TallerNow: You can only do what you can do. You live in your body and know it best. Trust your intuitions and listen to your inner voice. I was a busy and engaged little gal until the looming shadow...
TallerNow: Any serious illness affects the entire family unit. Our caregivers also need care and nurturing and a chance to replenish their personal batteries. How about a half-day trip to a local...
Misstrish: I had to rehome my precious Maltese, Abby, 6 months ago due to my compromised health. It still brings me to tears. Having a companion pet has been my virtual-lifeline as my health has...
RG: Maybe, just maybe, the insurance hesitation in authorizing the added lumbar surgeries is a blessing and a way of highlighting prospects for an intra-thecal pump (pain pump). That a lengthy fusion...
Mark: You indicated that you had a good response in pain reduction with the spinal cord stimulator trial. That’s encouraging information for you to base your decision on in discussion with your...
TallerNow: It is a bright moment, indeed, that your recent surgery has brought you meaningful relief of pain. I know that you went into the surgery with uncertainty and concern. It is thrilling to...
Southbound: You may be lacking one or more of the enzymes that mediate metabolism of one or more of the specific narcotics that you are on. There are different metabolic pathways that govern how...
PD126: Glad to hear that you have had an MRI to evaluate your ongoing post-operative pain. But remember that imaging studies are limited to “seeing” physical/anatomical findings and anolomies. Nerve...
TallerNow: It is genuinely heartwarming to hear that your cervical surgery last week was a success reigning in your cervogenic headaches and debilitating pain. After years of suffering, you have...
TallerNow: What an absolutely fortunate outcome from your recent cervical surgery. What a liberating feeling you have been granted in such a significant pain reduction. A vision of rainbows. I agree...
Bigcase: Susie’s counsel to consider taking a respite from work using your available short-term disability benefits seems like a wise first step to bettering your situation. Your cervical and...
Bigcase: It is always good to hear from you, although I am sorry to hear that your cervical pain continues unabated. Here’s raising a toast to you for a positive outcome from the upcoming trigger...
Rgsafety: I completely understand the desperation in wanting r-e-l-i-e-f from high intensity pain, but I have to wonder if the surgery proposed (repeated fusion L4-L5and likely smoothing of...
Charlie: There are published clinical papers and research reports on the difficulties you are describing - paraspinal muscle denervation following lumbar surgery/fusion, especially as involved lumbar...
PDT: While I can appreciate your pain level is high, accessing the emergency room was an incorrect call. I realize that I am expressing an opinion that you may not want to hear, so hear me out . ....
I am a lite sleeper and awaken freuqently during the night. Lack of adequate deep REM sleep can be deeply affecting. It’s more than feeling sleepy. Lack of restorative sleep affects my ability to...
PDT: It is unusual that the surgeon’s PA is describing your new onset of pain at the 6 month mark as normal and expected. Susie brings up a salient point about implanted hardware. Some people do not...
Yes, between the two (stem cell and PRP), autogenic PRP is the safer option. Under NO circumstances should anyone consider a donor-sourced stem cell or PRP injection/infusion. Besides the risk of...
Mark: I will second what Susie has cautioned. Once a SCS is implanted it is very difficult to reverse course if there are subsequent problems. A SCS is basically a TENS unit placed internally. Latent...
Pashta: Approach plasma proteins or stem cell injections with the utmost of due diligence and caution. There is NO oversight or monitoring of practitioners. None. Zero. You will want to research...
Meracel: You have been through the wringer with foot and leg pain, without a clear direction or definitive help from availing medical services. I am sure that the absence of a diagnosis is...
FLexiRay: It’s OK to express your authentic self and give narrative to your true feelings and emotions. This forum community understands the unvarnished reality of living with a chronic illness and...
A conservative approach is always wise to pursue to its full extent for cervical issues with symptoms of tingling and pain but without collaborating EMG negative for loss of motor impulse and without...
PDT: Your new pain symptoms are suggestive of tethering of scar tissue/adhesions to the lower lumbar nerve roots - where adhesions affix to the protective nerve sheaths. Flexion of the chin toward...
PTD: I would chat with your PT about finding access to a warm therapy pool to enhance your recovery. A finding of a new lumbar disc herniation with extrusion significant enough to be causing your...
