Hi, I have many mental illnesses unfortunately. Always have. Started from childhood abuse and has gone all the way through to bipolar, OCD and more... Not really a problem. Medicated and dealing with it like I alway have.

So I was in a car accident two years ago. Girl pulled out in front of me and left me no time to react and I t-boned her at 50.

I had a head, neck and lower back 'injury' that has left me in incredible pain. It started 3 minutes after the accident and has been exactly the same for the last two years. I am in a wheelchair most of the time because it is incredibly painful to walk. I don't have mental trauma related to the accident at all. It wasn't a big deal to me.

After $50,000 in medical 'attention' I have found that I have a bunch of bulging discs in my neck and lower back. Nothing else major has shown up. But honestly other than MRIs and an EMG I haven't really had any other tests done. All the Drs say is, 'nothing is wrong with you' and they walk out of the room.

I finally found a physiatrist who took an interest. He stated that my spine is pretty messed up. He is the first one to admit it. He is also the first one that didn't know about any of my mental illness issues. He is trying to get me into a 3 week inpatient hospital physical rehab stay. To rehab my back I guess...

Then he found out I have mental illness... On his report he also said I have Conversion Disorder and Somatic Symptom Disorder. Two psychiatric disorders all of a sudden.

Of course I researched these in depth and I do not fit ANY of the criteria AT ALL.

I have no neurological symptoms, no blindness, hearing, numbness, seizures, nothing that seems to be the key in these disorders. I have bulging discs in my back that cause me great pain upon standing and walking. Simple as that. Sit down and the pain goes away!

I think when the Dr found out I have mental illness that colored his view and I was labeled by him as a crazy person. That is how this misdiagnosis of the conversion and somatic disorders happened.

What can I do to convince the Dr that I do not have these disorders and there there is something physically wrong with my spine and my life would be better spent trying to determine exactly what is wrong rather than rehabbing a person with a 'mental disorder'. Might be better to do some testing on a person with a physical disorder?

Once this diagnosis is placed on me I feel like it will be with me forever negating the real problem which is very clearly physical... I could describe the symptoms but it would be a novel but they are very clearly physical issues dealing with compression of my spine when I stand up or walk and also severe headaches and migraines due to the neck issues.

I am afraid the 3 week rehab is going to be based on the assumption that I have conversion disorder and by the end of 3 weeks I am going to be in exactly the same amount of pain and will have spent more money than I have (I am on disability with horribly expensive insurance that doesn't cover anything)

Any ideas or advice?
Thanks,
Peregrine

Does anyone know of any tests other than MRIs, Evoked Potentials or EMGs that are used to diagnose back issues?

Thanks!!!!
Peregrine

Is there anyone who can help me out with this?