I went to go see the pain doc for the first time today and I wish I had never step into his office. Are all of them rude? Anyways, he told me he remembers me from when he had to do the emg and said it was normal at that time, this was in dec. and he suggested tarsal tunnel, but since seeing the podiatrist it is not that. He was very short with me, every time I teied to answer a question he cut me off and say I did not ask all I that. I did not get much say so during this visit, he was teling me it is not my back He said I just had a strain! The pain in my leg he could not account for and the increasing numbness I am having he does not want to hear about it. I felt like even though he was with me a while he just did not believe me. I would never make this up, and I told him the surgeon siad I had bulges and some other spine problems and I know thay are related to the leg pain true sciatica pain and now I have numbness in my left foot.
He pushed hard on some areas and said I have bursitis in the knee and hip, yes it hurt, but I beleive he was puttig xtra pressure on the spot. I wondering was he doing this since I am a work/comp case trying to come up with a dx that is not back related. I am in so much pain and the ,ri are not clear, I do not have the test results from the myelogram yet and too big for the disco and I know they are trying to get me off because this is causing the comp money, but dang my symptoms are real! He says well you already take alot of meds without even asking me, because most where d/cd because threy did not help and the never erased them.
So I am here questioning myself what the heck is wrong with me, he asked aout my depression and seemed to implicate that I feel worse because my fiance left, and that is not true. I am just so hurt right now and I feel like know one belives me. I mean cant 2 small bulges cause nerve related problem and pain. He and some of the others brush my pain off because of the size, but i also have other problems and then I tell I spoke with the surgeon in may and told him how i felt and he said after weight loss of 60-100 lbs he would do surgery, then today this cocky doc showed the docs report from march when he was not considering surgery. I told the doc today if nothing is really wrong with me then why aould they do surgery? Its not like i want it done i just want to be better. He mad me feel like a complete idiot today and I just feel like giving up, and try to go back to work ad work past the pain, I am trying I even decreased my meds puposely and still hurt real bad.
I am just sick and tired of the run around, I just want to know whats up and to see if someone can help me mamage the pain. All I keep hearig in my head its not my back you just had a sprain, wow I did not know sprains last for 8 months, back and left leg still hurting oh well, what can I do.
Thanks for listening again

He sounds like a complete arse tbh. I have been very lucky with my PM and surgeon. I would say get a second or third opinion. Dont let this guy's evidently shite day get you down. Im sure there are many people out there who would be more helpful. evidently there are structural problems with your spine, if you say other doctors have said so, so there is no excuse for him to be dismissing your pain.

Take care and good luck finding in someone else. You deserve to be heard!

My brother has a pm doctor and he been thru many in his life time due to a tragic back surgery that went wrong. He says that some of them are total jerks and should not be doing their job. He strongly feels it is like finding a good surgeon sometimes it takes numerous doctor offices to find the perfect match. Keep on trying kk!! Don't second guess yourself. Only you know how you truly feel. Be strong!!

Ay yie yie! Oh, I can empathize. OK, a couple questions I'd ask you to consider:

1) Are you able to seek out another PM? If not (and I know how that feels when you feel so beaten down), is there someone who can start the legwork for you? Researching, checking with your insurance or disability coverage? You may have to drive somewhere further. You may have to assemble previous records. All that is work that someone else could help you do. The payoff may be worth it.

2) Is there someone you trust who would come to these appointments with you? I find having a 2nd set of ears and someone not in pain, but seeing and knowing me in pain, really helps me be a better advocate in those appointments. I sometimes just shrink and shrivel when the doctor doesn't interact in a way I like. It's really tough when you're in a compromised situation and this guy's got a bunch of 15 minute appointments lined up.

This is a really difficult, frustrating, yucky situation you're in. Please do what you can to take care of yourself. Call on someone who probably would love to help you in some way - a person from your church, a neighbor, your sister who probably would come all the way from Seattle to help you, etc. This is a big project to manage when you're feeling rotten and hopeless.

Hang in there. Stay in touch with us and your personal world, too.

