Rose update

Hello!

I am down to 170 (maybe less). I have been bedridden for a couple weeks now but doing strengthening exercises. The patellofemeraol syndrome has been quite the dickens to deal with. I also have recently discovered I have a lumber bulging disc (L5 S1). Got an epidural sht on Friday.

Seeing my ortho surgeon tomorrow. He has been on vacation for two weeks. I have been one hurty girl. First time having a herniated disc.

I am using a wheel chair, I never know when my knee is going to get out.

I went to a back clinic and the doctor would not allow me to speak. WTH? I just answered yes or no. I have had adverse reactions to two kinds of muscle relaxers so he gave me a script for another. Which caused depression to get really bad.

The back pain clinic doctor (who is also on vacation) wants to speak with my therapist. It makes me cackle with glee, as my pyschologist has known me for so long. I am not drug addict. I have a flipping disease called depression. He has been of no help, besides referring me to get an MRI. Wasted co pay.

Back clinic gave me a referral for the MRI which diagnosed the herniated disc.

I went to the regular ole pain clinic to get the shot, they are in the same building. Thats all the pain clinic does, give out shots. No medications at all. I have been on oxycotin or 4 weeks now, losing its effectiveness unfortunately. Need to wean myself off and get something else. I really don't know what to do at this point.

So tomorrow I am going in armed. I think I will see if I can get some Synvisc.

Having a flare up post epidural shot (lidocaine and cortisone).

I eat when I can, being in bed sucks. My quality of life is the pits.

When I walk with my cane it feels like my kneecap will give out any moment and it hurts like heck.

I sleep when I can but that comes hard. My body is definitel getting rid of all this un needed fat. My ortho doc thinks I lost muscle from losing so much weight and that is what is mucking up my knee.

Summer is almost gone. I had to cancel non refundable tickets to California because I just couldn't do it.

I am trying to keep positive. The doctor who administered the shot told me that he was suprised that my ortho doc didn't offer fentanyl patches.

I dunno anymore. I had plans, life has different plans.

Your fellow lightweight,

Rose

I'm so sorry your summer is wrecked and you're so much pain. Are you absolutely stuck with those holier-than-thou docs?  Why don't they understand they need to listen to the patient?
Keep fighting for yourself and being your own advocate.  

I don't know anything about the knee issue but your back is giving out exactly where mine did. It took and 8-hour surgery to fix. Not saying that's what yours will take, my mom has a problem in the same area and she's been able to keep going for years on shots and acupuncture. 

How are you doing on your vitamins and protein during all this mess?

Swinging the proverbial lizards for you, Rose. Please keep us posted.


--gina

  

The lack of information gets to me. The ortho will say something like 'People who have that surgery seem to get back trouble' as he is writing a referral.

I am a big fan of chiropractic and acpuncture. That will be my next avenue.

I know I sound passive but my m.o. is positive assertiveness. I really think that WE hire THEM. 

Thanks for replying, I have missed you guys!

Rose

I have been a birth doula, which means going in there as a support for families as they have their baby in the hospital and also dealing with the hospital staff who have an idea how all births should go and I smilingly let them know how this Mom wants to labor and birth. I try to always know my rights and kill with kindness.

Might I b*tch for a second? The orthopedic doctors gatekeeper I call Nasty Nancy, Nasty has the most nasal condescending voice, she is the Administrative Assistant (all caps) she should not be dealing out medical advice, she has such little power that she lords it over me, I am so nice to all the time. She is just pure mean.

I have to CONVINCE my doctor that even though I have severe depression it is under control. Depression is an illness, like diabetes. You don't treat people with diabetes like they are drug addicts.
I have been doing PT exercises in bed and walking down the hall (its pretty narrow so I fall into the wall without much damage, hehe) and always stretching.

So I am being pro active. Any kind of norco, vicodin gives me such bad headaches. I am down to oxycontin or morphine. Now that I know about fentanyl, I will be pushing that.

From plump to smaller but in a wheelchair. There is a joke somewhere in there.

Rose

Oh Rose, that is no way to have to spend a summer.  I hope you get some relief and resolution soon.

 Rose Im sorry Ure going through so much ...

sometimes when docs get like this it helps if U talk proactively about all the things Ure doing to help Urself .... like trying to walk , to do rehab in Ur bed ..etc.  

They dont want  to contribute to Ur health deterioration by giving U drugs thatll keep ya immobile .... 

In the last ten years getting any triplicate prescription drugs has become so much harder .....and that SUX if ya need them legitimately .   

big hugs   Ava

Hi Rose!  Good to hear from you and I'm so sorry you're having all these issues.  I too had the L5/S1 issue.  Had sciatica something awful.  I did end up having surgery to correct it too, but the longer it goes uncorrected, the worse the nerves are damaged and the longer they take to regenerate.  Nerves heal VERY slowly.... 

I know about the pain clinics - they basically told me I was a baby... Oh my - I would have let him have it except he was the one giving me the shot!  Then the shot didn't work for crap anyway. 

I don't know what to say about your Docs - my God - do they have any decent ones down there?  I was told to keep moving with my back issues - but I'm sure your knee is the main reason you're down.  I really don't think your weight loss has anything to do with the muscle in your knee... If you were using your knee, you wouldn't lose the muscle....

Keep us posted - good to see you back. 

I am so sorry. Can you/do you take anyone with you to advocate for you when you see these docs? To stop them when they're being presumptuous or obnoxious? To correct them when they've made a wrong assumption? I do this for people in the hospital. My mom does it for me. I think we all need someone like this.

Do you know such a person?

I do hope this gets better soon.

Rose,
im so sorry you are in such pain and that u r going thru this ordeal i hope it lets up soon and u can get back to ur life

Rose, I was just thinking about you the other day. I had no idea you were dealing with so many new issues. This should be such an exciting time for you -- you are doing excellent on the weight loss. It's awful that you are dealing with several other problems. Hang in there and do what you can to keep strong. You will need your strength to recover. Take care.