Nov 2015 : Constant pain started after driving home from Alabama (to Ohio)
Nov 2015 and later : Four different chiropractors
Mar 2016 : Physical Therapy
Apr 2016 : MRI at Wood County Hospital
5-May-2016: Steroid Shot at Wood County Pain Management - could stand without pain for the first time in months
Feb/Mar 2017 : Steroid shots (three times) - pain gone for two weeks
May-2017 : Totaled car; hit deer
Jun/Jul 2017 : In pain, but could still play tennis
17-Jul-2017 : Last tennis match - can no longer play after this
25-Aug-2017 : Can no longer stand or sit
26-Aug-2017 : Went to ER - nothing done there; decided to increase Hydrocodone
26-Aug-2017 : Trigger point injection at APM (Trivedi) - Didn't help
Aug 2017 : MRI at Wildwood - Dr. Biyanni recommends RFA
1-Sep-2017 : Lumbar Medial Branch Block at APM (Trivedi) - Still can't stand for more than a minute
14-Sep-2017 : Selective nerve root block at APM (Trivedi) - Can stand for 30 minutes
20-Sep-2017 : Dr. Elgafy (UT Medical Center) recommends another nerve root block
27-Sep-2017 : Consultation with new pain management place (UT Medical Center) before doing another nerve root block. Doctor Atallah said two of my three previous procedures were the wrong thing. And the other one was probably in the wrong spot.
3-Oct-2017 : Had two steroid shots: L5/S1 Transforaminal Epidural. Doctor said it will take 24-72 hours to start helping. After 3 days I was much better; like 80%. Could stand for hours with some pain.
17-Oct-2017 : Had two steroid shots: L5/S1 Transforaminal Epidural.
14-Nov-2017 : Follow-up with Dr. Atallah. He recommended aqua therapy. He said he's seen the steroids last anywhere from 3 months to 3 years.
15-Nov-2017 : Got another opinion from Dr. Andreshak. He recommended physical therapy. He also gave me a sitting/stretching exercise to help.
Dec 2017 : Physical therapy sessions for core exercises.
18-Feb-2018 : Steroid shots lasted for four months. It's like they entirely wore off, suddenly, on 18-Feb. Was fine on 17-Feb. Can't play tennis or drum. Have appointment with Dr. Atallah on 21-Feb.
22-Feb-2018 : Transforaminal epidural with Dr. Attalah. Done at L4, and L5. Missed (forgot?) S1.
1-Mar-2018 : Transforaminal epidural with Dr. Attalah. Done at L4, L5, and S1.
12-Mar-2018 : MRI at Toledo Clinic on Holland-Sylvania Rd.
13-Mar-2018 : Met with Dr. Spetka. Recommends microdiscectomy if next shot doesn't work.
15-Mar-2018 : Transforaminal epidural with Dr. Attalah. Done at L5 and S1.
16-Mar-2018 : Met with Dr. Healy. He said I need a microdiscectomy.
22-Mar-2018 : Had surgery. Dr. Healy did a microdiscectomy at the Toledo Hospital. He said the problem was that there was a disc fragment that pressed up against the nerve. It broke away from the disc and was loose. Couldn't see that on an MRI. He removed the fragment. Don't know yet if he also shaved the disc. Will ask at next appointment. Feeling great now.
20-Apr-2018 : Follow-up visit with Dr. Healy. He said there were multiple loose disc fragments. He didn't shave the disc, but he looked for more fragments that were ready to come out, and there were none. He said I had already done all the work to get the nucleus material out of the disc. I'll go back in a month, and we'll talk about resuming tennis then. For now, I need to let it heal. He said I should be able to play all-out, and not worry about this issue anymore. I also told him I'm drumming for an hour at a time now, and he said that's good.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Bob's Back Issue - Part 4
5-Sep-2017 16:30
So frustrated and angry right now. I just don't get it. I can't stand or sit. And getting help from doctors is like pulling teeth.
Advanced Pain Management (APM) was supposed to call me today to tell me what the next step should be. I had a procedure on Friday to see how much it would help. Well, they didn't call, so I called at 16:30. They were gone, even though they're open until 17:00, so I got their answering service.
Here's how the call went with the answering service guy:
Me: "I'm calling because I was supposed to get a call today and didn't."
Me: "Hello?"
Guy: "I'm here."
Me: "Can I get some help?"
Then he starts to take my info. After he takes my info, this happens:
Me: "Can I ask you something? Is it me, or does it seem like this doctor's staff doesn't care about their patients?"
Guy: "Why? Because they left early today? I don't see how that means they don't care."
