Dr Strikes AGAIN ~ UGH!!

S

sunshinegirl

New member
So I go back to Dr #1 today for a Sympathetic Nerve Block. I was concerned that I would leave near tears, again, because he is such a jerk. At first I thought he was going to be okay, but as he was doing the injection he made a negative comment about my "lawsuit" to his nurse. This is not the first comment he has made with relation to a "possible" lawsuit. He seems overly concerned with that, going so far as to ask me if I've hired an attorney yet, etc.

After the procedure as he was walking past, I told him that my spine dr, who he has referred me to in the first place, for the emg, had mentioned that he wanted dr #1 to prescribe a nerve medication such as Lyrica or Neurontin and that I needed PT. He knows I can't take Lyrica due to the side effects. As he was walking away he said, "Those medications are the same, I want to wait and see what the report says." I didn't even have a chance to respond.....he was gone!!! I don't know what report he was referring to. He already received the emg report from dr #2 and knows that it shows I dont have sciatica. Dr #2 thinks I have RSD. So I asked the nurse what happens now. Do the nerve blocks also show what I have???? She said to wait and see.......

It's almost like this guy thinks I'm faking or something........ which is absolutely f'ed up....why would anyone subject themselves to an emg or injections if they were faking???? I sure as hell wouldn't!!!!

I am seriously considering making an appointment just to speak with him about my treatment and his treatment of me. I really should NOT have to do this, plus it will cost me an additional co-pay, which I really cannot afford right now. Should I just wait until my next injection in two weeks to try and speak with him????

Should I go back and see the spine specialist??? I am at a loss right now. I don't feel like I can work in this condition, but I haven't been able to discuss this with anyone. Seriously, what is wrong with these doctors????? :mad:

This is ridiculous!
 
Hi MM ~ I will ask my friend how she was diagnosed. I think she mentioned that it showed up on her most recent MRI, but I don't know any other particulars. I'll let you know what I find out. Have you had many injections??
If so, did they help you at all??

I am going to have the second injection with dr #1 and try to have a conversation with him. If I am unsuccessful I will ask dr #2 for a referral to another dr.
:angel:
 
If you are not getting adequate care with any dr. I would fire him if you can. All of your recorRAB should be able to be transferred to the new dr. anyway. I am thinking possibly about changing drs. as well, but not because mine is a jerk, but rather, less than competant I think. Good luck.
 
hey Sunshine,

Glad you're back! I was worried about you!! :(

The disc herniation at L4-5 could definitely hurt in your leg, mainly down the back of your thigh, like a tight hamstring, behind your knee, and can go down the back of the calf and into the foot. The nerve root gets squished due to the herniation and the L4-5 nerve refers pain down to the areas I mentioned. Nerve pain usually feels like one or more of the following: tingling, nurab, burning, sharp, "electrical," stabbing, etc. The deal is though that in most people it isn't any kind of surface pain. I sometimes feel like warm water is running down my leg...that is the closest thing I feel to something occuring on the skin surface. I think that, and the sensitivity to touch makes the doc think RSD.

"Sometimes there is a crushing, tightening feeling in my entire leg, tingling, nurabness, burning. " That sounRAB like nerve root pain from the herniation.

"I can't stand it if anything brushes up against my leg.....light touch is the worst, it feels like I'm being stabbed. The skin on my leg feels almost rubbery and tight to the touch, like when I put lotion on, which is painful,--" That doesn't sound familiar at all regarding nerve pain relating to herniation. :(

Usually if you are going to get relief from an ESI or nerve block it will occur within about 5 days and can last from a couple hours to forever. I never had relief from them.

Any luck finding an out-of-town attorney to take your case??
 
I had 3 injections a couple years ago when I was just starting out on my back journey. No, none helped much...maybe for a week or slightly longer. I just had another one a couple days ago for diagnostic purposes, and I don't feel I had any reaction to it, although it didn't hurt nearly as much as the ones I had several years ago.
 
Hi Sunshine ~

Nice to hear from you. I think it wll be a waste of money to go in just to talk to this guy. I don't think it will get you anything and you will just be that much more frustrated.:mad: I would wait until you go back to see him in 2 weeks.

Have you had any pain relief from the injection? Are you supposed to call them in a couple days to let them know if you are getting any relief?

