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

[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.

[Cheryl]

After months of physical therapy, injections I went to yet another spine docotor Here's what he said:

"Sometimes life throws us curveballs, I can't play volleyball anymore and I've learned to live with that. You need to do the same. Here's the name of two mental health professionals" - Dr. in Charlotte

Yeah if I didn't need a mental health professional before him I sure did afterwards!

It sucks looking "normal" and feeling so bad.

[martyusa]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

After months of physical therapy, injections I went to yet another spine docotor Here's what he said:

"Sometimes life throws us curveballs, I can't play volleyball anymore and I've learned to live with that. You need to do the same. Here's the name of two mental health professionals" - Dr. in Charlotte

Yeah if I didn't need a mental health professional before him I sure did afterwards!

It sucks looking "normal" and feeling so bad.

Let me tell ya what you do with that curve ball. You crack that damn thing 450' dead center field with the bases loaded. That's what you do.



I had a very good client give me great advice one day, And yes he was a shrink. This was about 10 years ago.

He said ,"Marty, you're not your chipper energetic self today"?

I told him that I was having some problems at home and would probably be getting divorced.

He asked me if it could be saved?

I told him NO. And explained what happened.

He asked if I felt bad.

I said very much so.

He asks me if I like to feel that way.

I looked at him kind puzzled and said NO.

And he said, "THEN DON'T".

It took a couple of days for that to sink in and realized that I had made a choice to feel that way and I could make the same choice not to feel that way. Our brains are very powerful tools once we learn to control it and not let it control us.

Keep swinging for the fence, eventually you'll get a hold of it.

[Jim M2]

Or maybe: It sucks looking "normal" and being in pain so bad.

[mmglobal]

I can't tell you how many time's I've been approached by spine patients who've been told that "they just need to quit focusing on their back problem"... yada, yada, yada.... when you can look at their films from across the room and see huge structural problems that cause excruciating pain.

Marty... I appreciate the sentiment and there is no denying that how we deal with things may be a huge component of our problem. I don't know if you are suggesting that we have the power to not let our pain bother us... or if you are saying that we have the power to not let insensitive doctors bother us.

In any case.... the person who belongs to this xray, probably does not have the power to not let it make him feel bad.


Note, this picture comes from www.ChiroGeek.com. Douglas Gillard, DC is a
spine patient himself and graciously contributes extensive amounts of time
and energy. I've seen him post for many years on the Braintalk Spinal Disorders
forum and have watched ChiroGeek.com grow into one of the most useful patient
info sites on the internet. Thanks Doug!