appt Tues with my back specialist
I see my back specialist Tues, to see if he can offer me any other treatment that may work. My back has been getting worse and worse. The last couple weeks, I feel really disabled by it. When I go grocery shopping, I cannot bend over to pick up items on the lower shelves so I am limited to buying the things on the higher shelves (unless I want to ask store employees to help me, which I don't). I was quite mad when I found my favorite protein bars on sale, but they were on the bottom shelf and I could not reach them. I went to the library a few days ago and could only look at books on the top shelves. I was quite cranky when some of my favorite authors were on lower shelves. This is just not acceptable.
My mother works at the office of my back specialist, and he commented to her that my MRI was "not that bad." Well, maybe not, but it was done several years ago. And my back was not that bad then, either. I could still bend over back then. I don't know if it would be the same now or not, but regardless of how bad it is or isn't, my back is terrible.
He also suggested to her that some people just have "weak back muscles" and nothing you can do is very effective for long. Does that sound right or is that just something they say when they don't know what's wrong with you or how to fix it?
I told my mother, and the back specialist's secretary, that if he is not able to offer something more effective, then I will see a pain management specialist. My mother is opposed to that because she thinks all pain management docs do is give you lots of narcotics and get you addicted. Of course, I do not care if she is opposed to it or not, she does not get to make medical decisions for me (or any other decisions) and I was not asking for her advice. She did not tell me not to do it, just said she would hate to see me do it. She said she also told the back doc she would hate to see me do that. I'm not even sure why she has that opinion of pain docs, because she's never been to one.
Anyway, I really hope he can do something to help. I don't think I buy the weak muscle thing. I did PT a few years ago for my back and it did not help.
My mother works at the office of my back specialist, and he commented to her that my MRI was "not that bad." Well, maybe not, but it was done several years ago. And my back was not that bad then, either. I could still bend over back then. I don't know if it would be the same now or not, but regardless of how bad it is or isn't, my back is terrible.
He also suggested to her that some people just have "weak back muscles" and nothing you can do is very effective for long. Does that sound right or is that just something they say when they don't know what's wrong with you or how to fix it?
I told my mother, and the back specialist's secretary, that if he is not able to offer something more effective, then I will see a pain management specialist. My mother is opposed to that because she thinks all pain management docs do is give you lots of narcotics and get you addicted. Of course, I do not care if she is opposed to it or not, she does not get to make medical decisions for me (or any other decisions) and I was not asking for her advice. She did not tell me not to do it, just said she would hate to see me do it. She said she also told the back doc she would hate to see me do that. I'm not even sure why she has that opinion of pain docs, because she's never been to one.
Anyway, I really hope he can do something to help. I don't think I buy the weak muscle thing. I did PT a few years ago for my back and it did not help.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
(deactivated member)
on 4/6/12 10:00 am - waukesha, WI
on 4/6/12 10:00 am - waukesha, WI
Back pain is a bite! I hope you can find a solution. Seeing a pain management specialist, is not a bad ideal. Pain takes a lot out of a person! Best wishes
Oh, so sorry Kelly. I'm not as bad as you yet. (I can still bend down, though it hurts) And every time I stand up I have to slowly stand up straight due to the pain. My doctor prescribed me some pain medications but the insurance won't cover it. It's too expensive for me to pay on my own, but I imagine one day I'll have to pay it anyway or I won't even be able to get out of bed. I wish you best of luck at your PMS (Pain Management Specialist.) I hope you find something that helps.
Kelly, is your "back" specialist truly back specialist or an orthopedic doctor that does other things too? Have you seen a neurologist or neurosurgeon? You could have spinal stenosis that inhibits you bending and moving and causes pain. I think a repeat MRI would be a faboulous idea and then depending on those results I have seen pain doctors do wonders with injections and no narcotics. Take care of yourself girl and go get what you need!
He is an orthopedic doc that only does backs. No, I have not seen a neurologist or neurosurgeon. The MRI did show stenosis but apparently not that bad.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
i agree it sounds like something they say to take the pressure off of them.
my dad has been through everything with his back. meds, physical therapy, shots, electro-therapy, massage, chiropractor.... i'm sure i'm missing a ton of stuff. he has a bunch of herniated discs and like you can hardly do anything anymore. looks like i'm gonna have to actually pay a mover the next time i move :-/
my dad has been through everything with his back. meds, physical therapy, shots, electro-therapy, massage, chiropractor.... i'm sure i'm missing a ton of stuff. he has a bunch of herniated discs and like you can hardly do anything anymore. looks like i'm gonna have to actually pay a mover the next time i move :-/
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This one made me think a bit. My first reaction was "How dare that doctor say that." But then I thought about the context a bit more. He wasn't speaking to a patient. He was reflecting the black-and-white (or whatever color) evidence in front of his eyes and speaking to a member of his staff. However.... (I re-read it again).... he IS your back specialist, and he should NOT expect your MRI of several years ago to have even the slightest informational value if your pain then is not what your pain is now.
Has he not offered to order up a new MRI...? (I'm sorry if you posted it another time and I missed it).... it seems to me that a second MRI will show a LOT more information. The older MRI is a snapshot of YOU then. A new MRI is going to do more than show him a snapshot of YOU now, it is also going to provide him longitudinal data as regards how your back, the connective tissue, the disks, etc, have aged over time. One picture is often NOT worth a thousand words n the medical profession... it is often only when you have two pictures separated by time that you can see the degradation that has occurred and gain a greater understanding of what is going on.
