Last post Tue, Mar 25 2008 1:58 AM by linham. 16 replies.
greetings everyone,
my lumbar spine has, first degree L5-S1 spondylolisthesis, a 2.4 cm round lesion in the body of L3, bulging annulus at L5-S1, disk desiccation at L3-L4
thoracic spine has levoscoliosis, t-4 has a high signal which measures 1cm. moderate upper thoracic spondylosis at T7-T8, with disc herniation and right ventral dural sac compression.
this has caused me to be disabled since 1998 when i was hurt at work. i only take moltrin, as i went through a stage of med dependency. i workout 3 times a week lightly. i am also a vegetarian.
i know my problems are not as great as some in this community, but pain has no mercy. looking at me, i look fine. sleeping is what i call 45 minute cat naps thoughout the night. so for me, 10 hours in bed may equal 4 hours of true sleep if any. the longer i am up, the more intense the pain at the end of the day, which leaves me fatigued. i keep active with chores around the house, but have to be careful with the amount. if i pass the quota, the spine will let me know in spades.
this injury cost me my job and marraige. my ex-wife and i get along way better now, since she understands what i have. dating is tough, as little money, and a back injury puts a stigma on you. i remember one instance where a young lady i was seeing was very concerned about my bad back and sex. hhhhmmmm. well i did not get the chance. anyway, again, i know my stuff is not the most debilitating, but very few people know or understand pain. i make it a point to be as active as i can. and help to take care of my 8 year old son. i limit my friendships to the people i know since childhood. i worked as an aircraft mechanic and parts inspector before my injury working 20 hour days sometimes. but people will only see you as good as your last touchdown.
i sent my mri to the laser spine clinic in florida. my insurance only cover half the cost. so that is out. so i am seeing a new doctor to try the epidurals again. this is day to day. i do my best to maintain a good disposition, smile. but there are days when pain gets the best of me.
thanks for listening.
hi planevegan, nice having you here with us! ya know, pain is pain, no matter what form it comes in. there are so many types of disabillities here, you may find someone with the same or similar to yours, that may be able to help you with advice. and i also am a vegetarian!
When I hurt my back in 1993 the best of advice I received was that your friends will accept the injury and the changes that come with it. Your family will have the most difficulty with because they will expect you to be the "old" you. In the years since I have found this to be true.
HI PLANEVEGAN!
HAVE YOU TAKEN LYRICA? I TAKE IT AT NIGHT ONLY, 50 MG, IT HELPS W/ MY SLEEP. IF I GET ENOUGH SLEEP MY PAIN IS TOLERABLE DURING THE DAY. LYRICA IS GOOD FOR NERVE DAMAGE AND FIBROMALGIA. I ALSO HAVE BULGING DISC, ARTHRITIS IN MY BACK AND HIPS THAT WAKES ME UP AT NIGHT. ASK YOUR RHEUMOTOLOGIST, NEUROLOGIST OR WHO EVER YOU GO TO IF THAT WOULD HELP YOUR CONDITION. I'VE HAD CORTIZONE INJECTIONS IN MY BACK TO THE TUNE OF $600.00 EACH AND I HAVE INSURANCE!! THEY DON'T WORK FOR LONG. A WASTE OF MONEY.
I FEEL YOUR PAIN
BELL
This is a write-up I did so that I wouldn't have to keep going over all the issues I have experienced with my back disability. I am retired Navy and recently the VA rated as 10% disabled. Of couurse I appealed. One change to this write-up is that the Doctor took me off Lyrica and put me on Cymbalta for depression and pain. The Lyrica caused me weight gain and nausea. I am going to a neurosurgeon and being evaluated for surgery by use of a Myelogram and nerve study. More to follow.
Notes for Discussion
Do you have to be in a coma to get a 100% rating with the VA? I feel for you.
Part of my disability is severe sciattica. I also experience right foot/leg spasms. I have had 5 surgeries for bi-lateral carpal and cubital tunnel. I have neck and bi-lateral shoulder severe pain. I suffer from depression and headaches. I am unable to sleep regularly. I am constantly sleep deprived. I have tried numerous sleeping pills to no avail.
