DrugBuyers.Com: One Step Back

I don't know whether there is a connection between the cervical (and thoracic) pain and RA. . . I have my first appointment, having slept through the original, today. Mine spine doctor, whose concern was primarily discs and facets, and the ER docs, who were only looking for broken bones, have found nothing to explain the mid-back and neck/shoulder pain. I'm presuming a rheumatologist will be looking at other things, though.

I'm not under attack right now, but I recently started again with PT for the herniated disc in my lumbar and -Lo and Behold- my back and shoulders start hurting again. I had to leave PT yesterday because the traction belt kept sliding until she had it so tight I could not breathe. Then when she unleashed me to get up and try again from the beginning, I felt that horrible point right in the "bra strap" area that sent me to the ER months ago. It had been bothering me all weekend, but when I sat up from just a couple of minutes' traction, I knew why. I apologized and said there was no way I could undergo lumbar traction without getting some sort of palliative treatment for the other parts of my back that are strained by the aggressive lumbar treatment.

This something like my 5th round of PT. My last one ended with me in more pain than when I came in.

I don't know what is wrong with my back, the only thing the doctors "see" is a herniation and two much smaller bulges in my lumbar. I do have pain from that--a nagging aches after overexertion and the occasional pinched nerve. But it is my mid back and neck that nag me with sharp reminders that something-is-wrong when I have to sit up nicely for any period of time, as at the symphony, in a class, preesumably at a job.

I'm not experiencing the RA pain right now, although I'll certainly be able to describe it. He is supposed to evaluate for fibro as well. The results are meant to go to Social Security. I will request he prescribes me a cane, because when I do have flareups, I kind of need one. I'll explain the problems PT is causing me and has caused me. I will definitely report the reults back.

BTW, I called the "pain center" back and talked to someone and put my case to them straight: I've been through multiple rounds of PT, I use a lumbar-thoracic brace as needed, own a TNS unit, also PRN, and all this has done in the course of 2 years is cause me greater and greater agony, to the point where it has been agreed that I *need* to take painkillers. And if their goal is to take them away from me, then I am not interested in their services.

Problem is, all the specialists want me to report to a "PCP" and I really don't have one. When my student insurance stops and I am just on medicaid, I *really* won't have one. They don't want to do the prescribing. But since this rheumatologist seems unbusy enough that I was able to get a make up appt for the one I missed in less than a month, and he takes medicaid, maybe he will be willing to take me on.

Most days I wake up and a I can't even move. I finally get to see a rheumie and this happens during a good run. I hope he understands. I just don't know what to do. . . However, if most of the pain I'm experiencing can be explained by rheumatology, I think I will be happy. At least it's a start to finding out what the heck is wrong with me.

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"It's the end of the World as We Know it. . ."
-REM "and I'm seeking asylum in Canada"-toe