vastchoirs
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/05/02
Posts: 287
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Hey everyone,
Well, I am scheduled to go in for a discogram on Friday. I did have a EMG to see why I was getting the shocks down my legs etc. Well, the EMG came back ok.
Just to fill you in, I have a herniated disc in the L5-S1 which has been like this for years. The only max thing I had were epidurals which did nothing. Well, the disc is loosing more and more "gel" as he put it and the disc is "very bad".
I also have a bulging disc at L4-L5. Oh, and bad arthritis down there as well.
My question is has anyone had a discogram? What is it like? Is it normal to have the EMG come back normal BUT still get the shocks etc etc.
Also, I was taking Kadian 60mg 2x a day..and taking ibuprofen. it stopped working so I dont take it anymore. when I told them it didn't work any longer, that's when they told me to take ibuprofen with it. But as I told you guys here, it didn't work.
How do I tell them it is not working with the ibuprofen? I don't want to offend em...they have been great to me. What is the next step in medicine after kadian???
ok, that's it for now. Just nervous about the discogram since I have heard nitemares. What if that comes back normal even with a herniated disc and bulging disc??
Thanks everyone
V
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Doc, you're a pain in my pain
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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They could increase the Kadian significantly. There is no ceiling dose on morphine--it goes by how the side effects are tolerated.
I haven't had a discogram, so can't offer any advice there.
Good luck!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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apkjezebel
Enthusiast
Reged: 03/01/04
Posts: 214
Loc: Florida
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While i don't know anything about the discogram, i also have herniated discs at L4-L5, L5-S1 and a bulging disc at L3-L4. I get the shocks going down my legs too. It literally feels like i stuck my leg in a light socket. Is this the feeling you get? And does that mean you get them because of the way the discs are? You are the first person other than me that i've heard have this happen. Your post just got me really curious about the shock thing and we have the same disc problems for the most part. Take care and thanks.
Lisa
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"I promised myself somewhere in teenage life Id never submit to the ones I will not be like Live in a hole But stay close to my kind Cause they understand what burns in my mind ~Pantera~ "
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kittie74
Board Addict
Reged: 02/16/04
Posts: 310
Loc: Hollywood
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Hi Vastchoirs
I had a diskogram back in October. It's not as bad as you think. It seems kind of scary at first. Mine was done at a surgical center. The same place where they do epidural injections. I had to get there pretty early in the morning. You change into hospital clothes. You need someone to take you since they give you drugs to knock you out.
They give you an IV and put you under a local. Then they take you into the surgery room for the tests. Basically, they are just getting better pictures of your disks. They inject dye into the damaged area and apply pressure. You're pretty out of it, but they wake you up and as they apply pressure, they ask if it hurts. Well, it will for a second, but you really won't remember it. They will give you pain medication. They gave me a script for Vicodin ES, but if that's not strong enough for you, ask for something stronger.
After the procedure, you go into the recovery area. They'll keep you there until you seem okay to go home.
I had to do this since I was having disk replacement surgery - C5/C6. If I wasn't haven't surgery, I don't know if I would have needed it. Are you considering surgery?
Please feel free to PM me if you have more questions 
I promise it's not as bad as you think. I also had the EMG tests. I thought that was WAY worse than the diskogram.
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vastchoirs
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/05/02
Posts: 287
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Thanks everyone for the advice. The shocks I get are like sicking your finger in a socket, like you said. It happens not all the time.
I am just nervous about telling him about the kadian 60mg and ibuprofen not helping. Plus, the script he gave me is pretty new, so I don't know how or if they would, in the middle of my current script, that I don't bother with anymore, but I do fill it, give me something more helpful. Meaning, writing another script while still in the middle of a another (meaning the time has not run out on the one I have now)
You guys/gals have calmed me down a bit. It's just with this going to be done, the medication they have me on not helping, going home in pain later on makes me nervous. Can they really prescribe something else while in the middle of a script already being have??? I ask because this stuff isn't helping and I don't want to ruin this weekend being in pain.
