am I doing the right thing?

[Guest guest]

I swear I've never felt this confused, " desperate " or lost before in my life.

Sorry for the recap, but I need to talk this out:

Approx dates and treatments for L5/S1:

1998* - treated with chiro, massage and physical therapy and PCP for

anti-inflamm meds regarding low back pain

1999 - 2002 - escalated to chiro, massage and physical therapies,

acupuncture, alternative med practices, physiatrist and epidural steroid

injections,

diligent stretches/exercise/Pilates

2003** - made it almost entire year with no " professional " intervention;

used only at home therapies and exercise; needed one (1) epidural

2004 - 2007 - no professional care whatsoever. NONE.

* side note: went from weighing 303 to 190 lbs from 1998 - 2000. Lost weight

was SUPPOSED to reduce low back symptoms, and it did...ever so slightly.

regained to 250 lbs.

** had gastric bypass 8/03. Went from 250 lbs to 144 lbs. Had plastic

surgeries. Important because these surgeries cause malabsorption and anemia,

also

limit the types I can take now.

July 12, 2007 - CAR WRECK (fender-bender on interstate. I was stopped but

got rear-ended by car who was rear-ended by utility truck at 65mph).

From 8/03 (bypass surgery) to 7/07 (wreck) - all blood work shows normal

ranges every 6-12 months (for 4 yrs), except: needed 2 iron infusions; treated

for Vitamin K deficiency in 2004 and Vitamin D deficiency in 2004. All B vites

and Copper levels were spot-on.

Symptoms after car wreck:

NECK & SHOULDERS in chronic pain, unable to move head side to side or up and

down.

course of treatment: medications, physical therapy, epidural injections

end result: ACDF of C5/C6 (decompression and fusion with carbon fiber

spacer, titanium plate and screws)

LOW BACK in chronic pain

course of treatment: physical therapy, epidural injections

end result: still in pain, sciatica out of control. Now thru pain mgmt and

scheduled for L5/S1 Diskectomy in 8 days. *should* control sciatica

NUMBING & TINGLING of all 4's, including arms and legs. NO burning or

stinging. Some temperature change to ice, ice cold.

course of treatment: MRI's, CT's, x-rays, EMGs up the whazoo. All results

are " normal " except signs of carpal tunnel.

Physiatrist originally said peripheral neuropathy

PCP said " no way " , refers me to Neurologist. I cancel Neurologist appt

because it took them 4 weeks to get me the referral and by then my low back

surgery was already scheduled.

Back to the Physiatrist, he has another cervical MRI, still " normal "

results. Refers me to neurologist. I go.

New neurologist says carpal tunnel in hands and peripheral neuropathy in

feet, yet my PCP said NO WAY.

No blood work from bypass to support deficiencies to cause these. Symptoms

did not start until 10 days after the wreck.

I am convinced the numbing & tingling has to have something to do with the

car wreck yet cannot find any dr willing to run the battery of tests to prove

either way.

Do I just believe this new neurologist and suck it up or do I go back to my

PCP and ask her to re-refer me to her neurologist that I blew off in the first

place for a second opinion?

Why is it so hard to figure out what is causing this numbing & tingling; and

why aren't doctors doing (what I feel) is a thorough check up? I've been

scanned from C1 - C7, and L1-S1, but no head scans or thoracic. *Could* the

real

problem of a pinched nerve be hiding in one of those areas somehow?

And if it was/is carpal tunnel, why would I have not had any signs of it

prior to the wreck?

And if it is peripheral neuropathy in the feet, again, why no symptoms until

the wreck?

Can carpal tunnel and P Neuropathy be triggered by a traumatic event like a

car wreck, even though they are viewed as long-term progressive conditions?

Am I chasing a ghost by looking for a second and third opinion????

If I can't resolve the numbing & tingling, I can't go back to barbering. Do

I try to apply for disability? My business has been ruined. I'm currently

unemployed due to physical limitations plus side effects of Morphine and

Flexeril.

Thanks again...

Best regards,

Patty A

**************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial

challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and

calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)

[Guest guest]

Just to let you know, Dilaudid IS a medication that can be taken daily. It's

just like any other narcotic medication. The oral pill form is not nearly as

strong as the IM or IV, though it does work well for some people. Good luck!

---

Re: am I doing the right thing?

I have to say here that I have a zero tolerance to morphine. I

learned this after many surgeries and woke up with horrible pain and

morphine did nothing. I finally on my last surgery told everyone

beforehand and remember as they were pulling the tube from my throat

my first words being, morphine does nothing..... they gave me something

called dialotid (ms)....it finally was something that worked. You

can't take that daily, but after surgery was very helpful and I could

sleep and recover. Perhaps you have a resistance to morphine.... it is

not unusual and does not mean you are an addict.....it means it

doesn't work for you and that is ok. Everyone is different. You know

yourself and fight for it.

Epidural shots worked for me for a time. Try it and see what works

for you. You know your body and you will find your way IF you trust

yourself!!!

Blessings.

>

> Patty, I can feel your desperation! You have been through the wringer.

> Getting a second opinion never hurts but even if you find the cause of

> it what will they do for you? I haven't found one doctor who will

> address the numbness in my hand from an overzealous nurse who damaged

> my left hand by severing my median nerve with a central line in

> hospital and so it continues after 6 years along with the other issues

> including neuropathy caused by a pinched nerve at L3. That burning

> pain can be excruciating almost all the time and edpidurals have done

> nothing and the morphine barely touches it. What problems are you

> having from the morphine?

> Prayers and good thoughts are with you.

>

>