Oh - I am so sorry. My SIL had arthritis in her
back and hips. And, she would be out of her mind
with the pain. She did have the rod put in at her
spine - and it helped immensely. And, there are
pain meds that will help you greatly without making
you dopey all the time.

I am so sorry - seeing my SIL, I know how awful you
are feeling.

Hoping the pain can be relieved fast, fast, fast for
you. And, you have every right to be "not managing
very well".

Hoping all the best for you.

I made an appointment with a specialist

I hope it's with a Rheumatologist.
There are many things that can be done to live with arthritis

A rheumatologist can properly diagnose the type of arthritis, and then talk about physical therapy and pain management...without putting you on possibly addictive drugs.

You don't want to kill the pain (narcotics), you want to know how to 1)Keep the arthritis from getting worse, 2) How to strengthen the muscles that support the joints and 3) How to ease pain without constant meds.

I am so sorry to read of your horrid pain, and what your doctor told you. I won't, for a minute, believe that and think she was way out of line.

I believe there are good doctors out there, ones who are really smart in their field, and that there is someone, somewhere that can indeed help you. Over the years, there have been all kinds of wonderful advances made in fixing ailing backs. It is just a matter of finding a good doctor, one who knows all about the latest and greatest procedures.

Don't take that Dr's word as the truth. I think too many of them say a patient cannot be helped, just because they know they lack the knowledge themselves to know how to do it.

I know right now you have absolutely no quality of life. I have been there and done that, suffering for 6 years off and on with back pain. It finally got so horrid, I could do nothing, like you, and I absolutely did not care if I lived or died. I did then find a wonderful back surgeon, who specialized in just backs and brains, and she was able to totally 'fix' me.

I feel confident that there is a doctor out there who has the knowledge and experience that they can fix you, that you will someday be pain free, and have a wonderful quality of life.

Where are you located? I am in IN. It would be interesting what my back surgeon would say if she was to look at and evaluate your ...well, I was going to say MRI, but see that you posted as only having an x-ray. You need to get to a different doctor, and have them order an MRI for you. X-rays show very little about actual problems and how they can be fixed. You should then be referred to a surgeon and the surgeon then can evaluate how you can best be helped. If the first surgeon cannot fix you, then keep trying until you find one who can. I feel confident that there is doctor out there that is good enough that they can help you.

I would never go back to the doctor that told you what you posted above.

I wish you well, Feel free to email me if you like. I am really just 'got' by what you were told. I'm guessing that it was a GP...right?

Have you written here about your back pain in the past? I only ask because I have posted some long replies before, about my experience, thus my feelings on the matter.

My 'guess' is that there has never been any physical therapy prescribed for you. For right now, that would be a start in the right direction for getting you 'some' immediate pain relief. I used gel ice packs, and found it numbed the area, and gave temp relief. I had several nice gel packs in the freezer so there would always be one good and cold when it was needed. Alternating the ice with a heat pad, offered some temporary relief too.

Sue

I made an appointment with a specialist to see what's going on. I go this next Thursday.

oops...I missed that, but that is great. I too am wondering what sort of specialist you are to see.

The doctor told me that I would be on pain medicine the rest of my life and in 5-7 years they would have to put a metal rod in my spine
Again, I don't see how a doctor can say this in looking at x-rays, and why why would you have to wait 5-7 years for an X-ray that would help you? It just does not make much sense to me.

Due to the horrific pain you are in, I'd suggest you try and get into the specialist before next Thurs. Possibly they could put you on the list that they could call you if they had a cancellation. Possibly, with your records from the referring doctor, they could go ahead and order the MRI for you.

I wish you well.

Sue

When I contacted this specialist he asked me what kind of tests this doctor ran and how she came to the conclusion she did. I explained that an x-ray was taken and that was it. He was very appalled. When I went to her for the results of the x-ray and was told it was arthritis I was also given 8 different prescriptions. I didn't fill any of them. I cried all the way home and when I got home I went on line to find out what she had prescribed. There was everything from muscle relaxants, steroids to massive pain killers.
I feel she's wrong and I am not ready to say it's just arthritis and call it a day.
The specialist I am seeing is in Las Vegas, about 4 hours from where I live. He is ranked 3rd in the nation for back and spinal care. I just hope it's something that fixable.

When I contacted this specialist he asked me what kind of tests this doctor ran and how she came to the conclusion she did. I explained that an x-ray was taken and that was it. He was very appalled.
Why am I not surprised?

I was also given 8 different prescriptions. I didn't fill any of them.
I hope you will consider filling at least some of them, like the muscle relaxants.

Funny (now) little story. The Sat that I went over the top with pain, by BF came down and took me to the emergency room. I was given something along with Valium, enough to last until Monday. After getting them filled and getting back home, I asked that bf go on home, as I just wanted to be alone. Well, I should not have been trusted. I got my pills mixed up and took the Valium 4X a day when it was to have been 2X a day. I remember that I 'did not care' that I had pain and it sure took the edge off. Ever since then, I put my glasses on before taking any medications of any kind.

