RE: Re: New to Group - lower back pain, nurses with fused joints.. are you out there.. etc.

[Guest guest]

,

Yes I have had problems with my SI joint....and YES mine is fused...how did

you know (have you been peering in my hipa papers.....wink wink)I did not

know that...I wasn't given that info but it doesn't surprise me....I know

that the PT always tried to fix the problem and would pull on my leg till I

thought I was going to break in half. I always have unequal leg lengths.

..radiofrequency if done by a skilled doc can be a miracle and good

give you long lasting pain relief. The ablation's were like a magic

wand..poof all the pain gone. I hope that works well for you......

Do you physiatrist and ortho work well together? If so you are lucky to

have two skilled docs on your case. I wonder if has the same

problem....I haven't seen any of her posts in a while........I hope she is

doing well.....and I hope that you start feeling better.

Deb RN

From: spinal problems

[mailto:spinal problems ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 8:09 AM

spinal problems ;

spinal problems

Subject: RE: Re: New to Group - lower back pain

Hi Deb

have you or anyone in the group had problems with your SI joint?

I wonder if anyone in the group has had a CT scan and found that they have a

fused SI joint.

The Orthopedic doctor said it sometimes happens spontaneously in groups of

people who do heavy lifting...

aka Nurses...

I just would like to hear if anyone in our group has and how they maybe

dealing with it.

My Physiatrist MD wants to do Radiofrequency. He said fixation should be

last option.....

thanks

RN

Re: New to Group - lower back pain

Hi Lynn,

Yes, like Tery said, chronic pain is a very lonely place to be.

People can't see your pain from the outside (except when I'm hunched

over like I'm 90 yrs old when I'm only 35) and only you can feel it...

people who do not have chronic pain do not understand. That's why I

joined this group. When I tell people I have degenerative disc

disease with 4 bad levels and have been in pain for 10 yrs, they say

" oh, I have low back pain sometimes but I just take an Aleve and do

some stretches and I feel better - have you tried that? " - I'm like,

you have NO idea. And they don't. I wish that I could just take an

Aleve and feel better - if I could, I would. I hate the way pain has

changed my personality - I am not as fun loving as I could be, or in a

good mood like I could be, or a mover and a shaker like I could be...

I wish I could take my 3 yr old and 9 month old to the park every day

or play with them on the floor... but it is what it is. I deal with it

the best way I can - take my meds, see my docs, limit my activities to

what I know I can do, and hope for the best. We all understand what

you're going through, and I'm so sorry you are in such pain. It's just

not fair.

The epidurals have not worked for me (or the facet blocks, or nerve

blocks, etc) but I know MANY people who have gotten relief from them.

My father had one years ago and has been in minimal pain since. I know

they seem scary but give them a try - I have tried every single thing

under the sun, both medical and nontraditional - I think it's worth it

to try anything because you never know what might give you some

relief. Believe me, I know that the more things you try that don't

work makes you feel like " why am I even trying?! " but please don't

give up. : )

Jenn

> Hi group,

>

> This is my first writing. I was diagnosed with a bulging disc at l5-

> s1 back in August. I woke up one morning and couldn't bend over. I

> was having terrible muscle spasms. I went to my orthopedic surgeon

> who diagnosed me with a bulging disc and some arthritis in the sacro

> area. He prescribed the epidural steroid shot, which I shyed away

> from at first. I went to the chiropractor who was able to minimize

> the pain and since then it has been painful but manageable. This

> past weekend I had a Saturday with hardly no pain, then on Saturday

> night I was lying on the couch and I felt something move. My back

> tightened up and the pain that was on the right side returned. I am

> taking flexeril and tramadol for the pain but it just doesn't seem to

> be working anymore. I am at my wits end. I have to work but it

> seems the only comfort I get is lying down on a semi-hard service.

>

> So I called my orthopedic dr this morning to schedule the shots (you

> get 3 shots over the course of 6 weeks, each shot 2 weeks apart). I

> called the dr.s office and that good-for-nothing receptionist he has

> (who I have complained to about many times) told me the next

> scheduled shot date is next Thurday. I told her that would take the

> protocol into the holidays and will shots then be given. I don't

> want to go on about her -- I'll just call back when someone else is

> there that can help. I am too tired, at this point, to seek out

> another dr.

>

> I live alone and believe it or not one of my dogs has disc disease

> and I have to crate her for 8 weeks and carry her out to the yard to

> take care of her business. I'm sure carrying her (even though she's

> only 15 lbs.) has not helped.

>

> I am so upset that all this is bringing me to tears. I get very

> little support at work. My boss left me a pile of files (on my

> floor) to send off site but first I have to catalog them. So now I

> have to get people to help me lift the files off the floor. So

> incensitive.

>

> I would go out on disability until this is resolved but I can't

> afford to do that with me being my sole support and having to manage

> my bills and my mortgage.

>

> Thanks for listening. If anyone has any advice, please let me know.

>

> Lynn