Re: finally someong cared

[Guest guest]

OOPS. I forgot to mention, I am on complete bed rest until I see

other doc. Hubby will have to start doing pretty much all the things

around the house. Told him that tonight, and he wasn't all that happy

since I haven't been able to do much of anything for almost 2 months

now.

--- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " " <bmfb4114@y...>

wrote:

> Well, it has been over 2 1/2 months since the fisrt pain in my neck

> started. No biggie. A few days later the pain was severe and went

> into my shoulder. Went to Military doc, told muscle strain,

> given ultram 2- 4xdaily for 2 weeks. He sent me to PT as well.

>

> Well, I had a fall off a chair that didn't make it any better, GOT

> WORSE. Went back (same doc) and he put me on ultram 1- 2xdaily. (?)

> well, did as prescribed. Not better getting worse, pain down arm

and

> numbness back of arm and outside of right hand. Saw my Rheumy and

he

> put me on ultram 2-4/6 hours with refills. I was still haveing pain

> in the base of neck-upper back between shoulder blades.

>

> Well, I went back for a third time, he took x-ray. Radiologist said

> it was normal. So he sent me to another doc, a neurologist. He

> ordered a CT and it came back two days later. This was last week.

He

> got the report on Thurs. and that morning his nurse called to say I

> needed to get an MRI done in the morning. I did. Results were in

> yesterday and I saw him today.

>

> CT showed an extensive bulging disc. The MRI on the other hand,

> didn't go down far enough to determine just how much damage was

> done. (cervical MRI but only did to the C5.) I will now have to

have

> another MRI closed thoratic. (sp) He is sending me to a specialist

to

> see if surgery is required for this disc, since PT and ANSAID's

> didn't help.

>

> I can't believe that the base doc didn't catch on with what was

> happening. On my last visit to the Base doc, he treated me as

though

> I was only there to get pain pills. (addicted) yeah right! As if I

> really want to add more pills to the pharmacy I already take every

> day. No offense guys but if I had been a guy he wouldn't have

thought

> twice about running other tests and helping me manage the pain. He

> never gave me any help with the management. Barly able to function

at

> all.

>

> Well, now I know that I am not making the pain up in my neck. I

have

> a seriously bulging disc at the C7-T1. I guess I will have to look

it

> all up on the internet because I am not to familiar with that type

> medical problem. I need to see what type of treatments are

available.

> All I want is to be able to clean my own house without all this

pain.

> I already have some pain doing it without this new developement.

>

> Sorry for the novel.

>

[Guest guest]

,

A bulging disc is the disk between the vertabrae is swollen and

bulging. This bulging presses on the nerves that exit the spinal

column at the immediate area around the vertabrae involved.

C7 is the last Cervical vertabrae and T1 is the first Thoracic

vertabrae.

I have a bulge between L3 and L4 (L= Lumbar) in the lower back.

If left alone the swelling may go down as mine did. If it is severe

surgery may be the proper course of action. If at all possible I

would try taking it easy for a couple months to see if it will go

down on it's own before surgery, which is what I did and I've been

living with it for 13 years. Surgery techniques are much better now

so I wouldn't be quit as concerned as I was then.

Hope this helps,

Jay

> > Well, it has been over 2 1/2 months since the fisrt pain in my

neck

> > started. No biggie. A few days later the pain was severe and went

> > into my shoulder. Went to Military doc, told muscle strain,

> > given ultram 2- 4xdaily for 2 weeks. He sent me to PT as well.

> >

> > Well, I had a fall off a chair that didn't make it any better,

GOT

> > WORSE. Went back (same doc) and he put me on ultram 1- 2xdaily.

(?)

> > well, did as prescribed. Not better getting worse, pain down arm

> and

> > numbness back of arm and outside of right hand. Saw my Rheumy and

> he

> > put me on ultram 2-4/6 hours with refills. I was still haveing

pain

> > in the base of neck-upper back between shoulder blades.

> >

> > Well, I went back for a third time, he took x-ray. Radiologist

said

> > it was normal. So he sent me to another doc, a neurologist. He

> > ordered a CT and it came back two days later. This was last

week.

