Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Hi @minneapolis123, I'm sorry to hear that there is an issue with the type of insurance coverage you have. There is a difference between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Fellow members explain in this related discussion:
- Does Mayo Clinic take Medicare? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/does-mayo-clinic-take-medicare/

I encourage you to contact Mayo Clinic Insurance and Billing to get clarification on your coverage and what can be done.
- Mayo Clinic Insurance https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/billing-insurance/contact-us

Hello
I called Mayo Rochester back to ask them since they are out of Network is it possible to pay my share of the 45% Co-pay? The answer was surprisingly no, if the Mayo Call Coordinator said if your Medicare is not In Network they will not accept 45% out of pocket. How are the peiple from other parts of the world paying? with cash? All I wanted for Dr Bydon to do at this point was to review all the Images of my spine and make a recommendation on how he would proceed. But he looks like the question will not be answered. I was not looking for anything for free.

Thank you.
On Friday, June 16, 2023 at 12:13:21 PM PDT, Mayo Clinic Connect wrote:

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hello im don. i had knee replacement in December 2021. It helped, but now i have swelling in that leg and foot that was not present before the surgery. First they said that it would go away after 6 to 12 months. It has been almost 2 years. it sometimes causes me pain and sometimes spasms. the swelling is so bad that one leg is twice as big as the other and I cant get my foot in the normal size shoe that i wear. I have to get a bigger size and a wide width . I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem, and if they resolved it what they did.

I have an AWESOME neurosurgeon in Sacramento CA who got me out of a walker at age 29 and gave me two lumbar titanium cages, L3-4 and L4-5, bolts, plates, and a full lumbar fusion. He is awesome!! If you want his name please let me know!! I can now work full time and walk! I have some chronic pain but nothing like before surgery! Good luck to you!!

Me llamo Lucía y estoy intentando encontrar ayuda para mi problema de dolor crónico, ya que después de varias operaciones, sigo sufriendo de dolor en la parte posterior de ambas piernas todos los días (justo altura de coxis) que hace q tenga que andar con andador. Tuve primero una operación lumbar pero por una mala intervención me produjo una estenosis de canal ( síndrome de cola de caballo) por la que me volvieron a operar en 2 ocasiones más. Ahora mismo llevo 8 tornillos y fijación de la columna en zona lumbar . Estoy mejor de mi dolor en la columna y ando más estirada pero después de mi operación me quede con un dolor crónico de piernas que no me permite andar sin ayuda. Tengo solamente 58 años y siempre había podido bailar, hacer deporte, senderismo.... a solamente poder nadar para conseguir algún alivio. Ya tomo opioides y pregabalina para el dolor pero ya no noto mucha mejoría. Por eso he decidido escribir en esta página e intentar encontrar ayuda que aquí los médicos me dicen que ya no pueden hacer nada.

Hola, Lucia001,
Hablo solamente un poquito de español pero entiendo la mejor de lo que ha escrito. No se donde vive pero me parece que necesita una amigo que le ayudara a navigator la sistema medica en su locación. Yo también sufro de dolor crónico y como usted, tomo Pregabolino y Tramadol, pero ellos me ayuden en casos mayores. Lo siento mucho que tenga esa dolor - especialmente desde tiene solamente 58 anos! (Yo tengo 76.) No tengo respuesta pero estoy preguntando a Dios que le ayude en esto. Y me alegro de que este encontrado este sitio!

Hi
I live in New Zealand and suffer from chronic lower back pain due to lumbar spinal stenosis. I am learning how to manage the pain naturally and the chronic pain caused by severe muscle spasms in my lower back. I am looking forward to hearing how others deal with chronic pain without having to take lumbar epidural cortisone injections or rely on strong pain medication and antispam drugs.
Thank You
Deana

Hi my name is Teri, I live in the Pacific Northwest specifically in Washington state. I have scoliosis, bulging discs and stenosis with impingement issues. I am not a candidate for surgery, due to no viable bone. So I live with constant pain going down my leg from L4-S1. Numbness, burning, tingling are all my 24/7 friends. I dislike pain medications so I went for a SCS last week. Time will tell.

Hi! My name is Kate and I live in Iowa. I have am 75 yr old and have had back issues most of my life. I have had to 2 back surgeries and cervical fusion for degenerative issues. in 2022, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and will be having test the end of September for fibromyalgia. My RA is well controlled so I can buy into having another issue. This "new" pain started after my surgeries in May. The pain is not in my joints but other places all over. I have terrible brain fog, and fatigue (also part of RA). I look forward to learning more about my issues.