Ruptured Disk Realities OT

munk said:
I hope you're right, Yvsa, The Doc fitted me with a back brace too.

munk
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Munk we've just started back to the gym, haven't been since I had a mild heart problem there back in February. It doesn't take long to lose what it takes so long to build up. For example I was doing leg presses, 3 sets of 12 reps @ 190#s back then and had to go to 1 set of 10 last Thursday when we started back.:(
But I only lost 1 set of 12 @ 100#s on the pullover machine, down to 2 sets now.
The pullovers are the only ones I didn't lose 2 sets on and I'm not real happy about that but have to live with it.:rolleyes:
However 1 set of 10 a 190 #s on the leg press machine isn't bad for an old fart that is a "mouse potato" with a 95% disability rating I don't think.:)
 
Yvsa said:
Carman that's pretty much normal for any business sad to say.


Yep, again normal behavior. They will probably become worse as time goes by. And especially if the Dr. finds something awry.:(


That's a good thing!!!! Please call the Texas Workman's Comp Office and ask them to tell you the name of the best neurosurgeon in the Houston Area!!!!


By all means Houston!!!! I have heard nothing but good about the Drs. in the Houston area. My family is on the Cancer Treatment Hospital there because it seems we are unique as so many of the last generation has developed cancer.
My attorney talked about sending me to Houston until I found Dr. Gaede. Depending on how far away you are Tulsa may be an option for you.
And I recommend Dr. Gaede Highly even though YMMV from my experience.


You're very welocome. And thanks for paying attention and following through. Methinks you won't be sorry in the long run.:)
Click to expand...

For Yvsa and munk, I thought I'd bring this one back up to give them an update on what has been found so far with my back.

I went to a local orthopedist for the MRI workup and munk was right there is something there, two herniated discs show up between L3-4 and the worst being at L4-5. I now have to go for more testing like EMG's and I know you know the rest of the drill.

The ortho doctor's here do not operate so once the level of hernition is determined, I'll be going to another specialist in one of the larger cities for further treatment. Besides the doctor I'm going to now, is leaving Louisiana and moving to Utah at the end of June.


The irony here is that the OWCP official that's over this area uses the same ortho doctor that I went to and the one that's moving and says I will have to come to her office to request a change of doctors in writting to her to justify it !!!:confused:

It's been weeks and I just now have the approval for some physical therapy.

My 45 days of contiuance of pay runs out soon and now the hassle you guys warned me about with OWCP is beginning with having to change doctors and issues with leave and leave without pay, until Worker's comp. kicks in " IF" they approve it as a work aggravated injury.

So far everything had been working out smoothly, with the exception of the authorization of the P.T., but I think it's about to get worse, just like you guys said.

Thanks again for your help and advice,

CARman
 
I'll put you in my book, "Crippled Like Me,"

Sorry for your pain- but we knew it was there. Glad you're hooked into the process. Don't worry about change of doctor too much. That should get rubber stamped.

I'm not in bad shape now- I'm not supposed to lift more than 20 or 30 pounds. The inflamation is mostly gone and so is most of the pain- but I'm stiff and sore. The MT bike is waiting for me and I'm a little afraid. I've hacked quite a few logs with khuks and it doesn't seem to bother me. I am worrying a little about Big Bore rifles and the shooting bench.

Let us know what happens.

munk
 
Most of the physical damage to the vertabrae, and disks can either be helped with surgery if acute, or a good physical therapist if it is not a major injury. Nothing can help permanet nerve damage. Nerves have been observed to heal out to near ten years. If there is pressure on a nerve there are many therapies for relieving the pressure. I would consider surgery last and everything else within reason first. I would only consider surgery first if the nerve was under constant pressure, or had take a lot of disk pressure over a period of time and was changing bodily functions that would become permanent. Pressure relief can come from a number of sources. Unload the spine, traction ( Light 30-40lbs ), floating in an inner tube in a warm pool for an hour a day will put you in a weightless atmosphere , and unload the spine over five or six weeks ( Twice a week ) . There is a speciality in medicine that deals with the muscle skeletal relationship (Phisiatry ) not many of these doctors around. You usually find them in pain clinics. A pain clinic approach will give you many specialists to look at your problem. A single doctor unually will not do any thing, that time will not do unless your injury is obvious to the layperson.It will take a lot of things to help, not one thing. New surgery ( Arthoscopic ) is much better at helping with pressure then it was ten years ago. If you put together a package and you are fortunate enough for it to work, you will have to adopt it for life. Keep a journal of what works and what does not, when you feel very bad you will not be able to remember what worked. Your brain is using all the power to suppress pain and other functions are limited by the pain. Pain can and will kill you, take medication until you can function,a body in pain will not heal. A friend of mine who lives in ST. Maries Idaho suffers from scar tissue pressure in his neck after surgery. He now consults with a Native American medical group in the area who use a total body , mind, and general health approach. He seems to have had some success, versus using a single minded treatment. Even iron men rust.

