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Avatar universal

Nerve damage and degenerative disks in neck

I was injured on the job in 2002. I have been fighting hard since then to make them 'fix' me! I was an extremely active person before this happened. A MRI was done about a month after the injury happened and all they found was 'slight degenerative disks', I have never had any persistent pain or limits to what I could do, now I can't do anything! I can sit for a maximum of 10 minutes before my neck starts 'screaming' in pain and my arms start going numb, so I stand and walk around and the numbness eases but the pain is still excruciating. I stay at an 8 on the pain scale of 1-10, with medicines I only come down to about a 6 if I am lucky and that is only after taking double the prescribed dose of my medication and even then it only eases the pain for about 2 hours! I am taking what I thought was pretty strong medicine. My doses and medicines have been changed numerous times over the years however, nothing has been found to make the pain go below a 6. I only get to sleep about 3 hours a night if I'm lucky and to get that I have to take different medicine. I am only 32 years old why should I have to take 11 different medicines a day just to try to make it through the day?! My last doctors appointment they were talking about doing epidural shots and if those didn't work she said the scariest word ever - SURGERY!! I don't want surgery on my neck what other options do I have to fix the nerve damage and the degenerative disks to make the pain stop so I can have my life back?
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Avatar universal
I am at the point that I would glady go through surgery if it had a chance to make me feel better.  I mean, sometimes surgery is required.  Maybe you shouldn't fight that to the bitter end.  The lady I work with who had the neck surgery isn't completely healed, she still has some pain, but she is much better than she was before and is capable of doing way more than I can at work.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I do have a lawyer, I had to hire one a week after the injury when the insurance refused to cover anymore treatment. I don't understand how the 'fakers' can make off with millions of dollars months after their 'injury' yet those of us that are seriously injured have to go though hell just to get to go to the doctor! What is wrong with our system?! We are supposed to be the greatest country in the world but yet our system seams to be the worst! Victims pay while the bad guy gets away with everything! I have been fighting this like I said for 7 years, and I have to file a petition and wait months just to go to the doctor or get medication approved! In the mean time the people who are faking their injury make out with millions within a couple months of their 'injury' while the serious/legitimate injuries have to jump through hoops to get anything done! I have already had to quit 2 jobs and I am getting ready to have to quit my current job all because I am unable to do my job! I think with in the next couple of months I will end up filing for disability. I really don't want to do that! Before this happened I was a 5', 120 lb of muscle, healthy, happy, PAIN FREE, independent, strong woman, now as I am still 5' I only weigh 99 1/2 lb, my 6 yr old nephew can lift more than me, I am in constant pain, my muscles are now gone, I have to have help to wash and brush my hair! I'm miserable! I had to get a wagon to put my laundry basket in because I can't carry it or pull it! I am a 32 yr old woman trapped in a 132 yr old womans body! I need alternatives to their temporary fixes (epidural), and surgery! I want to be able to talk to my lawyer tomorrow and tell him "OK I had ALOT of help and I want to try this, this and this make it happen!" Thank you all for sharing your own issues with W/C, you are all very helpful. I need to know now what to try next so maybe I can have at least part of my real life back.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm dealing with a work comp. case myself.  Been suffering for nearly 3 years now.  Thought it was a shoulder injury, but looks like a neck injury.  I had some disc bulges on an MRI of my neck that was done about 6 months ago (the first time any dr. bothered to check out my neck).  They tried the usual PT, medications, and epidural to no avail.  I also had an EMG done, but am not sure it was done properly as it was done in an area that I rarely have a problem with.   The pain I have has gotten much worse since the MRI with building pressure at the base of my neck, increased tightness of my neck muscles, tingling and pain in the back of my neck, and headaches originating from my neck along with some tingling in my head and some head rushes.  Also, I now have pain in BOTH shoulders.  

They sent me to a spine specialist and I finally thought things would go somewhere but all he did was look at the 6 month old X-Rays/MRI and go off what all the other doctors had said.  He said my symptoms didn't sound like they were radicular (not sure if that's the right word) in nature and were too diffuse.  He said this, even though I work with someone who he performed surgery on that tells me she had pretty much the EXACT same symptoms as I do.  He told me I just had a little arthritis and some DDD not related to my injury and I just need to be more active (I used to be a lot more active before all this pain!).  The more active I am, the worse I feel.  Basically, he's trying to say that all my pain is because I'm overweight, even though I had NO pain/tightness or anything prior to the point that I was injured, and have been dealing with pain ever since then!

Now I have to see my lawyer's Dr.  I think my lawyer just wants me to see one of his doctors that will give me a higher rating.  I'm inclined to see one who could offer a plan of treatment.  At the very least I'd like to have another MRI done since things have gotten so much worse.
Helpful - 0
847433 tn?1243009652
hi,
I also have a wc case that is an occupational disease.  I am a nurse and was sitting a desk all day on the computer and on phone with patients.  I have suffered a C5/C6, C6/C7 herniations that are pressing on thecal sac, both central herniation, and L5/S1 herniation so I have symptoms going down both my arms into my hands, lower back into both legs, too much to speak about.  It is excrutiating.  I have been seeing chiro since oct 08 and have had 2 cervical epidurals.  The first did nothing the second has lasted 6 weeks now.  The pain started coming back 3 days ago and is coming back with a vengence.  I have pain going down neck into arms into hands, along with numbness in hands.  It feels like my arms especially my left arm is in a vise and it just gets turned tighter and tighter.  I take percocet and gabapentin.

