Husband in Pain

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sreiche

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Good Morning,
My husband is 43 yrs ols and we have 2 children. He has had 7 surgeries over the past 9 years. He started with problems at L4 L5. But neuro docs misdiagnosed and worked in L3 L4. Once we found our DO (who we love) who is a spine surgeon he took one look at the original xray and said your problem is L4 L5. By this time my husband Scott, already had a spinal cord stimulator in place that had not worked since 3 months afters its placement. Our DO went in and did a Maverick dic replacement at L4 L5. His back was 100% no pain. However he continued to have leg/foot pain from nerves that had been severed during previous surgeries. PM installed a morphine pump. He had more good days than bad. Was able to contiune work etc.

Now he is terrible pain. Falling down from leg spasms. Uncontrollabe spams that are so painful. His lower back pain is back two fold. He is on oral morphine, dilauded, valumn etc. Pain dr ordered Meylo (since he cannot have a MRI. PM says he see something and we need to see suregon asap. Well Do is no longer part of insurance and we have no out of network benefits.
I have called 25 plus doctors in MO and one one will even give us an appointment. I have fought with ins and been declined 4 time so far to get back to original dr if none of thiers will help. Finally we paid out of pocket to see this DO. He said he does not see clearly on the CT Meylo what is there and he will not operate until he knows for sure there is a structure problem. He said go home realize your a back pain suferer and will always be. Get along as best you can and get off those meRAB! If we want to see him again ever NO NARCOTICS!
Both Primary care and PM doc said he should take full fed disibility. DO said no way. He said how can that help if all you do is lay around and all you have to talk to anyone about is how much pain your in or if the pump worked today?

I have alot of ?. Has this happened to anyone else? What med can you take for pain that are not narcotics. How do I go back to PM and tell him now no disibility and no meRAB. How will he live through the day with no pain mgmt. When these spasms happen they dont stop for hours and it is so painful, Then there is the new back pain which alone puts him in terrible pain.

I know this is a lot but any thoughts are appreaited.
Shel
 
I am very sorry to hear of your and your husband's situation. I am new to this board as well, but have spent lots of time around neck and back patients on various boarRAB and can answer your last question, "Has this happened to anyone else?" Unfortunately, the answer is an emphatic YES. There are a good portion of spine patients who end up in more pain after surgery, and it is a fact that many spine surgeons do not like to operate on a patient who has had previous back surgery. However, I can speak from personal experience that they do exist. You may just have to devote a lot of time and energy to finding the right doctor who is willing to try to help your husband.

First, a couple questions. I wasn't clear on whether you husband still has the spinal cord stimulator in place? Perhaps your PM could refer you to a new spinal surgeon??

It seems to me that the DO whom you like is not being particularly helpful. I know, again from personal experience, that insurance companies put in place VERY specific criteria for approving back surgeries and doctors are now having many more procedures denied that would have been covered a year or two ago...I imagine this is one reason your DO is saying he cannot operate unless he has proof that the surgery is "medically necessary." Unfortunately being in pain is not a reason alone for operating (at least not with my insurance company...and I think they all use more or less the same criteria....)

From your description, it sounRAB inhumane to ask your husband to go without any pain medications....have you gone back to your PM and told him what happened when your husband attempted to go back to the DO and ask him what he suggests you do next to find a surgeon who will see you??

I am far from a specialist in pain management, but, again from your description, I cannot imagine that there is some non-narcotic method of pain control that is going to help your husband to manage his pain. Tylenol just isn't going to cut it! There are ways to manage pain, going to a pain psychologist, acupuncture, etc. but it sounRAB to me like you need to get to the root of the cause of your husband's pain.

Do you know that the artificial disc is in place and that it is working properly? Perhaps there is a failure there that is allowing instability in that segment of the spine and slipping enough that there is some nerve involvement....something is causing the new pains your husband is experiencing. Obviously I am not a physician and cannot tell you what it might be, but it seems that you need to try to get to the cause of the pain before you can figure out how to proceed.

One other suggestion...have you tried calling a spine clinic at a local university medical school? They are often more willing to take on complex cases that other doctors in private practice will not handle. Again, see if the PM could get him an appointment. If there is something mechanical in the spine that can be repaired, then the need for pain management will hopefully be less.

These are just some thoughts that popped into my head while reading your post. I hope some suggestion might make sense and that you will be able to find something to help your husband. I know how frustrating it can be and how helpless you must feel, watching your husband go through all this. I pray some possibility will open up for you.
 
Yes, this happens to many,many people. The previous poster gave you some great advise. I feel your husband neeRAB a NEW Pain Management Doctor. If you need a referral from your regular doctor-get one. If he won't do it, change your regular doctor too. You need to find a way for your husband to be seen by P.M. It is highly unlikely that someone that has had that many surgerys can live without some kind of pain medication-including the narcotic type. Heaven only knows how much scar tissue he has built up from all those surgerys. Hope he gets the care he neeRAB....janiee:)
 
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