Floyd
The above is a synopsis of a twelve year quest to put my life back together.
 
If you put together a package and you are fortunate enough for it to work, you will have to adopt it for life. Keep a journal of what works and what does not, when you feel very bad you will not be able to remember what worked. Your brain is using all the power to suppress pain and other functions are limited by the pain. Pain can and will kill you, take medication until you can function,a body in pain will not heal. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This is an interesting section, Floyd. I just thought I was dumb when I couldn't recall. Why do you say pain will kill?


munk
 
Acute pain can shut down your body, simulating a heart attack. It can take a marginal cardiovascular system and pick out the weak spots. It can trigger immune system problems. Arthritis, and Arthritis like disease, Fibromyalgia, depression, sleep depervation, and suicide which destroys not ony the host, but the family, and friends. It is a big circle, once the pain gets hold then all functions and systems are at risk from your immune system taking wrong turn. Pain is an undertreated disease ,and underdiagnosed by using single individual providers as a treatment remedys. The old give up, and the young do not know how to get help. Many HMO`s are establishing pain clinics. They use pain medication until they can get the patient in control with a complete program. Powerful drugs that once were never thought of are used , morphine,methadone,and drug delivery systems that deliver metered doses. This is an epidemic that has been finally brought to the to do list. Do not take no, or we can not help you as an answer !! You must commit to I will not give up, I will continue to seek treatment. The program approach is the logical move.

Floyd
 
Here's a list of munk pain responses

several dozen stitches in scalp from being struck with blunt object- I had a head ache. I didn't like it when they put the stitches in

broken three bones in back of foot- I never had it treated. Put my foot up a lot

doctor rebroke nose and shoved it back across face. The needle hurt my sinuses and I gasped many times.

broken arm, hand, skull once- all hurt

broken ribs- hurt when I laughed

But this last back attack- I could barely type on this screen. It hurt so much I could not think. Semper will tell you how unusual it would be for munk to stop typing.
I hate back pain. I can't stand the general creeping waves of pain. I would rather break my leg.

munk
 
Seek help, it will not come looking for you. Your other life experiences are inconviences, this is a problem !
 
Ive been to two specialists. They agree not to operate at this juncture.


munk
 
So you stop there ? If you have heath insurance, seek out a pain clinic at a local hospital. Take your medical records, get some ideas and get your self into a program that will help you with the pain. Get an education on how and what you can do to help yourself. It is a big step, but you can still walk to take it.

Be well
Floyd
 
Well I'm still young but most of the time I feel like an old man. Hearing the stories of you real old men inspires me though. I mostly have a bunch of little problems that stack up; misc. torn ligaments, collapsed arches in the foot, weird bone and muscle structure, arthritis and inexplicable pains being the chief "body" ones, asthma and allergies (I'm allergic to all bout probably 8 airborne allergens and seem to have a grab bag of food allergies too) take care of the rest to almost kill me during allergy season (I think I had twn asthma attacks last year that were bad enough I should have gone to the hospital).

Hmm I think I was going somewhere with that but I got lost. Anyway, all of my problems can fortunately be solved with hard work, time and money. So after a long dark period I finally have some hope (this is chiefly from finding out there's an acupuncturist near me that can cure allergies permanently, allergies being the source of most of my grief).

Soo... I don't know how it is in the areas you guys live in but acupuncture is something I would reccomend. How well it does for healing things depends a lot on the skill and philosophy of who you go to, but it is very effective for pain. In fact, the main reasons people go to see acupuncturists are back pain and allergies (definitely back pain, I think allergies, seeing as I found a person that can cure one in one $20-$40 session as opposed to 3-5 years of immunotherapy at $2000 a year that seems likely anyway).

I can tell you from personal experience that even though I don't have horrible back pain, I do have some stuff in my lower back and hips (been months since I went, could really use it) that my guy relieved in one 20 minute session that held me out for months. Acupuncture is fairly cheap too, my sessions were $25 or something like.

So that's a good route if you're like me and don't have insurance. I went to physical therapy briefly too, I found it to be pretty good on the whole I just wasn't dedicated enough at the time (fortunately I also wasn't too messed up at the time so it was okay).

Actually let me bitch about insurance for a minute. I have too much going on with trying to turn my life around to get a job and haven't had one for two years. I don't have a highschool degree either so even though I recently applied I didn't get any calls back. I just turned 19 which is the limit on my parent's insurance. I tried to get individual insurance. I was approved and then declined because of taking three medications my allergies and asthma (pre-existing conditions). In truth I'm only prescribed two right now (nose spray and singulair which hardly works) but listed my inhaler and that was the limit for them apparently. The weird thing was, they weren't going to cover me on allergies and asthma and the first place so I don't understand why they declined me. So **** Celtic insurance.

Then I tried to sign up for "temporary insurance" which you can have for six months straight, then reapply for another six making a year. However since that time almost two weeks ago I've heard nothing... damn that reminds me that I forgot to call my insurance broker... I thought I found a decent guy online but maybe not... *sigh so here I am running around in allergy season, liable to have a horrible asthma attack while mowing the lawn or walking my dog and I don't have anything protecting me. *sigh I'm holding out pretty well but I'm "alone" so it's fairly discouraging you know?

