RE: Report from doctor visit

March 31, 2004

Lana,

here. Get a second opinion from a neurosurgeon!!!!! I think you need a

myleogram of the cervical spine. Painful but gives a lot more detailed

information about the neck, more than an MRI. You can get soft neck collars

at most any drugstore, even the grocery stores that have pharmacies without

a prescription. Did the Ortho check your reflexes with the little rubber

triangulr shaped thingy? Where they tap on the back or your elbow, the

inside of your elbow, and the wrist?

Hugs S.

I sent my check out yesterday, ok?

Report from doctor visit

> Hi everyone,

>

> Well, I got good news from the doctor - though I dread what he

> recommends. He said I do have quite a bit of degeneration in the

> neck, along with bone spurs and herniations, and some degeneration in

> the lower spine-but nothing like my neck. He does not see surgery as

> an option, as I have no arm sensations or neurological symptoms or

> leg/foot pain, and surgery for this is not always successful - which

> I totally agree with! So that was very good news. The part I didn't

> like and dread is I did feel like he didn't take my pain very

> seriously, and he was pretty brisk. He did mention EDS a couple

> times, but so quickly that I didn't get a good feel for if he REALLY

> understood it or not. The only options he sees for me is physical

> therapy, and if that doesn't work, an injection - either an epidural

> or cortisone. Mom had an epidural, and it hurt a LOT and did NOTHING

> for her, so I would have to think about that a LONG time before I

> ever went for that! As for physical therapy, I absolutely DREAD it!

> I have never really found a really good physical therapist, never

> found one that knew or understood EDS, and have never found it to be

> very helpful to me with any kind of pain! Gaining range of motion

> and such - yes, but pain - NO! This will include 'back school' what

> ever the hell that means. I imagine it's how to use your back, which

> I already know - I think. But, I will try it, and if it doesn't

> work, and doesn't help with the pain, I will go back to my doctor and

> ask for a second opinion. He said he doesn't see this getting any

> worse. I'm not sure about that part either - I certainly HOPE for

> that. They gave me a list of physical therapy places that offer the

> back school, and I asked if they preferred one, and she said, no,

> they're all about the same (which I have found to be true-and not a

> lot of help to me, anyway). I asked about bracing and such. He did

> not see this as an option either, as the neck is a very hard area to

> brace. I told him I know I slump, but can't seem to help it, and he

> just said I need to do strengthening exercises. I felt some type of

> brace would be helpful, just to help with posture and such. He said

> to keep taking my medicines and to come back for the injection if

> nothing helps. That was it. After he walked out the door, I asked

> if the herniations will get worse and he said he couldn't see that

> they would.

>

> I haven't called physical therapy places yet. I am going to make

> some changes at work, different desk, some type of back support for

> my chair, and face a different way. I do want to try a soft cervical

> collar too, as I spoke with Sue about after the appt. Now convincing

> my husband that it would help me and not hurt me, may be a more

> difficult matter - he knows something about medicine, sometimes just

> enough to not see some options, or to have an opinion that's hard to

> change - know what I mean?? So all in all, I kind of have mixed

> emotions - I'm glad no surgery, but wanted a quicker 'fix' for the

> pain I guess.

>

> I also plan to have Mike work with me more on some of the techniques

> Mike Uggen has posted, as where my pain is, it's hard to do it on

> myself. I would go back to Betty, but with Mike having surgery, and

> some other things, I can't really afford $50 a pop. It helped to

> relax me, but didn't do a lot for where my bad pain is. I wish Mike

> lived closer to me!

>

> Hope things are good for all of you. I can't get in to the list

> AGAIN today, so am sending this to Bonnie to post for me. Oh, I

> forgot - I did take a copy of the MRI results I can post those

> tonight. Thanks!

>

> Love Lana

>

> To learn more about EDS, visit our website:

http://members.rogers.com/ceda2/

>

March 31, 2004