J
JENN54
Guest
Hi:
This is my first posting. MY chronic pain started two years ago when I injured my left upper arm called the humerous. After having surgery I was still experiencing pain and the xray's showed no improvement. So I had a second surgery when it was it was discovered that I had a surgical infection at which time they were supposed to do a hip graft and the fuse the bone. The hip graft was done first before they did the surgery on the arm and found the infection. So they could not do the fusion and had to remove the original rod they placed. I was still in continued pain and was starting to have back problems. An xray was done and an MRI recommended. The MRI showed degenerative disc diseace and forimal stnosis. I was referred to a pain management doctor for a steriod injection. This did not help.I was then advised to have a third surgery. The third surgery was done again with a hip graft. The pain has persisted and I started seeing the pain management doctor on a regular basis. Previously I was taking lortab. I told him that the lortabe was not handling the pain for both my back and my arm. He put me on Dilaudid. That worked a littled better but then it stopped working as well, he added an LA med called Opana ER. I was still working but it was very diffcult. At least I had very good insurance that covered the medication. I stopped working for a while to see if I could get better by staying home for awhile. I was able to get help from my aunt financially. I went back to work but I lost my job a couple of weeks ago. I worked in public accounting and the hours were just so difficult to do plus I had to take a train everyday for 40 minutes each way into the city. My pain management doctor has been great. He believes my pain levels. He believes in rotating medications if something is not working. He put me on MS Contin 3 times a day and Norco for breakthrough pain, after I said the dilaudid and Opana ER was not working. I had a facet block injection last week and was totally nurab in my right leg. I could barely walk for two days. Since that time I have weakness in my legs and can barely walk for two blocks without having weekness and and cramps in my lower calves. I had the sedation. Luckily my exhusband agreed to pick me up and drive me home. He had to carry me to my condo. I am still having pain in my arm daily where the surgery took place. It is also hard to sit in one position for too long. I have not gone back to the orthopedic doctor since Deceraber. First it was hard to leave work a lot starting a new job since I have to see the PM doctor monthly and the commute would be so long as he is in the suburbs and I do not like to drive that far while taking medication. I only drive a few blocks to the grocery store. So I usually take a cab or if my daughter can drive me she will if my appointment is at 8:00. I have not seen any improvement in the back pain since the facet block injection and now the medication does not seem to being working well anymore. I don't know what to do. I feel too week to be looking for a new job. I was making a very good salary and now I just filed for unemployment. At least with the new Cobra. My policy is only 35%. The other problem is that the insurance company only pays for 35% of the medication if not ordered through the mail by Medco. I use Medco for my Hormone Repacement Therapy and the Xanax I am on for anxiety. I don't know if Medco will work for narcatic medication. being sent through the mail. The medication costs over 200.00 month and also goes against the out-of network deductible of $4,500. I will have to pay for the injection out of pocket because that went totally against the in-network deductible. I have been feeling so anxious since I lost my job and can barely sleep. I feel lucky if I can get five hours. I know this is a long post. I just feel as I don't know what to do next. My anxiety level is so high and the stress is adding to the pain. I read somewhere on these boarRAB that stress can make pain worse. To make matters worse my mother broke her hip and has been in the hospital. I feel so bad that I cannot come to see her as I do not want drive that far. My daugher drove me to the hospital yesterday. I feel bad for my aunt as she has to handle everything herself and go to the hospital. She is 83 and it is amazing she is able to do as much as she does. I am starting to also feel very depressed. I never hardly any cried before but now I start to cry everyday every few hours. The weather is finally getting nice out. I has been a terrible winter here in the Chicago area. I just feel I need some support. I haveread so many of the posts here on the back boarRAB and the pain management board. People are so supportive. I feel so weak and depressed and in pain. I don't know what to do about looking for work I barely had the energy to fill out the unemployment form online. I also have lost my appetite and do not have the energy to fix something. The bills are piling up . I don't know how I will manage to keep my condo and make the car payments for a car I rarely use anymore. I am not sure if I should ask to change my medication again.I just feel so stressed out. I used to be such an outgoing person befor the first surgery. I had so much energy and I always slept a solid 7-8 hours. I feel as if everything has been taken away from me. Thanks for listening and any advice would be great as how to cope with all of this.