At this point, do you have one doctor that is kind of the lead doc on your case? I guess I'd go back to the spine doc if you can talk with him any better. Somehow you've really gotten off on the wrong foot with these guys--something must have happened to make them so defensive.

I went to a new PM doc this week. It was clear that he wasn't used to answering questions and having a patient who was pretty specific about what I was or was not willing to allow him to do to me. Very different from my surgeon!
 
Hi MM ~ I spoke with a local attorney who I was referred to thru the Florida Bar Association. He sounded great and asked me lots of questions. He is going to "look into" a few things and get back to me at the beginning of next week. The person who owns the property where I was injured, (the jerk) has a website that speaks about the party, among other things, where I was hurt and there may have been injuries in the past at other parties, so he is researching that. It's a big annual party that has been going on for years. If this attorney doesn't take the case, I will search in Tampa.

I'm having a bone scan Tuesday and am actually looking forward to it. I'm hoping that maybe that will show something..... I really hope this isn't RSD.... that would be the worst possible outcome. Just the idea that this could be incurable is too much to bear at times. I know it could be a lot worse and there are a lot of people out there who have it much worse, but this is my life and not how I planned to spend the rest of it.

Needles to say.....I wont be going to that party ever again!!!!

How are you feeling today? Hope you're feeling well. :angel:
 
hey sunshine. so what are your exact symptoms in relation to the possible RSD? who gave you that Dx and how did they come to that conclusion? the big thing about the symp blocks is if your pain is actually stemming from some form of real sympathetic involvement,that block should have at the very least,minimized or actually gotten rid of the RSD type pain for you since it blocks the actual generator,the SNS. if you got no relief at all,and i am talking during the duration of that block itself(approx 5-6 hours) one of two things is possible. either the doc actually missed that sympathetic chain or you do not have sympathetically generated pain. the symp blocks are about the only real diagnostic tool availiable to really show whether or not you have a sympathetically generated pain syndome which would be RSD or CRPS. there are some various forms of RSD which is whay they have changed the name now from plain old RSD(reflex sympathetic dystrophy) to the newer CRPS(chronic regional pain syndrome).

those blocks are used as a diagnostic and also a way to possibly bring that pain level down overall,after the block as well. i have had a few of them over the years for my RSD in my right knee. this last round of two spaced apart by about three weeks really helped this time in bringing down my over the flippin top deep burning just so i could use my TENS again without having to ramp it up so incredibly high just to try and meet and over ride that intensity that it was actually creating its own type of spasticity to the involved nerves. it was pretty nasty. but i can wear it agin without that problem since the last block now,so it did help some.

just knowing what your actual symptoms are that led to this conclusion and how your pain was during that block would really help me to help you. also,what exactly casued your injuries and to what(just where and what IS your level of damage)? something would have had to have damaged your sympathetic nervous system in order for you to have actually aquired RSD. sometimes it doesn;t take much to do just that. some people have even ended up with RSD just having a simple blood draw that somehow ended up actually just damaging the blood vessel. those people end up having it in their hand or arm or the entire extremity. this occurs only because the constriction and dilation of our blood vessels is governed by the SNS. it just happens. very insane,but it does happen to some very unfortunate people.

you just always need to know for certain just what any real Dx actually is in order to obtain the best possible treatments. knowing how you responded in those first hours post block is really important. Marcia
 
Hi MM - I have two dr's that I'm dealing with. Dr. #1, my PM dr, who referred me to dr #2 for the emg (spine specialist). Then dr #2 referred me back to dr #1 for the nerve blocks as he "does them better." Dr #2, who I like, said I can come back to him for PT and follow up. One of my concerns is that dr #1 is such a jerk that he will write something in my recorRAB that could potentially hurt my claim. (All I'm seeking from the property owner is insurance info/coverage and possibly lost wages - the typical stuff). If this is RSD, who knows what my future holRAB????? Dr #1 seems overly interested in the case, as I mentioned, going so far as to make negative comments about it - at least it seems that way to me. Maybe it's because I have been injured a couple of times before and he has a preconceived notion about people who are injured "routinely." TRUST ME when I say, I wouldn't wish my history on anyone. Hit by a bus, 3 car accidents and now THIS! It's like I've got the a*accident* angel (or devil) on my shoulder....... :(

The thing about dr #1 is that I'm finding out that he has quite a reputation around town for his "attitude." I have heard him treat other patients the same way. Just condescending and dismissive, so it's not "me." Even though it feels like it when it's happening. He is also supposed to be one of the best at what he does, so........ the thought of seeking another dr right now is not a pleasant thought either. I feel stuck. I did ask dr #2 for a referral to a different dr who does the injections well, but, as I mentioned before, I think he feels like he would be slighting dr #1 in doing so. It's like a fraternity with these dr's.

