23rd October 2003
Hi Laura,
I hope I will answer all the questions you posed and comment on your suggestions etc.
I have more MRIs than you can imagine and bloodwork also and catscans, xrays you name it! It was based on the same set of MRIs that one said DDD, another S/I inflammation, one piriformis muscle syndrome and 2 were leaning towards L5. The DDD was on the L5, the annular tear also -- not sure what the one neurologist
felt. I was too sick with the dizziness to really care. I first did the S/I because I had not gone to anyone else. When It didn't work that is when I started to go around -- since more drs seem to point to the L5 I went with it. My pain in that area seems to have diminished but it could be also I am not moving around alot due to the dizziness -- it is just so awful. I just feel wiped out all of the time. I have a low grade temp -- not sure why. The dr. is ordering more bloodwork to see if I picked up something.
I would not be surprised if I am a little depressed not being able to do anything. Also as you so rightly indicated there is so much anxiety. I am a person who wants to know what is wrong and then get it fixed. I owned my own business and had a great life and now relegated to staying in the house months on end except for drs. I am just too sick to do anything.
About meds like anti-depressants. I do not have a high tolerance for meds. I think the steriod -- they used Kenalog is giving me problems. But because of all the problems prior to the injection -- not sure if it is that or something else. So I am trying not to take any more meds -- they will possibly do more harm then help. I just try to believe there is a light at the end of this tunnel.
I know that there probably is more testing that can be done but I am also allergic to iodine dye and the way I am feeling I do not think I can go through any more tests. I am supposed to have a 5 hour glucose tolerance test and I cannot even do it -- just too weak to sit there.
Tomorrow I go back to the doctor in the city -- that is an all day affair -- my husband has to take off from work to drive me. Thank god he gets 5 weeks vacation.
Just to add to the stress his company is changing insurance carriers dropping UnitedHealth Care and Blue Cross and going to Aetna. And neither my doctor or Hospital for Special Surgery is participating -- now that is very stressful.
I called Mayo -- 2 year waiting list for a physical. You have to have a diagnosis otherwise. Since noone can agree with what is going on I would have to wait two years!!! They say people go and stay in hotels waiting for cancellations!!! Imagine that!. I think NY has some pretty good doctors and hospitals so I will try and deal with it here. The only huge problem is that not many doctors in this area are with Aetna. You have to have a fortune just to cover medical. Between the hospital and doctor for the caudal injection it is over $3,500 -- that is expensive and currently it was covered with my insurance.
And my husband's company doesn't have their act together about medical and open enrollment. My husband use to work for Con Ed they had to sell their plant and it was bought by Entergy. They do not have a clue about how to roll out a new medical benefits plan. I know what I had and one cannot make an informed decision as to which PPO plan to select because they cannot tell you the differences and we only have another week to make a decision. As you said I am sure none of this is helping me one bit.
the disability carrier sort of backed down. I am trying to work with them. How can anyone know when I can work when there is not a clear diagnosis.
Anyway I am starting to feel very tired so I will end now. But thanks for all of your suggestions and when I feel a little stronger I will do the search you suggested.
Jacquie
I hope I will answer all the questions you posed and comment on your suggestions etc.
I have more MRIs than you can imagine and bloodwork also and catscans, xrays you name it! It was based on the same set of MRIs that one said DDD, another S/I inflammation, one piriformis muscle syndrome and 2 were leaning towards L5. The DDD was on the L5, the annular tear also -- not sure what the one neurologist
felt. I was too sick with the dizziness to really care. I first did the S/I because I had not gone to anyone else. When It didn't work that is when I started to go around -- since more drs seem to point to the L5 I went with it. My pain in that area seems to have diminished but it could be also I am not moving around alot due to the dizziness -- it is just so awful. I just feel wiped out all of the time. I have a low grade temp -- not sure why. The dr. is ordering more bloodwork to see if I picked up something.
I would not be surprised if I am a little depressed not being able to do anything. Also as you so rightly indicated there is so much anxiety. I am a person who wants to know what is wrong and then get it fixed. I owned my own business and had a great life and now relegated to staying in the house months on end except for drs. I am just too sick to do anything.
About meds like anti-depressants. I do not have a high tolerance for meds. I think the steriod -- they used Kenalog is giving me problems. But because of all the problems prior to the injection -- not sure if it is that or something else. So I am trying not to take any more meds -- they will possibly do more harm then help. I just try to believe there is a light at the end of this tunnel.
I know that there probably is more testing that can be done but I am also allergic to iodine dye and the way I am feeling I do not think I can go through any more tests. I am supposed to have a 5 hour glucose tolerance test and I cannot even do it -- just too weak to sit there.
Tomorrow I go back to the doctor in the city -- that is an all day affair -- my husband has to take off from work to drive me. Thank god he gets 5 weeks vacation.
Just to add to the stress his company is changing insurance carriers dropping UnitedHealth Care and Blue Cross and going to Aetna. And neither my doctor or Hospital for Special Surgery is participating -- now that is very stressful.
I called Mayo -- 2 year waiting list for a physical. You have to have a diagnosis otherwise. Since noone can agree with what is going on I would have to wait two years!!! They say people go and stay in hotels waiting for cancellations!!! Imagine that!. I think NY has some pretty good doctors and hospitals so I will try and deal with it here. The only huge problem is that not many doctors in this area are with Aetna. You have to have a fortune just to cover medical. Between the hospital and doctor for the caudal injection it is over $3,500 -- that is expensive and currently it was covered with my insurance.
And my husband's company doesn't have their act together about medical and open enrollment. My husband use to work for Con Ed they had to sell their plant and it was bought by Entergy. They do not have a clue about how to roll out a new medical benefits plan. I know what I had and one cannot make an informed decision as to which PPO plan to select because they cannot tell you the differences and we only have another week to make a decision. As you said I am sure none of this is helping me one bit.
the disability carrier sort of backed down. I am trying to work with them. How can anyone know when I can work when there is not a clear diagnosis.
Anyway I am starting to feel very tired so I will end now. But thanks for all of your suggestions and when I feel a little stronger I will do the search you suggested.
Jacquie