> He

> > got the report on Thurs. and that morning his nurse called to say

I

> > needed to get an MRI done in the morning. I did. Results were in

> > yesterday and I saw him today.

> >

> > CT showed an extensive bulging disc. The MRI on the other hand,

> > didn't go down far enough to determine just how much damage was

> > done. (cervical MRI but only did to the C5.) I will now have to

> have

> > another MRI closed thoratic. (sp) He is sending me to a

specialist

> to

> > see if surgery is required for this disc, since PT and ANSAID's

> > didn't help.

> >

> > I can't believe that the base doc didn't catch on with what was

> > happening. On my last visit to the Base doc, he treated me as

> though

> > I was only there to get pain pills. (addicted) yeah right! As if

I

> > really want to add more pills to the pharmacy I already take

every

> > day. No offense guys but if I had been a guy he wouldn't have

> thought

> > twice about running other tests and helping me manage the pain.

He

> > never gave me any help with the management. Barly able to

function

> at

> > all.

> >

> > Well, now I know that I am not making the pain up in my neck. I

> have

> > a seriously bulging disc at the C7-T1. I guess I will have to

look

> it

> > all up on the internet because I am not to familiar with that

type

> > medical problem. I need to see what type of treatments are

> available.

> > All I want is to be able to clean my own house without all this

> pain.

> > I already have some pain doing it without this new developement.

> >

> > Sorry for the novel.

> >

[Guest guest]

Jay, thanks for some of the info I was looking for. The Neologis

thinks I have had this problem since about April. My records from

Base have a few appt.s that have evaluation of this area. I have

been on complete bed rest since the PT only made the problem worse. I

do however know that the RA in the whole neck area has progressed

since I last saw this doc last year when I slipped on a wet floor in

a grocery store. (had a lot of numbness all down outside and inside

of legs.

If anyone else has had this problem I would still like to know what

the experience was for them. I just know I am unable to do anything

without making the pain worse.

> > > Well, it has been over 2 1/2 months since the fisrt pain in my

> neck

> > > started. No biggie. A few days later the pain was severe and

went

> > > into my shoulder. Went to Military doc, told muscle strain,

> > > given ultram 2- 4xdaily for 2 weeks. He sent me to PT as well.

> > >

> > > Well, I had a fall off a chair that didn't make it any better,

> GOT

> > > WORSE. Went back (same doc) and he put me on ultram 1- 2xdaily.

> (?)

> > > well, did as prescribed. Not better getting worse, pain down

arm

> > and

> > > numbness back of arm and outside of right hand. Saw my Rheumy

and

> > he

> > > put me on ultram 2-4/6 hours with refills. I was still haveing

> pain

> > > in the base of neck-upper back between shoulder blades.

> > >

> > > Well, I went back for a third time, he took x-ray. Radiologist

> said

> > > it was normal. So he sent me to another doc, a neurologist.

He

> > > ordered a CT and it came back two days later. This was last

> week.

> > He

> > > got the report on Thurs. and that morning his nurse called to

say

> I

> > > needed to get an MRI done in the morning. I did. Results were

in

> > > yesterday and I saw him today.

> > >

> > > CT showed an extensive bulging disc. The MRI on the other hand,

> > > didn't go down far enough to determine just how much damage was

> > > done. (cervical MRI but only did to the C5.) I will now have to

> > have

> > > another MRI closed thoratic. (sp) He is sending me to a

> specialist

> > to

> > > see if surgery is required for this disc, since PT and ANSAID's

> > > didn't help.

> > >

> > > I can't believe that the base doc didn't catch on with what was

> > > happening. On my last visit to the Base doc, he treated me as

> > though

> > > I was only there to get pain pills. (addicted) yeah right! As

if

> I

> > > really want to add more pills to the pharmacy I already take

> every

> > > day. No offense guys but if I had been a guy he wouldn't have

> > thought

> > > twice about running other tests and helping me manage the

pain.

> He

> > > never gave me any help with the management. Barly able to

> function

> > at

> > > all.

> > >

> > > Well, now I know that I am not making the pain up in my neck. I

> > have

> > > a seriously bulging disc at the C7-T1. I guess I will have to

> look

> > it

> > > all up on the internet because I am not to familiar with that

> type

> > > medical problem. I need to see what type of treatments are

> > available.

