just exactly what "procedure" are you referring to that your ins wont cover? if you are also seeing a doc at the VA, will they cover what you need there? the bigger thing about anything spinal is most findings usually are very much ongoing and "progressive", esp with disc problems which also can dehydrate, and become much 'more bulged' to the point of outright herniation or whats called 'extruded". or that annular wall that surrounRAB the outter edges of that dic can also tear and create a whole bunch of other issues, such AS that "extrusion" if not interveined upon over time too. so what you were told back in 2002 is probably gotten at least a bit worse over time than it was back then too. so it definitely should get another good 'looksee' at it.
have you had ANY type of scan or at least an x ray done recently to simply check the progression of this over time, since 2002 WAS just quite a while back? there can also be other areas too, esp the levels above and below the one with the bulge in it as well that can also just develop over time and that lovely 'aging' process. but if at all possible, getting an actual MRI done on that c spine would really show what NEERAB to finally be seen here, the 'inner" part of the spinal column, down to nerve roots and the spinal cord itself just to see how 'impactful' that 'bulge really is all these years after initial dx?
you also most definitely NEED a much better way to try and manage your pain here too. is it at all possible for you to see a good pain management doc to be refered to since your 'procedure' is not actually even covered? my biggest concern regarding all the many different types of OTC meRAB that you have been and are continueing to take is for your kidneys mostly. and depending upon the tylenol, the liver as well?
the one huge issue that can occur whenever someone is forced to have to actually begin to try and treat their own pain becasue a stupid doc is NOT doing their job is the overall impact this can just have on your kidneys. i have a kidney disease myself so i have done TONS of research on them and all the many different ways of treating severe chronic pain as well since i also am suffering with horrid levels too.
there IS a very real condition that can be created ONLY from overuse or chronic daily usage of OTC pain meRAB thats called "analgesic nephropathy"? this is pretty severe damage to the kidneys ONLY from having to use every imaginable type of pain killer out there you can obtain in any store that just over time seriously can impact your kidneys. this usually occurs when any given doc who in most cases actually KNOWS you are suffering, but refuses to 'appropriately' treat your pain. i would definitely DO some reasearch on analgesic nephropathy and bring it in to both your docs and simply ask if there isn't a much better and more importantly SAFER way for your ongoing pain to be treated than risking severe kidney and possible liver damage too?
this particular type of damage occurs mostly becasue some things just ARE extensively metabilized within the kidneys(like some of the anti inflammatories) and the way the kidneys simply also have to filter out anything that just IS ingested over and over again. and thats where and when the damage will occur esp if this has been going on daily for many years? it IS that overall cumulative effect/impact.
if i were you, i would seriously ask one of these docs to either 'appropriately'(that word appropriately IS key here)treat your pain with possibly(at least) a lower form of narcotic or simply refer you to a good pain clinic since it sounRAB like at least for now, you cannot simply get this 'fixed' per your ins?
there just really is not, in this day and age for anyone to be forced to have to suffer with what i am pretty certain are higher at times at least, more severe pain that just comes along with what you have going on, and what can also become much worse over time? but if you CAN obtain that needed MRI, that would at least better define your situation/progression of impact NOW vs 02, and maybe improve the chances at least for BETTER pain control options too. there just ARE much much safer and more effective ways of managing pain. every patients pain now, by law, has to be 'appropriately' addressed. and it does NOT sound at all to me that that is even realistically being attempted? some people simply cannot take the Rx NSAID type meRAB, i can't either since all of them feel like they are burning a freaking hole thru my stomach. they DO have to treat your pain with something that you CAN actually tolerate.
if "they' cannot treat your pain right as they are supposed to, tell them you need a good pain clinic/doc who can try a ton of different types of things for YOUR type of pain. they just have sooo many different options for pain there that no 'doc' can even do. i don't know where i would be right now with my pain from hell if i did not have a good pain doc who CAN treat my pain 'appropriately", and also do the needed injections i have to have too.you simply DO deserve better than what you are getting and without having to worry about all of what that OTC crap is doing to your kidneys. have you had your kidney labs done recently by either doc? one actual basic UA that can be done to look for even trace protien in your urine would definitely show whether or not ANY real level of actual 'disease process' has occured in them. finding trace or heavy protien in any ones urine is usually the very FIRST indicator of an underlying kidney disease. it was in mine wayy before i even knew i had a kidney disease i was actually born with but did not have a clue til i was like 40 years old? you just need the kidneys checked out if you have been taking all that you mentioned above on a chronic daily basis for years now. it IS one of those better safe than sorry types of situations, ya know?
i DO hope that you can obtain better pain control with something much much less impactful here, and get that MRI just to 'see' what IS going on now vs then too. i do hope this helped some. you just DO NEED a few things 'done' here for you to identify whats truely being impacted(in a few places) and getting the pain relieved in some better/safer way. you just DO NOT deserve to have to suffer like this, AND place organs in jeopardy either, when there ARE good solid options they CAN try on you. please let me know how things go. good luck, marcia