I have been deemed totally disabled by Social Security. I received the rating the first time I applied. I did my own paperwork. I am still trying to settle with Workman's Comp. They have only given me a partial disability rating.
If I can assist you in filling out forms for the VA, feel free to contact me.
hi kathy, it's nice to meet. sorry you are in so much pain. welcome to disaboom and i hope that you meet friends here who might be able to help somehow.
How very nice of you to greet me. I read your profile. I am humbled. You certainly have been dealing with a lot. It is nice to know that we are not alone. Best wishes,,,,,,
KK
Hi PLANEVEGANl!
i'M NEW TO THE COMMUNITY... IN FACT HAVE NOT EVEN WRITTEN MY BIO YET, SO FORGIVE SEEMING MYSTERIOUS. I'M JUST VERY TIRED AT 2:05 OUT IN THE INTERNET TRYING TO FIND DEFINITIONS FOR SOME OF THE TERMS IN THE MRI REPORT I GOT FRIDAY. I WAS BROWSING SOME OF THE MESSAGES AND YOUR STORY TOUCHED ME. I'M SO VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSSES. IT'S TRAGIC THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND PAIN AND THE EFFECT IT HAS ON EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES.
I'VE HAD LOWER BACK PROBLEMS FOR YEARS AND I CAN CERTAINLY RELATE BUT I RECENTLY STARTED HAVING PAIN THAT SURPASSED ANY LEVEL I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED. IT ACTUALLY STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN I MADE THE MISTAKE OF SEEING A CHIROPRACTOR. I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT SOME PART OF THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN HE PUT HIS PALMS UNDER MY RIBS AND PUSHED UP. I NOW HAVE A FRACTURE TO THE 12TH RIB THAT WAS JUST DISCOVERED ON THIS jANUARY MRI. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK I CAN LAY IT ALL ON HIM BECAUSE THERE APPEARS TO BE SOOO MUCH MORE GOING ON IN THE THORACIC REGION NOW. I CAN'T SAY IF IT'S NEW BECAUSE WHEN THE PAIN STARTED BECOMMING SEVERE MY DOCTORS THOUGH IT WAS STILL LUMBAR, JUST A HIGHER DISC AND NEVER DID A THORACIC MRI. LAST JULY I DEVELOPED A PAIN AROUND AND JUST ABOVE MY WAIST THAT WAS LIKE BEING HIT WITH A CATTLE PROD EVERY TIME i MOVED OR EVEN TOOK A BREATH. THAT WOULD LAST FOR DAYS AND THEN JUST DISAPPEAR AND I'D BE PAIN FREE IN THAT REGION FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN IT WOULD RETURN. ON A SCALE OF 1-10 I'D GIVE THIS A 25. MY DOCTORS STILL CALLED IT LUMBAR AND MUSCLE SPASMS UNTIL THE EPISODES BECAME MORE AND MORE FREQUENT. A WONDERFUL LITTLE PAA ORDERED A THORACIC MRI LAST MONTH AND LOW AND BEHOLD DID WE ALL DO A DOUBLE TAKE. UNFORTUNATELY ONLY WENDY (paa) AND i HAVE ACTUALLY SEEND THE REPORT. I CAN'T GET IN TO MY DOCTOR'S UNTIL NEXT WEEK AND IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY NOT KNOWING WHAT THIS SAYS. SO I'M TRYING TO FIND A WEB SITE THAT HAS SOME ENGLISH LANGUAGE TERMS FOR SOME OF THE CODE DOCTORS USE. I'VE HAD COUNTLESS MRI'S ON MY LUMBAR SPINE BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN SOME OF THESE TERMS BEFORE.
