Chronic Back Pain for Years

contentandwell,

Kaiser docs are hospitalists for the most part. So much so that when I had my second child I refused to birth him in hospital. Their pediatrics follow the children through life.

My docs at Scripps here in San Diego are mostly supportive, however, they do miss things and do not necessarily pick up on how one problem could be the root of a very different problem than what they recognize. I still see a PCP due to them expecting the PCP to do the screening. It is often a waste of time.

I just self refer for most things unless, like an MRI, it absolutely needs a referral.

BUT...as far as pain goes, I found that coupling a B complex with pain meds helps rather a lot. No, I'm not a doc, not a nurse, not anything but a patient.

I hope you see better days soon.

Eileena

@eileena, When you mentioned Kaiser it reminded me of a question my niece asked her best friend, an Obstetrician at Kaiser. She asked “Is Kaiser a good hospital?” Doc said yes, as long as your not sick”

@coquifoife
To my knowledge there have not been any clinical studies or trials showing the effectiveness of Lyrica for depression whether Clinical, Manic, Seasonal, psychotic or which ever type depression your suffering from. However some success has been seen in using it for anxiety. Remember that Lyrica is an Anticonvulsant not an Antidepressant or Anti-anxiety medication. Depression is not even anOff label use of Lyrica.” Personally, my use of that HORRIBLE VILE drug Lyrica caused muscle and joint damage. I filled a complaint with the FDA and shortly after a new warning appeared on its label. Lyrica also has addictive properties as well. Staying within the Anti-depressive family of drugs in my opinion would be a much better choice.

@lifetime

I am a Volunteer Mentor with Mayo Connect and I have been off the site for a week or so due to reinjuring my back. I want to welcome you to the Mayo Connect community. I am not a medical professional and cannot make medical diagnosis or give medical advice, but I do offer my experience and support for community members.

Your experiences with the VA medical system sound very discouraging and if I was in your position, I would be very upset. I am writing from my bed due to my back injury and pain. My physicians are excellent and consider my wellness important. I had a laminectomy in December, 2016, to remove part of the disk at my L5-S1 that was impinging on my spinal cord. This is the first time my pain has returned to that area, as well as the area around my L4 disk. My surgeon has told me that repair to my L4 will take major surgery with rods and pins and he wanted me to search for every alternative to relieve my pain, which I have done.

I learned about Active Release Technique (ART) here in the Mayo Connect community. I decided to research it and try it for pain relief after going thru 2 rounds of physical therapy, massage, and acupuncture which did nothing to relieve any of my pain. My ART doctor/practitioner is a chiropractor, and he's excellent. Three weeks after he began work on my lumbar area, my pain was almost completely gone. After suffering for over 2 years, I was amazed and very happy. Now, in the midst of moving my home, not picking up boxes but unpacking them, I have done something to hurt my back again. Dang it!

When I read the series of posts by you and those responding to you, I could feel your pain and your need for trustworthy doctors. I understand that you are stuck with the current medical system you're in, at least for now. I really hope you will continue to be part of the Mayo Connect community if only to express your feelings about what is going on. We're here to support you and listen to you. We care about you and your situation. Please don't feel guilty about bringing your problems to this forum! That's what we all do. I hope you will continue to participate and let us know how you're feeling and how you're doing physically.

Warm regards
Gailb
Volunteer Mentor

@gailb sorry to hear you reinjured your back Im still looking into ART haven't found a chiropractor around here .I'm upset with my new healthcare system they won't send 2,referrals the Dr.sent in for me In Oct I'm going to look into another one Hope you get better soon.

@gailb, I hope you feel better soon so you can enjoy your new home. @cognac

@eileena I didn't know that about Kaiser, they do not operate on the east coast. So even if you are with Kaiser you can be covered gong outside of their network?
This was my gripe with my PCP. As a doctor of internal medicine, he should have been able to pick up on the relationship between my problems and put 2 and 2 together with but it took a neurologist to suspect it was my liver, not something neurological that was causing my HE episodes.
I too self-refer, such an advantage when you get on Medicare.
JK

@gailb Gail, I am so sorry to hear of your back problems. I hope you get relief soon and are back to your usual self. Someone mentioned you being in a new home. Have you moved from one area to another or just a local move?
JK

I have literally been at the end of my rope. Thank goodness, I received your e-mail!!
For the last few days, I have been completely wrecked..soul, body and mind.
I made an attempt to stand up for myself and my health in regards to my Primary Care Provider at the VA Hospital.
I wrote directly (I live too far away for a visit) to the woman in charge of being an "advocate" for veterans at the hospital.
I asked her if there was any way the VA could make provisions so they could pay for me to see a local Chiropractor, or ANY Chiropractor, for my lower back pain.. I asked for nothing else.
I told her my Primary Care Provider will absolutely NOT give me ANY kind of medication, no treatment, no pain pills,and no muscle relaxers, not even ibuprofen for my severe, unbearable back pain.
I told her my very recent MRI showed bulging and leaking disks and many other things..
I sent the message to her.
It was only a few hours later that I received a reply. She had taken my message directly to my Primary Health Provider and shown him what I had written. He was furious. Beyond furious.
The woman advocate told me I am now being banned from writing any more such messages or trying to see or talk to any other doctor about my back pain.
I was stunned..utterly stunned.
The VA knows they are in total control of my health.
One thing I do know, when I see my Primary Care Doctor next (coming up very soon), he is going to let me have it in the worse possible way.
I am scared to death.
I am sorry.. this is all I know to write.
Living with such excruciating pain..this is no life.
I just will try to keep on, somehow.

The above message only meant for@gailb. Thank you.