I can't say that I've felt any noticeable relief from the injection. In fact the area where the injection was done has been hurting, in addition to the other areas. I have two more scheduled, so maybe I'll get some relief from that. I am concerned about the long-term effects of routinely getting injections. My friend was just diagnosed with Arachnoiditis (sp), which is an incurable condition related to repeated injections. She has also had back surgery and other procedures. But I need relief if I'm going to move forward with my life. I have to move from my house, which is in foreclosure, soon. I'm hoping to have at least 3 more months as I just filed bankruptcy to buy some time, but I also need to find a job and I don't know that I can work like this. It's overwhelming!!! My daughter is moving to Tampa in two weeks, which is an hour away from me, so I won't really have her help. I'm alone in all of this and there are times that it's really hard to stay positive. REMOVED. :(

I am really trying to take things moment by moment as it seems like my minRABet changes at the drop of a dime. Pain is not a fun thing to deal with and people just don't understand. If you have your makeup on and look pulled together, I guess people think you're okay. I mean, you can't exactly walk around crying all the time, even though you feel like it......... and I have no choice but to do things for myself, because that's really all that I have ~ myself. My friend in Arizona has asked me to come live out there with her, she's the one with the back issues. But she has a boyfriend and kiRAB (who I adore) and dogs,which I also have. It's a lot more difficult than it sounRAB, even though running away and starting over sounRAB exciting right now. Not to mention my medical care......... UGH...........

Alright, sorry for being so long winded...... but I really do appreciate the support here and I send good thoughts to all. Happy Saturday! :angel:
 
Hi Sunshine,

I'm glad you found an attorney to at least look into your case. It sounRAB like if this guy has a website, etc., he must be in a position to have liability insurance, etc. I hope he will be the answer to your prayers.

I've never had a bone scan. At least your medical team is exploring various possibilities. I'll be wanting to hear all the details!!

Regarding one comment you made about RSD and not wanting to have an "incurable" disease....you could think of most back pain in that same category...as the veterans on the board say: "Once a spiney, always a spiney." That is really true. Back surgery is not a "cure" for back pain. It is only one method of pain relief.
 
Hi Sunshine ~

I am fearful of arachnoiditis, too. Do you know how your friend's was diagnosed?

If I were you, I would go ahead and get a second injection. One hardly ever does any good, but I do know some people who found relief after the 2nd. You should never get more than 3 in 6 months or a year, depending on who you talk to!!

It's too bad the doc is a jerk, but if he's good at what he does, you may as well put up with him for one more injection. If there is still no difference, you can go back to the spine doc, tell him you gave it a fair shot, and move on to something else.

I'm really sorry you have so many other things going on in your life right now. Please keep posting. We'll try to help out where we can.

xx M:wave:M
 
Feelbad ~

That's a great post with lots of helpful information. I've been talking with Sunshine since she injured her back in early July (accident). I've been able to answer questions relating to injured discs, etc. but had never ever heard of reflex sympathetic dystrophy until she mentioned it and I started researching it.

I know she'll be thrilled to have your information.

xx M:wave:M
 
MM - I will keep you posted on the outcome of the bone scan. I don't know how long it takes for the results, but I am hopeful.

I hope you're doing well and not in the path of hurricane Gustav. I feel so bad for those in it's path. I can't imagine evacuating or worse. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in it's potential path.

Hugs to all!
 
I'm back after some computer problems ~ thank you for the info......

They haven't officially diagnosed me with RSD, I guess that's part of the reason they are doing the injections. The spine specialist believes that I have it based on my symptoms. The MRI does show a herniated disk. I'm having a bone scan next Tuesday, so maybe that will indicate something???

I didn't notice any immediate relief from the first nerve block injection. About four days after having it I thought I was seeing some relief as it was a *good* day, but since then the pain is as bad as ever, with the exception of not having the tightening feeling quite as often.

