new to site

Hello everyone....
Glad I found this forum...it will be nice to have somewhere to just vent about things without unloading everything on my elderly parents....

I guess i'll start with how I ended up here....in 2010 I was on a training excerise with the military and had to climb a 30foot cargo net...with no safety harness in place...so I did climb to the very top and then fell backwards 30 feet...landing on my back with my rifle strapped on...i also broke my kevlar helmet just to give an idea of how hard I hit,bounced four feet then hit again... I was on conscious but awoke again after 2-3minutes....ambulance came brought me to a civilian hospital. I was here a total of one hour where doctor asked could I move I said yes with help, she saaid ok nothings broken here are some anti inflammatories you are free to go.....(no tests or xrays). I was in shock from the fall and as well from lack of medical care....i left the hospital....after many weeks of pain and finally fighting for xrays I was given them 3months after fall..it was found I had several broken bones, including tibia,fibia,pelvis left and right side, four broken ribs,shoulder, as well as separated ac joint.....and ofcourse all of this made worse by the three months of working everyday waiting for xrays.....
Since then I have been diagnosed with severe chronic pain and ptsd because of the way I was treated after the fall.
I am now waiting for a spot in a pain clinic, but I am at my wits end with the pain and the memories, my pain meds are not working, but because of my ptsd and fighting for treatment I am afraid of doctors.... I just dont know where to turn....

I am also fighting wih the idea of seeking legal action...but because of how I was mentally treated after injury I am scared too....
Sorry for rambling. Any and all advice would be great

Thanks

Welcome to HW jess.

Wow.I can't believe the treatment you didn't receive.

Everyone here has had bad experiences with Doctors but at some point you'll find the right Doctor that will treat you as an individual and will help you.

I'm sorry that your pain brought you here,but welcome and make yourself at home.

Rick

I had an accident when I was 15 and it took years to get x-rays and MRI's to see all the damage in my neck.

I hated Doctors because I got the run around, I was fine treatment and it was in my head. Luckily I did hang in there and get to the bottom of my pain.

I know what you're going through. Don't be afraid of anything, your goal is to get better and live a normal life. Once that is on track then revisit the legal action plan.

Hello Jess and WELCOME. 

Agree that your health has to come first.  Please seek the help that you need.  It can be a challenge to find the right doctor, but you must be your own advocate.  I'm finding out the hard way that PM is impaired for me, due to costs of "big gun" meds that I can't afford without prescription coverage.  If you have adequate medical/prescription coverage through disability, perhaps cost is not an issue with you.

I just want you to know that there is help for you.  A therapist would be helpful, as would anti-depressants or anti-anxiety meds.  At the end of the day, I have to compartmentalize my past issues, so that I don't get STUCK there. You have been through a lot.  Believe me, I KNOW how ANGRY you feel toward your negligent medical treatment.  My body is forever mutilated by botched surgeries, left in debilitating pain...not to mention dysfunction.  I had no retribution, because doctors participate in CYA...always.  I was left struggling for years just to SURVIVE.  It CAN be done.  YOU can do it.

Start today.  Find a good doctor, first and foremost.  Find a therapist that you can speak openly with.  They will set up a protocol that helps you physically and emotionally.  Start thinking in terms of the present, moving forward.

HUGS~~Dixie

Hi Jess & welcome to the chronic pain forum. Glad you found us but sorry that you have to be here.

What you experienced is wrong no doubt, but certainly not unheard of. Far too often people are either ignored, or drs are not listening. Something I learned the many, many years ago is drs are allowed to have their own opinion of how to treat or not treat a patient.

Since this happened back in 2010 your statute of limitations have probably expired if you are wanting to consider a legal action against the hospital & dr. Most states have anywhere from 1-2 yrs that the legal action has to take place. Rather than try to go there with so much time gone by, you are better off working on you & getting you back on your feet. Malpractice claims are very, very difficult to pursue & the burden of proof is put on the patient, not the dr or lawyer to prove up. You have absolutely no idea what all it involves even under the best of circumstances.

I do hope since this started with you in the military that you are receiving some sort of disability through the VA, if not you should consider applying for this.

I am glad that you are going to be getting care with a PM dr.. A good pain mgt dr can help so much with the chronic pain issues, that is their specialty. That is a huge step in the right direction. Hopefully he/she will also be able to direct you with some self help techniques to help with the pain. Even though we get medication, we do not solely rely on our meds to get rid of our pain, that simply is not possible.

Getting professional help to help deal with the anger issues is an excellent option. Far too often we see people get marred down with anger, the what if's, why did this happen to me or I don't deserve this crap & all that does is take their focus off of getting better. People can & do live productive lives with chronic illnesses every day. Getting the correct mind set goes a very long ways. Is it easy, no, but then nothing worth having is ever easy.

Take care.

Omg your words are so helpful.... I am very grateful to have found this forum..i need some positive in my life lately....

hi and thank you for your kind words..

i did stay in the forces for the next four years.  Thats how long it took to get a medical release...and yes i believe the military did not look after me at all...considering after i left the civilian hospital i went to the MIR and even they did no xrays or scans...they did however keep me in long enough so that the statue of limitations were ran out, i believe that was their plan...  They put the fear of God into me that, I wasnt allowwed to speak to any media or lawyers...i was reprimanded by having to do a 6KM rucksack march two weeks after fall...

I have a sed rate of 94 when normal for my age is under 12....i need someone to look into what is going on...the pain unbearable..

Thankfully I have a loving underdtanding husband and 2 of the best kids i have ever met...its just so unfortunate that they have a mom with ptsd when they really dont understand why, because i dont look like i am in pain to them...

I did have a therapist but that was on base and seeing them in uniform is a trigger for me so it was hard every week having to go back there...

I do take pain meds (oxyneo) and percocet for break through pain...however i dont find its working and I dont know what to do next..