Me: "No, the fact that they left early and didn't call like they said they would."
Guy: "Do you want me to patch you through to the doctor, because it's urgent, or not?"
Me: "Yes."
Conversation with doctor (paraphrasing):
Me: "I need to know what the next step is. Someone was supposed to call me today."
Dr: "Did we do the procedure today?"
Me: "No, it was Friday."
Dr: "I need to know the percentage improvement."
Me: "50% Still can't stand or sit for more than a minute."
Dr: "Jenny will call you to schedule the next appointment. It will take some time since you have Aetna."
Me: "I have Blue Cross."
Dr: "Ok. Jenny will call you, most probably today."
Me: "What would the next step be?"
Dr: "Do another branch block, with stronger medication."
Me: "Ok."
It's 16:58. What are the odds that Jenny calls?
Is it me, or is this terrible?
Oh, and I contacted another doctor on Friday by sending him a fax, explaining my situation and asking for help. And I called that office again this morning and left a message. So far no reply. What the heck? I'm at a loss...
So frustrated and angry right now. I just don't get it. I can't stand or sit. And getting help from doctors is like pulling teeth.
Advanced Pain Management (APM) was supposed to call me today to tell me what the next step should be. I had a procedure on Friday to see how much it would help. Well, they didn't call, so I called at 16:30. They were gone, even though they're open until 17:00, so I got their answering service.
Here's how the call went with the answering service guy:
Me: "I'm calling because I was supposed to get a call today and didn't."
Me: "Hello?"
Guy: "I'm here."
Me: "Can I get some help?"
Then he starts to take my info. After he takes my info, this happens:
Me: "Can I ask you something? Is it me, or does it seem like this doctor's staff doesn't care about their patients?"
Guy: "Why? Because they left early today? I don't see how that means they don't care."
Me: "No, the fact that they left early and didn't call like they said they would."
Guy: "Do you want me to patch you through to the doctor, because it's urgent, or not?"
Me: "Yes."
Conversation with doctor (paraphrasing):
Me: "I need to know what the next step is. Someone was supposed to call me today."
Dr: "Did we do the procedure today?"
Me: "No, it was Friday."
Dr: "I need to know the percentage improvement."
Me: "50% Still can't stand or sit for more than a minute."
Dr: "Jenny will call you to schedule the next appointment. It will take some time since you have Aetna."
Me: "I have Blue Cross."
Dr: "Ok. Jenny will call you, most probably today."
Me: "What would the next step be?"
Dr: "Do another branch block, with stronger medication."
Me: "Ok."
It's 16:58. What are the odds that Jenny calls?
Is it me, or is this terrible?
Oh, and I contacted another doctor on Friday by sending him a fax, explaining my situation and asking for help. And I called that office again this morning and left a message. So far no reply. What the heck? I'm at a loss...
Friday, September 1, 2017
Bob's Back Issue - Part 3
1-Sep-2017
9:00 AM - Lumbar Medial Branch Block Procedure
I was injected with an anesthetic multiple times in order to relieve the pain from the nerves. If I felt much better after this, then I'd be a candidate for RFA, which would deaden the nerve(s).
I was originally told I'd wait for about 20 minutes after the injection, and then let the doctor know how I felt. Instead, they sent me home after the procedure and told me to call back that afternoon with how I felt. I did call back, and left a message. Twice. I got a call back after hours. I explained that I felt a little better, but I still couldn't stand for more than a minute or so. The lady said that RFA probably wouldn't work, and they wouldn't know what to do for the next step until they're open again on Tuesday, after the three day weekend.
So I'm back to lying down 24/7 until someone can figure out what's wrong.
I also sent a fax to another doctor today for a second opinion. But again, three-day weekend, so I'm just waiting.
9:00 AM - Lumbar Medial Branch Block Procedure
I was injected with an anesthetic multiple times in order to relieve the pain from the nerves. If I felt much better after this, then I'd be a candidate for RFA, which would deaden the nerve(s).
I was originally told I'd wait for about 20 minutes after the injection, and then let the doctor know how I felt. Instead, they sent me home after the procedure and told me to call back that afternoon with how I felt. I did call back, and left a message. Twice. I got a call back after hours. I explained that I felt a little better, but I still couldn't stand for more than a minute or so. The lady said that RFA probably wouldn't work, and they wouldn't know what to do for the next step until they're open again on Tuesday, after the three day weekend.
So I'm back to lying down 24/7 until someone can figure out what's wrong.
I also sent a fax to another doctor today for a second opinion. But again, three-day weekend, so I'm just waiting.
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