Hello all! I am new to this forum..a bit about me.

I'm 24 years old. I've been suffering with chronic pain for over 5 years now with little to no help. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia 2 years ago. It had been manageable in the past which is why I started my schooling back up again. I am shooting for a music education degree so that I can teach middle school choir. But due to recent, unexplainable back injury...I've had to drop most of my classes, which has put my husband and I in quite a situation seeing as we have no insurance and used much of the funds received from my financial aid on doctor's appointments. Talked to many of the "higher ups" about this, at the school..and was assured that I wouldn't have to pay any of it back given that I had adequate medical documentation. But it's gonna be a long, arduous process. Going back to my unexplained back injury..I don't really know what happened, but 2 months ago, I was exercising on my elliptical at a slow and steady pace since my joints have proven to be pretty darn fragile, when I noticed a deep, stabbing, itching pain in my upper back that radiated down my spine. So I stopped immediately and haven't exercised since. Every day that passes, the pain is worse and more debilitating. I tried a chiro, saw him for a month, twice a week...when he was working on me, I felt good..but as little as 30 minutes later..the pain would return with a vengeance. It was as if I hadn't even been worked on. So...my hubby and I (having no insurance) have been paying out of pocket whenever possible to see doctor after doctor which has been a horrible experience. Reading the rest of the posts on this forum, I know now I am not the only one getting this crappy treatment. This is how the majority of my "appointments" would go...

"Ok, all your muscles in your back are spasming and in knots....I'll prescribe you this muscle relaxer, Skelaxin.."

"no, I've taken it before and it didn't help..even made me terribly ill to my stomach.."

"Well, I can't prescribe you anything else cause all the muscle relaxers we prescribe are similar to Skelaxin..."

"Well, the pain is unbearable...what about a diagnostic test as opposed to a band-aid fix?"

"We don't do that for people without insurance..but I can prescribe you some 40 Vicodin..."

So we take the vicodin which doesn't even TOUCH the pain, but is better than nothing...sometimes....and leave with me in tears. I consider myself to be a tough cookie, but I've been weeping almost everyday from the fear of what's going on with my body. We have a consultation with a disability lawyer next week, but I'm wary about it since we haven't been able to see many doctors due to lack of funds...and still no diagnostic tests have been done regarding my back injury. When it got really bad last month, (pretty much where I am now), my hubby insisted we go to the ER...when we got to the examination room, I sighed with relief thinking I was finally gonna get some answers and some relief from the pain. The doctor comes in and the first thing out of his pompous mouth was.."Do you know what an ER is actually used for?" We looked at him wide eyed and I immediately started to cry again knowing that not even an emergency room would help me. I sobbingly told him..."look, I can't even move really...I can't turn my head.." he interrupted me with.."Oh you can move fine.." We told him about my previous diagnosis and the details of my current back pain. He told me just looking at me that I wasn't gonna die, and he could have security escort us out if that's the way we wanted it. So, I swallowed my pride and apologized for offending him (I never said anything to POSSIBLY offend him) and pretty much begged for him to take me seriously. So he prescribed 40 vicodins and discharged us...with a paper that said if your back pain becomes worse, return to the hospital... blah blah blah bull crap.. I think I covered everything, there might be more.

I sing with a blues/noise/rock/punk type a band called Boxcar Satan...haven't performed with them though in a while due to this injury. I've been depressed and hopeless with all this...especially being forced to drop most of my classes at school. I don't sleep. There is no position, sitting, standing, or laying down that is not unbearably painful. I've been meditating...doing light stretches...taking some supplements, doing what I can to be proactive but it's getting more and more difficult every day.

So what about it, guys....wanna come to my pity party?

hey gramps! No, you misunderstand...I kid, I joke...that is my way. Thanks for the response, man. We did demand to have an MRI, and that is when he threatened to sick security on us. That is why we took the vicodin and left. Pain management is too expensive for us at the moment. We're incredibly strapped for cash. My husband is working double time to take care of my health and support his mother as well. And you'd love this pity party, not only is there cookie dough ice cream, there's my famous crock pot roast beef. ehhh? ehhhhhh?

When I read this kind of stuff it infuriates me. A doctor is there to treat the patient. Not to judge them. There is no reason why that doctor should have treated you that way. If someone came in who thought they broke their arm and had insurance, do you think they would treat them that way? NO WAY! That doctor was concerned that you were a drug addict and you were not gonna pay for the tests he would do (which he was SO SURE would turn up nothing), this kind of premature diagnosis leads to a lot of problems. I was just reading an article yesterday about how doctors decide to quickly what someone's illness is, decide there is no need for tests and then it ends up that the person actually had cancer or some other terrible terminal illness which could have been caught earlier simply by doing the tests. Doctors simply need to leave their preconceived notions at the door and check all possible avenues to ensure that a patient gets adequate care, even if that means doing expensive tests on a homeless that they know wont be able to pay for them. Why? Simply because everyone deserves to have proper care. Sorry for this rant, but I think you understand that health care needs some major reforms, and it needs them soon. People need easier access to insurance or just something to help provide for your health care (sorry for sounding like a campaign speech), no matter how that happens (I dont want to start a debate about socialized medicine here). It is just inexcusable to have people suffering because they are worried about paying they're bills. It just makes me so mad! I hope that everthing turns out OK for you Jessie. Follow Gramps' advice on looking up your state disability benefits, I really hope it all works out for you.

