Herniated discs - Hernia Message Board

Dawn1973 · 04-20-2002, 11:26 PM

Hello All. I must say, I find it shocking that so many people are on such strong pain meds. I have been seeing a neurosurgeon for over a month now who is treating me for herniated discs in my neck. I have also had an EMG which was abnormal. The doctor doesn't know what to do about it and he claims that my pain should not be as severe as I say it is (trust me, it is) and he doesn't feel that pain medication is all that necessary. I go to physical therapy three times a week which doesn't seem to be helping and I have a perscription for regular dose vicodin. Has anyone else ever been here before? I can't go to a pain clinic without a referral from my PCP and my PCP feels the neurosurgeon knows what's best. HELP.

slobidon · 04-21-2002, 12:43 AM

What kind of insurance do you have. you are aloud to fire one doc if you need to with W/C. must be the same with other types of insurance. With blue cross you can refer your self. In this case you might want to ask for a referel from your nuerosergone. I remember a long time ago an Intern doc used to take his time with all my procedures, I was given 10 tylox to take home.
So I would be on his front porch in the morning for another refill. One day I finally said to him lets get this frigging surgery schedualed chist almighty.
His very last words to me were "lets not be to hasty"
I fired him on the spot made immidiate arrangement with a doctor down the hall. I called my insurance to let them know these doctors are doing nothing and collecting. get me the name of a respectble back surgeon and will get cracking on this. Three months later it was over with. if you are suffering needlessly go th the emergency room a couple of time that send a cool message too they will probably write you for lortab 10-660 good luck to you just remember you are the boss

quiltingjean · 04-21-2002, 01:37 AM

Been there done that. When I first started with all the back pain/spasms, then moved to all over no one really wanted to believe me either. You have to keep chugging.

You know your body and your pain level. Keep a journal, be honest with your doctor and like the other post said go to the ER a few times. Look around for a doctor you trust. If you have an HMO where you need a referral insist on getting one from you doctor. It is your pain and your life not his.

I finally ended up at a good pain management facilitiy that takes good care of me. SO far not to many complaints, but I can't rely on them I have to be the boss and make sure what they want to do is right for me and I have a definate say in what test are done or what meds I take.

So stand up for yourself and tell them what they will do - diplomatically of course.

Good luck JEan

Dawn1973 · 04-21-2002, 03:42 PM

Thank u all for the posts, I appreciate it. I do have a blue cross HMO but it is not self refer. I just feel so stuck and so sad. I hurt all the time

and I feel so humiliated every time I talk to my doctors because they make me feel like I am just pushing for drugs which also makes me angry

so now I am just waiting it out. My doctor ordered another MRI because he said the open MRI may have not given a complete picture, that a closed MRI would be better. It just makes me feel good to know that people like you guys know what I am going through. Thanks again.

davidc66 · 04-21-2002, 04:19 PM

Hey Dawn, It wasn't until well after my 3rd lumbar surgery. The last was a 6 level fusion before anyone offered anything stronger than percocet. As far as surgeons go. Most folks haven't had the exposure to high doses of opiates.

So vicodion pre op and percocet post op is pretty much the orthopedic standard. Even when I broke my first set of hardwrae , which was extremely painful I was given Lortab. Surgeons are looking to fix your problem and are not comfy prescribing powerful opiates particularly pre op. They figure the post op pain will be harder to manage. Then their goal is to get you off the meeds.

PM docs get what is left of people after surgery. They have much more experience in prescribing more powerful pain killers. I'm not sure it's realistic to expect anything different. As beneficial as these are to CP patients there are many negative aspects. Dependence is inevatable and something most people would prefer to never experience.

I would certainly get 2 or 3 surgical opinions. You didn't menetion your symptoms and a bulging disc does not always mean surgery. Unless you have neuro symptoms like leg pain or foot drop, deminished reflexes or loss of muscle, PT and staying active are more the standard of care. Morphine and the other long acting meds are and should be reserved for when other methods have failed to relieve your symptoms.

Hang in there and give it some time. Try to stay active and do all the feel good therapies you can afford. More often then not a disc bulge can relieve itself without surgical intervention. Surgery should be the last resort. You can't undue spine surgery and your very young to have to live with a negative outcome.

Perhaps your shocked by some of our dosages because you don't know the entire history. Throw 12 screws and 8 rods into your spine and a few hundred mgs of morphine is just that. Just a few. I take 600 mgs a day but have been at this since my first failed surgery in 93.It wasn't until 99 before I was offered Oxycontin and 3 surgeries had been a complete failure.

If you think your pain can't be worse your very mistaken. After each surgery I had to readjust my pain scale. What was once unimaginable had become very imaginable. What I would have called a 10 in 93 is probably more like a 4 which is now a good day for me. Good luck and don't rush into surgery when there are other options., David