Best,
Margaret

kk,

I am so sorry that you had a horrible experience with this doc. Please keep fighting...find some other PM's and get opinions until you get the relief and answers you need. There is no need for this at all. Don't go back to this *rick. I know you will find someone that will help you. Don't give up. Pain is real and obviously since it has been going on for so long, there is something going on. Girl, get the yellowpages out and get yourself a new doc. Keep your chin up and don't let the a**holes get you down.

Angie

Oh boy!!! :eek: WHY were you sent back to this same guy in the first place?? Call that WC board and demand they send you to someone more competent and caring. The MRI's dont lie and the surgeon has already stated you have the disc issues.

Yes, your discs can cause all that leg pain you are having. It's not in your head and you just need to find a doctor that isnt going to belittle you as this guy just did. Shame on him!! PM docs are mostly extremely caring doctors and very attentive to the their patients needs and pains. Otherwise.. why be in this type of business if you dont want to help people manage their pain?? duh!:dizzy:

All serious.. call that board and demand a new doctor. You do have that right.

This entire process, back, health, doctors, etc... this experience will only make you a much stronger individual as time goes on.

You keep up that fight girl.. don't let this PM doctor even be a blip on your radar of bringing you down for a second! He should be ashamed of himself for treating a patient that way. W/C or not! Be strong and Demanding!!!

Tammy:bouncing: :blob_fire

Workman comp is giving you their old song and dance routine. Talk to your lawyer about getting a different doctor outside the w/c insurance company list. You might have to go to court like I did, but it was worth it. The insurance company isn't there for you, they are there for the profit. Your company had to have insurance in California and they made them the best offer. The doctor's are there to send you back to work, no matter what or how you feel. Small bulges hurt also. Depends on what they are hitting. So you have been told you are to heavy for surgery. I was told that also. I was even told I had cancer that was causing my back pain. They will tell you anything so that they will not be responsible. If you wait long enough they can tell you that you are to old, like me. My out of group doctor didn't like that one, he is my age. It is all a game and a joke to them. It is our lives to us. Remember, you can count me down, but don't court me out. Get strong and talk to your attorney, and don't let the stress take you away from your weight loss program. :wave:

boy, what would i do without you guys. I am a little better now, more settled you know> I had to come home write this to you all and take pain meds, i swear this guy had got my so mad that my pain went in a uproar. I want to thank all of you for your responses.

Should I go ahead and get a w/c lawyer? I feel like this game is about to get nasty. The worst part is that I work for the same corp hospital that is treating me. I have to know my rights I know I will have to do more research on this part. I have just thinking about the visit, I refuse to see him again.
Thanks you for your support.

What should I do, and oh did I tell you my legs are swollen again and i can hardly sit or stand, they are sending me a walker tomorrow, now is that bursitis?
Talk to you later

Yes, get an attorney. You can't fight this by yourself. I thought you already had one. Have the attorney get you away from that hospital and that group of doctors first off. I know there are plenty of doctors and hospitals in L.A. County besides the one you worked for. Watch what you say to these w/c doctors. They aren't like your private physican and everything is confidential. They report to the insurance company every thing you say. If you have an attorney, that report also has to go to him/her. Protect yourself. Getting stressed out only increases your pain. You have to be careful. Let the attorney handle it. You stay:cool:

Should I go ahead and get a w/c lawyer? I feel like this game is about to get nasty.

You are in a game with an apponent who does not play fair and openly cheats!! You need to get an attorney. You have done everything required of you and then some. Your pain is real and no one especially a PM Dr. has the right to dismiss you like that. :mad:

My heart is heavy for your trials and tribulations this past couple weeks. Keep your chin up and vent as much as you need. We are here to help each other through.

This guy sounds like a real jerk. You know the fact is a lot of the time doctors really don't know what is going on and that is alright but the least they can do is be compassionate and help you deal with your pain as best they can. I have a great pm guy who is a Neurologist and the Director of a major Pain Treatment Centre he doesn't even pretend to know everything but he is there to listen and help me in any way he can.

I am so sorry that this jerk couldn't at least show some glimmer of compassion. Just because they can't pinpoint the source of your pain that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, quite the contrary. Nerves can have minds of their own. Sometimes when assaulted they can keep on firing long after the injury has healed. So doctors may stand around scratching their heads but the good ones know that your pain can be very real. I pray that you find a decent physician soon.

