My name is Liz, and my mother and I were violently attacked in early june by a family member. I was hit repeatedly in the lower back with a baseball bat shaped piece of wood. I was in pretty severe shock when the paramedics showed up, and I refused medical attention, thinking I would need to donate blood for my mother. I started having pretty severe back pain as soon as I was out of shock. Well, I finally saw a doctor about a month later. My problem is that my doctor doesn't seem to want to deal with my back pain. He seemed more concered with dealing with my stress and insomnia. My pain has been consistent since I was attacked, theres not a day I'm not in pain, and my legs have started acting up as well. The doctor woulden't even put me on pain medication untill recently, and its a very low dose of vicodin. I have to take two or three to even expierience some relief, and the days without anything are pretty much unbearable. I'm also on skelaxin which isnt really helping either. He won't even give me an x-ray, because he says if it was a fracture I woulden't be walking. I'm in horrible pain, some days barely moving at all. If anyone has any suggestions or advice, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you for listening, and I hope you all feel better soon
Liz, first of all, I am sorry about your attack. That must be hard enough and now you have a doctor that is not helping you. The best advice I can give you is fire that doctor and find another one that will send you for x-rays and an MRI. If you are having pain in your legs, that could be a sign of a nerve being pressed on. Your doc is also wrong saying that if you have a fracture, you would not be able to walk. You are the boss of your health, not the jerk doc. Take charge and find someone who will help you.
It is very kind of you to wish everyone to feel better soon. Now wish it for yourself. You deserve it as much as anyone else does!
I agree I had threee stress fractures and was still walking even after my vertabrae actually shifted.
See another doc.
I am so sorry about the attack and wonder how your mother is?
Love and prayers
How could someone do that?!?!?!?!?! I am thinking of the pain both emotionally and physically you & your Mom have suffered! I do welcome you to this site, as the individuals here are not only wonderful but they are honest and caring all at the same time!
I agree that you should find another Dr. who will prescribe having an MRI done! I also agree that you should continue dealing with your stress & insomnia!
I wish you luck, and please keep us posted!
~M~
I totally agree with the above posters here in that you definitly NEED a new doc.This one is an absolute joke.God only knows just what happened to your back, you don't know the extent of the damage, and that could be extremely dangerous for you.If nothing else, get to an ER and tell them your story and that your incompetent Dr is refusing to help you.they will most likely order at the very least a CT, an MRI would be a much better diagostic for you though.but at any rate, you HAVE to do this asap.i really am scared for you with not knowing just what is going on there in your lwer back.It could be just about anything when you consider the mechanism of injury.Please get this checked out as soon as you possibly can,okay? good luck,and keep us posted.Marcia
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i agree with all the post above. i also have a fracture in middle back and i walk. only you know your pain not that doctor. you get another one and tell that one to take a hike. you also need to get xray or mri because it does sound like a nerve problem wich can be bothersom. i will pray for you and best wishes
michelle
I want to thank you all so, so much. It's so nice to see caring people actually exist I've actually gotton more information in one post on a message bored than I have after three months of continuous doctors appointments. My mom has actually been seeing the same doctor, and now that I've thought about it I really dislike how he's dealing with her injuries as well. Her head was cracked open and had to be stapled shut. He's done absolutly NOTHING to help with her headaches, dizziness, ect. Aparently all he knows is how to prescribe extreamly low dose pain meds and various other pills that don't work We'll be looking for a new doctor very very soon.
The man that attacked me was actually a Schizophrenic. He had a hit list of about 15 people he was planning to kill. I ended up having to stab him.
I'm a bit nervous to seek more help, as both doctors i've seen treated me horribly. It almost seemed as if they didn't believe how much pain I was in. Maybe they're not taking me seriously because I am young? Whatever it is, I haven't been listened to at all. They told me it was most likely a muscle tear and to put ice packs on it and take motrin, or a 500mg vicodin for 'break through' pain. I've had stronger meds for a root canal. I have absolutly no clue why no one will listen to me. I saw a different doctor recently, because my normal one was vacationing and I needed more pain pills. The only thing she did was ask me to touch my toes, suggested I see the chiropractor, and , after a lecture about addiction, gave me a prescription for *20* vicodin, which were gone in about 2-3 days. I really have no idea what to do if the next doctor is like this.
