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+--- Thread: All lumbar injuries please help (/showthread.php?tid=2956)
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - e3mrk - 01-03-2008 01:19 PM
I had the same thing only on My right side.
It was the Disk putting pressure on the nerve root,Very painful to say the least.
You need to have a Doctor say that it is related to the original injury for them to pay for the exams.
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - backache - 01-03-2008 01:38 PM
The original PA, I don't know why a PA was even permitted to have my case, had sent me to a pain management Dr. None of the injections helped at all, but do you think since she had sent me to him I could go back to him and he could order the tests. They had no problem in me going to him when the WC Dr. sent me. No pain meds ice or heat help. Prior to this injury I never went to Dr's except for physicals for work so I don't know if I can go to the pain management Dr. without an order from a WC Dr. and they won't honor my PCP orders as I said.
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - Still in Limbo - 01-03-2008 02:27 PM
Backache, in Pa., if You are not Satisfied with Your Dr. (w/c), and are not Healed , After 90 Days from the Original Injury Date, You can choose a Dr. of Your Choice, and they HAVE to Pay!! If they are still Paying You TTD, and they have accepted Your Injury as Work Related, You can get Your OWN Dr. without w/c Approval. I don't know if You were Aware of that, I'm in Pa. also as You Know, and that's Exactly what I did. When My Surgery Failed, I was Fortunate enough to have a Total of 8 (Both Ortho. and Neuro.) Surgeons look at My Post-Op. MRI Films, and I was told My Condition was Inoperable. At that Point, I went back to my Family PCP, who Referred Me to Pain Management. I am Currently in PM, and My PM Dr. is My Main PCP for My W/C Injuries. Throughout All of My Hearings, (Two Years, and 12 Hearings) I have been in PM, and they Have Paid. If You haven't done this, You need to, to get a Second Opinion on what's going on with You. As I stated in the PM You Sent Me, Your Spine could have Very Well Moved because of Your Lumbar Injury, causing Your Current Problems. Only an MRI, or CT Scan is going to show whether this is the Case or Not. Please Check into what I am telling You with Your Attorney, and get the Help You Need!! Good Luck!!
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - backache - 01-03-2008 02:48 PM
Thank you my friend, I am going to go to my PCP tomorrow and tell him I need something done. I don't care what the IC does to me any more I have to get better or lose my mind.Sorry if this is messy I am in pain like I have never had before.
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - Still in Limbo - 01-03-2008 02:56 PM
Have Your PCP refer You to who they think would be Best to Handle Your Injury. Personally, and what I did, was get an Opinion from Both a Neuro. and an Ortho. Dr., and Decide with Your PCP which is the Best Way to go. If You have an Attorney, at Least Call them and let them know Your Intentions, it's Best to Keep them in the Loop. It's a Shame that We have to do this, but if We don't take Charge of Our Own Care, w/c and the i/c's will Drag their Feet Forever, Hoping We go Away and Just give up. Make Sure and take Your "Notice of Compensation Payable" Letter with You, and use it for Your Billing, all of the i/c Info, and Your Case# is on there. I Hope the Very Best for You Backache, and I Pray they can Help with the Pain!!
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - backache - 01-04-2008 07:48 PM
I went to my PCP today and he said that he is sure the left shoulder/ arm pain is due to the way I have to hold my body and walk now that my lumbar region is injured from work. He is going to figure out what steps to take now so WC has to pay for any tests etc. and I don't get stuck with the bill. He then gave me Percocet 10-325 for the pain in my back is getting worse and the shoulder/arm thing is driving me nuts. When I went to get the script filled they said my WC script card is no longer any good. I had to pay for the med out of pocket it being Friday I couldn't get anyone to find out what is going on. When I told the girl behind the counter what was going on and all they have done to me. She said she has heard stories that make her want to cry having to do with WC. What game are the SOB's playing now guys? I had a hard time paying for the pills because like the rest of you they have me broke, but I couldn't go all weekend without pain pills. By the way the Percocet is very strong and I don't like the way it makes me feel, it hasn't gotten rid of the pain either.
I wish the WC IC adjusters would have our pain for one day
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - chrischris - 01-04-2008 08:58 PM
Backache, Just a suggestion but try relaxation along with the medication your PTP has given you. Take a long bath or shower, put on some comfy clothes, darken your living room and light some candles. Put on some really nice soothing music and curl up with a blanket and a heating pad. It helps me when the pain in really bad. I find that the opiods don't work much, so I don't take them anymore.
I don't know if you can afford it or not, but try and budget for a massage to help you. A deep tissue stress point massage can really help with pinched nerves, and help you relax at the same time. A massage therapist is around $50 an hour.
Hope your PTP gets the ball rolling for you. Also, give your adjuster a call and tell him/her your scripts account was closed and needs to be reopened. Sometimes they are closed for inactivity. Send your receipts to him for reimbursement, and make sure you keep a copy.
Take care, and I hope you are feeling better soon.
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - jayne - 01-04-2008 11:57 PM
ahhhhhhh one of lifes little mysteries...the pain pills make us sick and feel dopey but without em we wanna claw out the painful body part....or maybe just the adjusters thumping gizzard of a heart...chris chris gave you some good advice....Dont try to concentrate on anything just let your mind wander with the soothing music and dark room.......
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - capricorn - 01-05-2008 07:26 AM
Hi backache>>>>>I hope you're feeling somewhat better. CC has given great advice. I am a lumbar, cervical, shoulder ,knee, ankle injury. Relaxing those neck and shoulder muscles really helps. I have string nerve damage in my neck and have found since seeing the Chiro and having a weekly massage that my neck, shoulder and arm are now tolerable. Pain will never go away but it is becoming tolerable. Warm baths in the dark with just a candle lit work for me. I also don't take pain killers. They do nothing for me. Limbo has given sound legal advise. I am also in PA and have gone to a few Dr.s and will continue until I feel I am MMI.
CAP
RE: All lumbar injuries please help - nurse83 - 01-09-2008 09:01 PM
Dear Backache,
You've gotten some really good replies to your initial post; don't know if I can add much except support and encouragement.
Your "new" pain is probably the result of your initial injury; either because it's just showing up OR it's due to your accommodating the initial injiury.
MRI is probably needed to see what's going on. Be sure and clearly communicate to your doctor that these new symptoms are not pre-existing or due to a new injury or not following doctor's orders and any restrictions he may have placed you on.
And Percocet; right out of the gate! WOW; your doctor went with a very potent drug. You don't say what else you might be on such as anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants etc, but if you do need prescription pain meds there are other choices which may relieve your pain without putting you into "La-La land" Be sure and tell the doctor the side effects you are experiencing with the Perc and ask if there is another alternative (there is, but most doctors DO NOT want you to tell them what you want--you don't want to be perceived as drug-seeking---I know you're not BUT it is very easy to be labeled by a health care worker and that label WILL follow you around)
Good luck and hope you find some relief soon. Take care of yourself and let others do so too!