Karrie515
Newbie
Reged: 08/14/03
Posts: 48
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Ok, last Friday I got rear ended by some idiot at a pretty high speed and my back is a mess. They transported me to the ER who told me I tore/bruised a ligament in my back and had whiplash, sent me on my merry way with a neck brace and Skelaxin. No x-rays, nothing. So I gave it until yesterday, as I am in more pain then Ive ever been in my life. I went to my PCP who gave me Lorcet 10/650's and told me to keep taking the skelaxin, 2 pills 4 times a day, the Lorcet every 4 hours. He then referred me to a chiropractor/physical therapist who I will see tommorow. Problem is, the skelaxin makes me nauseous and is physical therapy a good idea when everytime I move, my back sounds like Im popping a bag of popcorn? I cant bend over, lay, sit, nothing comfortably. Once again, without an x-ray my PCP says is sounds like a herniated/ruptured/slipped vertebrae. Any opinions? I know alot of you guys in here have back problems so I thought Id ask. Sorry for the long post and if it didnt make any sense its because Ive never taken anything stronger than Fioricet in my life, and Im a little loopy right now.
TIA,
Karrie
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rockystuart
Enthusiast
Reged: 03/11/04
Posts: 230
Loc: San Fran Bay Area, Calif
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Dear Karrie - If your PCP wont order a MRI THIS WEEK - get to a neurologist ASAP(who will). I have the popping/pain ect - but after two years of tests PT etc it is cronic and non-operable(uncorrectable). You may have serious injuries THAT ARE CORRECTABLE. Only a neurosurgion can tell for sure.
Plus since it was an accident if you need a 7-10K$ surgery - best to document it quickly after the acciodent.
Loricets amazing stuff - will keep you walking/functional even though you can hear/feel bone on bone in your back -
BUT IT CAN ALSO MASKS SERIOUS CONDITIONS. A Dr that will mask an unknown condiution is doing some good - but maybe greater harm if it covers up something serious. And then what do you do down the road?
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keystone
Veteran
Reged: 09/05/02
Posts: 587
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Meclizine (Dramamine 2), regular Dramamine or 25 mg of Benadryl may help w/ the nausea. These are OTC and cheap!
Ideally, you would want promethazine or Reglan (Rx's).
I hope you feel better. I was also the victim of a MVA. I think Skelaxin is for the birds. Soma or even Zanaflex works sooo much better.
KS
Edited to add: I see in one of your previous posts that you are taking 4mg of Klonopin. That should be more than sufficient for cramping, relaxation.
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The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he never existed.
Edited by keystone (07/01/04 02:08 PM)
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 892
Loc: usa
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YOU DEFINATELY NEED AN MRI....go to your physician and ask for an MRI....also, he can prescribe promethezaine (phenergan) for nausea or compazine both work well and come in suppositories if your too nauseaus to keep the pills down....hopefully this is just a strain & you will improve with time, bedrest and PT....good luck
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 892
Loc: usa
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and I ditto on the zanaflex...a much better muscle relaxant, particularly for spinal cord injuries....
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Selby
Enthusiast
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 230
Loc: the coast down under
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Don't wait for the MRI do it asap, and keep meticulous (spelling?) records. If it was the other guys fault his insurance should pay for it.
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The Moose is Loose!
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peteg72
Member
Reged: 05/10/04
Posts: 174
Loc: midwest
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I too was rear ended by someone in 2001 and I am still messed up with terrible pain. My only word of advice is when your no fault insurance or his ins.(i think it varies in diff. states) askes to settle before you reach the cap for medical expences (mine was about 25,000), DON'T TAKE it. I settled the no fault part of the claim for medical expenses, then my health insurance picked up the rest. Only problem is my own health ins. ran out because I was unable to work full time anymore because the pain got worse just when I thought it was getting better, now i am left with 15,000 in medical bills, plus a possible disk fusion with nobody to pay the bill but me. Even if your back feels better in the next 2 yrs. you may still have problems, and pain flare ups. You don't want to get stuck in the same situation as me. You never know if you might loose health ins. in the future.
I hope you are felling better. I don't want to discourage you with my story, as you have other things to worry about now, but please consider my story for in the future. pm for any questions. pete
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And if the band youre in starts playing different tunes....I'll see you on the dark side of the moon
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peteg72
Member
Reged: 05/10/04
Posts: 174
Loc: midwest
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BTW, I think flexerill works better than the skelaxin, espically at night as it makes you a little sleepy.
