out and either goes into horrible muscle spasms or just loses all strength. It is scary, especially with my neck - it " crunches " a lot and sometimes when I move my head a certain way I get these electrical zaps (I can't describe it any other way)through my head. I now think my neck was also injured along with my shoulder. I'll be 48 Feb. 24 and if I'm in this kind of shape now, where will I be in 10 years? I try to live as normal a life as possible, but it seems like anything I do causes so much pain. And I am a hyperactive person and to have sit around when I'm having a really bad day drives me nuts. Does anyone have advice about what I should do or what type of doctor I should be looking for? Unfortunately I'll have to pay in cash since it was a WC settlement. I'm about ready to work a street corner for Oxycontin, (LOL), but all the drug busts they've had around here lately have all but cleared it out of this area. Sorry this was so long! in Bristol, VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 sky4va wrote: > Lil, > I live in Abingdon at exit 17 off Interstate 81 which runs right > down the Shannodoah Valley. Hi Ray, I'm new to this list and have been lurking until I read this message in the archives. It's amazing there is someone on this list who lives so close to me. I live in Bristol, VA near I81 exit 5 (I think that's it - not the Super Walmart one). Hi Tis a small world indeed. I, of course, knew where Ray lived. My daughter, who does not belong to this list, lives in Wytheville, VA. She suffers from an array of stuff which included the need to take Oxycontin. Of course, the VA quit giving it and now she's on morphine. I have Reiters' Syndrome which has its' own set of symptoms which Ray can attest to. I'm so sorry you're having such problems. You will find a lot of support here especially fom Ray. He's a good egg! I apologise for not answering your post directly, but I had to tell you where my daughter lived. Gods' blessings Peggy-from CA Today is the first day of the rest of my life....... --------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 At 03:31 AM 2/22/02 +0000, wrote: >My attorney had me settle because he thought I would be eligible for >Social Security >Disability, but several people have told me as long as I can get up and >walk I better forget it. > Hi , It's usually best to ignore that type of advice and give it a try. I'm on disability and I had put off filing, too, because I figured I could still do some work, just not what I was doing before. I went to work part time and for the most part ended up feeling worse, missing work, and eventually cutting back my hours even more. I filed and was approved retroactively for a lot of the time I was still working part time. I can still do some things -- I love getting out in the garden and spending time in my workshop, but I can't do those things for too long. I also volunteer teaching computer use at a retirement community and last year got involved in the Master Gardener program. With those activities I control the time I spend at them. Best of luck. Hower http://home.dejazzd.com/hower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 Hi , One of the reasons I've never applied for disability is because my orthopedic doctor gave me such a low rating (10%) that I would never be approved. This doctor was bought and sold by Workman's Comp. and I feel that's why he rated me so low. My wc attorney felt the same way, but told me to apply anyway. He saw my condition worsen over the year he worked with me, plus he has an aunt who is severely disabled with fibromyalgia and knows what it does to people. He said I'd probably be turned down, and when that happened I was to come back to their office and the disability attorney would send me to a doctor who would rate me correctly; then the attorney would help my case, etc. But my neighbor, who also is on disability and fought for 3 years on her own (she's blind), said the attorney would get a large percentage from any payments I got. She said they get it all at once, so I wouldn't get any money myself for a year or two. I didn't ask the attorney this because I wasn't going to try for disability at that time. But now my shoulder and neck have gotten worse, the pain hits more easily and frequently, and I would miss so much work if I did get hired at a new job that I'd get fired. As I said in my previous post, I haven't seen the doctor who performed my surgery for nearly two years and I really don't want to go back to him. I know the Social Security people will want my medical records and I guess I have to go to this doctor's office and get them, but it will be a waste of time unless I can get rated by a different doctor who isn't in league with him. I'm thinking of calling my wc attorney's office and seeing if I can talk to the disability attorney. Maybe they can set me up with a new doctor without applying for disability on my own first. I really don't know what to do at this point; 3-1/2 years ago I would have never imagined I would be going through this today. One other thing, and this is so maddening, my husband heard on some talk radio show (he's a truck driver) that fibromyalgia is " all in a persons head - a mental disorder " and because of hearing that, he thinks if I went to a shrink it would help solve my " pain " ! As I am typing this my right shoulder feels like liquid fire is in the joint, all down the side of my hand is tingly like it's trying to go to sleep, my arm is trying to have some kind of muscle spasm and jerk my hand off the keyboard, and it feels like little pinchers are squeezing the nerves running through my elbow. And, of course, this is all in my mind! I told my husband if a shrink would give me some good stuff I'd be more than happy to go to one, otherwise stay off my case! Hey, I've got any idea - maybe if I go Loony Tunes I could draw disability based on that! It would probably be easier (at this point I probably am screwed in the head anyway, LOL). in VA > > Hi , > > It's usually best to ignore that type of advice and give it a try. I'm on > disability and I had put off filing, too, because I figured I could still > do some work, just not what I was doing before. I went to work part time > and for the most part ended up feeling worse, missing work, and eventually > cutting back my hours even more. I filed and was approved retroactively for > a lot of the time I was still working part time. > > I can still do some things -- I love getting out in the garden and spending > time in my workshop, but I can't do those things for too long. I also > volunteer teaching computer use at a retirement community and last year got > involved in the Master Gardener program. With those activities I control > the time I spend at them. > > Best of luck. > > Hower > > http://home.dejazzd.com/hower > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2002 Report Share Posted February 23, 2002 , Welcome to our list! I just wanted to comment on the issue of benefits from the state. I was also told to forget it when I decided to apply. I know that the requirement differ from state to state, but being disabled does not have limitations as to what part of the body is disabled. I would suggest that you go ahead and apply. I guess a lot of people are denied at first so it can be an exhaustive process, but keep forging ahead. You will need doctors to back you up on your claim. It sounds like you are still in intractable pain without the proper medication. I would check into going to a pain specialist. Also there are treatments for FM, and although some doctors say that pain medication does not help you have other pain that medication can help. Kathleen in Calif. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2002 Report Share Posted February 23, 2002 Hi , OMG! People who make statements about FMS like the one your husband heard on the radio, make me livid!! I struggled for years and years until I finally got the proper diagnosis. I have some very good books on FMS and MPS and it would be great if your husband would read up on it. I'm sure there is a link on one of the foremost authorities on FMS, Dr. Devlyn Starlanyl. This book is my bible for FMS/MPS. Kathleen in Ca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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