Met w/ neck doctor this week.

Cindylou · #1 (**permalink**) 04-08-2009, 04:11 PM

I had my appt. with my neck doctor on Monday, and he said since my MRI of the neck was 2 years old, we needed a new one. So I had that done yesterday, and am waiting to hear back from them. He said he needed to call Dr. Stark, who did this latest SI Joint Fusion, to see if it was ok to administer a steroid injection in my neck. Very good point, so I wait and see. I'm wondering why he couldn't go ahead and do the nerve cauterizing, but perhaps there is too much steroid injected for that procedure as well. Meanwhile, the muscle relaxants are helping keep the demons at bay, so that is good. I definitely think the crutch use and coddling my back exacerbated the neck issues. My right SI Joint fusion is coming along nicely. 2 more weeks of cane use, unless he thinks I need more. So all good there.

Cindylou

Maria · #2 (**permalink**) 04-08-2009, 04:48 PM

Hi CindyLou!
So glad to hear how well the SI joint fusion is coming along! Whoopee!

Re the neck use of crutches,canes or anything (even heavy purse slung over my shoulder) exacerbates my muscle spasms altho I think the C5/6 disc bulge on me acts up when really aggravated.

My regular spinal OSS suggested that the guy treating my neck (in his office) order an ESI next time I show up there with neck pain since I'm a non surgical candidate at this point.

Really sometimes I'm exhausted by this neck pain tho because unlike the low back pain which has almost never kept me awake at night the neck just cannot be comfortable enough unless use of muscle relaxers and whatever else are poured into my system and I really dislike going there as I just end up feeling so very tired the next day.. but then again that neck pain is extremely exhausting..

As you well know I'm sure. Good luck with your MRI results and hope whatever the outcome is that after you're off the cane and back to a bit of normalcy re your low back the neck and surrounding musculature will feel OK!

Justin · #3 (**permalink**) 04-08-2009, 04:49 PM

Good news about getting a new MRI. Crutches are awful on your body. Hopefully, the increase in pain and symptoms is only temporary. Your neck is just saying "enough with those freaking crutches!"

Let's hope your new MRI looks good.

Kathy · #4 (**permalink**) 04-08-2009, 09:08 PM

Great news CL! I am so happy the fusion is coming along nicely. Hopefully, some neck injections will calm it down. Praying for pain free days ahead, K

dshobbies · #5 (**permalink**) 04-09-2009, 02:19 AM

Time sure went by fast. Glad to hear you're doing well. I know crutches interfere with your normal carriage but soon enough - gone!

Wishing you the best, Dale

treefrog · #6 (**permalink**) 04-09-2009, 07:23 PM

It is very good to hear that things are going so well with the facet fusion [edit - SI fusion]. I am sure that you are very thankful that this information and surgeon came along, before you went and had the hip surgery. I really hope that once you come off the crutches, that your neck will start to feel better, along with your lower back, and that you will feel in tip top shape again soon.

Cindylou · #7 (**permalink**) 04-13-2009, 12:34 PM

Thanks everyone for the kind, supportive words. Just a correction for Cathy, in case it confuses anyone reading my thread, it was a right SI joint fusion I had, not a facet fusion. I see my surgeon this week for the 6 week, but it's actually my 5 week, post-op appointment. Am very eager for appt. Am also very eager to get results for my cervical MRI and, hopefully, a pain relieving injection of some kind.

Maria · #8 (**permalink**) 04-13-2009, 03:31 PM

CindyLou,
Good luck getting something to help with the cervical pain. I would definately be asking for a cervical ESI if I hadn't requested a lumbar one from WC doc. My neck has been hurting me way way way more than my low back but I was told I cannot have ESI's in both areas and I don't want to impede the WC process here as it's slow as molasses anyway.

I am really beginning not to like this cervical stuff as it's flaring up way too often and resembling the pattern of my low back problems.

Ok, nuff said here ~ I guess you can tell I'm sorta bummed to be dealing with the cervical stuff now too.

Hope you're doing well and the neck stuff is at least quelled adequately so as not to keep you down

Terry Allen Blackburn · #9 (**permalink**) 04-13-2009, 08:18 PM

CindyLou:

It sounds like you are doing really well after such a major surgery and surgeries. I am not surprised that your body is howling; "ENOUGH ALREADY!"

Hang in there and I imagine you will be running marathons before you know it. At the least you may be back on your bicycle.

