Well...it is done...and I don't really know anything..BIG SURPRISE....He tried to call w/c and they were out to lunch..another big surprise, they've been out to lunch over a yr. now.
Told him everything...he was surprised to see me, as w/c told him I was getting a new dr. and then I presented him with my IME which he didn't know about..again surprise!
Told him it should not take 5mths to get another opinion, he agreed. I said when you tell w/c to do tests etc. they do it..tell them I need a new dr. a physiatrist who can handle this properly and then I said apparently I have been going to the wrong type of dr all this time. Please tell them that this CRPS requires urgency, they obviously don't get it, if it were their arm they would know what urgent meant. Then in leaving after 1 and half hrs....he tries to schedule a new appt. with me for 2 weeks out, I said do I really need another appt. b/c once you speak to w/c I need to be going to the physiatrist, he agreed and said he would call me after speaking with them....Crazy!!
to be continued after he calls me....hoping and praying for that BIG SURPRISE call to be in my favor.
Yeah....I think they already know that....it's just they have to be professional in front of us...but I bet Dr. is muttering that exact line after leaving the room....thx
Yeah I think they already know that, it's just they have to be professional in front of us...bet the Dr. is muttering that exact line after he leaves the room tho....Thx
Wow! You get down with your bad self. sounds like it went way better than expected. I hope he gets things going for you and fast! Please let us know when you hear anything?? I have a evil headache and am going back to bed. *Big hugs* K.
Hi, You have certainly had the run around. I feel your "heated" pain. I have been having the hot cold issues for a few months along with the colorful changes in my hands and feet. A bit of background (12/10 ACDF 2 levels, car accident 9/2011) In my opinion I have CRPS. My ortho is not sure as it is not has area of expertise. He sent me to a vascular dr. I went to the chief of Vascular Surgery at LIJ. He said I had CRPS based on my descriptions, what he saw first hand (my hands and feet were very cooperative)and prior EMG's and MRI's. Then tried to figure out what to do with the info. I was told to find a physiatrist that is knowledgeable with CRPS. Not so easy. Finally did and went to the appointment. He felt it wasn't CRPS due to similar symptoms in both hands and feet. He said that it generally affects either the right or left but not both at the same time. He felt is was Raynauds. Not so sure I agree as I have not read anywhere that Raynauds causes the burning heat. He did say he would perform an EMG to test for nerve damage not sure if he was referring to one or both hands or my feet. He also stated that he could perform a Stellate Ganglion nerve block. If that helps then he is wrong and it is CRPS if not it may be Raynauds. At this point I am ready to schedule the nerve block. I just want my life back and to be painfree again. It took my more than 5 years to bit the bullet and have my neck fused. I was feeling so good after 6-7 months post surgery. Now I feel I am back to everyday being filled with various amounts of pain. Sorry for ranting and carrying on. Generally I do have a positive outlook. I am thankful that the car accident was after I had been fused and the car that was in front of me had just turned. Hope all of you have a painfree day.
Thanks for posting frenchfri...yes, i have had a tuff time of this...patience is running low.
I understand it is hard to dx things like this, sorry for all your pain. Am I understanding u right?...u have hot as ur pain...cause I have cold, like when my arm etc acts up it usually starts it stinging thing, not a burn as it was, more of a stinging and then it gets cold in spots, like wrist and elbow and hand where ulnar nerve is bothered. Please let me know how the nerve block goes? I am supposed to get one as well...hope they hurry up with all this....
Josana, I know all to well about work comp! My injury is the result of my CRPS. I had to fight just to get an MRI done much less seeing an orthopedic and PM doctor! One thing I have learned through all of this: you have to be your biggest advocate!!! If I left it up to my doctor, I would have never had an MRI, I wouldn't be seeing an orthopedic or PM doctor, and I sure wouldn't be having physical therapy right now! I got on the phone with my human resource department and talked to them about my workers comp claim, I got the phone number of the person from workers comp and the contact person there, and then I bugged the crap out of them until I got what I needed!!! Dont wait on the doctors to do these things for you, sometimes you have to put legs to your situation and try to push for the things that you need!!! I have 2 torn tendons and my orthopedic surgeon wants me to finish up my 6 weeks of physical therapy and try to get the CRPS under control, and then they will do the surgery to repair the tendons. If you leave the tendons torn and have no surgery, this will result in constant pain from that as well as aggravating the condition. Once you get the CRPS under control (as much as it can be) I would go ahead and have surgery from there. After I have my surgery (which is supposed to be in about a month or so,) I will let you know if it helped or not. They didnt want to do surgery right away because they said if I did, it would go in to full blown CRPS. As of right now, my condition is considered mild. My injury date was almost three months ago and I am dealing with the same amount of pain as I did the day of the injury. I am ready to get things going as soon as possible because I am ready to get on with things. I dont want to stay on crutches my entire life, nor do I want to deal with this condition, but I know no matter what, pain is something that will now be a part of my life. So I guess this will be my new "normal". Just dont be afraid to speak up for yourself! Find a doctor that is familiar with this condition then stick with them! I'm fortunate that my orthopedic knew of the condition. At first I was angry because she told me that she thought I had a pain problem. I thought, "Duh, ya think! I have two torn tendons, of course I have a pain problem!" She told me about the skin discoloration and the change in temperature from one foot to the other. I still didnt believe her. When I went to my first physical therapy evaluation, he told me that he thought I had CRPS. He actually explained it to me better than the orthopedic did. After that, my ortho sent me to a pain management doctor who totally explained the condition to me. I am doing the lidocain patches as well as the cream. She also put me on Naproxin and Neurotin. Neurotin is a medication that works with the nerves in the brain. It is a seizure medication but it also is a drug of choice for this condition. Speak with your physician and see what plan they would have for you and dont let workmans comp bully you!!! If you threaten to get a lawyer, you would be amazed at how quickly they move!!!! Hope this helps!