> > > All I want is to be able to clean my own house without all this

> > pain.

> > > I already have some pain doing it without this new developement.

> > >

> > > Sorry for the novel.

> > >

[Guest guest]

I woke up 1 morning a few years ago and had pain and numbness in my

hand and arm and severe pain in my neck and shoulder. My Dr. sent me

to a neurologist who did some tests and sent me to PT. The PT was

painful and the pain kept getting worse. I had burning in my

shoulder, pain, burning and numbness in various places down my arm.

After a while, I couldn't take it anymore and went back to my Dr who

sent me to a neurosurgeon. Additional tests were done and it was

discovered that I had a buldging/herniated disk in my neck (C4). I

had nerve conduction tests to determine the extent and the

neurosurgeon discovered that I no longer had a reflex in the back of

my elbow on my right arm, no other doctors had noticed or said

anything. I never did have an injury and had no idea how this

occurred. After a little over a year of this continuing on and

getting worse with no relief in site, I had surgery to remove C4 and

have a cervical fusion done. The surgery went well, recovery was

long and although I still have problems with my hands and elbows from

the RA, it was nothing like the pain I had prior to the surgery. I

hope this helps. Please let me know if I can answer any additional

questions.

Take Care,

Miriam

> > > > Well, it has been over 2 1/2 months since the fisrt pain in

my

> > neck

> > > > started. No biggie. A few days later the pain was severe and

> went

> > > > into my shoulder. Went to Military doc, told muscle strain,

> > > > given ultram 2- 4xdaily for 2 weeks. He sent me to PT as

well.

> > > >

> > > > Well, I had a fall off a chair that didn't make it any

better,

> > GOT

> > > > WORSE. Went back (same doc) and he put me on ultram 1-

2xdaily.

> > (?)

> > > > well, did as prescribed. Not better getting worse, pain down

> arm

> > > and

> > > > numbness back of arm and outside of right hand. Saw my Rheumy

> and

> > > he

> > > > put me on ultram 2-4/6 hours with refills. I was still

haveing

> > pain

> > > > in the base of neck-upper back between shoulder blades.

> > > >

> > > > Well, I went back for a third time, he took x-ray.

Radiologist

> > said

> > > > it was normal. So he sent me to another doc, a neurologist.

> He

> > > > ordered a CT and it came back two days later. This was last

> > week.

> > > He

> > > > got the report on Thurs. and that morning his nurse called to

> say

> > I

> > > > needed to get an MRI done in the morning. I did. Results were

> in

> > > > yesterday and I saw him today.

> > > >

> > > > CT showed an extensive bulging disc. The MRI on the other

hand,

> > > > didn't go down far enough to determine just how much damage

was

> > > > done. (cervical MRI but only did to the C5.) I will now have

to

> > > have

> > > > another MRI closed thoratic. (sp) He is sending me to a

> > specialist

> > > to

> > > > see if surgery is required for this disc, since PT and

ANSAID's

> > > > didn't help.

> > > >

> > > > I can't believe that the base doc didn't catch on with what

was

> > > > happening. On my last visit to the Base doc, he treated me as

> > > though

> > > > I was only there to get pain pills. (addicted) yeah right! As

> if

> > I

> > > > really want to add more pills to the pharmacy I already take

> > every

> > > > day. No offense guys but if I had been a guy he wouldn't have

> > > thought

> > > > twice about running other tests and helping me manage the

> pain.

> > He

> > > > never gave me any help with the management. Barly able to

> > function

> > > at

> > > > all.

> > > >

> > > > Well, now I know that I am not making the pain up in my neck.

I

> > > have

> > > > a seriously bulging disc at the C7-T1. I guess I will have to

> > look

> > > it

> > > > all up on the internet because I am not to familiar with that

> > type

> > > > medical problem. I need to see what type of treatments are

> > > available.

> > > > All I want is to be able to clean my own house without all

this

> > > pain.

> > > > I already have some pain doing it without this new

developement.

> > > >

> > > > Sorry for the novel.

> > > >