Yes, you know your body. But even if they had done testing right away, what would have changed? The answer is probably nothing, because conservative therapy (time, rest, treatment of acute...
Worriedgirl, I know you are angry and frustrated, but as it was explained to me by multiple doctors (including more than one PCP, an ortho, and 2 neurosurgeons) when I had an acute crisis with my...
As much as you don't want to hear this, as I and others mentioned before, a chiropractor is not a radiologist. Therefore just telling your doctor that you were diagnosed with xyz by a chiropractor...
Yes, disc degeneration can and does lead to arthritis over time, as the discs normally cushion the spine/absorb and distribute shock as we move. As the discs wear down, more stress is placed on the...
Bigecase, The reasons Karen gave are exactly why I also cautioned you about having a regular chiropractor adjust your neck (though she did a much better job explaining it than I). My mom, who is also...
Hi worriedgirl, I'm sorry to hear about what you are going through, it does not sound like fun. That being said, I would be leery about letting a chiropractor diagnose you. They can assess the...
So sorry that the PRP did not work for you. Hopefully the chiropractor will be of some help, but please be careful. If it does not feel right, tell them to stop. Traditional chiropractic can be...
Hi Moxie, Welcome to HW! I can relate a lot to your post. I am not yet 30, but I also suffer from CRPS. It was confined to my eye and face for 11 yrs (onset was due to trauma), but within the last...
Hi rjbeck, I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems. C-reactive protein and sed rate are non-specific tests for inflammation. When increased, they indicate the presence of significant...
I agree with Susie, and would talk to one of your doctors (GP or surgeon's PA if he/she has one) about trying a course of oral steroids if your pain continues. Just because they did not see any overt...
Yup! Sounds pretty typical!! So glad that everything went well and you are feeling a little better already! I hope you continue to get more relief with each infusion! Definitely keep us posted and...
I noticed that, too! Strange since it all says "today!" Haha. Hope all is well with you, Suzanne! I still owe you an email... I haven't forgotten from when you posted to me a month or two ago. There...
Countrydad, Like Susie said, these days most of us being treated for chronic pain get drug tested by our prescribing doctor. It bothered me at first, too, as I also felt like I was being suspected of...
Hi js, and welcome to the forum! Yes, the 12-18 month recovery time for full healing of the nerves is correct, although some people heal faster (a lot depends on how much damage the nerves sustained...
Pixie, They do make "MRI safe" pulse generators and leads now (they weren't around when I got my stim), though you might have to ask specifically for that technology. I don't know a whole lot about...
Dar, If you do decide to go an alternative route, you might consider an integrative medicine physician instead. They are MD's of various specialties (often internists, but I've also seen an...
Melissa, You're welcome. Happy to help! I remember being where you are now and reading as much as I could, yet thinking how nice it would be to talk to someone else who had already been through it...
So glad to hear that things went well. I hope your pain continues to improve with each day! Skeye...
Melissa, I totally understand just wanting to reduce medications and improve quality of life -- those were my goals as well, and both have been successful. I was pretty much non-functional with...
Hi Avery, Have you talked to anyone at your optical shop about this (I mean other than just trying on new pairs of glasses)? I know it is a long shot, but maybe adjusting your glasses somehow might...
Hi Melissa, As Susie mentioned, I have been receiving ketamine infusions for the past 2 1/2 yrs to help control my pain from CRPS. I have written about it extensively in other posts, the most recent...
Hi Lynnwood, My pain management doctor wanted me to consider stem cell therapy for my back after I continued to have problems following surgery for a herniated disc (though it was not as much for...
Hi Matt, From what I understand, surgery for discs usually does very little for back pain, if anything at all. The primary goal with these surgeries is to relieve radiculopathy pain (radiating...
I've had 3 spinal surgeries, all of them disc related, but none what your wife had done. Mine were also expected to be outpatient procedures (though I was told there was a possibility I would end up...
Hi Pixie, I also have CRPS and have a neurostimulator, however, I don't know how much I'll be able to help you, seeing as my leads are peripherally located rather than being in my back (my CRPS is in...
