[Valleydachs]

This whole thing started with a head cold. After two weeks I was feeling pretty well and then was slammed with the worst sore throat ever. Next my left arm ached, like I had slept on it wrong. Next day, spasms in mid back. Had to hold on to walls to walk. Arm feels worse. Can't lift it anywhere near my shoulder. Go to Medstop and they give me pain pills and a muscle relaxer. They diagnose me with strep (remember the sore throat) and take a shoulder x-ray. Diagnosis from the shoulder xray is bicep tendonitis. I am a office clerk. About the only exercise I get is walking to and from work twice at day...about 2 miles. Don't know how that could have happened. Next couple days, mid back pain subsides but moves to left thigh and down my leg to knee. I can barely walk at all even with a 3 prong cane. It is excruciatingly painful. Next joy, I have now become incontinent. Try to get to bathroom but as I try, it just bursts forth. Go to my GP. By this time I must be rolled into the exam room in a wheelchair. She just talks with me. Doesn't touch me or examine me. When I tell her where my present pain is, she immediately comes up with Sciatica for a diagnosis. Nothing is addressed to the incontinence. She sends me home with a script for a lower back xray, a name of an ortho doctor and a script for Valium. Now I'm here. Can't walk or hardly stand due to the pain in my left thigh and knee and I'm sitting here wearing an adult night time diaper.

Sorry this is long but I extremely confused, frustrated and do not know where to turn next. I have been given permission for another week off at work but I don't see this fixing itself in that time. Asked my GP about short term disability but she kind of played dumb and said she didn't know much about it. I'm in CA and we have State Disability here but I have no idea how to start........but that's another topic.

Thank you for any who has taken the time to read this. I am in a world of hurt here and now I need to change my dang diaper again. It will take me about 1/2 hour to get to the bathroom across the hall.

[ConsiderThis]

Originally Posted by Valleydachs

This whole thing started with a head cold. After two weeks I was feeling pretty well and then was slammed with the worst sore throat ever. Next my left arm ached, like I had slept on it wrong. Next day, spasms in mid back. Had to hold on to walls to walk. Arm feels worse. Can't lift it anywhere near my shoulder. Go to Medstop and they give me pain pills and a muscle relaxer. They diagnose me with strep (remember the sore throat) and take a shoulder x-ray. Diagnosis from the shoulder xray is bicep tendonitis. I am a office clerk. About the only exercise I get is walking to and from work twice at day...about 2 miles. Don't know how that could have happened. Next couple days, mid back pain subsides but moves to left thigh and down my leg to knee. I can barely walk at all even with a 3 prong cane. It is excruciatingly painful. Next joy, I have now become incontinent. Try to get to bathroom but as I try, it just bursts forth. Go to my GP. By this time I must be rolled into the exam room in a wheelchair. She just talks with me. Doesn't touch me or examine me. When I tell her where my present pain is, she immediately comes up with Sciatica for a diagnosis. Nothing is addressed to the incontinence. She sends me home with a script for a lower back xray, a name of an ortho doctor and a script for Valium. Now I'm here. Can't walk or hardly stand due to the pain in my left thigh and knee and I'm sitting here wearing an adult night time diaper.

Sorry this is long but I extremely confused, frustrated and do not know where to turn next. I have been given permission for another week off at work but I don't see this fixing itself in that time. Asked my GP about short term disability but she kind of played dumb and said she didn't know much about it. I'm in CA and we have State Disability here but I have no idea how to start........but that's another topic.

Thank you for any who has taken the time to read this. I am in a world of hurt here and now I need to change my dang diaper again. It will take me about 1/2 hour to get to the bathroom across the hall.

Wow, that's NO FUN at all! I'm sorry to hear that you are going through all this.

You've reminded me of a couple things I experienced. First of all, when I was living in hydrogen sulfide that I didn't know about I was put on anti-depressants... and before long, after an initial euphoria, I got incontinence. WAY depressing.

I decided to drink a lot of green tea to clear my system, and that worked really well. Not in two days, but fairly soon.

My doctor laughed and crumpled up the sheet of counter indications that had come with the anti depressants. So much for a caring doctor.

So, if you have green tea, make yourself a cup or mug of it every hour or two.

