Hi Lauren here. Went to a new pain specialist for eval for pain pump. He is very concerned about fact i have a ton of scar tissue. Apparently, there is a big risk for a leak. He is willing to prescribe valium, as well as pain pills ( I asked him if he was familiar, knowledgeable about Arachnoiditis & he replied in the affirmative). He appears young & said he is willing to work with me. Since Everyone was brand new at my old pain group, decided to switch. I am currently taking 5mg oxycodone three times a day & think? i get 2 valium's a day. He wants me to try & manage pain with oral meds, see how i do. I can relate to the above...forget how many specialists i have, No one of them willing to read all the stuff i downloaded ( DR Tennant's material) I do have a DRG stimulator in my right leg. I have serious foot drop & so much nerve pain, hard to tell if it's helping. Don't think i have any expectations, any more. Balance & walking are now very difficult. New PM doc, said to keep working out, as much as possible. I am very limited in activities for exercise. Are U getting a spinal cord stimulator?? Mine is a dorsal root ganglion stimulator, DRG.... don't ask me details for this. I have had stimulator for 6 or 8? years. Couldn't even tell him who put it in. Around here, tremendous turnover with doctors, NP, office staff etc... My new PCP sending me to the Barrow's neurological for an eval. Probably wasting my time, but no one else around here, familiar, or willing to treat AA. Also, because i have poly neuropathy & peripheral neuropathy, a shoulder that needs to be replaced, PM doctor not sure the pump would be enough. Would need oral pain meds, as well as the pump. My life now seems to revolve around managing my symptoms Wanted to ask if U have Brain Fog? Sleep deprivation is a big part of my life. But i feel like i have lost about 30 IQ points. When i was on Facebook, others complained of this too. Think
i have spent last 25 or more years, dealing with spinal issues, fusions, sciatica, paralysis Nerve pain issues in various areas. Have U found PT to be of much help? I can't drive anymore, so i have transportation issues too. Coupled with financial issues, it can be overwhelming,,, Also, many drug resistant UTI's from suprapubic catheter. Now having some bowel incontinence. Am i depressed? definitely quite anxious. Had to describe my emotional state to new PM doc, & he seemed to confirm, that this goes with DX of AA. Was in the ER, for UTI diagnosis. Doctor told me no UTI... got a call confirming that i did have a couple of bugs growing in my urine. While i was there, i got Dilaudid, without even asking. Told him that i was suffering from AA, and he just gave me it to me. It all just depends on which doctor one gets in the ER. So i will have to do more research on pain pump, leaks & risks, in more detail. Guess i should have figured out, that there would be lot's of obstacles with pump, just like every thing else!. One thing that makes me sad, lot of people assume that u go to the doctor & are cured, feel better. They don't understand much about pain, or chronic conditions I understand that AA not the norm, but it can be frustrating.