Terry Newton

Cindylou · #10 (**permalink**) 04-14-2009, 02:12 AM

How long does it take to get an approval for an epidural of sorts for my #!*#& blasted neck?! I met with the neck doc a week ago today. Had the MRI last Tuesday. And the neck team was supposed to contact the fusion team to ok the injection. The neck team tells me they called last thursday to get the ok. The fusion team tells me they never received the call. Today I call the fusion team to see what's up, and the medical secretary has still not arrived for the day, and I called at 3 pm! I call the neck team but nobody returns my freakin' call. So, another day slips away. Tomorrow morning, first thing, I'm gonna start calling these two offices, and give somebody hell. This is absolutely, f______ ridiculous. I'm so sick of incompetent people. This should have been resolved last week! Meanwhile, my stupid neck is shooting pain into my shoulder like a vice grip, and causing numbness down my arm into my hand. I'm chewing muscle relaxants like penny candy. Sorry, I just had to vent. I'm over the top frustrated!

runner · #11 (**permalink**) 04-14-2009, 07:18 AM

CindyLou,

I understand your frustration and it is ok to vent.

I am sorry you are having neck pain on top of everything else you have gone through.
You know i have kind of learned not to let things go too far with the doctor offices or other places and make my own calls to see that something gets done. I had to do it to make sure I got a discogram appt this week.
Tonight, my hubby calls from the pharmacy and tells me that my prescription for percocets won't go through and I have to wait until the 20th for the script.
Now, I can do math and I could not figure out why if I last filled a script for 23 tabs on 3-10, how I have to wait more than a month to fill the medication.
Well, I called the pharmacy and waited (I missed most of House) to speak to the pharmacist and found out the pain doc's PA had ordered 45 days of the drug and BC does not cover that.
My husband thought I was yelling at him but I was telling him what he was saying did not compute.
Being in the medical field, I get kind of upset with this stuff. I feel like I am a drug-seeker when i have to tell the pharmacy aide that I need this stuff because I have DDD and it looks like I have another bad disc after already having surgery. UGH.. (they were also apparently mixing up Darvocet with Percocet, I had already filled the Darvocet Rx).
I may be upset but I just asked to speak to the pharmacist and calmly figured out what was wrong.
This happens all the time but it is harder, the more pain you have.
Hang in there,

runner

Cindylou · #12 (**permalink**) 04-14-2009, 01:05 PM

Yeah, thanks runner. I get frustrated when I do take the bull by the horns, make the calls, and still find myself not making progress. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Because I tend to be more like you, jumping in to advocate for myself to make things happen. When I still face a blockade, I get sooooo frustrated.

As an example, several years ago my pain levels were so bad, I could hardly walk. It was Christmas Eve and my husband had to take me to the ER. They ended up admitting me to get things under control. They were wanting a copy of a recent MRI I had had, but kept saying they couldn't get through. My pain levels were getting under control from the medication, and I became so frustrated at the ineptness, I called the facility myself, gave them the fax number of the hospital (I had asked a nurse), waited a few minutes for the fax to come through, then got up and went to the nurses station and told them I had a fax to pick up. When my assigned nurse came in and told me she still had not gotten through, I just handed her my MRI document. My Mother was there, and I'll never forget the look on her face. She couldn't believe I just "handled it." She said something to the effect of, you babyboomers, you don't take no for an answer, you just get it done. And that she would have never even thought to take it to the next level of action like I did. She thoroughly enjoyed witnessing that and we ended up having a good laugh over it, in the end.

So, in 30 minutes I will start badgering the powers to be again, so I can get this neck injection done. Thanks again for the support!

Cindylou (I hope you get answers and resolution too, runner, to your current predicament)

Maria · #13 (**permalink**) 04-14-2009, 03:25 PM

Cindylou,
Oh yes, I can surely emphathize on this vent as I'm still waiting for WC to auth my lumbar ESI and meanwhile my neck has been bothering far more than my low back but I do not want to impede the WC process as it takes 4-ever to get anything authorized thru Utilization Review (usually denied first).

Last time I had to present myself to the office staff several times and vent, nearly break down and just make an arse of myself or so I thought as I never complain about anything hardly in the office that I've been seen in for 10 years now) so they would get sick of me and get the stupid thing taken care of re doctor to doctor order/request and WC part of it..

I think I waited 2 freakin' months!!!!!!! You best believe I vented on someone other than my friends

Good luck and I hope you get this ESI ASAP and there's relief just as quickly!