1st March 2005
I broke down and went to the ER. After too many nights of only 45 min. of sleep at a time and too many pills, it was clear something needed to be done.
Once in the ER the doc finally came in and asked the usual questions. I had given the nurse the usual answers to the usual questions. The doc took my right leg and moved it forwar and back..then rotated. OUCH. He agreed that the rotation pain could indicate more than sciatica pain..(had that as well). Ordered x-rays.. shot of dilaudid (didn't touch it) but the phenegren made me sleepy. Did the x-rays.. after a couple of hours, Doc came in and said arthritis of the hip! Ok..figured that one out. No brainer. Told him I had the ddd (S1-L5 etc.) He did seem to have an attitude about my vicodan prescription and wanted to know who my doc was.. (Just because he hadn't heard of her...seemed a bit weird) notes on the chart indicated and "out of network doc)...she is in network but what does he know. I think I'll have to follow up on it. She's an internist and good. She handles the diabetes etc.
In the end, another shot of dilaudid...scripts for percosets..anti inflamatory, (lodine?) 500mg. and steriod (prednisone) only 8, 2x per day for 4 days..since prednisone raises blood sugar. She's prescribed more in the past for flareup frm bone spur in thoracic area. So, that's that. Other than feeling VERY unfunctional yesterday, slept for almost 3 hrs. at a time, and...today, the hip is feeling much improved. Still staying careful with it and not moving around a whole lot.
When my last MRI came in about a yr. ago she said she'd refer me to a neuro surgeon. I told her I wasn't yet ready to go that route. It's possible she just felt uncomfortable about keeping me on vicodans. We tried long acting morphine but I just kept throwing it up. Should I see a spinal surgeon/doc or neuro surgeon? or just keep doing what I'm doing. Usually I take a weekly yoga class and it usually helps.. have had to miss it lately. Thank you for all your help and suggestions. It means alot to have someone else who has been therre and know what I'm talking about.
Once in the ER the doc finally came in and asked the usual questions. I had given the nurse the usual answers to the usual questions. The doc took my right leg and moved it forwar and back..then rotated. OUCH. He agreed that the rotation pain could indicate more than sciatica pain..(had that as well). Ordered x-rays.. shot of dilaudid (didn't touch it) but the phenegren made me sleepy. Did the x-rays.. after a couple of hours, Doc came in and said arthritis of the hip! Ok..figured that one out. No brainer. Told him I had the ddd (S1-L5 etc.) He did seem to have an attitude about my vicodan prescription and wanted to know who my doc was.. (Just because he hadn't heard of her...seemed a bit weird) notes on the chart indicated and "out of network doc)...she is in network but what does he know. I think I'll have to follow up on it. She's an internist and good. She handles the diabetes etc.
In the end, another shot of dilaudid...scripts for percosets..anti inflamatory, (lodine?) 500mg. and steriod (prednisone) only 8, 2x per day for 4 days..since prednisone raises blood sugar. She's prescribed more in the past for flareup frm bone spur in thoracic area. So, that's that. Other than feeling VERY unfunctional yesterday, slept for almost 3 hrs. at a time, and...today, the hip is feeling much improved. Still staying careful with it and not moving around a whole lot.
When my last MRI came in about a yr. ago she said she'd refer me to a neuro surgeon. I told her I wasn't yet ready to go that route. It's possible she just felt uncomfortable about keeping me on vicodans. We tried long acting morphine but I just kept throwing it up. Should I see a spinal surgeon/doc or neuro surgeon? or just keep doing what I'm doing. Usually I take a weekly yoga class and it usually helps.. have had to miss it lately. Thank you for all your help and suggestions. It means alot to have someone else who has been therre and know what I'm talking about.