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Excruciating chronic left side neck pain plus lumbar issues
Spine Health | Last Active: Nov 18, 2023 | Replies (360)Comment receiving replies
Hi Alfred
Thank you Embellish 1 for echoing many things I have already told Alfred to do previously on this thread.. I agree with many things you posted.
As far as me, I am alive, which is better than the alternative. My story is too long to get into it here.
Lyrica did not work for me. Takes a very long time to work and most effective dose is 120mg.
Look at Stanford Dr Ian Carrol on Nerve
https://youtu.be/v8CP-rfqp0s
Lastly the only expert who ever took time to explain my MRIs was a Dr, my neurologist. Suggest you get one on your care team in addition to a new pain dr and neurosurgeon. Mine was Johns Hopkin trained and knew more about meds than anyone I have ever met.
Lastly maybe you should consider flying to Mayo, like I did. You have to send your entire file to their Neuro dept before they can schedule you, but you get some of the best experts on the planet. It was worth the expense for me.
Replies to "Hi Alfred Thank you Embellish 1 for echoing many things I have already told Alfred to..."
Excellent video!
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Hi jm1,
how are you?
Thanks for the helpful info.
It looks like Olympic Park Imaging in Melbourne have these MRI 3T machines you talked about. See attachment.
Web link: https://www.iop.net.au/
I have been at Olympic Park Imaging last month for my cortisone injections but I didn't have MRI scans there. I will have to ask the current MRI provider, that I have been using, to see what type of machine they use.
I have also employed the services of a neurologist, but the appointment is not until 20th of March 2023. It is very hard to get fast appointments currently due to the holiday season and the fact that they are very busy.
Last night I took my pain medication comprising of Endep, Pregabalin (Lyrica), Clonidine (Catapress), Diclofenac, Targin(Oxycodone/Naxolone) and 1/5 a Valium tablet. They helped me with the pain, falling asleep, but early this morning I felt a very deep, diffuse pain around the thoracic T3/T4 area which I have been feeling before for the last 10 days. As I said, 10 days ago I overextended my spine by bending down. Since this episode I am getting pain shooting in my legs, feet and toes on and off. I can still walk, but I limp due to the right lumbar spine L2/3, L3/4 nerve compression. I hope that you are right about the thoracic spine part getting better with time.
Unfortunately I can't help the anxiety and the depression. It is very hard to stay calm when you have so much pain. I have thoughts of impending doom.
I would love to go to the Mayo Clinic to be assessed for a solution to my problems, but I can't conceive how I am going to fly there with all this pain, especially in economy class.
I suppose that I could take very strong pain killers such as Palexia.
The second problem is that I am not financially able to pay for my ticket, my stay, the hospital, the doctors.
Lastly I am not vaccinated because I chose not to take part of a clinical trial, especially seeing what is happening now with the side effects.
The US will not let any non American citizen to come to the US without a vax passport even though the rest of my health is perfectly fine.
My kidneys, liver, heart, lungs are in good shape especially my heart/lungs because I used to do long distance road bike riding for the last 20 years IE 150km in a day sometimes.
I don't smoke and drink an occasional half glass of red wine with dinner.
My normal heat beat is between 45-48 beats per minute.
Anyway enough of me. I know that I can talk too much due to the constant frustration that I am in.
Thanks again.
Best regards
Alfred