Anyway, sorry to bitch there, as you were.

jia jian
 
Really agree with Floyd this time. Sooner or later you'll get so tired that you don't care what it takes to numb the pain. That you can NOT afford to let happen.

I went through a year of pain with the local dentist hoping the next visit would find that elusive source of pain. After a year all my teeth were fixed and they said I'd have to see a pain specialist. My first trip to an out of town dentist fixed it.

My problem is his office is midway between the Sheriff's Office on one side and the Fire Department on the other. :footinmou :footinmou :footinmou
 
I still move around. I am on an anti inflamatory and a maintenance dose of very mild pain pills. I requested the weakest I could get. On the other hand- this whole last winter of pain could have been avoided if i'd just seen a specialist and taken what I should have- instead of trying to make do with such a pittling amount the problem never went away- it just stayed inflamed.

edit- interesting you mention that, Rusty. Once about 7 weeks ago I was so bad off I actually considered getting drunk. If you've read up to here you know most pain is bearable to me. This pain was simply too damn much. I still remember it. I opted not to do that because the idea of waking up hungover and still in pain seemed suicidal- and I mean that literally.

I am planning on climbing aboard the MT bike, but I'm afraid. I love it so much and what will I do if I can't?

One thing I noticed about being in pain- not the most horrible pain, but just the day to day can't move well pain; and that's with some pain relief I can easily do the dishes and work with the kids. Without it, all I want to do is as little as possible.


munk
 
Otaru- I used to admire Yvsa for being in such pain until I got there too. Now, I'm not sure what to admire.
Just make sure your lower back and hip pain is not a disk. That's how the sciatic nerve manifests too.

munk
 
I guess I have been lucky in that I have not experienced chronic pain....yet.

The head department might be a different story though. The VA people think I am crazy. I think they are crazy. Don't know who is right.
 
you're crazy, Johnny.....don't need a fancy degree to see that....:eek:

:p



:footinmou
 
I'll agree with Pen.
Only, even normal people are crazy. What matters is if one is living a life that offers love and challenge. They usually want to know if one is employable, has provided for himself and family, etc.

If you've done that, you can be mad as a march hare.




munk
 
Carman I'm sorry to hear that. My first thought is that you should consult an attorney at this time. Generally you can talk to an attorney for the first 30 minute session for free. See if you can find an attorney that's familiar with the govenment agency that you're working for to see if they can even be sued.
And don't be afraid to sue them if that's what it comes to, which it almost certainly will I think. Most worker's comp cases are solved this way, regretfully, instead of the agency/employer standing up and doing what's right.
From my experiences and many others you have to force them to do what's right.:(
Munk is right, Please keep us informed as we may be able to help you through the system besides us just wanting to know.:)

My personal beliefs, religion or whatever prevents me from taking my own life or I probably wouldn't be writing this now.
Here lately I have had some pain free days which are wonderful but I still am very, very, very, limited in what I can do.
Munk may have to give up his mountain bike in the end. I have given up many, many, things I enjoyed doing and many, many, other things that gave me a genuine quality of life.
I'm hopeful that I can gain some of them back but we'll see. Time has a way of healing all things one way or another.;)

Munk has said something like, "I don't know what to admire now."
Munk all I can say to that is just look around. There's a whole lot of people that are much worse off than we are and they keep going.
Those are the ones you admire. They have a strength that I don't know if I'm equal to or not.
I can only pray so. It's damned hard to set and watch my Barbie still doing things that I used to do while she is getting older and less fit to do these things herself.
But it's always been hard for me to set and watch my Barbie do the things that I used to do anyway.:(
We've had several talks about the situation and still do on occasion....
The conclusion is we all get old and get to where we can't do certain things anymore.
I've just gotten there by mileage instead of years.:rolleyes: :grumpy:

The best thing all of you younger guys can do is to be extremely careful not to hurt yourself at work or at play.
I guarantee you that your employers don't care what happens to you no matter how good they are to work for.
And if you hurt yourself at play I think it would be even worse as you are responsible for your own actions.
And even the best insurance in the world doesn't pay enough to re-emburse you for the loss of bodily functions no matter how small it may be.:(
I used to think I was invincible as well but then I never expected to live much past thirty or I might've taken better care of myself.;) :p
 
Yvsa, when I got here it was guys like you and Walsosi I admired, and still do. But now I'm entering the Club of Pain, I can only wonder- here I am walking in footsteps I did not want to emulate.

My dream used to be as long as I could get outdoors and watch things in the desert or woods I'd be OK. This surplanted the earlier dream- that as long as I could read I'd be OK.

I sure hope I don't have to give up the Bike. I just paid for it!! I sold two guns for it! I was broke for 6 months because of it!!

I actually had to stop buying khuks because of that bike.


munk
 
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