Big Hug

OMG I could not believe this but then again I can. I went thru alot of there is really nothing that should be causing you pain on your right side all tests indicate you should be having pain on your left side. I went to many different doctors and even felt I was labeled as a drug seeker at one point. It was not any drugs I wanted but for someone to acknowledge that the pain was real and if they could help.

I finally found my NS whom I loved or should say did love for a long time. He did my surgery and was great. Until know but that is a different story.

I can absoluatly relate to what you are saying and would get a WC lawyer and seek out a new PM.

Good luck and hugs your way

KK,
don't be discouraged because of one heartless Doctor. There are so many others out there and you can find them if you search. I bet a lot of us, at least once, met somebody like your Doctor. Don't be upset, go for a second opinion. Personally i don't like when Doctos act like the know it all, they don't!!! Therefore let them check you really good, plenty of tests available to do so.

I read once that Doctors who don't know what is wrong usually tell their patients "it is in your head" and this means they uncapable to diagnose them. This does not mean something is wrong with patient's heads, this only means they don't have enough knowledge. Run, girl, run...:p

Hi all I just wanted to say thank you for all of your responses and support I really needed it. It took me a few days to get over that visit, I mean it literally had me thinking it is nothing wrong with me and the pain is not real but it is. And then he mentions bursitis yeah right! Just the thought of him makes me cringe. Gut my main problem is that i am w/c and my issurance is Kaiser, I can only see doc in there area, and there arent to many ortho surgeons out there. I will talk to my w/c doc monday and see if she can refer me to a neuro doc instead, something is not right and now the numbness is getting worse. Can I get permant damage from this? Thank guys for everything:)

kk if the nerve is inflamed long enough it can take years to heal if it heals. I had sciatica pain for 3 years prior to my surgery in February. The sciatica is still present after my surgery and they say there is nothing compressing the nerve anymore so it just needs time to heal.

kk if the nerve is inflamed long enough it can take years to heal if it heals. I had sciatica pain for 3 years prior to my surgery in February. The sciatica is still present after my surgery and they say there is nothing compressing the nerve anymore so it just needs time to heal.
So pepper, does that mean that maybe nothing is touching the nerve and it is just inflammed? I just dont understand, I mean how does it get inflamed in the first place without compression. I know something had to happen to make it feel this bad right?
I am so confused about this whole pain thing, all I know is that I hurt and I hurt real bad. Nothing takes the edge of this pain and I had no results with 3 of the nerve meds already. Thanks

Honey my nerve was compressed for over 3 years by bone spurs. They removed all the bone spurs and freed the nerve. Then the nerve was becoming tangled in between the vertebrae and was getting crunched. Not the fusion is supposed to be fixing all that. They are telling me that I am experiencing the nerve pain because it needs time to properly heal itself. :confused: WHATEVER!! I don't believe a word of it.

Rachel, what are they saying is your problem exactly or do they just don't know?

Well pepper, the mri shows bulges at l/4-s/1 but s/1 is a little bigger with some changes. Also, mod ddd, artiritis and initially they said mild retrolithesis, but some how they dont see the retro anymore. Girl, I really dont know whats going on, on ct scan they say shows nothing and mri a little different. The 2nd opion surgeon said he would do surgery in sept. provided i lose 60-100 lbs. Whats funny to me it is not like I want surgery I just want to feel better. But, I get so many conflicting stories, all I want is the real truth. The only person who is cool with me is my w/c doc, she is the one who tries to do everything for me referals, etc. So i am just confused.

Do you know I have to see this guy! He is the only pm doc i can see per my w/c doc and i dont like it. I cant stand this doc, I will be calling membership services today, i should have the right to pick and chose right? This is crazy:mad:

KK is this thru the same insurance we both share?? If so, I believe anything.

Do you have to use them for your w/c stuff??

Yes pepper I do and unfortunatly they are my employers also it just sucks pepper, i feel like i am stuck

I am right there with you sweetie. I just pray that my GP helps me. My surgeon will not order any tests and wants to discontinue my meds because I should not be having pain. Very frustrating indeed. I will post what happens.

Have you called membership services??