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And if the band youre in starts playing different tunes....I'll see you on the dark side of the moon
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tb1218
Member
Reged: 09/19/02
Posts: 171
Loc: indiana
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My daughter too was rear ended in 2001, had the whiplash and the muscle on the inside of the shoulder blade was pulled as well as all backace. I am surprised the ER didnt do more for you. I was with her for hours and hours, with xrays, waiting for everyone to read them, etc, and they referred her to another back doctor and had to have MRIs, then went to physical therapy for a couple months, but she never was fine again but unfortuantely I thought she was "healed" so when the medical bill was paid and her loss of work compensated, car fixed, we closed the settlement STUPID!!! She now has scar tissue on her shoulder, cracks like popcorn as you say and every now and then goes into spasms which are just so pitiful to see the pain she is in. I now believe, she will forever have periods of distress and has been back numerous times to the Doc. and he does prescribe her flexeril because it works best for her, skelatin, and robaxin did her no good. Never had zanaflex, then she also took Advil. She is only 21 now and only received lortabs right after the accident, and they are reluctant to prescribe her anything but its ok she copes and when she goes into the er with a severe spasm they give her a shot of demerol and somehow she gets through it. But the Er really should have done more and guided you more especially since the other driver has to pay and even if he didnt have insurance (he's is trouble) your insurance should have a non-insured driver clause.
Go get what you need, because you may need help for a while. Personally I wouldnt start with a chiropractor unless you get a diagnosis after seeing an md and it makes you feel good. My daughter tried it for a few weeks and felt wonderful right afterwards but then later would get so sore and stiff and it wasnt worth it. She also carries a tennis ball with her and when she feels it starting to flair up she puts it between her back (shoulder area) and a wall and rubs out the kinks and she swears by its immediate effect (PT teaches that) But I wish you the best of luck and a future pain free life and hate to sound so negative when I say that its gonna give you grief for a least a little while. Take care!!
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Karrie515
Newbie
Reged: 08/14/03
Posts: 48
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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I just want to say that you all have given me alot of good advice and it feels good to know others can relate to what Im going through. The ER doctor was Best if kept of the board, my husband was with me and told him I needed something stronger (Demerol, its even in my chart that I get it when I have to go in for migraines) for the pain and he said he "Didnt beleive in narcotics that strong for back pain." So essentially Im sure he thought I was a drug seeker, even though I was crying my eyes out in the fetal position.
As far as the other driver, he is screwed and Im glad. Ive lost my car, Ive never been in pain like this in my life, and Im in LPN school right now and I cant be missing classes all of the time. I will definately ask the doctor about the flexeril, maybe that would be better since the skelaxin is tearing up my stomach anyway. I just cant go on like this, and Im sorry for all of the long winded posts but you guys understand, and unfortunately the hubby left today to go out of town for work so its me, the computer and my dog. Thanks for listening, you guys are the greatest.
Luv,
Karrie
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IMSUSCOT1
Threadhead
Reged: 10/23/02
Posts: 892
Loc: usa
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The doc should be shot!!! If you find yourself in the ER again & the doc refuses to prescribe...STOP, call the house nursing supervisor to your bedside and patient management....they both will come...just get the phone in the room & dial the zero operator...ask her to connect you...*I assure you, next time your results will be different....ER's are required to treat pain adequately and sometimes it takes getting others involved...don't take it "lying down" I hope you get to feeling better....
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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Definitely get that MRI. After my injury, I was told I had "muscle spasms"...12 years later (and substantial pain throughout those years) my doc finally ordered an MRI...lo and behold, I had a poorly healed fracture of my spine. Because it wasn't treated at the time it was originally injured, that bone (T7) was unstable and was re-fractured just recently. They can do NOTHING for it now except treat the pain. (The new fracture was treated with injectible cement to help stabilize it.)
I, too, settled on this accident not knowing the extent of my injuries due to poor medical care. I hope you can avoid this situation!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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tb1218
Member
Reged: 09/19/02
Posts: 171
Loc: indiana
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Yes I agree with night_shade dont settle even if it takes years until you are positive you are A-okay. The insurance companies push to settle early so they can release themselves from further costs. I learned the hard way.
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Karrie515
Newbie
Reged: 08/14/03
Posts: 48
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
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Well I went to a different ER yesterday and they did and a MRI and took what seemed like 100 different views. I C5 is herniated, T6 and T7 are bulging, and I have a hairline fracture in my tsilbone. The Dr. was much more competent and caring and sent me home with meds that at least take the edge off, thank goodness. Im pretty much stuck on the couch for the long holiday weekend but Im glad I know EXACTLY whats wrong. Ill keep everyone posted, thanks for the kind words and I hope everyone has a pain free 4th. 
Karrie
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