by fireyone » Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:45 am
About 6 months ago I was invovled in a car accident. A lady driving too fast for weather conditions totaled my truck with her car and was cited on scene. My jaw was slightly disaligned for which I now wear a retainer at night, whiplash and right arm trauma (used it to block the airbag). What I thought was going to be a quick recovery turned into a nightmare. After months of Phy. therapy, chiropractic care and medical test I was finally diagnosed with RSD (chronic pain syndrome) in my right arm. It is still very swollen and slightly discolored and they say this is all the better it will get and may actually worsen in time. Tomorrow I go to the pain clinic to find ways to manage the pain. This coluldn't happened at a worse time since my husband and I was building a home and both HAD to be working. Now I am buries in finacial woes and get depressed thinking that it is really going to be never ending since my earning capacity is knocked to nothing. My right arm is my dominant one and my job requires a lot of lifting and physical ability (when and if I ever can do it again). I was released to light duty before being diagnosed with the RSD but my job was done for the year . I usually spend every winter working part time at a clothing store, then in the spring return to the greenhouse. Does anyone have any idea how long a claim like this will take to settle? I hear when your done doctoring but in my case that will never be. What is a amount that I can expect from this claim? I really need to shed some light down this dark hole.
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 04:51 pm Post Subject: meds
I am on lyrica,norco, duragesic patch,naprosyn,zanaflex, cymbalta still with pain just released off work in dec due to severe depression and pain. my first pain management clinic which i started going to in aug, well it was like a cattle call just wanted to give me pain meds, see a different dr everytime and have to go over the whole accident everytime, I finally switched to a new painmanagement dr whom are anestheiologist seen him one time and now wants to do the two blocks, which I know are common for RSd and or this type of pain. I urge everyone whom are in chronic pain to search the internet and read all you can. many site to look on. One will be so depressed with chronic pain so keep searching and reading about choice out there, goodnature how bad is your pain? what type of help are you getting? are you on pain meds? here are is a good sites to look at http://www.medhelp.org just do searches on yahoo and keep changing your wording like help I have back pain or chronic back pain.. just keep changing your wording and read. I will let you know when I have my procedure on feb 14th.
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 08:02 pm Post Subject: lyrica
I was also perscribed lyrica. I have to admit I have continued taking other pain meds cause of my fear of taking this drug. I read about the side effects and they scared me. What side effects, if any, have you had with this med? Do you feel it brings any form of relief? I am really interested in knowing so I can give it a try. I also know where you are coming from when you speak of pain clinics. I had exactly 10 minutes with the doc. She was so quiet it was almost like pulling teeth to get answers. All the info I recieved about the stellate block was a one page letter telling me almost nothing. I had to refer to the internet for furthewr info. My first block is scheduled for Feb. 27. I am nervous but a little excited to see if I can get any relief from this. I have my fingers crossed. Keep me informed PLEASE. I see you go in before I do. I hope you find the relief you are looking for.
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:55 pm Post Subject:
Wow, that is a lot of medication for one person to be on, how do you function? I would be out of my head. There is NO way, I would be on all of that medication. I have been locked down on my hands and knees and could not get up and have taken a muscle relaxor and a pain pill, but I can not imagine that pumping all that in your body at one time can be good. Do you know what all the side affects are to all of them individually and combined?
Doesn't it worry you to be on all this at once? Do they do blood tests to keep an eye on your liver, heart and kidney functions? If not they should be. I wish you luck.
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:00 pm Post Subject: pain meds/blocks
The only side effect I have on lyrica is dizzyness and I have to admit in the begining i was very faithful taking it but now in the past 4 months with so many more meds to take I have slacked a bit and actually I was on neurontin first but was very dizzy, but not as dizzy on the lyrica. There are many side effects with any medications and you just have to ask yourself as well as the dr and say do the benefits outweigh the risk? and in most cases it does. People on daily maintance of blood pressure and or cholesteral meds have the daily risk also but more of a risk that they will die of a heart attack or clogged arteries that will cause a stroke or a heart attack so yes the benefits almost always out weigh the risk when taking meds, I actually just found out the other day that people on lyrica have a higher incident of having a side effect of suicide attempts , boy that does scare me as I have been so depressed to the point to where i have thought about it but I know I can talk to someone like my dr when I feel really bad.. I really cant tell if the lyrica is helping as I am on so many other meds, but I do know i need to change my cymbalta as I dont feel that is helping me. And yes the Dr is doing blood work for my liver, The pain management dr I use to go to did not check my labs and I finally broke down and went to my primary care dr as I did not feel the last 3 different specialist listened to me, I was feeling that this was all in my head until I felt suicidal! Oh yea and now my blood pressure is up and the dr wants to put me on a bp med so that is another pill along with my protonix to add with the list, never thought when I turned 42 i would be on so many meds! but I am trying to be compliant in order to feel better. Iam going to call my pain dr today I wanted to wait to see if anyone here had any questions he might answer for you all.Goodnatured you need to seek help as your pain will get to you at some point and really distress you more than you are, thats what happened to me and I emotionally feel a little better now that I know its not in my head, I had to see 6 different drs before I was able to say its not in my head so please seek help. I will be seeing my primary care dr this friday and let you know any new scoop after talking to the pain management dr today if I get to speak to him today... Good luck to you all!
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:47 pm Post Subject:
Good god girl, you are a walking pharmacy, I feel for you, hopefully this will all be over soon and you can resume your life as close to normal as possible.
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:47 am Post Subject:
I had exactly 10 minutes with the doc. She was so quiet it was almost like pulling teeth to get answers.
What bs it is for the dr to take the little time to spend with you when they are getting paid the bucks. I think you should not look into it that much because they may have a plan on spending less time with those at less risk and may not want to worry you. However, never hesitate to ask what you need to know and remember they are getting paid to serve you!
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:57 am Post Subject:
I agree with this, you should always feel comfortable asking the doctors any thing that you want to ask them, your insurance is paying them top dollar for a specialty clinic, I would not hesitate to call the insurance company and tell them that you expect a better quality of care.
I get really irritated with the healthcare industry, I absolutely hate it when I have an appointment and am forced to wait for what I consider an unreasonable amount of time, they really over schedule. With a fifteen minute appointment, I would say that it is the same case.
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 01:06 am Post Subject:
Health care has a hiearchy system and that is ok with me. If you work alot you can chose who you may want to see however, do not disregard those in need. We are all humans and we all deserve some sort of coverage. How dare they turn down anyone when in need! Take Care!
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 01:24 am Post Subject:
True coffeebean, we all deserve some type of care, but it seems the ones that are on assistance have the better care, I work and have none. It is sad.
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 02:03 am Post Subject:
What do you do August? If you do not mind me asking. You seem so educated I could not imagine you not having health coverage but then again I am a graduate and do not have any sooo:(
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