Then, the pain. It could be from nerves. This is harder to explain, but when I had tetanus I discovered that exertion or stress could cause me to totally lose strength, so that like you I had to grasp the walls to keep from falling if it hit while I was up.

Even sitting at a desk was too hard, once I was "hit".

If I rested, totally still in bed, then in a couple days I'd be much better. If I refused to immediately rest, like once when I was at Home Depot and it took ages to get what I needed and I kept feeling worse and worse but couldn't just leave... it took three months for me to recover.

I use a rolling walker. I ordered a three prong cane, but then I read a LOT of reviews and people said they switched to a rolling walker. Mine is a HUGO and quite heavy, which makes me feel secure. I have a less heavy one that's lower to the ground, so I can work in my garden, but it feels as if it would tip more easily. I'm pretty tall, so I don't want to fall because I put my weight on the lighter weight walker in an out of balance way.

You may benefit from vitamin B12. Nerves require B12. Methylcobalamin is the best kind to use... in the sublingual form.

B12 can reduce pain rather dramatically, but not overnight. You sort of have to replace it in your tissue, where it's been used up. So, it takes a little while to get the full benefit.

I should ask, do you feel best in the morning when you first wake up? I found that was my best time when I had tetanus. That made it clear to me that my nerves recovered a lot during the time I slept. Muscles tend to feel better with exercise... nerves like rest once they've suffered some damage...

Karen

[Leesa]

My dear, get your doctor to do an MRI with and without contrast material. An X-ray doesn't show the soft tissue, and the discs are soft tissue. You need to see if the discs are herniated, and it sure sounds like it. You MIGHT have a condition known as CAUDA EQUINA syndrome, and that can be serious. If you should lose control of your bowels, get to the EMERGENCY room! Then it would be a case of surgery!

After you get the MRI done, you need a referral to a NEUROSURGEON for an opinion. You may or may not need surgery. Right now, your bladder sounds like it's effected, and that's not good! See your doctor ASAP and make SURE he runs the MRI. If he won't do it, change doctors!!! But you need this done. PLEASE let us (me) know what happens, will you? I'm worried about you. I don't mean to scare you by any means, as this is certainly correctable. You may just need therapy, but the fact that your bladder is involved concerns me.

So take care of this ASAP. God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee

[Valleydachs]

Wow Karen and Leesa. Thank you sooooo much for your replies. A friend had a walker she wasn't using and while the cane was good, the walker is CADILLAC! Much easier getting around.

About the incontinence, after talking to hubby about this, we have decided that it isn't TRUE incontinence where I'm leaking all the time. It's more of an issue that when I have to go.....like when I wake up....that I just can't get there fast enough. Still, the diaper makes me feel more comfortable just in case I can't make it.

Doc says due to insurance that I must have an xray FIRST before an MRI. Funny how some folks can get an MRI at the blink of an eye who have a hangnail. Ah, but don't get me started. Pain pills seems to be kicking in more today and I charted them so I don't overdo.

Leesa, I'm on the same page as you. I think a neuro doc would deal better with this than an Orthopedist. I just don't have a lot of faith in my GP right now and, indeed, may be changing docs. Fortunately I have a PPO that allows me to self-refer. I've always kind of thought with other things I went to her with that she was thinking I'm way too dramatic bordering on hypochondriac. I have some other muscle/nerve problems that I've had more than one doc say could benefit possibly from a Neurologist. Problem here is we are a small town that it takes forever to get into any doctor the first time...if they are accepting new patients at all. Also, I don't drive due to a vision disability but because I have no certification from a health provider, I'm not eligible to ride the Ride On bus that takes seniors and other "certified" disabled people to their doctors. Asked my GP about this and again she played dumb and said she didn't know how that worked getting certified for this service. So, I've got my homework cut out for me. The good news is, if I have another week to rest, perhaps....just perhaps I may be able to go back to work......as long as I can bring my Cadillac walker with me.

Now I'm off to read to see if I can give support to any here needing it. Thanks again for all your wonderful input.

[Darlene]

Valleydachs,

It is great to have you come and be with us. You will fine a great number of dear friends to listen when you are in need of ears. You will find out we are supportive and relaxing place.

Seems that Karen & Leesa have given you some good advise on your situation. Hope to hear soon you will be able to get rid of your CADILLAC!

