Hi Gang!!!
I hope everyone has had a pain free day today!!!
I went for my second opinion today and was much more satisfied with this prognosis than I was with the one I went to on the 4th. He agree's that the damage is bad and not reversible, but with some changes he thinks that we can slow down the degeneration. The nerve conduction test was done today and the technician could not get a signal from just below my knee and down. She had the doctor come into the room and use the needle (or whatever they stick into you)
and he also did not get a signal from just below my knee and down. When he asked how long my foot and lower leg had been numb, I told him for over 3 years. That is why he says that it is not reversible. He looked at my mri and explained them to me (no other doctor has ever done that). He says that the scar tissue is severe and that the fusion did not take and that the place where the nerve root goes is compressed. He put me back on neurontin (900 mg day) opposed to 3200 mg that I was on before. He put me on zanaflex for spasms,
lodine for pain and tylox for pain and wellbutrin for depression (and suggested I stop smoking). He also ordered physical therapy. He also addressed the knot I have on my neck ( one that I have mentioned to every doctor I have seen since 1999). Other doctors have said that it was a muscle spasm but I told this doctor that it does not feel like a spasm ( I have spasms daily and know what they feel like). He agreed with me that it is not a spasm and is going to do an MRI on it when I go back to him next month. He actually saw the knot today without ever touching it. The bottom line is, where the doctor on the 4th told me I was headed for a wheel chair, this doctor said that he thought he could maybe stop the problem from escalating to that point. He said he may not be able to fix what is wrong completely, but he would give it his best shot.
I'll take those odds, since the last doctor gave such a grim prognosis. He is also saying that he wants to do epidural injections next month. Do those do anyone any good???? I had them before and didn't see a difference.
Everyone have a great night!!! Keep Smiling!!!
Tammy
Doctors Appointment Today
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