Re: good and bad news

Top.. Thank you so much for posting. I didn't know we shared some of
the same symptoms.. I am still in shock that I now know I have a
pinched nerve.. My appointment on Tuesday (the original facet block)
is now being changed to an appt. w/ the doctor who has my bone scan
results/disc. I'm bringing my MRI and Xray reports, because now I
don't believe what my "pain doctor" has been telling me at all. I'm
about ready to call an attorney, I'm so pissed off.
I'm also 99.999999999% sure that I'm in peri-menopause, so my moods
are all over the damned place. I'm not leaving.. someday I'd like to
pay it forward and help others.

The phone call w/ the nurse yesterday was a lot of "oh, it might just
be his language" and "people have told me he's a really bad listener"
and that "the facet blocks are less invasive, that's why he might have
offered those to you but he might have other ideas in mind. He's a
straight shooter", and to "keep a diary over the weekend". (I'm going
to go in there with a positive attitude and be my own advocate.)
I told her that Dr H's reports are inaccurate, and that I never knew I
had a pinched nerve until I saw the other doctor's report. I told her
I don't want a facet block because that pain is secondary to my disc
pain. I don't want someone putting needles into my back who once told
me the discs are bad and can be treated w/ lasers, then after he gets
the report from the ***, I have no other options now? NOT. I
really hate being treated like I'm stupid. Get ALL reports and tests,
people!!
I am without a doubt going to ask for a referral to either a spine
doctor or a neuro that is NOT affiliated in any way with their
hospital. I want a second opinion. 3rd,4th.. whatever it takes. I
want someone to HEAR ME. is that really too much to ask from a doctor
who's supposed to work for us?

The more I read his reports, the angrier I get and I hope to hell I
have a case for negligence or malpractice. There are outright LIES in
these reports, things I NEVER said.. lies about the tests, lies about
my diagnoses... I can't even believe this is happening.. with all the
other *** I have going on right now that I'm dealing with.. I
seriously have never had this bad an experience with a doctor. I am
still in shock over his neglect of my care and my real problems!
Sorry, I'll stop now. Enough bitching! :)

Thanks again for your compassion.. it's much appreciated, believe
me..
I don't know how I would be able to deal with something implanted in
me.. I'm going to see what this doc says Tuesday and be strong. (I
love your quote, by the way.. the best thing you can give a child is
to nurture them..in my humble opinion)
Take care and thank you for the virtual hug.. I needed one! :)
~Melissa

On Jan 22, 2:03 pm, Top <t...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Melissa. First I really hope you won't give up on this group. There
are those that will always have things to say that don't help and can
cause grief. That said there are a lot of people that do care and will
love to listen to you and offer a lot of support. As you have seen this
is a great place just to vent even if you are not asking advice.

As for you back and the comment from a doctor that there is nothing
more that be done - horse hockey! I have almost the same symptoms you
have in the same area L4 - S1. I had one docor at Cleveland Medical
Center which is supposed one of the best tell me that there is nothing
that can be done for my back. Not a month later another doctor not
affliated with Cleve. Med Ctr tell me there is. One being the stim
implant that I have now. The implant is no great deal for me but I
think at times it may keep my pain from getting worse than it is. Hard
to measure that. I've also been told of different implants different
treatments that are coming in 2 to 5 years. New drugs are coming along
all the time and new uses for current drugs are being tried. To say
there is nothing more to be done is just ignorant or at best
uninformed.

In the meantime please know that I am sending you a big hug and I hope
you will still be very active here. Think about the fact that not only
can we offer support and ideas but I'll bet you can help others here.

Thanks for listening to my rambling,
Top

Cat Whisperer presented the following explanation :





Hello.  I just wanted to share the results of my appointment w/ my
(female) primary care doctor. I saw her yesterday and told her my
experiences with the pain doctor, and she is referring me to a place
out of town.  She can't (or won't) get involved with talking to my
pain doctor, as they are in the same medical group/affiliated w/ the
same hospital, she "doesn't do pain management" and evidently this
pain doctor is the only physiatrist in the area. She sends people to
him all the time.  She said it sounds more like a personality
conflict between he and I and that if I don't mind traveling, there
is a place out of town that she will be referring me to.  YAY.  I am
so relieved.... and the person they're referring me to is a woman.  I
have better communication w/ female docs.