Please keep us up to date on your situation. Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

[Valleydachs]

Or is that all my good drugs? Thank you so much, Darlene, for welcoming me. Yeah, I'd love to drive this "Cadillac" off a cliff but for now, she is a huge life saver! I did lots of thinking last night and am plotting a plan. My hubby set my headquarters up by the loveseat recliner with phone, tablet, barf bowl......it happens......and other stuff to keep me amused. I'm only here at the computer now because my pills kicked in and I do so love to check my mail (ALL JUNK) and look in on my forums. I've been a forums-type gal from long back. My first ever forum was over 20 years ago (all about wiener dogs) and I'm still there and have met in person many folks from that group.

One thing I'm going to investigate, again it came to me in the night right after I had to...um.....change my diaper, is looking into a medical leave at work. I work 32 hours (still considered full time) and I think that would be a good route to go. Will talk to my HR lady today or tomorrow.

I was proud of myself that I actually fixed breakfast for hubby today. I just position myself close to the stove and pivot. He gets things out of the fridge for me and then I cook. We are bacon and eggs people so that's what I did. I do my bacon in the microwave so it's easy. I did cereal for myself today.

Darlene, you sound so sweet. I hope that we can be friends. I'll watch for your posts. Do you have a big intro post so I can read what's up with you?

Thanks everyone for your super warm and fuzzy welcome.

Sandi

[Darlene]

Just click on my name and you will see a box and there you can the view into my information.

[ConsiderThis]

Originally Posted by Valleydachs

Wow Karen and Leesa. Thank you sooooo much for your replies. A friend had a walker she wasn't using and while the cane was good, the walker is CADILLAC! Much easier getting around.

About the incontinence, after talking to hubby about this, we have decided that it isn't TRUE incontinence where I'm leaking all the time. It's more of an issue that when I have to go.....like when I wake up....that I just can't get there fast enough. Still, the diaper makes me feel more comfortable just in case I can't make it.

Doc says due to insurance that I must have an xray FIRST before an MRI. Funny how some folks can get an MRI at the blink of an eye who have a hangnail. Ah, but don't get me started. Pain pills seems to be kicking in more today and I charted them so I don't overdo.

Leesa, I'm on the same page as you. I think a neuro doc would deal better with this than an Orthopedist. I just don't have a lot of faith in my GP right now and, indeed, may be changing docs. Fortunately I have a PPO that allows me to self-refer. I've always kind of thought with other things I went to her with that she was thinking I'm way too dramatic bordering on hypochondriac. I have some other muscle/nerve problems that I've had more than one doc say could benefit possibly from a Neurologist. Problem here is we are a small town that it takes forever to get into any doctor the first time...if they are accepting new patients at all. Also, I don't drive due to a vision disability but because I have no certification from a health provider, I'm not eligible to ride the Ride On bus that takes seniors and other "certified" disabled people to their doctors. Asked my GP about this and again she played dumb and said she didn't know how that worked getting certified for this service. So, I've got my homework cut out for me. The good news is, if I have another week to rest, perhaps....just perhaps I may be able to go back to work......as long as I can bring my Cadillac walker with me.

Now I'm off to read to see if I can give support to any here needing it. Thanks again for all your wonderful input.

Hi, I didn't see this reply, until now. I'm so glad to hear that you have a Cadillac, now. LOL. GREAT!

I began wondering if possibly you had a tick bite or something. Do you know? in case it could be Lyme's...

Something that helped me a lot with peeing issues was Turmeric. I started using it when I got a rash of small, white pimples... I had tried dusting with baking soda to get rid of a lot of brown spots... I forget their medical name... Ah, I remember, sebacious keritosis. It worked well for some, but dusting under my breasts caused this rash outbreak. When I looked online I found that a lot of people experienced that same thing, but in relation to exercising.

Then I found that Turmeric was recommended for boils. Apparently ingesting turmeric reduced or got rid of boils, so I bought a small bottle from the grocery store. It helped almost immediately, so since then I've been buying it by the pound and using it in a lot of my cooking, plus I buy turmeric in capsules and take those.

The two things that Turmeric has helped with in an ongoing way are lactose intolerance, which is non existent for me if I'm using Turmeric, and... the peeing issue. It has vastly reduced that sense of urgency and the difficulty "holding it" when I wake up in the morning.

By the way, did you try Methylcobalamin sublinguals?

Karen