Visit to NS Today

[Kathi49]

I had my one year follow up with my NS today. And it looks as if my neck is holding up well even with some minor changes. The tech took flexion and extension xrays and as my NS pointed out...looks pretty good. How long that will last I have no clue! :eek: :) So, it is as I thought...more muscular in nature and to be expected I suppose. And I did tell him about the PT and how it had affected the occipital area. So, he understood and was glad I had gone ahead and got the trigger point injections...which would have been next anyway. Either that or facet injections....still waiting to see how this goes. And so far so good...just some minor "regular" headaches.

What I get tickled at is every time I get the xrays the tech and I have an inside joke about the NS's attitude on that particular day. So, as usual, I said, "How is Dr. ____ today?" And the tech's response..."...hovering in the middle." Which basically means...calm and not in hyper mode. :) But I never did choose him for his bedside manner or abruptness. I chose him because he is one of the best NS's in town out of two. We just joke about it. I did ask the tech if they had been or are missing my PM who moved on. And he told me yes, that he practically taken ALL of his patients with him. I just laughed and said...I bet and I am one of them! But he did add that he misses him because he was always friendly and was a good doc and asked me how he was doing. I told him fine...but VERY busy. That new place is hopping!!

Anyway, the NS thinks the pain in my right hand is associated more with carpal tunnel....considering the C6/C7 is just not all that bad and it is my WHOLE hand and wrist. And I did tell him the Neurologist said it was slight. It bugs me...but it is not too bad...not yet anyway. So, I will just wear a brace/splint at night.

Sooo, that's about it...another appointment was made for same time NEXT year. I just hope nothing happens between now and then.

[slipnslide]

Kathi,

It's nice to hear that your fusion looks good on xray and i'm glad your appt went well. As for the hand pain, who knows!?!?...lol. If the splints help, great!, if not, then it's possible that whatever is going on is bad enough to feel, but not to show up on an MRI or EMG.....yet....lol

Best wishes,

Kim

[Boxerlover]

Kathi, glad your appointment went well. I always love it when I don't have to go back until next year! Hopefully the brace will help your hand.

Take care
Melissa

[suede]

Kathi,

Sounds pretty good to me, we'll keep good thoughts coming your way that this year will prove to be a good one for you.

Linda

[Mark N]

Kathi,

Glad the visit was good news. Now you just have to get the muscles toned back up after all the abuse they have taken from the surgeries.

Melissa, I would put an antibiotic cream on the burn. Leave it open to air as much as you can to let it heal faster. As funny as the picture is of your dog running circles around you I can feel for you and the pain of the rope burn.

[Kathi49]

Thanks you guys!

Kim,

Exactly! It sort of goes like this...fusions look good, but you STILL have this, that or the other LOL! Do I really need to list them all? LOL You KNOW what I am talking about. :eek: Have had the EMG, CT and MRI...geez. But, hey, you know, it is as he said...I will always have have some kind of pain/sensations going on. Just deal right? LOL But of course as he was saying all of this that ole occipital pain has been a dull ache for several days...but there was also dizziness. So...I just dealt. :D You also know what I mean about that too. Sort of like getting those higher level injections and then feeling dizzy; it felt that same way yesterday. I would imagine that some of it IS from those trigger point injections and the steroid itself. Just don't know for sure and is the reason I am waiting for a few weeks...just a wait and see thing. My PM did say...if it didn't work...we would talk about facet injections next...or whatever the case might be. It is really difficult to pinpoint what level without them. And if I could bring myself to it and it was warranted, I would consider an RF. But that high up (C2/C3 is what I am thinking) sort of worries me but yet something I could talk to him about. There is no herniation or bulge at that level...just facet arthritis.

Melissa,

I feel for you! You are right though...ain't puppy training fun? LOL And, YAY, the fence IS going up in two more weeks! :) (We had a much better second estimate). At least this way the pups can and run and play and do their business and won't be tugging and pulling on me too much. I would do as Mark suggested though and definitely would let air get to it when you can. Oh, and just for giggles. When I got home yesterday from the NS, I had forgotten that the pup's razor teeth had got my left arm about 8 times....just little punctures...but still. I was thinking...geez, I hope my NS didn't see all of that...he is going to wonder what the heck got a hold of me LOL! But you know...when you are playing with them...they don't know. They didn't bite me...just kind of caught me or grazed me. Anyway, they get neutered tomorrow....hopefully, that will calm them down a bit...but I doubt seriously too much. :)

Linda,

Thanks! I just hope nothing goes haywire during the next year. Hopefully, it will just be periodic PM visits and nothing really major.