AS FOR PAIN, I'LL TELL YOU MY PHILOSOPHY... . I DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH PRESCRIPTION DRUGS EARLY ON AND CHOSE TO QUIT TAKING ANYTHING BUT MOTRIN, UNTIL MOTRIN SHREDDED MY ESOPHOGUS AND STOMACH. MY LIVER AND KIDNEYS ARE NOT IN SUCH GREAT SHAPE EITHER. TWO YEARS AGO WE MOVED FROM CALIFORNIA TO ARIZONA AND I LEARNED OF A PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINIC FROM MY NEW NEIGHBOR WHO ALSO HAS BACK PROBLEMS. I WENT TO SEE THE DOCTOR WHO RUNS THE CLINIC.
HE SHOCKED ME WITH HIS OUTLOOK ON PAIN MANAGEMENT. hE SAID PAIN CAUSES DEPRESSION, IT DESTROYS MARRIAGES, IT TAKES THE JOY OUT OF LIVING. HE SAID HE UNDERSTOOD MY CONCERNS ABOUT ADDICTION BUT THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM CHRONIC, NEVER ENDING PAIN LIKE I DO, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADDICTION AND DEPENDENCE. WHEN I BEGAN TO SEE THINGS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE I CAME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT I'M NO MORE DEPENDENT ON PAIN MEDICATION THAN A DIABETIC IS ON INUSLIN.
THE PROGRAM REQUIRES THAT YOU COME IN ONCE A MONTH TO GET NEW, WRITTEN PRESCRIPTIONS, GET DRUG TESTED FREQUENTLY TO BE SURE YOU ARE NOT TAKING MORE THAT THE PRESCRIBED DOSE, YOU BRING YOU BOTTLES TO BE COUNTED WITH EVERY VISIT AND THERE ARE NO EXCUSES. YOU LOSE YOUR DRUGS, TOO BAD. YOU FORGET YOUR BOTTLES, NO NEW SCRIPS. YOU GO HOME AND MAKE A NEW APPOINTMENT.
I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS RIGHT FOR YOU. I GUESS I READ YOUR STORY AND IT MADE ME SAD TO HEAR HOW LITTLE SLEEP YOU GET. I SLEEP SITTING UP WITH A HEATING PAD AND LUMBAR PILLOW. I CAN'T LAY FLAT TO SAVE MY LIFE. HAVING AN MRI IS TORTUE. EVEN THEN I'M LUCKY IF I GET MORE THAN FOUR OR FIVE HOURS OF SLEEP, BUT AT LEAST IT'S SLEEP. I DON'T WAKE UP EVERY HALF HOUR, EXCEPT WHEN IT GO THROUGH THE CATTLE PROD ROUTINE. THEN I WAKE UP SCREAMING. FUN TIMES. ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW. NOT EVERYONE WHO ON THERAPEUTIC PAIN MAINTENANCE DRUGS IS AN ADDICT, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF. AND YES, THERE ARE MANY WHO WILL DISAGREE,
ALL I CAN SAY IS I AM ABLE TO WORK FULL TIME, IN A JOB I LOVE, ENJOY SOME SEMBLANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH FREE OF DEPRESSION AAGAIN, AND ENJOY A QUALITY OF LIFE JUST A FEW LEVELS ABOVE WHERE I WAS WITHOUT IT AND TO ME THAT IS EVERYTHING..
I HOPE I DIDN'T OFFEND YOU WITH MY POINT OF VIEW. I'M NOT SAYING IT'S THE REIGHT DECISION FOR YOU. YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION FROM MINE. I DON'T HAVE AN 8 YEAR OLD AND NO ONE ELSE DEPENDS ON ME. I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A CHAT ROOM BEFORE AND WHEN I READ YOUR STORY I JUST THOUGHT THAT I SHOULD SHARE WHAT I'VE LEARNED.
