Question

[brattybratteddi]

My chiropractors had called me as it been 15 months since I last seen him. I had been thinking of going back however, with my insurance referrals are often a big pain. Now apparently I don't need a refferal to see the chiropractor. My question is can I go for chiropractic care between ESI? I had my first one yesterday (Thursday) and as of yet, I haven't noticed a improvement. I did have some, not a lot but minor relief when I was seeing the chiropractor regularly and I really would like to avoid surgery. I am running out of options as I only have ESI and another procedure they could try before having to commit to surgery. I am just not sure if while or in between ESI, I would be able to see the chiropractor, and if manual manipulation would hinder the ESI's. Any thoughts out there in regarRAB.

I have 3 bad discs, mainly 1st and some 2nd degree of DDD, sciatic nerve pain which is atributing to the nurabness and weekness, spond (something) and something else is seen in my back. Basically I guess my back is in bad shape. URGH

I just want some relief form the pain, and hopefully regain some of what I had lost in the last to years. I used to be able to do so much more, walk, work, outgoing and what not. Now I am in constant pain and have to think twice even to get up to go to the bathroom. As sometimes the pain is so great that the few feet to get there seems as though its a long way off.

I actually do have a higher tolerance to pain, and a lot of the medications I been on, or tried I have grown a tolerance to them so they barely work they may only just barely take the edge off if that. Truthfully I have problems throughout the full back from the neck, to the lurabar area. But confirm 3 disc in lower back L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1 are bad through a discography 2 weeks ago. Not that they also didn't see the same, in a MRI. Cause it was shown there as well, but that procedure was a test to see if I am a candidate for another procedure and had to make sure that the discs are still contained and not leaking spinal fluid or something.

 

[SpineAZ]

Personally I would not go see a chiropractor at this point.

First, the fact that he's calling "looking" for appointment would set me back a bit.

Second, if you have test findings (MRI) that show nerve invovlement I would not go forward with chiropractic treatment at all - you run the risk of the discs ending up in worse shape.

And third, you should ask any other physicians you are seeing if chiropractic is an option.

I did see a chiropractor when my neck pain first started - after about 2 months I finally got an MRI and as soon as the chiropractor saw the MRI report that showed I had disc problems and nerve impingement he said "I can't go forward in treating you - the fact that you have significant nerve impingement is something I don't want to manipulater further. You should see an Orthopedic Spine Surgeon"

 

[mznell]

If you have spondylolisthesis, you should not see a chiropractor, and he should not even agree to treat you if he knows you have this condition. It is a condition that creates instability of the spine. No amount of manipulation will ever fix this condition or stenosis, and has the potential to make your spine worse.

 

[Baybreeze]

I definitely agree with the posts from the others to not see a chiropractor right now. It's odd to me that he would be calling you to solicit more visits as well. Chiro's could end up making a wose situation out of spondylolisthesis. I think you should probably see an orthopedic or neurologist for your issue.

 

[brattybratteddi]

I will talk with my pain management doctor in regarRAB to this and I was planning on anyways. I know how one can fell because he had sought me out. Though the reasoning behind this is because he have a good relationship with this particular chiropractor and he know about my molina medicaid and how hard it is to get refferals in the first place. He won't or wouldn't even think of doing any adjustments with me until he re-does the x-rays and see what had changed since he had seen me last. So I do trust him, and I am concern about manual manipulation as I do have nerve pain and with the now weakness and nurabness I have daily yes it does concern me as well. However at this point depending what is good for my health and not hinder anything or make matter worse I am willing to try most anything. Especially if I can avoid spinal surgery and get some relief. I am just frustrated as for the longest time they (other doctors) blamed it on my weight and fibro and basically brush me off and told me to deal with it. I am not saying it is not part fibro, but I do know it isn't all fibromyalgia too. So much as change and been taken away in just the last 2 yrs it is unreal. I am considered pretty young yet as I am only 39 turning 40 in June of 09. So technically I shouldn't be in this much pain and getting so much worse in a quick time period. I actually wonder and have nightmare of waking up one day, and not being able to move at all. Granted I am more of a night person anyways, so getting up early isn't my cup of tea usually. But my boyfriend has learned that the days that we do have to get up early to wake me earlier as to give my back time to unfreeze and allow me up. There has been already a few times when he has had to help me get up and get to the bathroom as I had been stuck. Usually once I get back sitting in a chair for a while things start to let off a bit and ease a little. Standing for anymore than 2 min. is out of the question as the pain hits in less than that at a 10+++ and shortly there after starts the nurabness and weakness in both legs. And with laying down for going to bed, it so often takes a while for my back to semi cooperate and let me, or allow me to get up. This is part of what frustrates me the most.

 

[brattybratteddi]

Baybreeze,

I have seen so many specialist, and my primary is frustrated in sending me elsewhere. As I have had more referrals according to her than anyone else has had. I am on Medicaid also, and they are really touchy about things like that as well. I can honestly say you don't get the same type of treatment and in most cases the same concern if you would of had if you had better insurance. He sought me out as we had a good relationship when I was seeing him previously and he still checks up on me form time to time to see how things are going. I do know however, he wouldn't even think of touching me again until he re-did the x-rays again. He had told me this from the beginning and also had said he wouldn't do anything if he felt he couldn't, or would make matters worse. For this I do trust him. He just mainly realize how hard it is for me to get authorizations done, and getting referrals as I am on medicaid.

To understand this further and to say the difference of treatment with a person on medicaid vs. someone with better insurance. First off I am on 23 differnt perscriptions (in my opinion I don't think I or anyone should be one that many meRAB.) However out of the 23 there are like 8 perscripts I rely on getting samples off as no matter what my doctors have done they can't get an authorization to go through on these meRAB. Even though these meRAB are on the drug list, but with prior auth. This is just frustrating me as well. For one thing I am on Plavix because of heart issues and having a stent put in, in 06. I am also known to have ulcers, and acid reflux so I am suposed to be taking aciphex. I have been off this med and trying other samples while we wait to get this back in. Problem is what I been able to take for the last month isn't helping my acid reflux and it is getting a lot worse. Plavix is also known for bleeding issues and ulcers of which concerns me based on past medical history. All of my diabetic meRAB are samples as I can't get authorizations for those. A couple of those aren't avail at the moment for samples. Same with my cholesterol, blood pressure, allergies and asthma. These are things you shouldn't mess around with, and I can't seem to get Molina to cover them, so I have to rely on samples and samples just aren't always avail.