Here it is 3:00 am and I'm wide awake after about 3 short hours of unsound sleep. I have this problem of aching, tingling from my armpit to my hand, that normally comes and goes, but some nights, it wakes me up every 15-20 minutes. It feels like I have a tourniquete around my armpits. Like both arms have fell asleep. But my Doc doesn't think it's a circulation problem, he thinks it's one of a couple of places in my spine, where disk material is pressing against my spine. One doc put it like this "potruding disk material at c-6, c-7,is touching, but not pressing against the cord", "spinal cord is also deformed at this spot"...In all his brilliance, he recommended a test for carpel tunnel. After my heartfelt protests, that I didn't have a problem like this until after I fell... was met with uncaring disdain. I later realized that the test he sceduled me for was a major money maker for him. during that test, they stick needles in your arm, then hook electrodes to them and send a shocking electrical current through your arm. Insurance company's love this test, because it could suggest something other than a neck injury causing the pins and needles sensation in ones hands. I even had another hoosier pain Dr. suggest re-preforming the test! what an A-hole! The funny thing is that the aching pins and needles in my hands arms face, scalp, feet and legs, is only a symptom. Not considered a part of my disability. The tingling comes and goes, in different parts of my body, and has been getting worse.But, cervicogenic headaches, is all that is listed as my disability in the paperwork. True that is my worst crippling pain, but I have many more physical problems than that. But I'm getting off track again. I was posting for some employment Ideas, for myself. I know it's hard to recommend something without knowing my full story, an E-book is what my theropist recommended. Me writing a book...I guess anybody with a computer can write a book. But I need some income pronto! I tried what I thought was the easiest job in town, working at a gas station. They didn't give a drug test, so I didn't tell them about all of my medication, and I got the job! Part time, but I got fired after 3rd nite. I my pain went through the roof too. I started rounding up meds from old perscriptions to cover breakthrough pain, but I came up short! I caught my self spacing off, loosing track of what I was doing too. I was $35 dollars short, even after putting my lunch money in the till to try to make up for my short changing myself. and was still $35 short! Ha Ha that's more than I made on the shift! oh well! I used to be a successfull construction worker that thought those peons that worked at businesses like that were loosers, that had the easiest job in the world, next to security guards, that is, and now that I'm not rough and tough any more,(I wine alot) I can't even hold the easiest job in town.
They are foreclosing on my house, me and my wife don't even have our kids living with us, because I am a complete failure that can't even support myself, let alone my family.
I am actually crying now. Tears are streaming down my ex-tough guy face. It is so easy for me to feel mighty sorry for myself. But it's mentioning my boys that makes the tears start.
My shrinks both said this would help. Writing out my feelings like this, but I feel mighty pathetic right now.
I need some kind of work at home job. I need to get some kind of training to learn to work over the internet, but I don't know where to start.
My social security disability claim was denied. My appeal will problably be denied too. I'm gonna be homeless soon if I can't get it together! Any suggestions would be appreciated! sorry I wrote such a long post. I was planning on bible college, but they don't allow narcotics on campus, besides, I'm problably too selfish in doing that anyway. I can't abandon my kids. But then again, it would be less of a burden on the rest of my family if I were to disapear. Or go off to bible college. I have been called. Once before my accident, and now I have been called again.
The test you mentioned is called an EMG and it is very important. It can show nerve damage. The second part of the tests looks for irregularities at the spot where the muscle connects with the nerve. They can trace the nerve pain back to your neck or see if it is limited to you arm. I suspect it is connected to you neck problems. It can show many different things and might be a very important to figuring out what the problem is. I have had it twice, one in the upper body and once in the lower body. It is not just a money maker. It has to be done by someone really good.
It may not be that brilliant to look for carpel tunnel. This test show were the nerve problems are comming from. I will show if it is comming from the neck and may help you case.
There are some people that know more about cord problems and I hope they can give you more answers. There are some who may have some advice on disability.
To find pain doctors, who are not opiate phobic near you, the following sites might help. You might have to travel. Once you get on the right amount, you might not have to see them so often. It might even be time to consider a move. I don't know if that is possible.
