Read notes from first visit with PM, had first block
 

I was not able to switch PM doctors yet, with having to go through workers comp and with having to convince my ortho to send in the paperwork for it. They have been horrible with the WC paperwork from the get go. So, I'm trying to make the best of it. :(

His notes were really interesting. It seemed he had answered to questions that he could not have gotten unless he had me take my shirt off and touched me, which he did not, and he would have needed to see me walk which he did not....

What was the most interesting to me was that under patient instructions they put: Clinically this does not seem to be RSD. I strongly believe that there is a strong psychosocial component to her pain... WHAT?????:eek::eek::eek:
What in the heck is he thinking?? Anyone ever hear this before? He told me in the office that the block would tell him for sure if it is RSD....
He said it wasn't RSD because I have trouble lifting my arm above my head and it is not really swollen and terribly red and blotchy. I tried to explain swelling comes and goes, it doesn't usually get very red, but it gets very ice cold and very dry compared to the left arm, but it is very hard to compare it to an arm that is so messed up from a stroke that happened 41 years ago.... grr

Yesterday I had my Stellate Ganglion Block, which went well. I was concerned about the spasms I have in my left side from my stroke, that happen when I lay flat on my back. They also were able to get around the plate in my neck, which I think is on C6 and C5, but I honestly can't remember. (I hate the fact I don't remember things!!!) The side effects were rather interesting!! My right eye very red and very droopy, my face was very tingly also. Today it oddly burns on occasion? It kind of feels like someone has slapped me repeatedly...:eek: any ideas on that?????

I am up to two pills(75mg) twice a day of the lyrica. Which has put me back into la la land. I feel drunker than I did when I started taking it. It took me almost 2 weeks to get that feeling to stop and slow down by an hour or so each day. So we will see how this works, and if I can make it through this or not. Ideas? Opinions very very welcome!!

:hug:

Hi Scuba,

I am headed out the door and can't give much answer to this. Will save outrage for another time. On the droopy eye though, I think that is called Horner's syndrome or sign, not sure, but it is a sign the block went where it should have and does happen sometimes....

:hug:

Were the notes from a work comp dr or one of your own choosing?

If a dr picked by the work comp ins , do not be surprised about any misleading or false comments..that is how they roll..:(

I hope you have your own drs and atty on your side.
It will be a tricky case due to the past stroke issues & the neck surgery complications..

WC will try to point to those as the causes for your RSD or ongoing pain syndrome..

Your atty should advise you to make correction s and any clarifications to those notes on a separate paper or on same one if there is room to do so neatly..

highlight, underline or circle the parts you have issue with and then write your comments why it is not correct below ,on back or a new page.
atty should look it over and do whatever they do to use it as evidence, or file it with the corrected info..

I wish I had gotten my IME reports and corrected all the false comments made by that dr...but I had no clue about any of that..

there are more tips and info on our work comp forum, it is not an easy system to deal with when the dx is not clear or if multiple health issues are ongoing..
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum30.html
It's not super active but the stickys are there and you may find tips on how best to get thru the delays and stalling they do... use the search tool for specific things you want to find..

I already went to a workers comp doctor and he agreed with diagnosis of RSD/CRPS. This has been an approved condition since Feb. The ortho wanted me to see a pain management doc, and I picked this place based on looking at their website, and how they spoke to me on the phone. There were two places I looked at and they both claim to work with this condition, but the first treated me on the phone like I was just a drug seeker, so I went with the one who treated me like I just wanted help. The doctor was a butt when I went in for my initial visit. When I tried to explain things when he asked questions he would cut me off, and acted like I was wasting his time.

The funny thing is in the diagnosis on these notes he had it as Chronic pain, and RSD. He put those notes down in patient instructions. weird huh. Workers comp approved the block, and they got the notes before the C9 for the block.