Yes, WC will certainly try to bully you to see if you will just go away or worse yet, starve you out and make you come back to work still hurt and really unable to come back and then leave seemingly of your own accord.
After I fell on an unsalted icy sidewalk on my way into work, I had 2 weeks off but my knee still wasn't better. Their contracted CNA told me she was going to keep me on restrictions (which really kept me out of work) and get me an mri. A few days later I was called in to speak with HR at my job and given a paper with a few restrictions, come back to work, and NO MRI. They said this was over and our HR person said she did not want to hear about it anymore, go see my family doctor for symptoms of an unrelated neurological condition. Also she "threatened" me with an IME if I continued claiming this was worker's comp.
My immediate actions were to go see my family doc and GET A LAWYER!!!! They know our rights and can monitor everything for free. It did not help them that their IME doc agreed with my doctors that this is most likely CRPS and I need treatment sooner rather than later. They are still jerking me around though in one way or another constantly but I am finally getting the bone scan that my OS recommended over a month ago. I am only scared that if the bone scan doesn't show anything they will say I don't have anything wrong. Hopefully that doesn't happen.
Anyone with WC or other accidental injury issues needs to have an attorney. I didn't know it could be anything serious when I got one.
The easy to remember rule: If your injury is at or as a result from your work, its Comp.
Comp = Attorney immediately, even if comp cooperates fully; its only a matter of time before they stop.
Don't let them bully you back to work, if you take a job with same pay & less work, it makes it easy for them to fire you and blame the economy. Then you're screwed because they close your comp case.
Repeat: Comp = Attorney immediately!!!!!!!!!!!
__________________ I am not a Doctor - Please DO NOT construe anything above as medical advice. Everything I post is from my own personal research and/or experiences.
Thanks to all for good info.
I have been receiving comp checks for over a yr now. This is not the problem.
Comp and Dr. are not saying that I should not be receiving treatment or checks. Problem is all 9 dr. say CRPS and I am still being treated. The problem is truly that they have taken as long as 6 mths to move forward once a Dr. and Comp says sure she needs a new Dr. Then you go to a new Dr. and they won't let you have that Dr. as a new TREATING DR. I keep having to go back to same Ortho I oringinally went to who is not the correct type of Dr. He says Comp keeps telling me you are going to get a new treating Dr. but they don't ever give me one. No one has ever said I was not hurt at work or that I don't have injuries, they just are taking forever and a yr to treat them. I have had an attrny for forever. He keeps telling me that I should settle and then I can go to my own Dr. and do what I want. I don't want to settle when I am in the middle of it and they are paying for everything. Attrny tells me Comp cases do not get better with time and I need to end it now, dont think I should as I am not interested in their small settlement, but in getting the treatments I need and not at my expense. Who will ever insure me if I am left to go to my own Dr.?? This could be a lifetime of expense and I want to settle with them still sending me forever to get treatments. Is this possible as I live in a state where lifetime benefits are available. I have never spent the first dime on this. Comp . has pd for everything. Still tying to get that new treating Dr. has taken yrs. even tho everyone agrees I should have a physiatrist and they sent me to a physiatrist they will not let him be my new treating Dr. as of yet. Attrny says he thinks he can make that happen but it has yet to happen. Had trigger pt. injections, but don't think it worked. Still going to therapy and they are wonderful. Now I am going back again to the orginial Dr. to say trigger pts. injections did not work...and you keep telling me that Comp tells you I am getting a new treating Dr.....well you need to tell them to make that happen now cause you are an Ortho and I need Physiatrist...so tell them to let me have the Physiatrist and you will be done with me.
