Cervical Issues

Bebbles, so sorry for your anguish along with a painful situation!

Bebbles, so glad you were able to get some assistance with an advocate at the VA. My husband is 100% disabled vet, he uses the VA mainly for his medications. The insulin he is on is super expensive & just happens to be the one that works for him. He also has regular Medicare which pays for his medical visits only, not prescriptions. He had to fight to get the insulin he needed because they wanted him on the cheap stuff that does not work at all. Hopefully, when you reach 65 you will be eligible for Medicare & you can use both.


Several years ago my husband was in the hospital & the dr in charge was a pulmonary specialist. My husband does not have pulmonary problems. This guy had no idea what he was doing & he continued to get worse. I went to the admin's office & they put me in touch with a hospital patient advocate. We fired the dr & a new one was brought in immediately. My husband had more done in 4 hours by the new dr than 4 days with the other. The dr had been written up previously & was written up again over this mess. He was a complete idiot trying to treat patients not in the realm of his specialty.

I hope you can get the disc in a few days, keep us posted.

Hi BBG,

Did get my disk finally after waiting over a month! It was too late in the day to take it to the 2nd neurosurgeon but will first thing Monday morning. Glad to see your feeling a little better if I'm reading right. What was the name of your surgery? I believe you said a day surgery that had you out the same day? Do you feel better? What time of pain post surgery? Thanks.
B

bbg,
Glad to hear you feel better! I dropped off my disk yesterday but now the ns will review my information and call me whenever for a potential appointment. I'm looking forward to attempting the injections first. Good Luck and get better soon!

The wheels of non-emergent medical care often move with glacial speed. Slowly. Recurrent waiting - waiting on an appointment date to see a physician, waiting for test results, waiting for a procedure, waiting in line at a pharmacy.

Good news about securing a second opinion.

What is the familiar proverb? “All good things come to those who wait.”

Sending you positive karma for all good things in resolving your cervical spine issues.
Karen

Tomorrow is my consult at the VA and the 17th the second opinion. How would some of you decide between the two opinions?? Thanks for any advice!

Bebbles,
I have some chronic pain issues. Three years ago, I was in a similar situation and found myself being referred to the spine clinic for lumbar stenosis. I was having acute lower back pain with radiating leg pain with right foot drop along with bilateral lower extremity numbness and total loss of reflexes. An MRI revealed severe stenosis and the surgeon recommended urgent surgery which involved spinal fusion and no guarantee it would relieve the pain. Fortunately, the pain got better when I took prednisone. I'm not recommending prednisone but it did buy me some time. I talked to my rheumatologist and she recommended localized steroid injections instead of systemic steroids and to try physical therapy. Coincidentally, I was already scheduled to see a neurosurgeon to follow-up after brain surgery for trigeminal neuralgia. The opinion of my neurosurgeon was he would be happy to do what he could if I couldn't tolerate the pain. The pain by then was tolerable so he suggested waiting and letting pain be the determining factor. Long story short, I still haven't had the surgery and never had the steroid injections to my spine. I am familiar with injections for knees and a couple other joints and they were helpful. Physical therapy was also helpful. I still have anxiety about my spine and I understand that. My advise is get as many opinions as you can but chances are they will all be different.

Speaking of opinions, I'm interested in your overall opinion of the VA system. The reason for my interest is that I plan to transfer my routine health care needs to the VA beginning in 2020. I currently get care from a university hospital but the VA hospital is literally across the street. There is a lot of "cross traffic" with doctors and patients walking back and forth between the two hospitals. It is possible for me to see some of the same doctors I currently see at the university and see them at the VA instead.

In 2020, my transition to Medicare will happen and my intent is to use the VA system as my Medicare supplement. This would save the cost of the premium and also some future healthcare costs.

I had a primary care visit at the VA awhile ago and had a neutral impression. The difference was that I only saw a resident. I enjoy residents because teaching is important function. However, I never got to see the staff doctor That seemed different but not necessary since I was only there to learn how the system worked. They could access all my medical records from the university so that wasn't a problem.

I asked for a rheumatology consult and that was done and soon received a call from scheduling and the next available was in 2 weeks. I told them there was no hurry and said that 2 months would be better. The problem was that they couldn't tell me who the staff doctor would be and the impression I got was it would be whoever was there that day. I talked to my rheumatologist at the university and she says that she goes to the VA randomly but only to cover for doctors on vacation and or who were sick. I am debating whether or not to cancel the appointment.

I would be interested to hear what you or anyone else who cares to offer advise has to say about the VA.

Just to clarify -- I don't mean that the VA would be a Medicare supplement literally. It would just become where I would make appointments, get prescriptions filled, etc. and perhaps still see my same doctors --- only the location changes. It seems like, if I was willing to change locations, there would be minimal expense to me. I understand that the VA will bill Medicare which pays 80%. It is my understanding the VA won't bill me for the remaining 20%. In that regard - will I even need a Medicare supplement or Advantage plan? In a way, I am beginning to think Medicare will become a chronic pain financially.

Post Edited (DadCue) : 12/3/2018 12:02:39 PM (GMT-7)

Had my consult today and won't be until 22 Jan 2019 until I can get an injection, meanwhile I will be attending a second opinion shortly. I am very hopeful the injections will help and I plan to re-start physical therapy. As far as the VA's medical care system, I am absolutely love them. I've heard stories of people passing away while awaiting medical appointments for care at the VA but what about using the emergency room at the VA? If your situation is dire, the emergency room will never turn away a veteran no matter what your monthly compensation level is. The VA is great but I still prefer a second opinion from an outside source on my situation, nothing bad on them!

Bebbles, glad to read that you finally had your second opinion. What would concern me is the PA asking about doing surgery today. This should be something for you to keep in mind. Normally a patient is told here are your options surgery or do nothing. I do remember the level the VA surgeon showed you on the MRI that is an issue. Keep in mind that is not good to the spinal fluid being constricted like that. Do not put yourself in a situation of waiting too long & potentially knocking yourself out of having a much, much better result had you done it earlier.

I would do the ESI. Please understand ESI's are not a cure, it will not change what is showing up on your MRI. All you are doing is putting a bandaid on the problem. I suggest that you heed WhiteBeard's warning of being very careful with your neck. We all totally understand your fear about surgery, this is normal. A 2 level fusion is as common today as someone having their gallbladder taken out. They have been doing them for a very long time & things are much more advanced today than they were many years ago.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I have thought about it and I will definitely do the injections and then probably shortly thereafter do the surgery. I was going to wait out till the end of my daughter's school year in May but I might be pushing it?? The PA mentioned doing a disk replacements at 2 levels with fusions and I might not have gotten it all down. Now how do I decide between the 2 doctors?? I have read both bios and they looked well experienced. I usually get major surgeries done by civilian providers and the VA is definitely further away. Not taking away from the VA at all. Appreciate your recommendations and advice very much! What I have doing is viewing different cervical surgeries over the past several days or so and with everyone's advice, I think I will be ok! But as some have said,doing nothing is worse.

Thanks Daria! Wow, 4 levels!, glad to hear you are doing much much better!