I might not be posting here as much, but I would like to have email
contact with some of you.. I came here for support, not to be
degraded and judged.   I am simply amazed at the amount of hate and
judgment from some people on here, so now I don't feel as free to
post as I once did.  I have always thought of this group as helpful,
compassionate and SUPPORTive, but it's clear that some just choose to
be hateful and condescending instead.  I don't know how to "killfile"
people using Google, and that's how I choose to read this group.  I'm
trying to move forward and keep living through some incredibly
stressful times right now, and I don't need the negativity. At all.

The bad news is that I asked to get my "complete medical records"
from this (pain) doctor, went in to get them...and all I got were his
dictated notes from each visit for the past 2 years. No MRI, No Bone
Scan, no lab tests, no handwritten notes.. (I called back today and
they're sending me everything by mail).  Oh, and the Xray report that
clearly states "Significant degenerative disc disease" and 3 bulging
discs in my spine.   And then I read them....

I am just in shock right now. I cannot believe that I have wasted 2
plus years of my life with a doctor who doesn't believe or
acknowledge where my pain is, has no idea how much pain I'm in, where
it originates from, and blames it on other things. (He actually lied
to me when I asked him once if where he was touching was L5-S1. He
said "no", and I looked on his chart and of course it was exactly
where I had indicated).  He flat-out lied. It seems like he has
continually ignored and downplayed the results of my Xrays, MRI and
Bone Scan. They all clearly state what is wrong.. his notes indicate
that he doesn't agree with these findings.  what the living *** is
wrong with this guy?  I can't believe some of the things he's noted.  
It feels like I've been talking to a wall this whole time.  Here's
hoping that the next place will be able to comprehend and believe
*me* and all of the tests that I've had done.  This guy's report is
so unbelievably inaccurate that I don't want this new place to even
look at them without seeing me first.  I wish I had recorded every
visit.  Who is going to believe me over this ***?  If /when I do
decide to report him.. I have no proof but my word, and clearly
that's not good enough for people.

Now I'm supposed to get a facet block, when in actuality, (coming
from me, who lives in my body and knows my pain and the different
types of it that I live with constantly) and from the looks of the
bone scan, my bad (arthritic and 3 bulging) discs that are the major
cause of my pain.  But, because of this *** doctor's report, it
reads like neither one of these doctors understand where my pain is!
Have I not been specific enough for these people??  So now of course
I'm nervous to get this facet block.  I want them to do something for
my discs, since that's where the majority of my pain is.  The facet
pain is secondary.  WTF do I do now?  My primary care doc said to
keep the appt. and then I'd be able to tell the new place if it
helped or not. The nurse in charge of the place where I got the ESI
used to be this *** doctor's boss.. (same hospital affiliation,
different buildings) so I do have a call into her to try to clear up
some of this confusion.  The appt. is Tuesday.  The doc who did the
ESI had told me that there are some laser-type things they can do for
my discs, but the second visit, he said there weren't any other
options for me at all. ??  Both of these doctors seem to be in
agreement now that there's some 'confusion' on where my pain
originates from.  Many xrays on spine and knees, a lumbar spine MRI
and a lumbar spine bone scan.  All showing the same damaged discs and
the arthritis in the facets and the discs.  The guy who's doing the
facet block says in his report that " She has a significantly
degenerated L5-S1 disc and although nerve impingement was seen at
this particular level she has a back problem that goes across the
back and is secondary to discogenic back pain." His diagnoses were 1.
degenerative disc disease. 2. lumbar degenerative facet arthropathy.

Good God.  I have a pinched nerve now??  gee, no wonder my discs hurt
so much. I don't remember ever saying it hurts all the way across my
back.. I guess I'll have to be more specific with the doctor, bend
over and point to where it hurts.  Doesn't it make sense that I would
want my most painful spot to be treated? Or gosh is that too much to
hope for?

I've written too much, per usual.  I guess I needed to vent some
more.  Thanks for reading if you got this far, and if anyone has any
experience w/ "nerve impingement".. ? (I'm only assuming this means a
pinched nerve, as this doctor never discussed this with me at all. I
only know it because I asked for his report) or advice on what to do
before Tuesday besides the phone call w/ the nurse.. I'm open as I
can be.  Please and thanks in advance..
Peace-Melissa

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