Lower Back Injury

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Cathy8424

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Six months ago I fell 13' landing with one buttock on top of the ladder rung and the other on the cement floor.

After five agonizing weeks a MRI was ordered. I had compression fractures of L3 and L4 and three bulging disk in the same area. My bone density test was nearly to the top of good. Due to insurance issues and the amount of time that had already lapsed, the kypoplasty surgery was not preformed. The bones were allowed to finish healing naturally.

After the bones healed I went to spinal decompression therapy. This helped the pain levels tremendously. But I still have a low grade pain 100% of the time. If I stand, sit or do much of any thing for very long, the pain intensifies and there is more swelling in the afflicted area.

I continue to have muscle spasms in both arms and legs. Most of the time all four jump at the same time. And there is twitching in muscles or nerves at the injured area and my right leg. Sometimes there is pain over the top of my leg to my knee and down the back of the leg. I also have pain in the right hip. It comes from the back to the front.

My insurance has paid less than $300 of these bills, and there isn't much left. I have a lot of stress because of the financial aspect as well as anxiety and depression form not being able to pull my weight. I have dreams of worthlessness and actually living under a bridge and rejection form family merabers. :confused:

I would like to know if this is pretty much as good as it is going to get, or am I rushing the healing time?
 
>>>>>>>>>> Hi, Cathy and welcome to the forum. Boy, that fall sure sounRAB painful and I'm sorry it happened.

I'm also sorry you are having such issues with your ins. company. Do you know why they aren't paying anything much? Is it due to a deductible? Another question if you don't mind: were you injured at work? If so, then workmans comp has to come in and pay for your treatment! It sounRAB to me that those bulging discs are causing the problems you describe, and sad to say, it will only get worse if that's the case.

It would be good to see an orthopedic Spine Specialist. Most surely, you need a new MRI to see if the discs have gotten worse, since your pain has increased. Also, I'm amazed you haven't been offered pain management or at least a prescription for something to help with the pain when it gets severe.

I wish I could have given you better news, but I do hope that you will continue to post and keep us updated on your condition.

Carol
 
Thank you for the reply. Unfortunately there will be no Workman's comp as this was a home accident. I guess I should have had my husband scrape me up, load me in the car and take me to the work parking lot. hehehe :angel:

The Humana said that spinal decompression is experimental and not covered. We had just got the insurance and the saleswoman told us it was like the insurance we previously had. $35 copay for Dr. $75 copay for ER. What she neglected to tell us was that there was a $5,000 deductible before they pay any thing, and another separate $10,000 copay for out of network Dr's.

The surgery was an approved procedure, but the surgeon I was referred to (the only one in the area) was not in their network. I requested, several times, that they find and direct me to a Dr. that could do the procedure, and they never got back to me like they said they would. Sooooo, now I can't get a job or better insurance. :eek:

I do plan to go to the State Insurance Commissioner's Office.

I didn't know if both the arm and leg spasms together were a normal thing for such an injury? And I didn't have a clue as to how long to reasonably hope for any further healing. Or if pretty much what I have now is what I can expect to live with.

I am 59 years old, and know things don't heal as rapidly as they once did, and to compound things, I already have osteoarthritis. I have heard that I can expect that to get worse in the injured area.

Thanks for your input!
 
Oh my! Yes, you have to be extremely alert when dealing with these ins. companies. The sales personnel are only interested in signing you up to get their commissions and don't care that they are scamming you. I'm so sorry.

I have osteopenia, not quite full osteoarthritis yet, but on the way and it's the reason for the surgery I will have to have next month....causes bone spurs where the arthritis is in my spine.

I can only suggest using heat on those muscles and hope that it helps. Will your family doctor help out at all with muscle relaxers or something? I know it is almost impossible to get any decent medical care without insurance because it can cost a small fortune. It's too bad you aren't covered under your husband. Is there any way you can do that?

I hope the Insurance Commision is of some help in some way. Please let me know.

Carol
 
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