I think (know) that you should find an attorney that knows about CRPS or at least will be willing to learn and let them monitor your case and fight for your treatment. WC will then be forced to get you those treatments in a timely manner. WC attorneys will monitor your case for free even if there is no chance for them to get a fee--but eventually WC will want to cut you loose and they will want to settle when they say you are the best you will ever be (MMI). People with RSD are EXPENSIVE to them. An attorney is an absolute must.
thanks...my attrny does know about CRPS....and I agree with you about the MMI. Attrny is monitoring my case, but we are still waiting for the new treating Dr. Me going back to the original Dr. just helps speed things up so comp and attrny know I am serious. The Dr. I have now will send me to pain clinic as he has to have injections and nerve blocks etc. but they really have no knowledge of me and what I am about....they only know Ortho sent me for a procedure and they will never know anything more. I want the Physiatrist who will do everything in one place, knows the history and makes the best call....guess this is what I am tying to say. Right now Ortho is sending me to pain clinic who do not know a thing about me except what Ortho says to do and they are clueless as to any other symptoms etc. Now I do think that attrny is growing tired of the case cause it does not appear to be worth too much for him, but I also believe that I should not settle yet. Comp is not trying to settle my attrny is....and he says it isnt going to be worth more later...so I don't know what to think, but I know I am not ready to settle yet. Have had evaluation to see what I am capable of doing at work which came out in my favor so Comp has nothing to say to that except that they don't have a job for me. MMI will not happen soon cause they are still treating me. All I know for sure is all of this is making me crazy! Seems no lawyer wants to deal with all this nonsense, as no one has ever said there is nothing wrong with me, not their choice or mine.....so they just keep dragging it out so I will get tired of playing the game....that is not going to happen on my end. I won't settle anything till I am ready.
I am about to leave for the 3rd phase of my bone scan. I am really not happy that I have to have it. I'm afraid if it is negative WC will use it to say nothing is wrong with me.
Right now I am also waiting for my OS to fill out the paperwork with my updated work restrictions, etc. so I can get paid. He had me out pending my IME and I had that on June 16th but it took 3 1/2 weeks to get the results. The IME doc says I can work with a sit/stand option. I thought my job would go with that since they went with their docs recommendations last time, but NO!!! Anything to give me a hard time so I haven't been paid for about 3 weeks now. They seem to do that , pay me every 3 weeks so I never really know what's going on and it was my attorney that finally got me on the right track with this a few days ago. They had switched adjusters and didn't let me know and right when I am supposed to be getting treatments authorized. What a crock!!!!
The triple phase bone scan .....ah yes I remember this well. My 1st one the Dr used to say that there is nothing wrong with me. This was very early on 3 mths into injury. I was told we are going to do this to see how the muscles and bones are looking and if there is any muscle wasting. Of course it was negative. I am sent back to work with no restrictions. Moving on now to the 8th mth when I get my first IME with my choice of Dr. The IME dr says CRPS....I have never heard of this in my life. I go back to the original Dr and he says yes CRPS lets get another bone scan...well now I have educated myself and have an understanding of the monster disease I am dealing with. 2nd bone scan comes back negative as well.....so I bring the Dr. info off the internet from CRPS foundation web site and present myself as "a bone scan can not be used to determine if you have CRPS, it is only 50% accurate and if it were a positive result you would be reporting to WC that just because the results of scan are positve does not mean she has CRPS because scans are only 50% accurate.....SO SiNCE THE RESULTS ARE NEGATIVE IT ALSO APPLIES AND IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I DON'T HAVE CRPS. This approach worked very well....Hope it will help you as well, Dr. tells you to educated yourself and when you do they have no leg to stand on..they must help you. Good Luck
Thank you. I think I will use that approach if it's needed. Their IME doctor did agree that this is more than likely CRPS. I got injured in the middle of Feb and had the IME in June. Well, he called it "residual neuromediated pain response" that is consistent with CRPS. He stated that treatment is reasonable because I exhibit "many of the findings on physical examination to support Complex Regional Pain Syndrome" and that "early treatment would be more effective".
He stated that he saw the mottled and bluish hue to my skin. I am so thankful that I did get an honest IME doc. So many aren't and I've heard horrific stories.
Now I just need to control the anxiety of waiting for the results of the bone scan until next week. I really hate waiting.
Thank you. I think I will use that approach if it's needed. Their IME doctor did agree that this is more than likely CRPS. I got injured in the middle of Feb and had the IME in June. Well, he called it "residual neuromediated pain response" that is consistent with CRPS. He stated that treatment is reasonable because I exhibit "many of the findings on physical examination to support Complex Regional Pain Syndrome" and that "early treatment would be more effective".
He stated that he saw the mottled and bluish hue to my skin. I am so thankful that I did get an honest IME doc. So many aren't and I've heard horrific stories.
Now I just need to control the anxiety of waiting for the results of the bone scan until next week. I really hate waiting.
I really hate waiting as well....and waiting in pain is even worse. I hope that you will get the help you need and remember to keep referring to the actual CRPS page that holds the facts about CRPS...and the clinical dx. A hallmark of CRPS is that the syptoms are not always present....remember this. Good luck and let me know how it goes!
sounds like it went way better than expected. I hope he gets things going for you and fast! Please let us know when you hear anything?? I have a evil headache and am going back to bed. *Big hugs* K.