BEFORE I WENT ON THIS PROGRAM I HAD JUST HAD BACK SURGERY AND I COULD BARELY FUNCTION. I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO TOTAL DISABILITY. AND I MAY BE AGAIN AFTER THESE NEW PROBLEMS ARE DIAGNOSED. I KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW MY PAIN MEDS ARE NOT DOING MUCH FOR THESE SEVERE ATTACKS. AND IN THE INTEREST OF HONESTY I SHOULD SAY THAT I WILL NOT TAKE ANYTHING STRONGER THAN I DO NOW BECAUSE AT THAT POINT I'D BE IIMPAIRED AT WORK AND I'D BE UNABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY. PRESENTLY, I TAKE THE LOWEST DOSE OF NARCOTIC PAIN KILLER WITHOUT TYLENOL AVAILABLE..
IN CLOSING I'LL SAY YOU SEEM LIKE A NICE GUY AND I SINCERELY WISH THE VERY BEST FOR YOU. AS FOR WOMEN, A WOMAN WHO IS REALLY WORTHY OF YOU LOVE WONT' CARE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU DO OR DON'T HAVE. AND YOU SOUND LIKE SOMEONE WHO DESERVES THE BEST.
WISHING YOU THE VERY BEST AND HOPING WE'LL CHAT AGAIN,
PATTIW
Hey PattiW!!!!
I read your reply and found it very insightful. I have had back problems all my life. I go to a rheumotologist & a neuroligist. I have also been hurt & helped by chiropractors/ [won't go to them anymore]. I have never been to pain management, Next time I see my doctor I am going to ask about it.
Your doctor is so right about pain causing depression & making relationships difficult. My husband is afraid of hurting me during sex. But it's OK when I'm not flaired up/ but when I am IT is real painful & he has gotten rather upset about it at times [like it's hurting him, ya right]. and of course I get real depressed & cry alot.
I have had MRI's for most of my back & head, but they never have done my lower back & I have always told the Doctors about my back problems. I guess I'll have to yell so they will hear me.
I have also been treated badly at work, people making fun of me, making remarks about how I limp at times when I'm flared up. At my last job after my boss found out how bad my arthritis can get, [ I have never called in sick because of my pain ] he kept giving me a hard time & fired me because my customers did not purchase their furniture at that visit [ they wanted to go home & think about which pieces they wanted, which many customers do] My husband said that I needed to get my back fixed before I get another job. I have been out of work for 2months now. Now he complains that we don't have enough money comming in. So lets just add guilt to pain to depression.
But any ways I liked your letter & keep in touch with all of us.
Sincerely
DESIGNER/ Bell
Hi.. there, yes I know pain is PAIN.. I'm sorry you went throu Med Dependency, that kind a stinks but if you ask me, I've been on Dilaudid for about 11 years now, because of lower back pain issues, I was born disabled with Spina Bifida, and I'm in wheelchair. I also had my surgery at L5 as well, as well as a shunt. I'm 35 now, and back in 1998 I under went spine unthethering , because scar tissue had wrapped around my spine and was pulling down on it.. BIG MISTAKE.. BIG MISTAKE... after I had the surgery I was sent home 2 days before Thanksgiving, While at home during Thanksgiving, I couldn't move, couldn't transfer, couldn't fuction, and couldn't even catherize myself..which I had been doing since age 10. My mom called my Urologist because of it, and she had my mom put the phone down and try to catherize me, she couldn't but all the doctor heard was me SCREAMING because I was in so much pain. The doctor called back my neurosurgeon and basically in in no uncertain terms told him to get me back to the hospital and readmit me, So fine I did that, and for the next few days I was in the hospital, until a Social service girl basically told me, well you can't go to rehab if you don't transfer for us, well I had no even clue that I was even going to rehab for therapy, so.. somehow in all the pain I was in I transfered.. I TOLD YOU... BIG MISTAKE... after I got there, the doctors had put me on Nor on ton, ?? But that bsaically drugged me up so much I couldn't keep my head off the table. A few weeks went by and they were thinking it was Constipation, and were basically giving me all this crap to take that would make someone like myself explode with diahrea...well needless to say NONE of it worked... A few days before Christmas now I had been there almost a month, and in the first few days of arriving they thought I was going to go home, things were great and I was transfering, the Nor on ton, came after that I'm sorry. Anyway..after about a month, Christmas was coming and they were debating to let me go home or not, Because by that point, I started to have really bad head pains, and throwing up but they allowed me