In this case, I'd probably (if possible) want him to take a recent MRI and discuss any changes, dissimilarities, similarities and etc with you. There are a lot of things that can be done particulaarly when you see how your spine has weathered.
As regards a pain management specialist. I'm having some conflicting thoughts in general about pain management. I've been feeling a sort of futility in pain meds lately, in that I get no relief from pain, or not much. I saw my spine specialist today, and we had a very frank discussion about the situation. I told her up front that I didn't want a prescription for any pain medicine, but that I was concerned about my current pain medicine regimen, and wanted to know if she had any suggestion about the situation. I described to her what I take, dosage, frequency, etc. I also added in the one external factor that I am certain is exacerbating everything, and that is my switch over in Amitryptaline to Nortryptaline.... I think the Amitryptaline was doing a fine job in cutting my chronic pain into about a third of what I got without it, but the Nortryptaline isn't doing teh job. I see the neurologist on Monday to deal with that. But aside from the neuralgia issues, we discussed the purpose of both the oxycontin and the vicodin. She pointed out that the breakthrough meds (vicodin) were supposed to be used in case of breakthrough pain, not as a day-in-day-out bulwark against intolerable pain. She suggested that perhaps the Oxycontin might be adjusted to more frequent doses, or to a larger single dose, and/or be converted to a transdermal method of delivery. What she said was very interesting, and I really like this new doctor of mine. She was frank, and there was a sort of freedom in talking to her about it because we both knew that she wasn't going to prescribe anything for me, and it was just a discussion. She has promised to write a note to my PCP with her thoughts on the situation and her recommendations.
As far as the weak muscles, I agree with you. Sounds more like a copout to me. A pain management specialist might work for you, or perhaps you just need a back specialist who is going to order new MRIs, compare them with your old MRI, and decide on a plan of action.
Good luck.
Has he not offered to order up a new MRI...? (I'm sorry if you posted it another time and I missed it).... it seems to me that a second MRI will show a LOT more information. The older MRI is a snapshot of YOU then. A new MRI is going to do more than show him a snapshot of YOU now, it is also going to provide him longitudinal data as regards how your back, the connective tissue, the disks, etc, have aged over time. One picture is often NOT worth a thousand words n the medical profession... it is often only when you have two pictures separated by time that you can see the degradation that has occurred and gain a greater understanding of what is going on.
In this case, I'd probably (if possible) want him to take a recent MRI and discuss any changes, dissimilarities, similarities and etc with you. There are a lot of things that can be done particulaarly when you see how your spine has weathered.
As regards a pain management specialist. I'm having some conflicting thoughts in general about pain management. I've been feeling a sort of futility in pain meds lately, in that I get no relief from pain, or not much. I saw my spine specialist today, and we had a very frank discussion about the situation. I told her up front that I didn't want a prescription for any pain medicine, but that I was concerned about my current pain medicine regimen, and wanted to know if she had any suggestion about the situation. I described to her what I take, dosage, frequency, etc. I also added in the one external factor that I am certain is exacerbating everything, and that is my switch over in Amitryptaline to Nortryptaline.... I think the Amitryptaline was doing a fine job in cutting my chronic pain into about a third of what I got without it, but the Nortryptaline isn't doing teh job. I see the neurologist on Monday to deal with that. But aside from the neuralgia issues, we discussed the purpose of both the oxycontin and the vicodin. She pointed out that the breakthrough meds (vicodin) were supposed to be used in case of breakthrough pain, not as a day-in-day-out bulwark against intolerable pain. She suggested that perhaps the Oxycontin might be adjusted to more frequent doses, or to a larger single dose, and/or be converted to a transdermal method of delivery. What she said was very interesting, and I really like this new doctor of mine. She was frank, and there was a sort of freedom in talking to her about it because we both knew that she wasn't going to prescribe anything for me, and it was just a discussion. She has promised to write a note to my PCP with her thoughts on the situation and her recommendations.
As far as the weak muscles, I agree with you. Sounds more like a copout to me. A pain management specialist might work for you, or perhaps you just need a back specialist who is going to order new MRIs, compare them with your old MRI, and decide on a plan of action.
Good luck.
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Well, he hasn't offered to order a new MRI, but I really haven't seen him in over a year. I had epidrual steroid injections (which he did) back in October but I did not see him for an appt in his office before that, I just saw him at the outpatient surgery center when he did the procedure and by the time I saw him I was sedated so I wasn't really asking many questions. I have avoided making appointments with him unless absolutely necessary due to the cost and travel time. I've called his office when I wanted more meds and he has called them in for me.
All that is to say, I expect he will order a new MRI if I ask for one and he may suggest it himself when I see him Tues. I am thinking a new MRI would be signifiantly different. I can't remember just when I had the last one but I think it was at least three years ago and my back pain was intermittent then, not daily and not nearly this severe. It now wakes me up several times every night and I don't think it was ever waking me at night back then.
All that is to say, I expect he will order a new MRI if I ask for one and he may suggest it himself when I see him Tues. I am thinking a new MRI would be signifiantly different. I can't remember just when I had the last one but I think it was at least three years ago and my back pain was intermittent then, not daily and not nearly this severe. It now wakes me up several times every night and I don't think it was ever waking me at night back then.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
(deactivated member)
on 4/6/12 12:10 pm
on 4/6/12 12:10 pm
I'm really sorry to hear this, Kelly. I have back pain but it's minor and usually is treated with chiropractic treatment and/or acetominophen. It sucks that you don't feel any relief. I hope you find a solution soon! I know that being in chronic pain makes life very difficult.
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