Re: Nothing I can do

[Guest guest]

Diane,

Step one: Talk to your doctor about getting some Prozac, Paxil, etc.

That will help you handle your problems much, much better... and in a

couple of weeks.

Step two: Find a good pain clinic and see what they can do for you.

I sounds as if you have only several doctors. You'll get more at a

chronic pain center.

They deal with all phases of what is causing you to be so much in pain

and all of the resulting side effects... like depression, etc.

Good luck... you can beat it.

Temp

15 years driving a bed (part time)

" Nothing I can do "

Dear Listers,

I wonder how many of you have had to deal with " Sorry, there's nothing

I can do at this point " from your doctors? I got his statement from not

one, but TWO of my docs last week and it has thrown me into a deep

depression, deeper I should say.

I have been having a lot more pain in back so went to see neurosurgeon I

had seen three years ago. He took lumbar (only) xray. After seeing

results of that, he said there had been enough changes to warrant

another MRI...so another two week wait for an appointment for results of

that. I begged him for something for pain and he finally decided he

would let me have 30 percocet. I had told him this had helped me a year

or so ago when I took it after gallbladder surgery, and I did not have

reactions to it as I do to a lot of drugs. Surprise, surprise! It did

not help much at all this time. It is getting to the point that I can't

stand over 5 min. in one spot; can not walk to the mail room and back

w/o severe pain.

OK...the degenerative disk disease is much worse than three years ago,

and the stenosis due to bulging disks is much worse...several places in

the spine there is hardly an opening at all. BUT, there is nothing he

can do for me at this time. " I am a surgeon, you know " ...Yes, I know

and I am not eager to have the knife put to my spine, but how am I

supposed to take care of myself? He will refer me back to my doctor and

if it gets any worse...worse? Do I have to be in a wheelchair or

screaming with pain???....No other suggestions. I have difficulty

sitting too...feels like I have a tens unit attached to the upper part

of my spine when I sit too long.

When looking at the xrays he noted that " You are too young for

this " ...what???? Your aorta is filling up with calcium...looks like

someone backed up a dumptruck full of concrete and unloaded in my

aorta. I am only 55.

I asked my internist about this the same day. " Nothing can be done; it

is hereditary " .

My sister has calcium deposits throughout her body, and mother had

problems. They both had to have surgery to have deposits taken off

shoulders. Mine decides it will not only jump onto my spine, knees, but

oh yes....let's fill up this tube!

What now? Ortho? Anyone relate? Should I just go out back and shoot

myself? It is looking pretty glum. Do I only have a future of more pain

w/ this back and the FM and all the other crap?

Can anyone give me the least bit of encouragement? I cannot take

NSAIDS...even Celebrex caused me GI distress...altho' it's not supposed

to.

I think I must find some doctors who are not businessmen, but caring

docs, but do not know if I should even try, or what. I am tired...all I

have for pain is flexeril...due to anaphylactic reactions from drugs in

the past I think my internist is afraid to prescribe anything. I read

the posts on here and see the lists of drugs some folks are taking and

it just amazes me.

Talk to me people....I am hurting so bad physically and emotionally and

I am alone with no one to help me do a damn thing.

Love and hugs to all,

Diane

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[Guest guest]

Hi Diane,

My last rheumatologist said almost the same thing to me.

I also can't stomach NSAIDs which she wanted me to take for AS and the trade

off wasn't worth taking anti-depressants for FMS, so she said that she

couldn't do anything more for me. She said my GP may want to refer me back

to her at a future date. I decided to try another rheumatologist instead.

I can't get in to see him until Feb. 1st.

My GP prescribes codeine and has recently added Nozinan. They have been

working synergistically as an adequate method of pain relief but have not

worked on the insomnia. I have even been able to cut the codeine back on

the days that I don't over-do.

I have been concentrating on trying to heal my stomach as it has been my

main concern in the last year. I have even put my recent diagnosis of

diabetes on the back burner until I can get my stomach to a place where I

can eat an apple without it feeling as though I had swallowed battery acid.

The latest of the four drugs I presently take to heal my stomach is called

Sucralfate and it, along with the others is helping.

I am trying to be patient while I go through test after test but it is

really hard. Patience is not one of my virtues.

I have only met one lady with spinal stenosis and she was in a wheelchair

because of it. I can't understand where your doctors are coming from.

I hope that your general practitioner treats the pain while the specialists

are deciding how to treat your back problems. If he isn't adequately

treating your pain then go to another doctor. You should not be left in

limbo or in pain.

What did you mean by the neurosurgeon would refer you back to your doctor?

Can't you just make an appointment to see a general practitioner where you

are? He's the one who should be coordinating your care.

When you refer to your aorta are you meaning your aortic valve?

My cardiologist said that my aortic valve was sclerosing and that I would

have to go for yearly echocardiograms so he could keep his eye on it as this

usually only happened in older people. I'm 49. He said there is a 5%

chance that it could be occurring due to my AS.

I go for aqua therapy as my only form of exercise, as I also find standing

for any length of time painful. My doctor has also prescribed a scooter to

help me get out more which helps emotionally. I really enjoyed our last

camping trip. With the scooter I was able to go down to the lake with

everyone and take pictures of my grandson.

In my opinion, you should make a list of your concerns and take them to your

general practitioner. If he doesn't do anything about them then find another

doctor.

I think that once you are labeled with FMS then any new symptom that you get

is thought by the doctors to be coming from the FMS.

I think that doctors should realize that people with FMS also get treatable

diseases. Maybe you are being told that your back pain is mechanical when

it could be inflammatory arthritis which might be helped be something like a

shot of prednisone. You sound like me, I'm willing to try ANYTHING to get

rid of this back pain. Please keep us posted as to what kind of progress

you are having.

Good luck.

~~~Faye~~~