This is my first posting. MY chronic pain started two years ago when I injured my left upper arm called the humerous. After having surgery I was still experiencing pain and the xray's showed no improvement. So I had a second surgery when it was it was discovered that I had a surgical infection at which time they were supposed to do a hip graft and the fuse the bone. The hip graft was done first before they did the surgery on the arm and found the infection. So they could not do the fusion and had to remove the original rod they placed. I was still in continued pain and was starting to have back problems. An xray was done and an MRI recommended. The MRI showed degenerative disc diseace and forimal stnosis. I was referred to a pain management doctor for a steriod injection. This did not help.I was then advised to have a third surgery. The third surgery was done again with a hip graft. The pain has persisted and I started seeing the pain management doctor on a regular basis. Previously I was taking lortab. I told him that the lortabe was not handling the pain for both my back and my arm. He put me on Dilaudid. That worked a littled better but then it stopped working as well, he added an LA med called Opana ER. I was still working but it was very diffcult. At least I had very good insurance that covered the medication. I stopped working for a while to see if I could get better by staying home for awhile. I was able to get help from my aunt financially. I went back to work but I lost my job a couple of weeks ago. I worked in public accounting and the hours were just so difficult to do plus I had to take a train everyday for 40 minutes each way into the city. My pain management doctor has been great. He believes my pain levels. He believes in rotating medications if something is not working. He put me on MS Contin 3 times a day and Norco for breakthrough pain, after I said the dilaudid and Opana ER was not working. I had a facet block injection last week and was totally nurab in my right leg. I could barely walk for two days. Since that time I have weakness in my legs and can barely walk for two blocks without having weekness and and cramps in my lower calves. I had the sedation. Luckily my exhusband agreed to pick me up and drive me home. He had to carry me to my condo. I am still having pain in my arm daily where the surgery took place. It is also hard to sit in one position for too long. I have not gone back to the orthopedic doctor since Deceraber. First it was hard to leave work a lot starting a new job since I have to see the PM doctor monthly and the commute would be so long as he is in the suburbs and I do not like to drive that far while taking medication. I only drive a few blocks to the grocery store. So I usually take a cab or if my daughter can drive me she will if my appointment is at 8:00. I have not seen any improvement in the back pain since the facet block injection and now the medication does not seem to being working well anymore. I don't know what to do. I feel too week to be looking for a new job. I was making a very good salary and now I just filed for unemployment. At least with the new Cobra. My policy is only 35%. The other problem is that the insurance company only pays for 35% of the medication if not ordered through the mail by Medco. I use Medco for my Hormone Repacement Therapy and the Xanax I am on for anxiety. I don't know if Medco will work for narcatic medication. being sent through the mail. The medication costs over 200.00 month and also goes against the out-of network deductible of $4,500. I will have to pay for the injection out of pocket because that went totally against the in-network deductible. I have been feeling so anxious since I lost my job and can barely sleep. I feel lucky if I can get five hours. I know this is a long post. I just feel as I don't know what to do next. My anxiety level is so high and the stress is adding to the pain. I read somewhere on these boarRAB that stress can make pain worse. To make matters worse my mother broke her hip and has been in the hospital. I feel so bad that I cannot come to see her as I do not want drive that far. My daugher drove me to the hospital yesterday. I feel bad for my aunt as she has to handle everything herself and go to the hospital. She is 83 and it is amazing she is able to do as much as she does. I am starting to also feel very depressed. I never hardly any cried before but now I start to cry everyday every few hours. The weather is finally getting nice out. I has been a terrible winter here in the Chicago area. I just feel I need some support. I haveread so many of the posts here on the back boarRAB and the pain management board. People are so supportive. I feel so weak and depressed and in pain. I don't know what to do about looking for work I barely had the energy to fill out the unemployment form online. I also have lost my appetite and do not have the energy to fix something. The bills are piling up . I don't know how I will manage to keep my condo and make the car payments for a car I rarely use anymore. I am not sure if I should ask to change my medication again.I just feel so stressed out. I used to be such an outgoing person befor the first surgery. I had so much energy and I always slept a solid 7-8 hours. I feel as if everything has been taken away from me. Thanks for listening and any advice would be great as how to cope with all of this.