You need a pain doctor. You can't just live on old scripts and getting high. I see from your other posts that you state is very opiate phobic.
[url="http://www.partnersagainstpain.com/html/pat_care/pat_care.htm"]http://www.partnersagainstpain.com/html/pat_care/pat_care.htm[/url] ) notice on the left it has a section "find a physician")
[url="http://www.asappain.com/goodDoctors.html"]http://www.asappain.com/goodDoctors.html[/url]
[This message has been edited by jane2 (edited 06-11-2002).]
[This message has been edited by jane2 (edited 06-11-2002).]
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Bone spurs and degeration c1-6; radiculopahy; Pain in shoulders, neck and arms
Hey Ready, I'm pretty much n the same boat. WE can't afford the home we have lived in for 15 years now. SSD is a slow process for most people.It took 2 years for my aproval. It's the second mortgage we took out to survive the 2 year wait is really killing us now. My wife makes just enough money to exclude us from any govt or state assistance.
I don't know how you feel about shrinks but the DX of depression and anxiety may carry more weight than CP. Your attempt at work shows the signs of depression and reinforces the disability. I recall the depo my lawyer took from my shrink and many of the questions have to do with cognative ability. The ability to complete a task in a timely manor, ability to concentrate even at the most simple job.Concentration and problems counting money show cognative disfunction.
Your inabilty to work part time at the gas station and hold that job can actually help you if this is documanted by a MD, Better a shrink than your PM doc. A shrink is better qualified to evaluate your abilities to hold a job. Every PM doc I have seen has wanted me on some type of anti-depresaant to help with pain,sleep,anxiety ,whatever. Personally I would rather have a shrink manage these types of meds as they are more familiar with this class of medication.
I've been looking for something to do at home too, I have run across many scams but nothing I was willing to be involved with. Once you inquire about working from home on the computer your name gets sold to all the work at home scams out there.I recieved close to a hundred emails after inquiring about info at one site. I was flooded with emails often with the same BS plans to make a million from home.
I'll be following this post to see if any good ideas are brought up. Medical transcription and billing are things that can be done at home but do require some type of training.I do hope you find an answer for the problem so many of us face. Take care, David
I don't really have any ideas for you either. I did start training for medical billing, but couldn't sit long enough to fininsh the classes. I also will be watching this post and looking for ideas. I would love to work, but can't think of a way to do so either.
Have you applied for disability? I just got my first rejection and am looking for an attorney myself. I've heard everyone gets turned down once and usually twice.
Don't run away from your family. I'm sure you are not the burden to them that you think you are. I know I feel like a big failure sometimes too. Keep your faith and seek God to pull you through this. I always think that maybe there is a purpose.
Jane,
The Dr. told me the EMG test that I took was to check for carpel tunnel. He went on to tell me he could explain numbness in the tip of my middle finger on my right hand. The only problem is, my whole hand started tingling like pins and needles, both hands, and both arms have numbness. This all started after they put my head in traction. They hooked my head up to a machine that pulled my neck apart, held pressure, thhhhen released. I walked out of physical theropy that day with increaased neck pain, and I have just gotten worse ever since. Severe headaches, neck, back pain, numbness in my face arms hands feet. It really screwed me up when they put me in traction, because When I fell at work it stretched a ligament in my neck, and the neck traction "bruised my spinal cord" as my current pain specialist put it. The doctors I was seeing last summer refused to believe me, and were only trying to please the insurance company, line their pockets, and call my neck problem that they made worse "carpel tunnel".
I have looked at the websights that you have mentioned, and I drive to KY to a doctor that found my neck problem, explained what happened, and never mentioned carpel tunnel.
As far as your suggesting that I take old perscriptions to get "high" is completely out of line. I called my pain Dr. and asked permission before I took any of the Percocets. I am very sitingy with myself when it comes to pain meds. I know what it's like to need them and not have them. I don't appreciate your assumption. When one assumes it tends to make an *** ofuandme. I despise people who abuse medication. I feel that it is the reason people that need the meds, have such a hard time finding them.
I need some Ideas 
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