Mark,

I think the muscles are TOO toned! Just kidding. I know what you mean...you can have spasms or tightness and STILL have weakness. All I can say is something his PA said once...you just HAVE to keep those muscles loose but strong at the same time. Okay, well, how do we go about this? LOL I know, I know...stretches and PT, heat, ice or meds...whatever works. :)

So, thank you again...just going to keep my fingers crossed.

[slipnslide]

Kathi,

If you haven't yet tried the RF'S, I would suggest trying them. I know that what works for one, may not work for the next person, but it might be worth giving it a try. When I had my RF done, it took care of some of the neck pain, so to me, it was definitely worth it (and it's not really a painful procedure compared to what we deal with daily:) ).

Kim

[Kathi49]

Kim,

I just might...depending on what he recommends next. :) And I believe it will be facet injections of course. And you are right...I had an RF done in the lumbar and it was extremely helpful! I would repeat it in a heartbeat...just haven't had to yet. :) I think my fear comes in when, originally, the first PM spelled out the risks...especially high up. And one of those was PERMANENT pain. So, it scared me at that time. I just could NOT imagine the pain being any worse and/or PERMANENT. I needed a fusion anyway...so what was the point. But I will see what he has in mind next. And I do agree with you...that RF was nothing. I have said before I don't even remember what I talked about during the procedure. I just remember bits and pieces. I asked him later if I had answered his questions and he said yes...but I sure don't remember what he even asked me. :) Oops, forgot too...there was some kind of other procedure, I cannot remember the name, where the original PM said he could do something to destroy the nerve BUT I would have a numb head the rest of my life! :eek: At the time I said, "Cool, that will work!" But then he said...think twice because I have patients that WISH they could feel something now. Anyway, I recalled him saying that the other day because after those trigger point injections my skull was numb for HOURS! And I was thinking...ick...would I REALLY want to feel that way for the rest of life?! It is kind of a sickening feeling...like having your mouth numb all day only it is your bowling ball of a head LOL! And that is what it felt like...no nerve pain or anything...just a big bowling ball...as in heaviness and pressure without pain. Oh, well, weird I know...but it was kind of an icky sensation.

[slipnslide]

Kathi,

LOL!:eek: :eek: The bowling ball thing made me chuckle. When I had my last RF done, I asked my PM if he couldn't just totally sever those nerves to make sure they could not fire ever again. His response was that that would be great for pain, but I'd totally lose muscle control too. Initially I though "wouldn't that be great to have no more pain!", but the thought of not being able to feel or use the muscles in my hip and thigh definitely turned me off.

Kim

[Kathi49]

Kim,

OMG! LOL! That WAS the first thing I asked when this all began years ago. What my PM said was, "Well, Mrs. _______ if we did that, and after you woke up, we would have to say....sorry, your arms don't work anymore...oops!" But that was before I knew the differences between the motor nerves, etc. LOL I just wish I could remember the name of the procedure he had talked about but it was NOT an RF. And that's why he said some of his patients wished they could feel again; that it was making them nuts and some even wished they had the pain back. I can really understand that though. Can you imagine having, as after dental work, having your mouth numb for the rest of your life? I suppose it beats severe pain but geez, I wonder if you ever would really get used to it.

Anyway, while I am thinking about it...

I had to call and cancel my Urogyn appointment today because there are several things going on; landscaping, neutering...you name it LOL! Anyway, I had forgotten that my Urogyn has a website and I know you were wondering about it. So, go to www.myurogyn.com and you can get an idea as to what they are all about in regards to pelvic issues. And watch Dr. Hale's video...he mentions disc pain and neuropathic or neurological problems. Sure, most of it has to do with female issues...but I liked it because he mentioned the above. He's my doc and the one that put me in pelvic floor PT. And I am soooooo glad I did it! I just wish that same website listed the treatments...but they aren't out there yet. So, just a thought...at least you can get idea of their credentials and what it is all about.