Help please! Afraid of IME! - Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Message Board

babydolltahiti · 08-03-2003, 10:16 PM

Hi,

On August 25, 2001, I was a pedestrian struck and injured by a car while crossing the street on a crosswalk. This accident caused many permanent health conditions, among them RSD in the left knee/leg. The lawyer who is defending the old hag who injured me scheduled a so-called "non-invasive" IME for me in September.

I am EXTREMELY frightened and upset because any physical examination and manipulation of my left knee almost always causes EXCRUCIATING pain in my left knee.

I have Vicodin 5/500, Tylenol with Codeine #4, Valium, Baclofen, Flexeril, and Soma at home but these medications are INeffective for severe pain, no matter how many of them I take.

I cannot go to the ER because they will not give me a morphine shot, thinking I am not a pain patient in severe pain but a drug addict. No doctor will give me an injection of Xylocaine/Marcaine into the knee either. Twice I had to go to the ER for severe pain caused by medical examinations and manipulations to get a morphine shot but they told me: "You are not supposed to hang out here just for pain control."

Please share your experiences about IMEs for RSD cases and any ideas on how to make the physical exam easier on my knee. What can I do to relieve the SEVERE RSD pain in my left knee/leg that the IME is undoubtedly going to cause?

Pleaaaase help me; I am very frightened and feel like crying without stopping. :-(

Thank you so much.

dollfinjp · 08-04-2003, 05:26 AM

Hi babydolltahiti, I have been through a IME from a car accident. I didn't have RSD then however. Do you have an attorney? If so I would ask him what to do as far as the IME goes. Since it is the opposing sides doctor, they may not want you to take any pain meds before going. I would sure have them ready for afterwards though.
You may want to call your doctor and talk with him about your upcoming exam and your concerns about the exam. Maybe they can have you go to their office afterward for a pain shot. Does oral morhine help you? Maybe your doctor would prescribe that for you. As for specific things to relieve this awful pain, sometimes I soak in a warm tub, it doesn't make the pain go away but it helps me relax and let the medication work a little faster sometimes. Do you see a pain management doctor?
I understand your fears of the pain RSD causes. I wish I had more help for you. Good luck with your exam and let us know how things went.

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)( dollfinjp

Soxy · 08-04-2003, 10:13 AM

I'm sorry to be ignorant but I don't know what an IME is?

If it is anything like the neuro tests I had on my legs (I have RSD in my foot) I understand why you are worried. Why would they make you go through something that will cause you so much pain? It just aggravates me when I hear this stuff. You work - get hurt - get RSD - then get put through the hurt again proving you are hurt??!!!!

I would see if your doc can do something for you. Let us know. We care.
Soxy

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There is always hope....

cattys · 08-04-2003, 01:25 PM

IME is a Independent Medical Exam. Whether it is from the auto insurance company or the workman compensation carrier, a personal injury liagation, the person being examined knows this exam could change the outcome or theire care or legal case.

One of the most important things to remember is, this dr. is paid alot of money and is hired by the other side, the side that wants to prove that any disability that you have didn't come from the incident that you claim it came from..Don't expect this dr. to offer you any treatment options or even discuss the case with you. A IME is very serious, what this dr. writes about you can override your own dr. Which is not fare at all but there insurance company will do anything to deny you benefits or hurt your case. This is why it is very important to have a lawyer.

Definetly take a witness with you to the exam.

I have been to a couple of these ank thankfully the IME dr agreed for me to continue my treatment with pain managment. The workman comp insurance tried to stop all my benefits.

If you have any other questions I will try and answer them for you.

"GOOD LUCK ON THE IME EXAM!"

cattys

[This message has been edited by cattys (edited 08-04-2003).]

Soxy · 08-04-2003, 01:32 PM

Sad to say but then it's good if the person who has the IME screams in agony and pain?? Can your lawyer and/or a witness be present? I just thank God that I didn't have to deal with this. It really P)**&^ me off.

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There is always hope....