There have been amazing strides in spine surgery. In the right hands, (VERY IMPORTANT), spinal surgeries are far less painful and have much better outcomes than we could have imagined a decade or two ago.
I don't know where you live or what sort of health insurance you have but I will give you a name of one recommended by a very smart orthopedist, who has recently reviewed spine surgery approaches. I have absolutely no connection to Dr. Riew.
There are many others but you want someone who is up on the latest techniques.
Dan Riew, MD at Columbia
@tgraf66, I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing chronic neck pain. I've lit a candle and am praying for your healing. I pray that your waking hours and sleep will be peaceful and pain free. May you be divinely guided to the best medical team who can successfully and permanently resolve this health issue.
@deetoo I am unfortunately on the opposite coast. 🙃 However, I am very close to Stanford, and they have some of the best in the world.
@tgraf66, it was actually @raincloud who mentioned Dr. Riew at Columbia.
I forgot to mention in my earlier post that my brother-in-law had neck surgery almost 15 years ago at Johns Hopkins. The surgery was very successful and he's doing well.
I'm really glad you live in an area with access to excellent health care. Please keep us posted on how you're doing.
Ok, Christopher Ames, MD, Praveen Mummaneni, MD at UCSF which has a huge neurosurgery department and I am sure there are many others that are good, too. The two I mentioned give talks at medical meetings, show their cases, etc. I am relieved that you are near medical centers; it is scary to turn over your body and its well-being to someone you only meet once or twice. Sort of like an arranged marriage with huge ramifications....
Just a quick update before I go lie down. I spent several hours in the ER tonight with severe pain. Doc there gave me a steroid shot and scripts for Gabapentin, Baclofen (muscle relaxant) and a Medrol dose pack. Going to rest now. Prayers and healing energy appreciated.
@deetoo Thank you for your concern. Yes, the meds are helping. I'm at least marginally functional, although I obviously can't drive (and by extension, work) while taking them. I have an appt with my regular doctor on the 18th (the soonest I could get in and even then, only a video appt) to at least get a referral to a neurologist or spine doctor.
@tgraf66, I'm glad that the medication is helping with the pain. Oh yes, the side effects! In the past I've also had such problems from meds that have disrupted my life, especially if they made me loopy during the day. I am sorry you have to wait a bit for a consult with your regular doctor. I'm praying that your physician directs you to the best specialist who can successfully address your issue.
Hey all,
Sorry to be so "off the grid", but I've been struggling a lot.
To recap, I started off the summer on Memorial Day weekend with my dad dying kind of suddenly (at home). I've been in a grieving process ever since, as we were very close.
Fast forward to Labor Day weekend - my stepmom (dad's 2nd wife) just passed kind of suddenly too (in hospice facility). She was a good stepmom - very kind.
But like everyone in this family, she had significant mental health issues. So aside from me grieving, I've been trying to heal by trying to figure out WHY everyone in the family, despite being kind, loving people are so miserable all the time. Not everyone had trauma, like I did. My dad, for example, no trauma, yet his life was so unhappy - he married and had kids with two severely mentally ill women.
I've been meditating and thinking on it and I may have found the answer: undiagnosed ASD/ADHD.
So I could use a little energy boost as I embark on this new path to my own healing as I try to find available and affordable diagnostic testing, which is quite the challenge at my age. There's nothing to be done if I am diagnosed, but knowledge is power and I believe it would help me heal to get those answers. (I did so some online quizzes and they all said I'm probably neuro-atypical and should get a full eval.)
Thanks everyone.
@laura-f I am so sorry to hear of your recent losses. That is a hard adjustment, to say the least.
On the other hand, I am glad to hear of your path investigating undiagnosed ASD/ADHD. I have done a ton of reading on that the last few years. So very many women and girls go undiagnosed. May you be able to get the information you need to bring a measure of peace and clarity to you at this stage.
You have had a lot to wade through recently. I am sorry for your difficult summer and losses.
Your ADHD thought might be accurate. I have recently been reading that depression and ADHD appear to be linked. Perhaps it plays some roll for you.
Thank you for letting us know how things are going and may you find some answers and doable solutions.