Shoulder Blade ache that makes me wanna kill myself!!!!

[Aaron]

As someone in pain, kudos for going to school with the pain. I just finished a long, long 5 years of mechanical engineering school after I was injured at work. Kind of wish I would have went the RN way though, recently became very interested that there are several spine clinics that use NP ( nurse practioner) to help diagnose, treat, etc. spine patients. That would be right up my alley. It is a growing trend NP certified in orthopedics and from there deal with the spine. If I could do something like that I would at least feel I could use my exp. with spine for some good, instead of feel helpless.

As an avid athlete my younger years I to have had many injuries. But none relentless as spine pain and I have never seen doctors seem more helpless. I want doctors who are aggressive ( not necc. with surgury) with diagnosis. The try this wait, is neccessary ,but we have to suffer in the meantime. As I have said in the past, when I had thyroid cancer and went to MD anderson I saw a real hospital ran. It was like the movies, I was so confident in them. It was nothing for them to request a second opinion of their own findings and there was no interoffice problems doing it. My records were online so that any doctor, anywhere could access the tests and diagnosis. I often talked to my doctor over the phone also, had personal number!! It was a well oiled machine, my friend. And all I had was thyroid cancer, I just sat there and laughed about the fuss they were making about it, because it was crap compared to years in spine pain. ( no disrespect to the other cancers, they are much worse and its a different ball game).
I have never been to a back place like TBI( texas back institute), but if they are that way with the spine count me in.

Good luck with school.

PS. Strongly considering going to get RN degree myself, but I need to get to work. When they told me I would never make it doing pre-med, due to my past grades from when I was young, I should have thought about nurse practioner, but didn't.

[Maria]

I was both. I found that getting thru the BSN program required endurance, stamina, and back when I went thru the program at UVA (univ. of va.) there was no room for persons that could not attend requisite clinicals, classes w/o deviation from the standard. I don't think back Disabled Student Resources was the entity that it is now if it even existed.

When I went thru my MSN program (MSN/NP) there was much more wiggle room re how I was able to attend my classes (sat in bean bag chair thru most of them/or lying on a table in Grad Statistics) and was able to not have clinicals back to back so had some room to recoup.

Working was another story. In the days of the RN in the past one had to first work a year at least on a medical surgical unit before going into a specialty. Then it seemed some years later Specialties were recruiting new grads but watch out with what specialty one chooses as I worked nearly every that there was and later ended up fascinated with Neurosurgery which was pretty brutal for my spine actually.

The VA system here in the states had the best mechanical assistance to nurses in terms of lifts and such (help getting adults out of bed, weighing them).

The last several years my father was in and out of hospitals showed me that not much had changed in terms of nurses/patient lifting except that RNs didn't have to do the lifting when there was someone else assigned to do it but could not always get out of it.

Full body lifting and transfers are not good if you've a bad back or neck or other bumm body part that might give out like a knee.

Nursing is a great profession I think in terms of opportunities and esp. now as there are many more positions open to someone other than working on the floor in the hospital. The BSN educational part I'm very glad I got thru before my back injury because I doubt I could have completed it anytime after that w/the pain/probs I've had over the years. As mentioned, MSN program much more accomodating. Could have something to do with political correctness these days as well (disabled/equal opportunity).

Good luck to anyone in pursuit of Nursing degree and/or position.

For those that have other other degrees and might still want to get into a position similar to NP there's the PA (physican assistant) programs.

[dshobbies]

When I think of my own road traveled, I must agree, the wheels turned slowly. Three months to get an appointment, another month to schedule tests, another month to get results, four months waiting for a return call until finally giving up and starting again with another doctor.

Though scheduled for surgery almost 3 months in advance, no one bothered telling me my insurance company failed to authorize the procedure and after all my presurgical tests at the hospital and getting myself in a good place for the surgery, with less than one week to go, my insurance company ultimately pulled the plug. I've heard stories of ins. pulling the plug with a day's notice.

Once I discovered ADRs, it took an entire year, and then only with Mark's help, to get my surgery.

I understand the agony of waiting both for a confirmed diagnosis and then treatment. All the while, you're suffering in relentless pain. It is such a waste of time. Would that it could be different, alas our worlds would improve.

Many spinal doctors know what is thought of them. It appears they care less about your pain than their egos. Don't know why, it just appears to be the way it is. But as I've said before, you don't want a new friend, you want a competent doctor - the emphasis on competent. Then you still have to wait it out!

[jsewell]

My spinal surgeon's office won't even proceed with getting you a surgery date until your surgery has been approved by your insurance company. No last minute cancellations for that reason anyway. I have had a major surgery cancelled the day before for other reasons though.
judy

[cherylstewart67]

Hi Jarrod, I m loosing control of hand function my c6/7 t1 is so bad. As you can see from my sig I have a three level fusion already. The DDD is worse!!! I have had to retype this reply a few times because I miss key letters. It doesn;t seem anyone can or will help me. My only hope is ADR and my insruance won't pay because it is not fda approved for multi level or with prior fusions. It seems like I ill be in pain for the rest of my life. I pray all of the time for God to heal me or take me. I wish I could pass on sometimes, but I have to think about my husband and family.

[Jarrod]

Cheryl,

Don't give up!!! I have shoulder blade pain thAt does not let up... But recently it has been better, bur still rears it's ugly head and let's me know daily it is there! I shoved 3 yards of rock over the weekend and had no pain, then I clean up and relax and within 20 min here comes that old familiar dull ache that never let's up.this keeps me busy so I don't have that ache.

Also my hand clumsiness and atrophy of the hand muscles is coming from an entrapped ulnar nerve that is part of a double crush syndrome. My cervical nerve root damage has caused my ulnar nerve to become entrapped or compounded a prior ulnar nerve issue that requires surgery onmay 31st. I pray it takes away this shoulder blade pain which from what I've read is a symptom of the ulnar nerve being trapped. So much fun I cannot stand it!!

In all seriousness please keep ur head up and kno that betterdays are coming, I have you in my prayers and hope ur suffering ends soon, I have read ur posts and cannot understand the insurance companies and their policies. My BCBS would pay for a 120,000 dollar 3 level fusion that would eventually require another one and more money instead of paying 40,000 dollars for me to have a 3 level m6 ADR in Barcelona, Spain that might very well last my lifetime and require no more surgeries. It is a very ass backwards system we have here in the U.S.. I wish the very best and hope and pry you find relief in some form, you are not alone!!

Sincerely,
Jarrod

[Gil Denis]

Hi Jarrod

I had Ulnar Nerve transposition surgery last year and still have numb fingers. Not as bad as before surgery and my hand strength is back to normal,
Both hands have the problems and right hand still O.K.
My neck is also problematic and getting a new MRI soon

Hang in there it does get better.

Gil

[Jarrod]

Gil,

I'm glad to hear the strength in ur hand is back to normal, that is what I am hoping to get also, my dr. Said I was past conservative treatment as the intrinsic muscles in my hand are atrophing away, but the strange thing is I had no problems with this until I herniated the disc in my neck. The emg showed def problems at the elbow so I have to move quick on this. Having surgery on may 31st and I hope it helps relieve some of this shoulder blade ache I have.. From what I've read this ulnar nerve can cause in er shoulder blade pain as a symptom so I pray it helps. Wish me luck and be posting soon.

Jarrod

How long was ur recovery as my will be a submuscular transposition. My doc said about 3 months for the muscles to heal from being cut to tuck the nerve under them. So wish me luck I'm going in for surgery on mAy 31st.