So, if I do get some relief from the injections, does that typically mean an RSD diagnosis???

My injuries resulted from blunt force trauma to my lower back and left leg. I was walking behind a friend at a function where there were hundreRAB of people and an altercation occurred with some people in front of my friend. All of those people came rushing back toward us and the end result was me being knocked off of my feet and landing flat on my back with the people on top of me. I was knocked out and when I came to I could not put any weight on my left leg. The xrays showed nothing broken and an EMG showed no sciatica.

My symptoms are extreme sensitivity in my left leg primarily from mid-thigh down to my toes with the overall pain extending to my lower back, tailbone area. My knee is especially painful. It feels like someone shot me in the leg. Sometimes there is a crushing, tightening feeling in my entire leg, tingling, nurabness, burning. I can't stand it if anything brushes up against my leg.....light touch is the worst, it feels like I'm being stabbed. The skin on my leg feels almost rubbery and tight to the touch, like when I put lotion on, which is painful, but if I use a firmer touch I can tolerate it. It's weird! The bruising has subsided, but it still swells periodically and my leg looks red at times.

It's been almost 2 months since the injury and I'm so frustrated. I wish they could just tell me, ".......this is what you have." Whatever it is. :(
 
sorry it took me a while to get back here. i am wondering just where that herniated disc actually is and how severe it is actually herniated. just given the mechanisim of your injury,there could have been a kind of "rebound' type of damage to your actual cord from that weight of peple pushing you down and that herniated disc actually being pushed upwarRAB and into your cord. it would have rebounded back without actually really 'leaving' anything behind that would indicate it had ever been actually injured,you know what i mean? just one possibility,thats all.

the thing about the symp blocks is any realpain that is being genreated by that sympathetic damage in the chain would have subsided since that block simply blocks all and any real sympathetic signals forthe suration of that block. so if you did not actually 'feel" any relief or change in your pain,then it wouldnotlikely be RSD but could be stemming from a level of damage to what is called the spinothalamic tract? this sits intwo seperate places within our spinal corRAB with one ofthose spots directly behind the actul spinal column and the front of your cord. if this was actually affected or damaged in some way,you could have what is actually called central pain syndrome. it mimics RSD with the pain/sting and extreme hypersensitivity and what you mentioned about pushing into the pain areas and the pain actually feeling better? well that is exactly how my central is too. if i push into the worst areas in my arm,it actually feels so much better than light touch which will usually trigger a huge sting burn thing for me. that push and relief thing is actually called 'gamma pain' it has something to do with breaking up the muscle spindles within the area,which for some reason gives relief. i have not been able to get the chance to really research that yet.

one of the biggest differences with RSD vs central pain is that with RSD you have actual outward symptoms such as swelling,heat or cold changes within the affected areas(there is just always some level of either extreme heat in the affected lirab or extreme cold),color changes within the skin? with central,it just 'looks' completley totally normal,just normal. no outward signs what so ever. but the pain is hidious too,just like with RSD. i unfortuently have both syndromes. i have the central in my left arm and over both shoulder blades from cord damage to the thalamic tract, and the RSD is from the same level of cord damage but they somehow also managed to damage my sympathetic nervous system during that same surgery on my cord. so i have the RSD from mid thigh,worst in my knee and down thru my foot. having both syndromes really allows me to really tell what the two are and how they present themselves. i have been living with both of these nightmares since 03 when my surgery was needed.

hopefully the bone scan may show the bone changes that come along with this,but that usually takes some time to really show itself. if you had no change in your pain during that symp block like i mentioned before,either it is not sympathetic or the doc did not hit the chain with the block correctly. but you should feel some real relief with that type of block when it is stemming from a sympathetic source. i just really am wondering about that central pain being the real culprit here.

just do a bit of research on what central pain syndrome actually is and see how your actual symptoms compare and let me know what you feel after that,K? just how bad is that herniation and is it in the lower back area?( i am assuming it is?). do you actually have the copies of all the testing that was done on that injured area in your possession? if you happen to have that MRI report and could post the summary part at the end,it really would help. please keep e posted. Marcia
 
Hey Sunshine ~

You haven't posted in awhile. :( I miss hearing from you.

What's going on with you? Please let us know how you're doing!!

(((((HUGS)))))

M:wave:M
 
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