Chester: I would encourage you to discuss with your primary care provider if you would be appropriate for a referral for Palliative Care. I have found peace with Palliative Care. I no longer need to...
PTD: A couple of ideas for you to consider: 1. Sitting Sitting is not your friend. Sitting places significantly more intra-discal pressure on the lumbar spine than does standing upright or lying...
I agree with Cognito and Turtle . . . The use of marijuana has known efficacy and benefits. Anecdotal stories . . . My own brother uses MJ for control of epileptic seizures (which have been...
Pashta: You expressed concern and a hint of reservation regarding seeing a nurse practitioner at the upcoming appointment with the new pain management clinic. Personally, I will take a nurse...
Alice: I am sorry to hear that you are bearing the mental weight of uncertainty regarding future dosing of your pain medication. I think that most people with legitimate chronic pain and who are...
Jelly: Your initial post indicates that your physician suspected mesenteric inflammation of lymphatic tissue at one point. Which leads to another related avenue that may have escaped detection . . ....
Yes, you will be able to lie on your back. People with true nerve compression can feel better as they awaken from anesthesia from a laminotomy. Similar to a hip replacement due to bone in bone pain...
“Functional abdominal pain/disorder” might be worth reading about to see if it has similarities to what you are experiencing. Abdominal pain is often difficult to diagnose with a specific named...
Darla: All things are relative, but I think you will find the laminotomy not too onerous of a procedure. A laminotomy is less invasive and less disruptive to the vertebral bone architecture as...
I will chime in as someone who can speak to damage to my vagus nerve and subsequent motility issues. Vague nerve injury can be a suspect. In my case, my large intestine basically “unzipped” due to...
Pashta: I am wanting to make sure that I am following your timeline . . . . When was your initial injury with pulling the wagon? You mention that your primary care physician began prescribing opioids...
The deciding factor here depends on the type of opoid prescribed. A schedule II opioid or a schedule III or IV. A schedule II opioid will not be availing of being able to later pick-up medication...
Bigcase: My situation has been exactly as yours. The pharmacy did not have the full amount of hydromorphone (dilaudid) or duragesic patch (fentanyl) on hand to fill for the 30 day monthly...
Shaw: Your new PCP is being prudent and cautious in her discussions with you on not being comfortable providing you with concurrent prescriptions for a benzodiazepine and an opiate/narcotic. We hear...
I was informed that my narcotic prescription (schedule 2) was void with a partial filling of the prescription. Ex. Where the pharmacy did not have sufficient stock in hand to fill my monthly...
I have had an issue where the pharmacy did not have enough quantity in stock to fill my narcotic prescription in full. The pharmacy filled the prescription for the amount they had on hand. My...
Juliette and Jake: A turning point for me in living my best life with chronic illness was coming to realize that I could not count on standard medical care nor physicians to hold the answers or fix...
Rgsafely: Without a doubt you are in a tough place. It is absolutely demoralizing when a procedure or treatment or surgery does not have the hoped for effect. 10 months out from a 5 level lumbar...
Juliet: Talk with your surgeon about using Septa-film during your surgery for lysis of adhesions. Septa-film is a paper-thin material that is placed between the loops of small bowel and between the...
Spring: Corticosteroid induced adrenal insufficiency is a life-altering condition and not one well understood by physicians. You will want to make sure that you are seeing an endocrinologist with HPA...
Matt: Cavilon skin protectant by 3M is a favorite of many ostomates. It is available on Amazon and through any ostomy medical supply company (Edgepark, Byram). Cavilon is a favorite of most...
Pitmom: I have very prominent tori on my lower oral pallet. Mine are due to high circulating growth hormone which predated failure of my Pituitary gland. Given your daughter’s Cushings diagnosis I...
Bigcase: Side note . . . Your knee osteoohyte actually correlates with your episodes of frozen shoulder. They are all pieces of a larger puzzle. The puzzle being that your body is very adept at...
Charlene: It’s nice that your grandson can count on you to be concerned about his well-being and that you will reach out to look for resources and options to better him. Grandmother’s rock ! Keep...
Bigcase: My hunch is that the nodule you see is a prominent osteophyte (also called a bone spur). An osteophyte is a distinct mass of bone that forms in response to inflammation or injury. They can...