Last Thursday I had my MRI of my lumbar spine. I generally have severe anxiety over those things. I get very claustrophobic in the tube. I took a half a Xanax about an hour before the test. I survived :-) I did have anxiety, it did get a bit bad, but it was much better than the last time I had an MRI and I think I was feeling better by about a half hour after the test. So, all in all, not bad.
I saw the pain management doctor on Wednesday, 3/9/11. When he entered the room he asked me what side I had the nerve pain on. I replied, "Usually the left, sometimes the right, but I think the left is worse." He put one of the MRI films on the light board. I said, "Yeah, that's the ugly one. I think it got worse." He said it definitely got worse, and he was very concerned about it.
In my lumbar spine I have two herniated discs. They have been herniated for over 9 years now. When it first happened 11/3/01, L4-5 was severe and causing stenosis and nerve compression. L3-4 was moderate. When I had insurance those few months between October 2008-February 2009, the orthopedic spinal surgeon had sent me for MRI's of my entire back because he was concerned I might have spinal cord compression. That's when we discovered the total count was 7 herniated discs, an additional disc buldging, stenosis from C-5 in my neck all the way down, and nerve compression. The EMG identified my nerve symptoms coming from C-6 in my neck and L-5 in my lumbar spine/lower back.
Unfortunately, without insurance and no income I wasn't able to have any care continued for this. I had two epidurals in my neck in February of 2009 and then nothing since because the insurance cut out. Social Services gave me a very limited Medicaid Plan, Plan G. Since my disability hadn't been approved through Social Security, I basically got the General Assistance "You should be working, we're barely helping you" plan. It covered the federally subsidized clinic. The clinic could not help me. They told me to take Tylenol (which doesn't help at all). They referred me out to specialists. Medicaid didn't cover specialists. Medicaid didn't cover the hospital or Emergency Room either. Plan G was terminated in September when my Disability was approved. Social Services then told me that I no longer qualified for Medicaid. I had NO coverage at all until I was eligible for Medicare. I canceled all my appointments and weaned off all of my medications.
I tried for 2 YEARS to get into a charity clinic. Cooper Hospital in Camden had neurology and rheumatology clinics. I was seen in both, neither doctor could help me. Jersey Shore in Neptune "has" a pain management clinic. I had my epidurals there. They confirmed they had my records. They told me I couldn't been seen without THEIR medical clinic referring me in. I called for an appointment. No luck, constantly went to Lita's voice mail. Some days her mailbox was full and it hung up on me. Other's, I left a message. Lita never returned my calls. Lita never answered the phone. I tried UMDNJ in Newark beginning last May, 2010. They got my previous records, and never called me. I had no luck getting through. Finally, last September I received a message. They had my records, did I need an appointment? I called the number they left. I was informed that I was not in the computer so they could not schedule me. I called the pain management line again. No help. They promised to look into it and call me back. Nothing. For three months I went through that red tape run around. In January, one of my calls was finally answered with, "The pain management clinic is not accepting new patients. We can't make an appointment unless you're in the system." I was not.
In February, Medicare kicked in. Social Security takes my premium right out of my disability payments. I signed up for the AARP Medicare Complete HMO/POS plan. I filed the application for Extra Help and receive the full subsidy for prescription medication help. My co-pay for prescriptions is $2.50-$6.50 per prescription. HUGE help over what the regular Rx plan copay is. I pay $15 for the primary doctor, and $35 each visit with a specialist. I pay 20% of all other costs, I believe. The more I use this, the more I'll know. At this point, I question what my actual costs will be.
So, back to the follow up visit. L4-5 seems to be resorbing a little on it's own. Good news. Although it's taken nearly a decade, any improvement is good, right? That's the good news. The bad news is that L3-4 has gotten seriously worse. The disc material is now occluding about half the canal and definitely pressing on nerves. The doctor said I "NEED an epidural." No question. No "maybe an epidural might help the pain." The plan at this point is an epidural, probably two, possible three, and we hope it shrinks the herniation a bit. If it doesn't, I need to see a spinal surgeon about having it removed. It cannot be left like this.
I have scheduled the epidural for 3/24/11. I figured that might be enough time to find a ride. The doc wants to use a little bit of contrast dye to assure the injection gets the medication right where it's needed. I am allergic to shellfish. There is a cross-sensitivity between shellfish and the dye. I have to premedicate the night before and the morning of the procedure with 50mg of Benadryl (25mg usually knocks me out for several hours), 20mg of Prednisone, and a Pepcid. Then, because of my anxiety issues, I have requested sedation. The last epidural I had resuled in me having a panic attack on the table, the doc not being able to get the needle where she wanted it, and SEVERE pain after. I am hoping the sedation helps avoid that and any complications from it. Therefore, I absolutely cannot drive myself. Even if I take a taxi, the doctor's office requires me to have a "responsible adult" accompany me and will not perform the procedure without my company checking in at the desk.
I have a couple of irons in the fire, no confirmed ride yet. And everytime I think about this, I can feel the anxiety building. I'm trying not to think of it much, and trying to stay calm and hopeful and trust the doctor. In the meantime, he did give me a prescription for some pain medication. I have taken it more than I thought I would. It helps a little, but I am still having trouble with the pain and some difficulty walking. I am also noticing the spasms more. I guess I was hurting so much before I didn't recognize them.
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