Another thing, when they were taking me in for the block, they had another doctor there that was doing the injection, my doctor was just watching, he told my doctor that I should have another injection right away, like next week. but they didn't say much more or anything to me about it, and I was so out of it due to not sleeping and in horrible pain because I couldn't take any pain meds before, so not sure if anything will come from what he said...
I have heard nothing from the pain clinic since they did this yesterday, I would think they would call and check on me, maybe???

:hug:

I woke up this morning feeling oddly less pain. I'm kind of walking around the house going when is the crushing burning pain going to come slamming back in full force??? I usually9 wake up feeling horrible and have to play catch up with the pain. I looked up this block and I see that it could take a couple days to for the injection to work (I had it done Wed), have any others ran into this? How long does it last? It isn't completely gone, but a big edge is taken off. :D WOW, is all I can say... :) :) :)

:hug:

That is great news! So happy you are getting some relief. :) Is there another one planned already? Can they get you in pretty quickly if you need another one?

I haven't heard anything from them, and I don't have an appointment with them until June 8th. Remember the doc didn't think it was RSD and thought this would be a good test to see. not sure what to do?? Should I call them and say HEY IT WORKED! Now what???

:hug:

I would definitely call. Talk to the PA or something to get a message to him. They need to know it was efficacious and determine when/if they want to do another block. That way if the pain comes slamming back and you want to schedule something it isn't out of the blue news to them.

Littlepaw,

I was going to call them this morning, the pain is back.... :( Yesterday while at my boyfriends parents eating dinner, enjoying myself, all of a sudden it all came crashing back... I just wanted to die!!! I cannot believe I felt so good I actually slept for 2 days the day of the block and the day after, then Friday, OMG I woke up and thought God gave me a new body... then yesterday he took it away.....


Friday when I went to therapy I wanted to smack my therapist, who I thought was on board with this. I was so excited, walking on clouds when I walked into her office. I could have moved mountains!!! When I told her how I felt, she said it could be the Lyrica working, and I said I don't think so, I could feel the difference Lyrica was making and had been on it for over 2 weeks, this was a WOW difference, not the gradual difference Lyrica was giving me. And I made the statement that since the block seems to be working now maybe the PM doc will believe the it is RSD/CRPS and not just in my head. She actually looked at me and said, you really don't want it to be RSD, that is not a very fun condition to have. :eek: I was shell shocked!!!! I just started laughing, and said you realize that 2 doctors have already diagnosed it, and I have been dealing with it for almost a year? And I would like the PM doc to realize that is what it is so that I may get proper treatment, AND since Workers comp already has this condition listed as an approved condition, I don't want this doctors ignorance messing it up.... I was floored!!! I have been going to this therapist since the beginning!!! I'm going to take to her today when I go in, a photo copy of the approved conditions for my claim, and the doctors notes from the doctor that WC sent me to, which they based their decision on, and let her chew on that.... grrr

I also wanted to ask, I notice, and have since they did the manipulation on my shoulder, that my face, neck, and ear on right side tingles and when touched feels like someone just slapped me. This slapped feeling lasts for several minutes. Sometimes it is so intense my eyes water. Ideas???

Besides her, I had a great weekend, but yesterday it all came to a crashing end, not sure what to do????? Just want to curl up in a ball and cry till everything can end...

I am glad you got a good weekend. It is nice having a break. I know how frustrating it is dealing with practitioners, believe me, but I can understand your therapist not wanting you to have CRPS. What sicko would want anyone to have this?

I think an inherent difficulty with this diagnosis is the he thinks, she thinks, somebody else thinks....unless it's florid at that moment it just seems hard to pin down and everybody's spectrum for diagnosis is a little different. I think we just have to roll with the ambiguity sometimes, not that it isn't a pain in the biscuits.

Call your doctor for sure. They need to know what's happened with your block and decide where to go with that. Call whoever did your manipulation too. It sounds like something is potentially going on there. I hope you get relief again soon!

Sending healing Love, Littlepaw :hug: