Meenu

I'm so frustrated! A month ago, I got a very sharp pain through my back and legs, numbness, tingling, loss of muscle control. I can't stand or sit up, can't drive, ride in a car without laying the seat all the way back, play with the kids, etc. I have been on FMLA for a month now.

The doctors, through an MRI, NCV, and EMG, last Friday finally figured out that I have arthritis in my lower spine that has extremely aggravated the nerve roots coming out of my spine. They want to try the epidural spinal injection to allieviate the pain, and referred me to a pain management specialist.

So last Friday, I found all this out, and was hoping I'd be back at work in a week. But it took me until today to even be able to speak with the appointment person. How can a doctor's office have more bureaucracy than my government job?!? And they can't get me in until next Friday. I've already run out od sick time and vacation and stuff. And during the holidays... *sigh*

iloveengl

How awful and frustrating!

I'm sorry meenu. I hope things start looking up soon!

Lucy

I'm so sorry. I hope you're feeling better soon.

Meenu

thanks, girls

aquarist48

Get well soon Meenu!
Ken

Meenu

Thank you, Ken.

Beth1965

Having pain like that really stinks, I feel for you.
Beth

Red1313

<hugs>

Tigerfishy

I'm sorry to hear this, it's always the people who need help the most that have to wait.
Keep us posted on how you are, and you know you can rant to us all anytime

Meenu

thanks, everyone, for your support.

navyscuba

Meenu I know how you feel I have Lupus/RA, Osteopenia, RLS, and some other more stuff that I don't even remember the names. I know how bad is the pain. Sometimes I get up in the mornings and I'm stiff as a light post. What used to take me 5 minutes to do now takes 30 to 40 minutes. Hang in there girl we are with you.

Meenu

Riv, thanks

sirdarksol

This is, sadly, the nature of doctors who deal a lot with back problems. There are very few specialists who deal with backs (and pain management folks fit right in there, as a large percentage of their patients have back issues) for a wide variety of reasons. The result is that they are incredibly busy.
I worked for a clinic that had the top spine surgeon in Minnesota (one of the top spine surgeons in the Midwest). His schedule was so tightly packed that the scheduling line wasn't allowed to make his appointments; his secretary did that. Patients had to jump through hoops to get to see him. Each patient thought that this was horrible, but the flipside was that, if those hoops weren't there, he would have had a nine month to one year waiting list, rather than the two months that he actually had.
Both doctor and secretary felt horrible about the wait, but there just wasn't anything they could do about it. When every patient you're dealing with is either a)in excruciating pain or b)unable to walk, there's no way to say that one person's issue is more important than another's.

I know it's small comfort, but realize that they are likely doing the best that they can with the resources they have. Most of the people at the clinic likely have the job that they have because they feel empathy for you (there are lower-stress, higher-paying areas of medicine, so "helping people" is a huge draw for back problems/pain management) and for all of their patients.
Good luck with everything.

Meenu

Oh, I certainly don't think it's the scheduler's fault. It's the bureaucracy (at my general practitioner's office mainly) I find frustrating. First, I contact the new patient person. She then checks my insurance coverage. Then she contacts my doctor's office to get my chart. My dr office sends a referral but no chart. Then I contact my dr office to get the chart/test results sent over. They send over everything but the MRI readings, tell the specialist's office I didn't get one. I call my doctor, they find the MRI results, send them over. Then the specialist has t review my chart to accept me as a new patient, then I can finally speak with her appointment coordinator.

Just frustrating that there is so much back-and-forth and that there isn't a smoother process in place.

I prosecute child molestation and violent crimes cases, and it usually takes months for a case to get filed in court once the crime has been reported. (Need to get CPS records, victim's DVD statements need to be transcribed, other cases need to be worked on, medical records need to be ordered, letters from doctors obtained, etc...) I know that it is so frustrating for the parents of the victims, who just want to protect their child and to see justice, to realize that there isn't a smoother process in place. I imagine there may be a rant or two out there about me, too. LOL.

Thanks for the reminder, SDS, that everyone's (slowly) trying their best to help me.

sirdarksol

Ah, the joys of the American medical system. I get what you're talking about. My wife has fibromyalgia, and because insurance companies can use the whole "pre-existing condition" thing to deny coverage, and because fibromyalgia can be tied to nearly anything that troubles her, the doctor has to be very careful with everything she recommends, prescribes, and refers. When the DOC makes a mistake, the insurance company denies coverage, and all of the paperwork is reset to square one, forcing my wife and the doc to start again.

Meenu

good grief...

redlessi

I hope you are feeling better sooner than later!!!!!!

Shadowbeam

So sorry to hear you are'nt doing so well really sounds like your havign a rough time of it. Hope you feel better soon and that those doctors sort themselves out!

Meenu

Update: still ranting.
I was able to return to work for about a month, and now I have had a flare up that is even worse. I have to meet with a neurosuregeon on Monday. It's pretty inevitable that I will need back surgery. The pain in my leg is so severe that I can't sit, and I even need help walking from my bed to the restroom. I'm sad..

bolivianbaby

I'm so sorry, Meenu. We're all hoping this get resolved quickly and with the least about of pain possible.

Lucy

harpua2002

Oh that's terrible. I'm sorry you have to go through this. My dad has a ton of back problems and I've seen first hand how debilitating the pain can be.

Meenu

thanks girls.

Red1313

<HUGS>
That's horrible

Tana

Having had recent sciatic nerve issues, I wish you swift treatment and recovery in what you're dealing with. I hope things go well for you.

Meenu

thank you.

MissMTS

Meenu, I'm so sorry you're having to go through this I hope you start feeling better soon. I bet you are so frustrated! Hang in there girlie and you know we're her for ya!

Meenu

Thanks, Kate. I always know I can come here to drown my sorrows... who needs beer, anyway/.