Surgery....I am still thinking about it....I hear bad stories more so than good ones.
Ok, thanks everyone I will write here tomorrow to let everyone know the deal and what happened
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Doc, you're a pain in my pain
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icthrmls
Stranger
Reged: 05/06/04
Posts: 2
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yes they can write scripts as he see's fit. I got bad side effects from kadian, got put on the patch and it is a blessing! NONE of the Best if kept off the board that comes with pills, such as the ups and downs, getting high etc etc....its awesome. I have like3 different forms of morphine and other narcotics that didnt work, and i let him know within a few days to a weeks. You need to let it get to a concentrated point in your body b4 you truly know if it works. unless you get side effects
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vastchoirs
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/05/02
Posts: 287
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Well, I had the discogram and it was like getting a vice grip locked on your spine, in the dead of winter air, with it being hit with a ballpeen hammer.
They first lightly....and I mean lightly sedated me..I didn't even feel the sedation, which is good because they needed to know where the pain is coming from.
So, they first did a little test run on my good disc L4-L3 so I can get an idea of what the deye feels like etc. So, felt pressure..no pain.
They went to the bulging disc in L4-L5. Felt pressure, then pain that was a 8 on the pain scale.
Then, came the herniated disc in L5-S1 and WHAM...pain pain pain. The pain I get when it's at it's worse and get almost on a daily basis. The hit the nerve which I felt down my right leg. But man the pain was incredible!!!
They got done and had to actually roll me back onto the bed because I couldn't move..hurt too much. They shook my hand and told me I did the best they have seen yet with anyone. Usually people ask them to stop a few minutes etc but, I continued on.
I had my CT scan done and home I went. They did give me a shot of somethhing b4 I left...intramuscular shot. Did nothing. I went home and did everything they told me, even took the Kadian which hasn't helped. Along with Ibuprofen.
Well, by 12am I was in so much Best if kept off the board pain my finace sad the hell with this, and so did I, off we went to the ER just to see if there was anything that could be done.
Well, they gave me a shot of Dilaudid....DID very little..then one percocet. After about an hour, I was from a 10 on the pain scale to a 9. They called the Dr and he talked to the ER dr about what they did earlier that morning. The ER gave me a 15 count of percocet to last the weekend. He said my PM dr wanted to see me Monday because I shouldn't still be in that much pain, and clearly the Kadian wasn't/hasn't been helping.
So, that's it in a nutshell, a day/night and still continuing of hellish pain. I guess tomorrow they will discuss my ctscan if they got it and hopefully change my medication...I hope they do change it cause it's not cutting the mustard.
V
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Doc, you're a pain in my pain
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vastchoirs
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/05/02
Posts: 287
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Oh, to add. They have had me on Kadian since September so, I think I have given it a long enough time period to work eh??
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Doc, you're a pain in my pain
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kittie74
Board Addict
Reged: 02/16/04
Posts: 310
Loc: Hollywood
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I sm SO sorry to hear that it was so painful for you. I'm glad your fiance took you to the ER. Are you seeing the doctor tomorrow? Beg him for something stronger. It is unacceptable that you're in that much pain and not getting what you need.
And if you want any info on surgery, feel free to PM me.
kittie
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z28trader
Stranger
Reged: 01/21/02
Posts: 22
Loc: East Coast
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VC
I was also on MS-contin, 30mg bid. It did nothing to help. He switched me to Oxy. and it was unbelievable at the difference. Oxy and hyrdo, seem to be better orally than many other opiates because these drugs are actually used by the body more effciately(sp) on a mg per mg basis. But pain management is kind of a trial and error until the person finds what actually works best. For you that may be Oxy.,Fent. patches or even Methadone. Don't try to stick with just one and make it work. Tell the doc. that you need to try something else. Good luck and take care.
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