I am scared and no one understands...

kkmom2 · 05-09-2008, 06:56 PM

It has been almost a month since my grulling back pain and scaitic pain made its way back into my life. I had a few good months with little or no pain at all. Well, I have been having a burning or stinging type sensation in my vaginal/groin area since this new episode had started. Then today I went to go urinate and it took about 15 minutes to start, also I had to have a BM, but it was hard to start also. Finally, after sitting there a while I was able to pee, but it felt funny dont know how to describe it. I was constipated and it took even longer to get that out, weird thing was usually I feel the pain of trying to go have a BM when I am contipated all I felt was pressure. Then, I got up and noticed the whole area was numb from my lower buttocks all through the groin area. I went to sit down and could not feel the seat I was on, just pressure. I decided to go to er, and when the er doc came in she was sort of mean. When, I told her of my back history she was like why dont you follow this up with your md, its nothing we can do here for you. I dont know if she was like that because its a work injury with the same hospital I was at or not. So she did a rectal test and I could barely feel her do that, then she did a test with a pin. I felt very little of that and no pain at all, she said I was bleeding from the pin pricks, but I would have never known. She checked the front area and pinched it and same feeling. She goes to call a neurologist and never come back, until much later. When she comes in she said my symptoms dont add up, but she is going to set me up with a urologist to put dye in my rectum and urinary tract. This has nothing to do with my back, but somehow she thinks its something different. I am upset because neuro did not even come down to see me and examine me themselves. I was discharged and told to follow up with my w/c doctor who only works once a week. I know my symptoms are weird and are not textbook perfect, but I know what I feel. Going to er made me feel stupid, because I guess I was not critical enough to be there. I thought urinary and bowel problems was an emergency anyway. So, here I am now still feeling the same and dont know what to do. I am too embarased to go back to er, and they wont do anything. I mean at what point do I need to consider this as a emergency or go to er or go to the md? Have any of you experienced this? This is a new experience for me and I am very scared. Thanks

123dietdrpepper · 05-09-2008, 07:23 PM

KK - Have you called your neurolgoists?

kkmom2 · 05-09-2008, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 123dietdrpepper

KK - Have you called your neurolgoists?

Hey pepper, I do not have one yet. I was seen by 2 ortho surgeons last year, but always saw my w/c md. Everything had to go trough her first and then so on. They are in the process of getting me approval to see a neuro doc outside of Kaiser, so I am waiting for that. Also, I am waiting for another mri, it was put in 2 weeks ago and I still have not gotten a call yet. My w/c doc is really upset, because the ball is not rolling and my symptoms are worsening. So as of now I am in limbo and confused. I left a message with my doc and spoke to her assist. about what happened today, she is only in on wednesday. I just hope this gets better and that I do not have to deal with it this anymore, its scary and I do not know when or when not to go to er. All they do is send me home and tell me to follow up with the workers comp. doctor.

123dietdrpepper · 05-09-2008, 09:46 PM

I guess I have been fairly lucky they have always approved me rather quickly. Last Friday, 7 days ago, they said I need an Mylegram and I am going for it on Monday. It must be because of the w/c.

I am sorry you are sitting in limbo and had to go thru that today at the ER.

lfoster21 · 05-09-2008, 10:36 PM

Please, if you have not done so yet, get in to see who ever is working on your back. I don't know if your back dr. asks you about any bladder, bowel problems or numbness, when you visit with him/her. But the reason that they should be doing this, is for those who have back problems and then get this numbness in the groin (along with the bladder and bowel issues), they could have Cauda Equina or Arachnoiditis, which in its end stages is an emergency. If you find yourself loosing your bladder control, you have 24 hrs. to get into surgery.

I know that all sounds scary, but it is a real problem with back pts. I started with not being able to pee. Just as you said, I'd sit on the toilet for 15 mins. and I had the constipation with that as well. Then I saw a Urologist and he tested my bladder to find out if it was my kidneys or if the problem was due to nerve damage, which meant either Cauda Equina or Arachnoiditis. (At least, that is what my Dr. told me.) The Urologist tried several meds. with me and finally found Flomax, which is actually normally used for men. But he said that it often works with women too. The problem was if I took 1, I still could not get myself to go enough. There were a few days that I went 24 hrs. or more, without peeing. They upped the Flomax to 2 pills and I was feeling that urgency pain of having to go, every hr. but only a small amount would actually come out. So, I am now having to cath. myself 3 times a day and use the flomax. But, he said we had to do all of this to find a way of getting me to pee at least 4 times a day (and 5 times was preferable). If not, the bladder will cont. to fill up and will stretch and then will overflow and then a person will loose control of their bladder and will have that 24 hrs. to get into the hospital for surgery.

I now have that numbness, not to the extent that you have. When I wipe, I can't feel the tissue, but I don't have the complete numbness that you described. Anyway, you do need to get to a Urologist at some point soon, to get a med. to will get you going, or you will end up having to cath. yourself. The sooner you get this taken care of, the less likely you will have to do that or loose control of your bladder. If the Urologist dx. you with nerve damage that is causing this problem, then you need to see a Neuroligist to have an EMG done.

I am sorry if this sounds scary, but it is an important thing to know for those who have back problems. You can search the dx. of Cauda Eqina Syndrome and Arachnoiditis. Then get to a Dr. for some meds.

Please let us know how things turn out.

Lorie