Neck pain out of control

[Carebear]

I agree, Elaine.  I think your Rheumatologist would be the best "ologist" to call in this case. 

[sissyjane]

I think my epidural was a miracle. Just don't do anything after until you get the okay from the doctor. I learned that one the hard way, and had to have mine re-done!

[anita]

Carolina,

You might benefit from the lidoderm patches due to your sensitivities.   It's "topical" and less then 4% is absorbed into the body so risk of side-effects are very small.  Actually more the 95% of the medicine never leaves the patch itself.  Arthritis type pain is exactly what it's best for. 

I'm getting ready to try these for nerve pain in my feet...which may not be as successful as your arthritis type pain.  But I'm hoping for at least some relief.

I'm hoping you are feeling better today.

[CathyO]

Good luck, hoping the pain gets better for you. Neck and head pain just seems worse for me and makes me very nauseous. I had the whiplash pain or occipital pain again recently and hated it, went into the ER for anti nausea meds, already had pain meds. The Lidoderm patches help on my forehead. Not so much on my back, and they stay stuck to my neck they keep coming off. If I lay in bed against a pillow it will kind of stay on. Today I bought a new over the counter patch that's carpasin (sp)?  That hot pepper stuff. I'll try it out. There's a muscle relaxer that I got from teh ER that seemed to help also better than my pain meds. Ice of course helps. Sleep is great, but of course when I wake up the neck pain would come back. I'm going now to the chirporactor for my back and getting neck adjustments 4x/week. And going once a week to the aupuncturist and then doing a sacral release therapy, trying to loosen up those tight muscles I have. Let us know how it goes!

[Carolina]

well, the neurologist's nurse lost my info on her computer, and called for it again in late afternoon, Monday.

i did the neck traction all day Monday on and off and slept better last night, pretty much pain free today!  o f course I have my  'usual' pain;, but have to remind myself that it's not what I had earlier.

i actually went out to lunch with friends today and now I'm in traction again, 'just in case'.

No word yet from the neuro nurse of course.  Sigh.

by the way I saw the special Duke urology team PA about my IC.  They don't handle IC!  He referred me to a urologist  50 miles away who isn't in my health plan.   NONE of the Duke urologists will see me!

I'm still thinking about that one.  Deciding whether it is worth paying the 'full ride' to see him or not.

Thanks for all your tender loving care and advice and concern!  I'm sooooooo tired.

Just keeping on keeping on.

Hugs

Elaine

[soycoffee]

You would have to pay me a lot to go to the Penn urologists. If you are looking, see if there are any urogyncologists around, also called "pelvic floor specialists." There are now three women in a shared pelvic floor practice at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. There may be one or two at Duke or Johns Hopkins. -- Or I could give you the names on my brochure and you could call this practice to get a recommendation in the Duke area /that your insurance could cover.

Contact number for HUP Bladder and Pelvic Floor practice: 215-573-4040 -- three women, urogynecology.

Glad, so glad, you are feeling considerably better today.

Keep it up!
Soycoffee

[smallfry]

Hi Elaine

Glad to hear that you have improved.
I did have 3 needles x 2 lots of epidurals in my lower back before my back opp about 3 years ago the first lot didn't help but the second lot settled it down and was able to keep me fairly good while waiting for my opp.
Keep resting as you know pain wears you out.

Take care
Cheryl 

[valene2009]

ive had should and back pain on my left side since my early 20s ..i finally figured out its from sjogrens../arthritis..
i sometimes get relief from the chiro and/or ibuprophen but it never fully leaves..
feel better

[Doxie]

Elaine, I'm so glad you are feeling better. So sorry you were in so much pain that is not fun! I kind of vegged out over my bladder pain the past few days and didn't pay as much attention to the boards or I would have sent you good wishes earlier.

Even though the pain has eased up, I'd still try to get into the neurologist or the rheumy as soon as possible. Can you call the doc that was going to order the MRI you just call it in so you can go get that ASAP? I've had several MRIs, but not surgery. The MRIs have helped the docs determine exactly which level they want for the epidural.

I actually use a physicist or something like that. He treats backs, etc.  I am so grateful for him. He's about the only doc I can get in within the same week.  He orders the epidural under the fluoroscopy and they do it at a clinic.

