honestly? since you just really 'do' want to show the doc the exact nature of your pain and how it really truely feels, if you can possibly go without it, i would in this type of situation. also try and keep some kind of journal, just a few descriptive sentences about the presentation and what you have experienced and the date of onset that would just give the doc a much clearer idea of what this whole 'symdrome' is based upon, ya know what i mean? this really doies help when you are in that more diagnostic phase.
just what did your pain feel like or "present" to you like that day and where was it? any symptoms other than just that pain?
getting an MRI with contrast may be the best possible type of testing you could have considering the nature/generator of your pain. there are just sooo many possible issues one can have within the spinal area down to the cord level that could produce, in some cases, pretty pronounced pain. make certain to also note ANY not the norm for you types of sensation or pain or anything that is new or just does not 'feel" normal to you too. before you can really treat or come up with any real plans of what is just needed, that pain and the genrrator just has to really be identified.
i would try as much as possible to go with as little as possible when you have this initial eval/consult with that doc. even taking advil or any other OTC can kind of change or rearrange the pain presentation. once you get done just have a med in your purse that you can take before you even leave that docs office for the ride home. after that eval just gets done THEN i would hit the crap outta that pain, lol.
i have had to go thru many an eval this way and it just IS in your best interest in getting that truer picture that the doc needs to eval right now. but a contrasted MRI i would think from what you have described, just really does need doing. no one really knows just what is really going on in any area of their bodies til it gets scanned in some way and something just either shows upon film or your ongoing symptoms kind of dictate something to the doc. i do wish you luck here WL and hope it is not something major going on. even smaller findings just depending upon where they are can create alot more pain than some things that are a more severe 'looking' finding. so do keep that in mind here, K? please let me know just what you find out hon, FB
