"You don't need to see a surgeon, you're just depressed!"

[sahuaro]

I think we could collect precious one-liners and publish them as a best-seller. How about, "You can live without being able to look at the ceiling?"

[fireyangel76]

I just have to say that I have been depressed ever since they suggested I was depressed! No No I really mean this! When as a response to my continued complaints of pain, was the suggestion that maybe I was depressed, I got very depressed, because I knew they were pretty much giving up on me!
I never told the medical professionals that....I am sure I would have been committed.....name and addresss withheld as I don't want people at my door with a straight jacket!

[dshobbies]

Betsy,

Too many of us can completely understand. This reminds me (men, turn away for a moment is you so choose). Yesteryear the medical community thought that a woman's menstrual cramps were 'in her head' and now they know otherwise. Can you imagine what would happen if the doctors of the world would acutally believe their patients for once? The pain level of the world would diminish as new causations were revealed and treated. The one pill fixes all mentality would be replaced with a fix the problem thought process. Researchers would finally get paid more than pharmaceutical companies.

Though your mind can indeed cause physical symptoms, from my observations it's more in your digestive arena or perhaps headaches. I suppose back pain may be induced by stress and of course there are those who will complain about anything but when your life and living envirnment are so negatively affected, it's time for the medical community to put aside their pride and say "I DON'T KNOW"! and refer you to someone who will go that extra mile.

As a previous victim I have learned to dismiss those doctors who don't care about me as a PERSON. Now I have to learn how to determine when that occurs. Betsy, life can be cruel. If you don't stand up for yourself, few others will. There are great doctors out there. Too bad there are also those who think diseases are more important than the people they inflict.

[Poncho]

It makes it just that more difficult to live with a spine condition looking "normal" on the outside, but feeling like you are stuck in a painful shell of a body. Then, trying to justify why you are having the symptoms you are having. This is just one good reason why we should never settle for just one opinion

[fuzzy]

I had a little bit of a painful setback the last few days and the emotional setback was almost as bad as the pain. My confidence went down the toilet.
I managed to town yesterday as a passenger painfully enjoying every bump in the road...
Of cause I do *not* look normal walking arround in town, no reason to even try.

Yes, I was offered antidepresants last year by my doctor, in leu of doing something about the pain. I refused.

Good news! Today I feel a little better.

[fireyangel76]

I am so glad we have this site. If not for all of you and hearing everyone's personal stories I would probably go crazy. So for today I came and read all your responses and I have a smile! That's all that counts..that you all understand what I mean.
I don't think pain of any type can be in someones head. You feel it or you don't. Maybe we all react differently to it but it is not in our head! I do think I carry stress in my spine which is what I think caused me to be prone to injury. I have always had tense back muscles when I was stressed.
I know there are some very fine Md's out there. Trying to find a good one in the managed care arena is difficult.
Take care all....
I glad you feel a bit better fuzzy...

[martyusa]

I've heard some of the same stories.....Yes you have a herniation and an annular tear, with DDD and radiculitis, but we don't see how it could be causing that much pain and problems.....blah blah blah. This MRI, that MRI and finally an EMG to verify I was not going out of my mind. These shots and those shots for pain management. All I wanted was to get it fixed. But procedure would not allow me to do so. This doctor referred me to that doctor who referred me to the other doctor until I found one you did not process me like a number and a medical guinea pig. Finally a Doctor who listened to me, my problems and situation and my goals. I wasn't worried about when I could go back to work. I wasn't worried about monetary situations. I wanted to get the problem resolved so I could have my quality of life back. Cars, houses and stuff can be replaced and I am young enough to recover from the fiscal mess. I just wanted it fixed, not masked.

I think the biggest problem is that the majority of patients to not realize that these doctors we go to are paid by us. So in essence they work for us and we have the authority to fire them and find another one. Not get get the answers you are looking for, but for one to listen and explain things. Not to say touch your toes, bend this way and that way and tell you you're fine. For the most part WE know our own bodies and we know when something is wrong, so listen to us.

However, my wife works for an internal medical/infectious decease Doctor and do I hear the stories about the kooks. So in their defense I can almost see a kind of prequalifying going on when certain medical findings do not support the symptoms. We just have to find the one that can see through this troubled medical system that we have and remember what it is they do. I think every doctor should read and reflect on that oath once at the beginning of every week. And then save the drinks for Friday night. That is if they're not on call.