I hope that everyone has a pain-free day,
Circa

Circa1988 said...
When I read this kind of stuff it infuriates me. A doctor is there to treat the patient. Not to judge them. There is no reason why that doctor should have treated you that way. If someone came in who thought they broke their arm and had insurance, do you think they would treat them that way? NO WAY! That doctor was concerned that you were a drug addict and you were not gonna pay for the tests he would do (which he was SO SURE would turn up nothing), this kind of premature diagnosis leads to a lot of problems. I was just reading an article yesterday about how doctors decide to quickly what someone's illness is, decide there is no need for tests and then it ends up that the person actually had cancer or some other terrible terminal illness which could have been caught earlier simply by doing the tests. Doctors simply need to leave their preconceived notions at the door and check all possible avenues to ensure that a patient gets adequate care, even if that means doing expensive tests on a homeless that they know wont be able to pay for them. Why? Simply because everyone deserves to have proper care. Sorry for this rant, but I think you understand that health care needs some major reforms, and it needs them soon. People need easier access to insurance or just something to help provide for your health care (sorry for sounding like a campaign speech), no matter how that happens (I dont want to start a debate about socialized medicine here). It is just inexcusable to have people suffering because they are worried about paying they're bills. It just makes me so mad! I hope that everthing turns out OK for you Jessie. Follow Gramps' advice on looking up your state disability benefits, I really hope it all works out for you.

I hope that everyone has a pain-free day,
Circa

Yep, we've been dealing with this kind of crap for years. If I was in better shape, I'd be the first one to speak out about this kind of thing. I used to do public speaking, I used to do a lot of things until I was stricken with this pain. It just doesn't let up. You can see it in my face and shoulder blades at all times, I don't understand how it is so easy for doctors to just brush it aside. My shoulder blades protrude over 2 inches from where their supposed to be..and they're uneven. My shoulders are always tensed and high up...can't relax em. And we ALWAYS pay our bills, it may be over the course of a few weeks or so, but we always pay them. I don't see what the big deal is. I don't even WANT to be drugged up in any way. I've been doing the holistic thing for years now....but that can only get you so far when something is seriously wrong. I don't wanna not be able to function due to being drugged, but I can't function with this pain. So......my theory is, I need tests done so instead of all these band aid fixes, we can attack the actual problem head on so i can go back to school and performing and stop missing family gatherings and etc. Here's hopin'. Thanks for your message!

Hello Jessie, I really am sorry to hear what a rough time you had in the ER. I can't get over that type of treatment (or NON) goes on in ERs across the nation. It's time for us to rebel and speak out anytime we are ever mistreated in the ERs. Do file immediately for Disability. It has been two years waiting for me to get a hearing date with the Adm. Law Judge which happens to be tomorrow.(please send prayers my way) I do have insurance but I still have co-pays up to $400. monthly. grrrrrrrrrrrr!!! Hubby took 14K cut in pay after Katrina and its really been rough. All we can do is pray for a positive outcome!!! Don't delay in applying.(here are prayers heading your way)
Gentle Hugzzz,

Gramps said...
Jessie: You don't have to do public speaking but to protect yourself & others, you have to report what happened to you in the ER. And now that you know that the law protects you in an emergency situation, hopefully, you won't take that kind of abuse in the future! No matter what he thinks, the law is posted in every ER that says they have to treat you regardless of your ability to pay & it is not up to him to decide who gets what tests! He also violated the Americans with Disability Act by discriminating against you but that would be a harder case to prove. It's not his equipment & he's just an employee of the hospital not an owner & even if he were, he would still have to treat you! [img]/community/emoticons/yeah.gif[/img]

I'm writing this all down for next time. Thanks for this info, Gramps! You can bet I ain't never gonna let them get away with that again. This had happened once before where we did, in fact report it and nothing came of it. The hospital told us that they were gonna make the employees that mistreated us take a class or something. Not quite the reaction I had in mind.

Gramps, has anyone ever told you that you are a genius?

hi BoxcarJessie, i'am so sorry you are going through this. i have been their, the dr. is not treating you. their is know reasoning for this at all. iam no dr. but someone needs to be ontop of your pain. i'am glad you are here and letting this out, instead of you holing it in! thier is  alot of good pepole here. and i have not been on but now that summer is over, you will be seeing me more!  my pain has been low today but it is still in my back. i was on here late one night and was begging for help and received nothing  and their was hardly any body on here. i just went to my other sight and found help.  welcome to the other new pepole here. ''i hope you all are doing good! love packey