I'm sorry this was so long! Just can't shut myself up sometimes Thank you all so much again, you're all wonderful people for being so kind to a compleate stranger. I hope everyone makes a full and quick recovery.
-Liz
Oh, and one last question, is there a specific type of doctor I should be looking for? I've been really leary of the chiropractor, just because anyone touching my back hurts, much less cracking it, ect.
Wow, I'm sorry you had to go through something so horrible. It's fortunate you and your mom are still alive.
You need to get to either an orthopedist or a neurologist asap. They can order an MRI to find out what damage has been done. I can't believe that no one has ordered any diagnostic tests yet. That is outrageous. Unfortunately there are lots of bad doctors out there.
I would not see a chiropractor until you know the results of the tests. Sometimes they can do more damage.
God bless and I hope you can find some answers soon.
I agree you need to see an othopedic surgeon or neurological surgeon. Make sure they specialize in the spine. Don't be frightend by the surgeon label. A compitent surgeon's job is to help you get better. If it requires surgery, it would be offered to you but if surgery is unneeded, he/she can still help diagnose what is wrong and get you treatment to get better.
I cannot say enough about the folks on this board. Our concern is genuine. Please keep us informed if you can.
Welcome! I am so sorry you had to go through this terrible experience and are not getting the help you need. Ditto to what the others have said here, you need to find a good neurosurgeon and get the x-rays and maybe an MRI.
That's not right that the dr. you went to wouldn't order an x-ray. Your stress and insomnia will be relieved some once you can get a proper diagnosis. I will pray you get the help you need and your pain will subside. Take care and let us know how you are.
How old are you? I am 26, so I know what it is to be looked at and laughed at when you try to explain your pain. The fact of the matter is that you can not give up! If one Dr. doesn't work for you, then you move onto the next until you find one that is going to go to any extreme to help you! Everyone gave you the perfect advice already, to see an orthopedic, or neurologist. Personally I saw a neuro-surgeon who specializes in the brain and spine.
Good Luck!
~M~
Liz,
I am really sorry to hear about what happened to your mother and you. I hope she is doing okay. As for you I think you need to see another doctor, you would be better off with either an orthopaedic or neurosurgeon, as soon as possible and when you do, demand an MRI. I don't know who this doctor is and what his problem is but you need to get away from him. I have a fracture on my lower spine and I can walk, sometimes with great difficulty. I am in terrible pain as you can imagine. My legs have been affected with sciatica and recently my feet have started to cause me terrible problems. It can get worse if you don't start getting the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. I hope you can figure this out and find a really good doctor that will give you the much needed attention that you deserve. God bless you and your mother, my thoughts and prayers are with you two. Please keep me upsated as to what is going on. I wish you the best of luck. Take care. Kristy.
Please do not!!!! go to a chiro until you have had a ct and mri. they are ok once you know you have no major issues. they do take xrays but some times things only show on major testsIn my case if I had listened to my dad and gone to a chiro I would have been in major trouble.
First, welcome to the boards. I am so sorry that you have been through so much and I can't even imagine. The people here are ready to encourage, share and listen to you, so please do not hesitate to post. I can only reiterate all that has been said. You need to see an ortho or neuro. who specialize in the spine. I fractured my spine and was still walking so I don't know where your Dr. is getting his info. I would also suggest seeing a therapist for all that you have been through. Don't get me wrong...I am not suggesting that the back problems are in your mind, but that if you treat your back and not your mental health also, there may be more problems in the future. My daughter was attacked 1 1/2 years ago and her back and thyroid both got worse. She was on meds. and treatment for those areas, but because of the menal health issues, she wasn't sleeping well and had a lot of stress daily and those 2 things made her back worse.