Good luck with your IC and finding someone who will treat it.

I'm sending you prayers and wishes for painless days and nights!

Tami

[Cricket]

Sounds like you have already gotten a ton of good advice.
Just wanted to jump in and say my thoughts ar with you for a speedy recovery!

[A66eyroad]

Thinking of you and holding you in the light, my friend.

[lea78]

I feel for you, my journey with sjogrens started with neck and shoulder pain which I had for about 18 months, its so hard to when you are dealing with pain, mine is much easier now but it flares every now and again and start using heat and pain relief again. Hope you get some relief soon

Leanne

[sis]

You will be in my thoughts this week.

I'm sorry you are having such a miserable time.

Your post are always so helpful and uplifting.

I hope you get some relief soon.

Glad you got to go out to lunch.

[soycoffee]

I actually use a physicist or something like that. He treats backs, etc.  I am so grateful for him. He's about the only doc I can get in within the same week.  He orders the epidural under the fluoroscopy and they do it at a clinic.

Tami, I think you mean "physiatrist" rather than physicist -- the words are similar, and they start the same. A dictionary might not even *have* the word "physiatrist." A physiatrist is a doctor of Rehabilitation Medicine. Twenty years ago when I was rehabbing after being hit by a car, the word "physiatrist" was used more often, so would be more familiar -- so I know it. The trick is to remember the phrase "physical medicine and rehabilitation." I don't know if that's any easier.

You are right, Tami, and right on about what they can do, and in my experience, also about their availability. This is from aapmr.org, the professional organization of doctors who specialize in rehabilitation medicine.

Physiatrists, or rehabilitation physicians, are nerve, muscle, and bone experts who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how you move
Rehabilitation physicians are medical doctors who have completed training in the medical specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). Specifically, rehabilitation physicians:

Diagnose and treat pain
Restore maximum function lost through injury, illness or disabling conditions
Treat the whole person, not just the problem area
Lead a team of medical professionals
Provide non-surgical treatments
Explain your medical problems and treatment/prevention plan
The job of a rehabilitation physician is to treat any disability resulting from disease or injury, from sore shoulders to spinal cord injuries. The focus is on the development of a comprehensive program for putting the pieces of a person's life back together after injury or disease – without surgery.

Rehabilitation physicians take the time needed to accurately pinpoint the source of an ailment. They then design a treatment plan that can be carried out by the patients themselves or with the help of the rehabilitation physician's medical team. This medical team might include other physicians and health professionals, such as neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists. By providing an appropriate treatment plan, rehabilitation physicians help patients stay as active as possible at any age. Their broad medical expertise allows them to treat disabling conditions throughout a person's lifetime.

The website, aapmr.org, also has a search tool to find a physiatrist (pronounced phi ZI a trist), that is pretty neat. There are nine in Raleigh, and eight in Durham -- for Elaine.

There are subspecialties, so if you want rehabilitation for RA, you don't want a physiatrist who only treats sports injuries.

Elaine, I hope that you continue to improve and hurt less. I admire your self-reliance in even having traction ready to use, and then using it. And posting through the pain.

Wishing you a full recovery,
Soycoffee

[Carolina]

OK, saw the neuro today.  That was FAST.

He doesn't think this is neck related pain, and I have to agree.

He had me tested for a heart attack.  Which seems weird since the pain abated at night when I was lying down.

At this point I give up trying to interpret stuff.

The test was a blood test for a marker that stays in your blood after a heart attack.

I'm quite sure it will be negative.  I should hear in a day or two either way.

I do wonder about the Sjogren's/shoulder thing, Valene.

I have severe osteoarthritis, too.   So I suppose that it could be arthritis pain triggering a sort of muscle spasm?

Who knows.

He will follow up once the heart thing is ruled out. 

He said if the pain returns I must go immediately to the ER to check out my heart.

OK, I'm game.

He's very very thorough and did a good neurological exam to see if there was any neurological damage in my shoulders, hands, neck, etc.   

And listened very very carefully to my heart.

After the heart thing is ruled out he'll look at the muscle relaxant idea and injections, after doing the MRI.

I'm just hanging in here, waiting to see what happens next.

Love all your comments and ideas.

Hugs

Elaine