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Hello,
My first acute pain happened in 1988 and lasted
nearly a month. And then nearly every year I’d have a really bad round of pain –
normally from something insignificant like getting out of a car. I’d freeze and lock
and know it was going to be bad again. I went to chiropractors and but still pretended
that nothing was wrong. I had my pride and an ego and liked to think I was fit and fine. I
did physical labor jobs and am stubborn whenever I’d hurt. (I still have that
problem.) Anyway, I was first diagnosed in early 1993 by a
chiropractor. In late 1993, work comp told me it was a strain. Late 1994 a 2nd
chiropractor diagnosed the spondylolisthesis again plus a tilted pelvis. Next I sought out
one of the "best" ortho docs in my area. By X-ray & MRI he confirmed the
spondylo, and added DDD and a bulge. I went through PT and it helped some. He said nothing
much other than surgery and I understood him to say that I’d just have to learn to
live with it. He gave me Tylenol-3 and sent me on my way. 1997 - My legs would give out on me, I had horrid
sciatic pain, would use a cane because I never knew when my leg would take a nap. So,
desperate, I went to a pain clinic. There I met someone who seemed to care. I had Facet
injections, and 4 rounds of facet neurotomy (medial nerve rhizotomy). Basically, he burned
away some nerves - all within the space of 1 month. This helped me out a bit but nerves
grow back although I don't have much of the typical nerve pains - for which I am quite
glad. Apparently, they rerouted themselves as the grew back. In fall of 1998 I started having "more
alarming" problems of a personal nature. I was 31 and too young for that! I sought
out the same ortho as before and had a myelogram/CT scan of the thoracic and cervical
areas. Not the lumbar though. Had a MRI of that. Ortho determined that my new problems
were from pain. When another round of PT made things much worse he gave me stronger
painkillers – Vicodin - and told me that all that was left involved "sharp
knives and steel." Although it took less than a week for me to
decide that surgery was what I wanted It has been delayed due to job changes and insurance
changes, a family wedding, etc. So, I was scheduled for a level 1 fusion on October 13th.
BUT, I ran into problems with his staff and getting information to and from him. So, I
decided to look at another well respected surgeon and see if he would treat me like a
person and if his staff would also. My insurance is quite limited in this area for
orthopedic surgeons in my area so I figured I didn't have much to lose and was serious
about changing doctors. My pain levels were at a steady 8+ with medication and I was
desperate. I am so glad that I changed doctors! He was kind and communicative and his office staff was so pleasant! There was nearly no wait in the waiting room or the exam room. He looked at my films and took flexion X-rays and found that things had deteriorated significantly and was right on top of it. He put me on Oxycodone for the pain and for the first time in months I feel not totally consumed by pain. I went from an 8+ on the pain scale down to a 5-ish. Surgery was scheduled within 4 weeks. He wanted another CT and for me to donate 2 pints of my own blood. Surgery went well according to him and I awoke very thirsty and wanting that PCA button in my hand. I ended up receiving both pints of my blood back the next day (8 hours without the PCA pump) and improved rapidly. I was measured for a TLSO brace in the hospital and was walking before I had that even. Once I got the brace they couldn’t stop me from walking. In 5 days I was out of the hospital, walking on my own and doing stairs. I am now 5 weeks post op and fighting the frustration of feeling better but not being healed. I am off Vicodin except for episodes of overdoing it and not needing the Valium any more. But because I was so busy beforehand I am fighting the depression of inactivity and have been put on Paxil. I am doing quite well for a rather large person and certainly one hundred percent better than pre-surgery. Only time will tell how fast I fuse and can go back to work but I feel good physically. I am so very glad to find one of those wonderful doctors whose ego hasn't gotten bigger than common sense. I cannot stress enough to find a doctor you can communicate with and trust. I had an excellent surgeon but could never reach him and his office was frustrating to say the least. But I found another terrific surgeon with a bedside manner and a staff of friendly faces. I urge anyone not to give up. There are no dead-ends in life unless you allow them. It may not be easy to look for a different doctor but no one will take care of you better than yourself. Remember that you and your doctor will be dealing with each other through the long healing process too and communication is very important. I got lucky second time around but researched my new doctor too. I feel very fortunate to have found this site and for all of the information and support available here. What we have that brings us together is surely not fun but the silver lining in the cloud of pain is getting to know each other. Good luck to everyone and may some genius come up with a solution for us all. Kylin has been kind enough to offer anyone interested to e-mail her.. Return to 'Other People's Stories'
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The Surgery:The Week Before * The Day Before * The Day Of * In The Hospital * Going Home * Let's Talk Pain * Home Again! Other Areas:Created and Maintained by Leslie Davidson.
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