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond, I ended up catching the flu so I really haven't done anything lately. Thank you all so much for your replies. It's comforting knowing other people have been/are going through the same thing. I have to go back to the same doctor sometime soon, to have my mothers test results read and get some stronger meds hopefully, to tide me over until I find a good nerologist. I know of one who initially treated my mother's head injury, but he didn't really do anything for her, so i'm hoping to find a new one for both of us.
I'm 17 right now, so I feel like i'm being looked at like a compleate joke. No one seems to get the severity of what happened. I think anyone beaten would have some kind of injury, regardless of thier age. I guess some people just don't get it...
Hopefully I can find a new doctor soon. I'm still checking with the state victims fund to make sure they'll pay for it, (lost my job after this) they're taking thier sweet time getting back to me. I really agree with the mental problems adding to the pain, I got put on anti-depressants for post traumatic stress, and ambien because I was going days without sleeping. Problem is, this guy seems to think thats ALL it is. I don't see how anyone could think that after what happened! Probably thinks i'm some doped up teenager looking for pain pills. I have been taking large doses of meds lately, but thats because nothing even dents the actual pain. Is there anything any of you've tried that actually works? I'd like a pain-free day afer all these months.
Thank you all again for you input, it's really helped alot!
Liz, I am just so sorry to hear your story. It is awful how you are being treated. My daughter has gone through a lot of the same things and so I read your story to her. Everything you said she said she could relate and wished Drs. would not look at the age and expect a healthy individual. She was attacked and for 1 1/2 years was treated by all her Drs. like it was just psycological. We knew she needed treatment for that, but also for her medical problems. I just want you to know that both my daughter and I will be praying for you and your mother.
I don't know why people are under the false assumption that if someone is young they shouldn't have pain. It makes no sense to me, never has & never will!
I suggest you keep looking for a Dr. that will care about how you feel, dispite how old you are or aren't. I know how frustrating it is, but there are Dr.'s out there who do care! Please keep us posted, and remember if you ever need to vent we are always here to listen!
~M~
I am so terribly sorry for what you and your mother have gone through. And the thought that any doctor would treat you both the way yours has done, is absolutely infuriating. He should be reported to the state medical board for starters, right after you find a new doctor.
You need a spine specialist, either a neurosurgeon or orthopedic spine specialist. I would think your mom would benefit from a neurologist. Your new doctor will probable order an immediate MRI on your back....my guess is there is plenty of injury there.
While you wait to see the new doctor, try using ice on your back for at least 20 minutes at a time. I find that a package of frozen peas is wonderful for that! Then, after 20 minutes, re-apply the ice....it will help quiet down any inflammation. Also, along with the med that so-called doctor prescribes, you might try taking 800 mg. of motrin, also to help inflammation.
If the new doctor finds problems with your back, such as ruptured discs, fractured vertabrae, etc. I would advise you to find a good malpractice attorney. This quack needs a lesson and you need to be compensated for the months of suffering you have endured at his hands.
May the Lord bless you both and help you through this.
How could someone do that?!?!?!?!?! I am 
thinking of the pain both emotionally and physically you & your Mom have suffered! I do welcome you to this site, as the individuals here are not only wonderful but they are honest and caring all at the same time!
I've actually gotton more information in one post on a message bored than I have after three months of continuous doctors appointments. My mom has actually been seeing the same doctor, and now that I've thought about it I really dislike how he's dealing with her injuries as well. Her head was cracked open and had to be stapled shut. He's done absolutly NOTHING to help with her headaches, dizziness, ect. Aparently all he knows is how to prescribe extreamly low dose pain meds and various other pills that don't work 
We'll be looking for a new doctor very very soon.
Thank you all so much again, you're all wonderful people for being so kind to a compleate stranger. I hope everyone makes a full and quick recovery.
to the chiropractor!!!! 
Re: Attacked, Doctor not concerned with pain... 