Hi Todd, Welcome to HW. I can relate to your situation a lot. I too am young -- will be 30 in a few months -- and I too have RSD. It started in my eye (which is exceedingly rare) after a severe...
In theory, you should, as long as the leads are placed in the same location and (I would assume) the same type of electrodes are used. Just curious, but if the St. Jude worked with the one mode, why...
If the one neurostimulator did not work for you, I kind of doubt that another would. Frankly, I've never even heard of a doctor even suggesting that a different generator might work well for someone...
So I think that my CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome) has probably spread to my right leg, and possibly my left leg from my recent back surgeries. I'm 3 mo out from my last surgery now, and was...
Yes, painful scar tissue can be normal. As scar tissue is forms, it can entrap nearby nerve endings in the skin and/or deeper tissues, thus leading to pain, which can be quite significant....
Haha, I don't know -- I think the binder sounds worse! The brace is also tight and restricting, but I can still breathe without too much trouble. It bothered me at first, but after 6 mo of wearing...
It was there when I replied to it at like 1:30 am. :-( I basically said wear a shirt under the binder, if you are not doing so already, as it may help with the irritation (that's what I was told to...
I'm sorry to hear that the PRP hasn't been helpful so far. I was hoping that you would have a good outcome (hopefully you still will given more time). I am thinking about having PRP and/or stem cells...
I would call your PM doc and tell him/her that you are having surgery next week, and ask what they would like to do post-operativley in terms of pain control/medication. Some docs will default to the...
I've been wearing a back brace for the last 6 mo, since the start of my back surgeries, and I can relate. I'm also 12 wks out from my last surgery now, and the neurosurgeon is finally letting me...
Susie is right, herniated discs usually occur doing simple, seemingly harmless things. I severely herniated a disc squatting and ended up needing 3 surgeries. And my orthopedic surgeon apparently...
Hi LRDozier, I usually post on the chronic pain board, but I just happened to see your post... Although I do not have fibro, I was on LDN for 2 yrs for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), which...
Glad I could be of help! Chronic pain is very frustrating and isolating (to say the very least), especially when you don't have a diagnosis. Talking to folks here at HW has also helped me greatly at...
No problem! It does sound like you probably have at least some of the symptoms of CRPS. I believe that the RSDSA (the website I put in my last post) has a "find a doctor" feature, where you can...
Have you heard of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)? Pain alone is not enough to make the diagnosis, and your post is a bit vague in terms of...
Wow, $350 is very cheap for PRP. One of my doctors wanted me to consider getting PRP +/- stem cell injections in my back this summer, and the cost was considerably more. I was still thinking about...
Yay!! See?! The little victories are just as important as the big ones!! I find it really helps me stay positive/not get so down about how far I still have to go....
Hi Roccky, So glad to hear that you are doing better, despite the ongoing pain issues with PT (I can relate)! I also sympathize with your feeling of just wanting to get back to normal. I have been...
Hi Lisibug, As Susie mentioned, I am the member who receives ketamine infusions (I believe I'm currently the only one here who does). I will answer as many of your questions as I can, but the success...
Hmm, don't know anyone up there (though I'm sure there are some pretty good docs associated w/ Hartford Hospital). But if you feel like a drive, my NS is in Fairfield County & he is great, as are the...
Hi ndt, Sorry to hear about all of your neck problems. I'm recovering from several back surgeries myself, so I can kind of relate, at least in that I know that spinal surgeries in general are no...
Interesting! We definitely have a lot to learn about how to best deal with this problem. Clearly (and not surprisingly) this country's current methods of control are not working. Too bad the people...
Tirzah, I agree with you about the fentanyl. It also seems that so often it is carfentanyl and other more potent (essentially non-medicinally used) versions of fentanyl that are the problem. I also...
Another good article written by the same author: Heads In The Sand — The Real Cause Of Today's Opioid Deaths https://www.acsh.org/news/2017/08/16/heads-sand-—-real-cause-todays-opioid-deaths-11681 ...
Thought I'd share this article that I came across on Facebook. It is a really good, interesting read about how prescription pain medication is not the driving cause behind the opioid epidemic here in...