I take arthritis formula Tylenol, which is maximum strength and it lasts eight hours. It gives me enough relief from the arthritis in my upper back that I can function and do what I need to do and sleep pretty well at night. (I'm allergic to anything related to aspirin, so there may be other over-the-counter products that could be effective for your pain.)

I take a weekly Fosamax tablet, plus daily calcium and D, hoping to build my bones up a bit -- I have osteoarthritis/osteopenia too, which was diagnosed with a bone density exam.

It disturbs me that your doctor told you, "people kill themselves over it." What kind of a thing is that for a doctor to say to a patient? Please, if at all possible, don't go back to that doctor.

I hope you can see the specialist sooner than Thursday.

I's sorry fmwife! I hope that this specialist can give you relief. I imagine, nutrition, supplements, accupuncture, all kinds of things that can add to your RX... hang in there!

I hope someone gives you an MRI. Ruptured discs, herniated discs can not been seen on an xray. Ask me how I know!

Trish

Trish,
What were your symptoms? I am wondering from everything I have read if this isn't a ruptured disc or herniated disc.
Thanks

I would be livid with that doctor, and right now I'm very worked up over it--I don't even know you!! An x-ray shows little about the back, because so much more than bones are involved. I honestly think when you get some REAL help you should file a complaint with the AMA. Not only does an x-ray not show enough for a diagnosis, what she said to you and the conclusion she came to on her own is appalling. Yes, please try to get into the specialist asap and get that mri; did you tell them you're in excruciating pain? Oh, I feel so badly for you, fireman's wife. And be sure to tell them about your recent surgery, as that sounds a little too coincidental to me. How about making that phone call right now to try and get in earlier? You have nothing to lose!

It started out feeling like I had pinched a nerve in my neck- I went to the doc and he said, yep- just take these pills- silly me- just took the pills. After about a week I could not move my head, I could not lay down and there was a pain shooting down my arm into my elbow and fingers. The original pain was more radiating- but painful still. I would really ask for the MRI- you could have a disc out of whack and some physical therapy would do you a world of good. Email me if you would like to talk more.

Trish

firemanswife--- OH BOY! It caught my eye whe I read you are going to see someone in Vegas. I had back surgery in July. I couldn't even get out of bed to go pee the pain was so excrutiating. I'm from NC and was stuck in a Vegas hospital for 5 days before I had a nerve block so I could fly home. Who is your MD that you will be seeing? I had 2 top-notch ones see me at the hospital. I loved them. I will try to find their names in my paperwork from last summer (still getting bills, ya know!). Anyway, if they'd have been here in NC, I would not have hesitated to have had either of them perform my surgery. Let me say, you need to see a neurologist if you haven't already and have MRI's taken. The x-rays are fine but you need to see more of the affected area and an x-ray doesn't cut it. You definitely have a pinched nerve (sciatica). That is why you have pain radiating to your hip(s). I ended up having damage to my sciatic nerve and my left leg is still numb all the way down to my toes. All I feel is my big toe but it's slowly returning.

OK, Vegas MD's I absolutely recommend:

Abdul Sami Siddiqui, MD

Satish Sharma, MD (did my nerve block- I was wide awake and there was instant relief. Felt very little. Awesome hands!)

Aurangzeb N. Nagy, neurologist at Las Vegas Neurosurgery and Spine (I would have had him do my surgery if I could not have traveled home).

I wish you luck. Have been there. Get to a neurologist quickly if you have not done so, and even for a 2nd and 3rd opinion! They will recommend an MRI and then go from there. Pills are ok if needed but they are a bandage. Let me know if I can help you in answering any questions. Orie

I know very well what back pain is.I have had several back surgeries,several nerve blocks,and other surgeries.I just went thur another MRI and have another rupture dis.But I just refuse to live on pain killers.I just went thur rehab.Not saying this is for everone.I just got tired depending on pills.I take motrin and also therapy to deal with my.I refuse to have any more surgery.Again this is how I felt the need to handle my.I do hurt alot but I try to keep it blocked out of my mind.I do wish you the best.Hugs Judy

this is more of a story than advice, but just for the record, i agree with orie keep gettting other opinions. my brother had back surgery a few years back, he really didnt have a choice, to this day his leg bothers him as does his back constantly, anyway we met someone we logged on that had the exact same problem my brother had, who in turn had met this doctor from india that recommended a hot tub with the hottest water he could stand about 5 times a day..the man doesnt have anymore back problems at all. amazing, he doesnt even walk with a cane anymore. i did not believe it until i saw it with my own eyes. doesnt mean it works for everyone but i really do think you should get other opinions what your dr said to you was outrageous and not proffesional imho. i worked in a nursing home until 1990 and tried to stop someone from falling killed my back and it hasnt been the same since. i really do hope you feel better, back pain is as bad as a toothache only it really really hurts worse. good luck and please keep us posted.

I hope you follow all the good advice given and pray you get some pain relief real soon.
Jean