l5-s1 disc herniation with tear , lumbar radicolpathy, functionability test, ?'s

asya

Hi im very new to this board and i have been searching to see if i can find something about my condition but havent had any luck .

where do i begin i suffered a work related injury . i am only 30 it has been a long tough road since november of last year .

i have a hernitated disc L5-S1 with a tear in the disc anulus

so i recieved pt and didnt work . i had an mri that showed what was wrong that was in florida. it showed the herniation with a tear. so then i was reffered to a neurosurgeon well the work didnt approve it sent me to a neurologist well after more pt and meds and sednetary duty since last year nothing so the dr reffered me to neurosurgeon . well the neuro felt because of my age they didnt to do a invasive procedure unless it didnt heal with conservative treatment on its own within 1 year . we are approaching that 1 year mark now . so i was reffered to an orthopedic dr . well cortisone injections and more pain meds nothing . physical therapy was canned because it was making it worse . so moved to ga because of husbands job . and got sent to a new pain managment dr we shall call him dr chicken wing . well dr chicken wing has done nothing for me except rack up a monsterous bill . i had nerve studies done . and he said no damage yet he had to shock me more on my right side for me to feel it then on the left which i found odd but ok . so then he wanted a discogram talk about nightmare that is an awful procedure and i mean awful . well when i went back in for a consult he told me well this is definately related from your work in jury im like duhhh ok . so then he said for idet i did not want to do this procedure as he only gave me a 60% success rate that in my eyes is not a good rate . so i did it becuase i had to . or else i would be non complaint . i have done everything right with no relief i have obeyed dr orders i have done the pt after no avail . he told me the next option was to see a neurosurgeon for 2nd opinion because i have reached the end of my rope . in laymens terms he ran out of procedures to make some money on . he said if the surgeon did not do surgery then i would go back for a disability test to show how much im disabled .

so i want to know anyone else have a failed idet what is the next step is there any light at the end of the tunnel ?

now im on to see a new pain management dr . long story which i have to repeat all of what i did with this old dr with the new one .


SO UPDATE !

i went to see the new dr of course the new dr didnt have any of my records . anyways she said that pretty much nothing can be done . except an updated mri with contrast to see if something has changed since the idet procedure . and also the neurosurgeon will want one . well even if the neuro wants to do surgery forget it too much horror stories and im not letting them hack my back open . she said i can get another cortisone injection and that its ok to have 3 or 4 . in a year . well hello i just heard you tell the lady in the room nextdoor that you cant have more then 3 in a year and that if the first 2 didnt work why do a 3rd and you want to do it on me heck no .

so she said pretty much they will do an mri with contrast to see whats happening in there she wrote a new diagnosis lumbar radiaculpathy ( spelling ) and pretty much i looked a little bit it doesnt look so promising the new diagnosis . so now she said after that i can go see the neuro and if i choose not to do surgery and she actually suggests not doing surgery because the back is complex it may not solve the problem especially if its a nerve etc.

REMOVED

i have 1 year left to be a nurse to finish my degree i cant even clean my house without my husbands help or my kids so how can i even begin thinking to go on with my career i was reading about the idet that if you are injured enough to have to require an idet you shouldnt be doing a physically demanding job . and a sit down job isnt a option either because it bothers me equally the same . any one else in this situation ?? thanks