to go home for the day, By night fall on Christmas Eve, the nurse was helping me get ready for bed, and she noticed something from my scar... what do you think it was...?? Spinal fluid!! I got throu the night and she was going to report it to my doctor because it was the holiday and nothing could be done, on Christmas Day so I did get to go home for the day, and of course BIG MISTAKE..because I couldn't enjoy the day and by 8pm I was saying ok take me back.. When we finally got back to the hospital they told me that my doctor would be in my room in the morning. I said ok..And that was it I went to sleep. The next day..the doctor came in, and said ok let me see your back and so they decided to put in a few stitches to see if that would stop, the dripping outside of my body, well.. that didn't and by Jan 4th,1999 his assistant who had taken care of me for a few days decided that they would have to go back and reopen me to do the surgery again. Not all of it, just the stitches I beleive.. and oh he said he found a pocket of fluid in there, and put in a small tube for drainage.. Finally by Jan 15 1999after being there, about a 2 and 1/2 months I went home. Now it was great to be home.. by by Feb 14th, I was being taken back to the hospital with pneumonia, Which was really bad, because I was in so much pain in my lungs that the nurse gave me to much pain medication, I took about 4 weeks for that to finally clear up, and everything was graat for awhile until October of 1999, when I woke up with a lot of head pain, when I got to the hospital this time I went to another hospital after havin a nurse over dose me, we want to try and new hospital. I found out I had meningitis, and they had to remove my shunt..- now keep in mind before all of this I was able to tranfer, in and out of the wheelchair very easy, I had no difficulty in anything.. - once the mengitis was gone, which took another 6 weeks, to kill off, and no they didn't tap my back - thankfully at the time- I guess they assumed thats what it was from the symtoms I was telling them. After that I finally got to go home... for a good couple of years, but during this time, I had been in and out of the hospital for kidney problems, and pain problems, my back would react to any little bit of pain that I had, so each time I'd need more and more of the IV dilaudid to cut throu the pain... and calm down my stomach, because years earlier I had part of my stomach removed and attached to my bladder to make it bigger, and usually they use the intestines, but mine were bad in an area so they couldn't. so anytime I get any type of real pain, it goes to my stomach and I start to throw up. so that complicated my back pain as well... because my stomach would rech and then my back would really hurt and it was a really bad cycle... in 2003 I was found to have pneumonia once again, but this time, we jumped on it, and it wasn't every long in the hospital but my lungs had to be drained again.. the first time, in the other hospital they had to do them by ultra sound.. in the hospital I was in the next time they had some sort of machine I guess. Well anyway ever since all of that, my legs haven't ever been the same since.. and I cant even tranfer in and out of the wheelchair anymore, like I used too.
Anyhow, thats all my history, bur what I wanted to say about your thing was. maybe you could use baclofen, muscle relaxer to help with your pain issues, not a narcotic... I just wanted to let you know that I certain understand how and why you might have become dependent on meds..
I'm surpised im not a really big addict either... I mean, I still have withdrawl symtoms, for the most part that what put in the hospital for back pain issues, because my pain medication rain out and I was withdrawling. Now a days Im back down to 3 pills 2 to 3 times a day, rather than 7 pils 3 to 4 times a day. Which is what I was taking...
Kimberley
I realize this is going to sound alittle funny, but with your leg cramps, have you tried putting some "soap" either at the end of your bed, or under your pillow, my stepfather does that for Cramps in his legs and he says he heard it from his brother, who heard it from another guy, and he said it has actually helped him. And he notices when the soap isn't there...too. Anyway for your leg cramps try it.. Might sound funny, but its suppose to help, I guess your suppose to unwrap the soap and then place it under your blanket and top sheet, but above your fitted sheet, or you can also try it under your pillow as well. ... Worth a try and its cheap...
Baclofen 10mgs 3 times a day helps my nerves... they spaz all of the time.. and even the stomach that they attached to my bladder does too.