Anyway I dont have as sympathetic view of the WC as kitty I guess.  I feel the system is horrible and broken, the claimants are treated like frauds and criminals when most just want to get well and get their lives back and get back to work.  I have NO respect for anyone who works in this business.  The insurance company will do ANYTHING not to pay you and give you care.  They will fight you tooth and nail, depending on your ins. company.  Mine is notoriously litigeous and brutal.  and I work for a large hospital in NYC, this is not some mom and pop shop that cant afford WC insurance.

IF YOU HAVENT YOU MUST get a WC attorney.  They will take care of all legal things for you, fight the ins. company, request emergency hearings etc.  Dont try and do it yourself, some can, most cant.  They dont charge anything upfront.  I could never fight these people with what im going through and i am a nurse, they are ruthless.  Also try this website to find a lawyer, they will list laywers all over the country in all aspects of the law.  Get one who only does WC or just WC and Social Security.

www.avvo.com         That is 2 v's in case it looks like a w.

good luck to you, i feel for you and wish you the best, i know how horrible it is.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I would have to agree with the advice given by chadry. It is indeed unfortunate that the work comp ability to diagnose and treat is slanted in favor of the employer.  My original injury was due to on the job repetitive duties.  I was fortunate to be a health professional and able to advocate for proper treatment without the use of an attorney.  For someone not more knowledgable regarding the health care delivery system, it is a much more daunting experience.
Even though you are treating with your own selected physician, it might be advantageous to seek representation to be sure all aspects of medical treatment have been pursued before they declare you MMI.  If you have lost time from work or continue to work with an existing injury, you are at risk for many different problems that might be downgraded by the work comp adjuster.  It does help if you maintain your personal patience and try and form a good relationship with the individual handling your claim.
They are overworked and overstressed --- the caseload they handle on a daily basis would strain anyone.  Their goal is to try and settle claims as quickly as possible and they may not be looking at anything other than the bottom line.
Keep us posted and good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi ,
I can relate to the problems you are having and dealing with WC. I recently settled my case but i am thinking about trying to get back in to see a doctor. They are going to do what ever they can to say that this is not from your original injury. I also have DDD in my neck and low back. I am giving you a link to a great WC sire that knows all about what you are going through. It has all the different states so you can post under your state because the laws are diiferent in every state.
www.workerscompensationinsurance.com
I am not sure if you have a lawyer involved with your case but if not you may need to contact one. You are intitled to copies of all your reports as far as I know. If you belong to a union they can help out finding a lawyer, if not do your homework on the lawyer you choose. Make sure they are knowledgable in the WC area.
WC will only do so much and they will say that there is nothing more medically they can do for you and declare you MMI. They do not consider all the pain you are in. They just give the least amount of medical treatment possible. Ex. physcial therapy, injections or surgery to name a few. If that does not help than you kind of on your own after that. They do not keep up with treatments for pain. IF what they have offered does not work then they just say we have done all we could for you. Everything is a fight with them.
Good luck and post back and let me know how you are making out.
Go to that websire and get some advice form other people in your state that know the system in your area.
Chadry
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your fast response. I am fighting with W/C to get a new MRI done. I am unable to get any copies of the MRI results or the nerve test results so I don't even know how bad the damage is. I want to try to avoid surgery if possible. I know the epidural is only a temporary 'fix', do I have any other options for a permanent 'fix' besides surgery? Also having to deal with W/C can they say that the difference between the first MRI and the new MRI to be a new injury, when all the changes would be their lack of proper medical care and treatment to prevent my injury from becoming worse? Even though they have not offered any real treatment other than  more and more medications. Well, in 2003 they did finally approve physical therapy/ultrasound therapy/massage therapy which only made the pain worse. I am lost and confused in the medical and legal world, all I know is that I want to be myself again and I don't know what my options for treatment are. Can you suggest other places where I can get additional advice/help in this mess I HAVE to call my life? I have an approved physician but she walks in asks questions and then disappears without me having the chance to ask my own questions.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am sorry to hear of your current health problems and difficulties related to your cervical spine.  The MRI done in 2002 may have shown only "slight degenerative discs", but there could have been some interval changes during the past 7 years that are causing the severity of your symptoms.  Of concern is the numbness you are having in your arms.
If you have not had a recent MRI, it might be advisable to get some new films.  I would suspect that the degenerative changes may have increased and that there is more nerve involvement than noted on the prior study.
Epidural injections can be beneficial for some types of nerve involvement and can provide effective pain relief for a period of time.  They do not alter the condition of spinal stenosis or other structural changes in the spine that would be the probable cause of your current discomfort.
Neck surgery can sound very frightening and I can empathize with your reluctance.
I have recently had anterior cervical discectomy and fusion C4-C7 and can state that the surgery was very successful.  Most of my preop symptoms were gone within three hours of the surgery and I continue to progress daily.  The advances in spinal surgery over the years have proven to be very advantageous in resolving preop  symptoms with minimal residual problems.  The longer your nerves are compromised the greater the chance of permanent neurological damage that can not be repaired even with surgical intervention.
Your current pain is not being relieved with numerous medications and is severely affecting your lifestyle.  You need to discuss the risks of avoiding surgery in great detail with your treating physician.  It may be the best treatment option for you at this time.
Post again with an update and let us know what you decide.  I wish you all the best as you proceed.
Best wishes ----
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