Hi All.

Just wanted to update you on what the ortho surgeon said. I wasn't overly impressed with him. My appointment was at 10AM today, got there 10 min early.Because I'm a self-pay patient they took me to the back office to take my money before they even checked me in. Sat for over an hour before I got called back to the exam room. Then the nurse asked what I was being seen for. Told her my back and neck needed to be evaluated.She informed me that the doc would only examine one thing, either my back or neck and I had to choose which one I needed looked at first.I told her my neck so had to fill out a different questionaire.While I was filling it out this P.A. came in and grabbed the form from me and started filling it out.He said the doc was on a tight schedule and didn't have time to wait.He filled out the form, did a quick exam, looked at my M.R.I. and said he's going to recommend an epideral with steroids and nerve block in combination with physical therapy.He left me, I sat for another hour before the real doc came in.He sat down, took a cursory look at the M.R.I. and said he wants me to get an injection and do P.T. and see him back in 2 months. He left the room in less than 5 minutes without me even getting to ask 1 question.The first thing he told me was surgery is expensive and that I couldn't afford it.Excuse me??? Anyhoo,I think it's time to find a different doc.Unfortunetly I was sent to one that is a network doc for the clinic I go to so I didn't have much choice.Now I have to go back to him in a month to get my back looked at and shell out even more money for a visit he could have easily done today.Can someone say money hungry doc?

My question is, has anyone had a successful nerve block with steroid injection followed by P.T.? The P.A. did show me where the disc bulge is pressing on my spinal cord and intruding on the forminal processes so I don't see how P.T. and shot will fix the problem other than wasting more money.

Sorry for the long-winded post but needed to vent.I'm very frustrated at the way the doc handled things today and maybe someone here can give me some insight to what this doc is trying to do.

Thanks,
Ken