New to Forum, Pain after accident, July 2009

Hello, have been reading thru different post today, and I would probably fit under different categories, but, the pain has had the most impact on my life, so I will start off here.

In July 2009 I had a car accident.  My car was totalled, although, I walked away with no visible injuries.  A few days later, I started with neck pain, and very bad headaches, tingling, numbness, weakness in hands and arms, sometimes even legs and burning sensations on shoulders and neck..I have been thru 20+ session of chiro care, pt, accupuncture..visited my PCP, Chiro finally said, I can do nothing more. Orthopedic surgeon said no surgery needed you need to live with the pain, Neurologist said more PT, we have tryed tramadol, Fioricet, currently I take Paxil, Norco, Xanax, and Daypro. I began having panic and anxiety attacks..which I never had, so was very scary the first time.  I've had X-rays, CT scans, and I don't remember having an MRI but probably did, although, I now have a lot of issues with short term memory. He refered me to a Rheumatologist..the referring statement said Cervical Spondylosis.  Rheumatologist gave me trigger point injections, which only last a day or two...I have many tender spots in my head, behind my ears, and at the base of my skull..

I went back to him about this..he seems to not know what to do..I do feel as though he is not listening to the gravity of my symptoms, and is trying different things to rule out. Now I am getting pain in my legs, arms, I seem to be having more weakness..then last week he gave me two packets of Savella saying this drug has worked miracles on many people with unexplained pain, where nothing else has worked...well, three days later I was in the E.R. having hallucinations, nightmares, sweating, elevated heart rate, pounding headache, vomiting, nausea, and diahrrea. Drs. said were the severe side effects of Savella...my head is still pounding, cant keep much food down...I feel worse than ever, plus I am having mood swings, agressivenes and crying much of the day.  I feel as if I can't function, but yet, I need to be at work.  this is interfering with my life, my family, im making everyone misearable.  I feel helpless and hopeless, and needless to say, I hate my neurologist now...

I am seeking a second opinion, but I need to get a referral from the first neurologist to try a second. I did see a physiotherapist, which also recomended the trigger points, and a tens unit, which has not been approved by the insurance yet...Ive gone to about 30+ sessions of PT and he still wants me to try some more...easy to say, when he's not paying in copays..which, really do add up.

So sorry you are feeling so bad -
I would suggest first getting copies of all the tests you've had, since you are unsure what they were. Get the CDs of x-rays, CTs, MRIs as well as the paper reports. Then make copies for each doctor you've seen and each new one you see - to avoid repeating unnecessarily. (You can make copies of the CDs on your computer.)

The radiology and medical records departments will make one copy of each test, usually free if you are taking them to a doctor.

Write up a list of dates, what doctors you've seen, what tests and meds were prescribed, and any diagnoses. You can group the PTs.
Keep a food journal, including meds you take and your reactions. Although it sounds like you seem sure some of your pain is from your spine, you can have all sorts of intolerances that can give you symptoms too. A journal helps keep track of what meds you've taken for your medical log too.

As a fellow fibro sufferer, I sympathize with how hard it is to find treatments that work. I found I felt better off most of the meds (neurontin, Lyrica, Savella, Cymbalta, antidepressants ... The only pain meds that help me are tramadol 4xday for fibro muscle pain, Vicodin for surgical pain - but it stops working too soon. I'm currently trying Feldene (piroxicam - another NSAID).

My allergist has me on Diflucan and Bactrim for a chronic sinus infection that has had me going downhill since my wreck - a month before yours - where the airbag broke my nose. I'm also using a saline wash I make up with 500ml water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baby shampoo to try to get rid of a possible biofilm in the sinuses. The sinus infection gives me all sorts of head and neck symptoms and causes extreme tiredness, etc.

My best treatment so far for fibro pain has come from my pain doc. I haven't been able to get an appointment with my rheumatologist for a year and a half because he's been ill. Other ones I've called are just too busy to bother with me.