Suffering in Pain and No one Can Help Me

S

Shelby J

New member
Just need to vent here.

I lost my job last year, and been without health insurance ever since. I tried to secure my own private insurance, and I was denied simply because I am on meds for high blood pressure! My new job insurance won't kick in until Jan.

Never fails, I hit the greatest health crisis of my 36 years of living in the one year I'm not covered. I have suffered for 3 months now of on and off neck pain, and nerve pain shooting down my arms, numb pinky and ring finger. I sucked it up and saw my family doc.

My neck had stopped hurting at the time, but I had the numb fingers and elbow pain. He thought I had cubital tunnel syndrome. I started getting numbness in the right arm and my right foot a week later. I was freaking out. I went to see an orthopedist, and they charged me $200 up front. He acted like he could care less, only talked to me for a few minutes, said it "might" be cubital tunnel.

Now, the neck pain has returned with a vengenance, and I'm out over $300 dollars on this problem with still no diagnosis. I am worried that my problem might be a pinched nerve in the neck, not an easy thing to fix apparently.

When I ask for advice, people online tell me I need to get a diagnosis asap, not to fool around, but I can't!! I was told to try a university hospital. I called UAMS here in AR. They charge $130 bucks to see a doctor.

I can't afford to spend hundreds more, or I won't be able to pay my bills, but can I afford to wait until Jan? I am sinking into deep depression. I feel like I'll never be pain free again. What would you do in my situation?
 
txdave35, do you belong to a church? I know our church helps the members out when they get in tough situations. What about family members, have you shared your problems with them? I noticed your post when I was looking for help for myself, I have pain in my left side, that I am having a hard time getting a diagnosis for, all my test seem to be coming back normal and my doc is just shaking his head and I'm saying well I still hurt. Anyway, I answered your post because it touched me that you were going thru such a hard time and were so discouraged. The main thing I want to tell you is DONT GIVE UP, no matter how hard it gets. I dont know what your faith is but even if you do not believe in God, I want you to know that he loves you and is concerned for you. Try contacting some Christian churches in your area and tell them your problem, if they cant help, they may have information of help groups in your area that you are not aware of. I will pray for you........take it one day at a time, and dont give up.......May God Bless and Keep You, Connie
 
No way am I making a diagnosis, but when that happens to me it is usually a pinched nerve in the neck that affects me all the way down to the toes. I go to my chiropractor and get my neck adjusted. Immediately I will feel blood circulating. Alot of people don't like chiropractors but for me it has helped. I found their fees alot less and lower for cash basis. The trick is finding a GOOD one.
 
Hi TxDave.....I remember being one of the people who originally posted to you and gave you some places to check out...like a hospital clinic. I guess things are different in your neck of the woods than here in the northeast. Sorry!

Here's what I'd do. I'd wait until January. Believe or not, a pinched nerve causing a lot of pain is not good but it's not going to result in total paralysis that fast. You can have numbness for years and the nerves will still come back. Even muscle weakness can last for many, many months and still you can get it back. I broke my neck and didn't know it and waited 3 weeks to see my doc and then another week before surgery. I woke up with what everyone thought was going to be permanent paralysis but they were wrong. Took a year of PT to get it all back but I did.

Nerves can re-grow despite what we all learned in school that nerves cells can't re-grow. Even brain cells once dead can be re-routed around and function reclaimed. You aren't going to be permanently damaged by waiting until January. It may hurt and make you miserable but you can get your doc to call in a script for a pain med. Ask for something that is generic....in fact, you could go to that giant retailer out of Arkansas and get a listing of the drugs they sell for $4 for a 1 month supply or $10 for a 3 month supply and tell your doc to pick 1 of those drugs so you know up front what the cost will be. At least you'll be a little more comfortable until you have insurance.

I know it can be scary to have these symptoms and many will tell you it's an emergency but I learned the hard way that it really isn't. Don't put yourself in major debt out of fear. And the thing with nerve problems in the neck, they can suddenly stop or feel somewhat better and then get worse again...that is how they work in the beginning. That's actually a good sign. In fact, the pain could resolve and go away for years. I had the exact same symptoms as you in my right arm 23 years ago...finally had surgery for it 3 years ago. It resolved. Disk was still herniated but the pain, numbness and weakness went away so I left it alone. I couldn't even sign my name back then but it all slowly disappeared. Yours might still do that.

Just remember to watch for signs of it getting worse. You have the pain and numbness but it sounds as if you don't have muscle weakness or muscles not functioning as they should(can't hold on to things, can't hold your arm up to comb your hair, can lift anything). Even with those symptoms, you still have time. Heck, I could barely walk for 2 years....legs just couldn't move forward...and I still had to wait 9 months to have it surgically corrected. So even loss of muscle function has time but it is a sign you need to act sooner rather than later.

Lastly....I really hope you don't have a "pre-existing condition" condition clause in the new insurance but most do. If so, you may have to wait much longer...up to a year with most. They will find out from your doc that you have a problem. It's actually good that they diagnosed cubital tunnel syndrome...both docs. If they said it was your neck, you'd get caught with no treatment for your neck being paid for for up to 1 year with pre-existing. No one has even suggested your neck except you and us here. So think of this way...the doc's failure to diagnose it correctly was doing you a favor. Makes way for you to covered. Thank them. And they may have done it deliberately....they know how insurance works.

So find out about the new insurance and if they have the pre-existing stuff and how long it is. And then don't make a sound to your doc about it being your neck. Assume cubital. That way your records will only show cubital and that should free you up to be treated for your neck as a brand new problem.

Good luck and if you have any more concerns or questions, just ask.


gentle hugs............Jenny
 
Hey Connie,

I appreciate you taking time and offering me some encouragement. Unfortunately, I don't have a church here, rather new to the area, moved out of state away from family too so it's been tough.

I don't think I would ever go far over the edge to do something stupid. I am just so tired of waking up every day to this reality of pain. It has totally sucked the joy out of my life. I can't comfortably play guitar, video games, go out, or talk on the phone. My friend tells me that I am so strong. She would be crying every day to have pain like mine. She also prayed that I would have relief over the holiday weekend so I could enjoy visiting my parents.

Instead, I get even more severe pain. I was like yea, thanks a lot, God. I wish I could understand why, but it does seem like fear is playing a role in this. For a few days in August, I wasn't afraid of my problem anymore. It felt minor, and that it would go away. Then the pain and fear returned, and it has been epic proportions lately. If I could just not be afraid of this problem, I would be a lot better.
 
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