Surgery delayed AGAIN

[Murrmurr]

@Murrmurr I'm sorry to hear about your back pain issues.

I had a fall some years ago, head over heels down some stairs, fractured two fingers on one hand, thumb and wrist on the other, did some damage to an ankle. Back was literally black and blue for weeks and only ached during that time - the pain kicked in later and never left. Doctor just keeps prescribing pills but they don't work, nor do over-the-counter painkillers. I've never had proper investigations and unlikely now with the way things are here in our health care system these days, so I live with chronic pain and restricted mobility it causes.

Your experience(s) sound dreadful and I hope @Moon Rat's recommendation offers/provides a solution for you.

That was a bad fall. But then, head over heels isn't the best way to do it. I'll ask my pain management team about the stent Moonrat mentioned. They're supposed to call me next week.

 

[Murrmurr]

^^^ Pretty much nailed it. Today's "medicine" has little to do with patient care; it's all business. Of course no doctor will admit it, so they'll always come up with BS reasons to make it appear it's for patient benefit.

You and Blessed are right; patients aren't an insurance company's first priority.

 

[Murrmurr]

Keep us posted @Murrmurr. I hope things work out for you. I have a close friend who had back issues, and she had the injections. It did lessen the pain. There has to be a long-term solution to rid you of your pain.

Ok, so I read my surgeon's post-visit notes and I think I'm a bit clearer about why he's delaying surgery. His notes say

"There does appear to be adjacent (to the previous surgery) segment disease with new degenerative changes. Frank agreed to continue with conservative management and wait to proceed with surgical intervention until he has exhausted other treatment options. Refer to Pain Management for L3 transforaminal epidural steroid injection. This injection could be both diagnostic and therapeutic. If it does provide relief, then would be very useful in surgical planning. Frank will reach out if pain continues to progress and we will re-address surgery."

I mean, that's a bit more clear. He's saying that the TESI injection could pinpoint the type of pain; a nerve branch, a nerve root, a rupture, or tissue inflammation; and if it is nerve pain, then it will pretty much pinpoint what nerve or nerve root it is. There are dozens of nerve roots and thousands of nerve branches in your spine and a lot of them are not even a centimeter away from another.

 

[Blessed]

Ok, so I read my surgeon's post-visit notes and I think I'm a bit clearer about why he's delaying surgery. His notes say

"There does appear to be adjacent (to the previous surgery) segment disease with new degenerative changes. Frank agreed to continue with conservative management and wait to proceed with surgical intervention until he has exhausted other treatment options. Refer to Pain Management for L3 transforaminal epidural steroid injection. This injection could be both diagnostic and therapeutic. If it does provide relief, then would be very useful in surgical planning. Frank will reach out if pain continues to progress and we will re-address surgery."

I mean, that's a bit more clear. He's saying that the TESI injection could pinpoint the type of pain; a nerve branch, a nerve root, a rupture, or tissue inflammation; and if it is nerve pain, then it will pretty much pinpoint what nerve or nerve root it is. There are dozens of nerve roots and thousands of nerve branches in your spine and a lot of them are not even a centimeter away from another.

I hope you have contacted your pain doctor to see about changes in your norco prescription. You should not have to suffer until the injection is done!

 

[dseag2]

Ok, so I read my surgeon's post-visit notes and I think I'm a bit clearer about why he's delaying surgery. His notes say

"There does appear to be adjacent (to the previous surgery) segment disease with new degenerative changes. Frank agreed to continue with conservative management and wait to proceed with surgical intervention until he has exhausted other treatment options. Refer to Pain Management for L3 transforaminal epidural steroid injection. This injection could be both diagnostic and therapeutic. If it does provide relief, then would be very useful in surgical planning. Frank will reach out if pain continues to progress and we will re-address surgery."

I mean, that's a bit more clear. He's saying that the TESI injection could pinpoint the type of pain; a nerve branch, a nerve root, a rupture, or tissue inflammation; and if it is nerve pain, then it will pretty much pinpoint what nerve or nerve root it is. There are dozens of nerve roots and thousands of nerve branches in your spine and a lot of them are not even a centimeter away from another.

Thank you for providing the update. You know we are all hoping for the best outcome and that you will eventually be pain-free and back to your old self.

 

[Murrmurr]

I hope you have contacted your pain doctor to see about changes in your norco prescription. You should not have to suffer until the injection is done!

She can't see me until Oct 4th. I could see her back-up, but the last time I did that, the other doctor refused to change anything and he was all about weaning me off Norco....as recommended by the CDC or whatever. Dude didn't even know my medical history, surgeries, therapies, didn't even know my spine is part titanium steel.

Anyway, the bottle I'm on now is good till mid-Sept. I'll email her and ask her to increase the count on the refill. Like, currently I take 4/day, and will request 6/day. She'll probly do that since she's certain I only ask for what I really need. Then, when I see her on Oct 4th, I'll know if I actually need to ask for a stronger medication.