One of the docs I saw last week was an ortho spine doctor, he only does spines. The other was a neurosurgeon. I specifically asked for a copy of the entire report from the neuro, as I strongly disliked his attitude, and because what he was telling me didn't make sense. My mom was with me, and neither of us would let him treat our CAT, much less one of us.
According to him, my loss of feeling/control in my fingers is "normal". He also states in his report that I don't need treatment for the herniated disc and bone spurs inside the cavity where the spinal cord runs because I am already in pain. Basically, why bother treating me because I am in pain.
I have 50% range of motion. I guess I don't deserve more because I have fibro and what is tentatively diagnosis'd as a form of arthritis. Oh - and I am fat, so no treatment is needed. A large part of my weight is due to the pain of strenuous exercise. If I can get to a WARM pool I can do a lot more exercise, but they just filled in the only therapeautically warm pool in my town. 75 miles is too far to drive to be in a warm enough pool for daily exercise. Cool, much less cold, anything causes muscle spasms so bad I need hospitalization, and the spasms can last for 2 weeks or more! I have been on medications for over 25 years which have weight gain as a side effect.
I do have fork to mouth disease. No arguments here. But I try very hard to keep my portions controlled, and to do what exercise I can. My rheumy actually GAVE me the filled out form for a handicapped sticker, because the walking is so bad some days it is dangerous. (Sweetie that my doctor is he even stapled a $1 bill to it, that is the fee here, and he doesn't do that much). He was upset that I didn't ask for a sticker. Even with it, I walk when I can.
I had one disc removed and the vertebrae fused 10 years ago. I was projected to reach 70 % of my range of motion, and was told to be happy with that. I reached over 90%! My doctor actually wrote up what I did for future patients. Of course, he died a few years later. Otherwise, I would be flying to another state for the surgery. "Seance Surgery" is just not covered under my insurance, LOL!!! Even at Halloween!!
I am jsut so mad that my ins co has already paid this jerk. He caused lots of pain during hte exam. He also picked up on a lot less of what even my regular doctor picked up on. I just hate that this report will be in my file.
I found the ortho spine doctor on my own - referrals from multiple people, all to the doctor I saw. I liked him.
But the neuro set me up for an EMG. I don't think I will have it, because if I test atypically (which I did before, and do on many tests) my ins co may not cover it.
Is it worth being stuck with needles over and over to see what my muscles do, just to give results that will very likely be useless? (I had 2 of these prior to my neck surgery 10 yrs ago. NONE of them showed what they typically would, but when the surgeon got in to do the removal and fusion, I had much much much more damage than he expected, and so I odn't trust the test much.
Any advice? I know it is my decision, solely, but I would like to hear advice from others.
Thanks,
Susie
According to him, my loss of feeling/control in my fingers is "normal". He also states in his report that I don't need treatment for the herniated disc and bone spurs inside the cavity where the spinal cord runs because I am already in pain. Basically, why bother treating me because I am in pain.
I have 50% range of motion. I guess I don't deserve more because I have fibro and what is tentatively diagnosis'd as a form of arthritis. Oh - and I am fat, so no treatment is needed. A large part of my weight is due to the pain of strenuous exercise. If I can get to a WARM pool I can do a lot more exercise, but they just filled in the only therapeautically warm pool in my town. 75 miles is too far to drive to be in a warm enough pool for daily exercise. Cool, much less cold, anything causes muscle spasms so bad I need hospitalization, and the spasms can last for 2 weeks or more! I have been on medications for over 25 years which have weight gain as a side effect.
I do have fork to mouth disease. No arguments here. But I try very hard to keep my portions controlled, and to do what exercise I can. My rheumy actually GAVE me the filled out form for a handicapped sticker, because the walking is so bad some days it is dangerous. (Sweetie that my doctor is he even stapled a $1 bill to it, that is the fee here, and he doesn't do that much). He was upset that I didn't ask for a sticker. Even with it, I walk when I can.
I had one disc removed and the vertebrae fused 10 years ago. I was projected to reach 70 % of my range of motion, and was told to be happy with that. I reached over 90%! My doctor actually wrote up what I did for future patients. Of course, he died a few years later. Otherwise, I would be flying to another state for the surgery. "Seance Surgery" is just not covered under my insurance, LOL!!! Even at Halloween!!
I am jsut so mad that my ins co has already paid this jerk. He caused lots of pain during hte exam. He also picked up on a lot less of what even my regular doctor picked up on. I just hate that this report will be in my file.
I found the ortho spine doctor on my own - referrals from multiple people, all to the doctor I saw. I liked him.
But the neuro set me up for an EMG. I don't think I will have it, because if I test atypically (which I did before, and do on many tests) my ins co may not cover it.
Is it worth being stuck with needles over and over to see what my muscles do, just to give results that will very likely be useless? (I had 2 of these prior to my neck surgery 10 yrs ago. NONE of them showed what they typically would, but when the surgeon got in to do the removal and fusion, I had much much much more damage than he expected, and so I odn't trust the test much.
Any advice? I know it is my decision, solely, but I would like to hear advice from others.
Thanks,
Susie