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199892 tn?1204924152

Would Cervical Epidural Injection cause this?

Hi to everyone, I want to say I'm happy to find a forum where other people are going thru what I am and can understand, but it also saddens me to see it too (make sense?!). A little about me, I had a fall in September 2005 at work. I didn't know I could file WC, and of course my employer failed to tell me. It started with a visit my primary care doc the very next day after the fall, because I could not move my shoulder and was in extreme pain. Over the last two years I feel I have been to hell and back, and now back to hell. When I fell I herniated C3-4,4-5,5-6 and 6-7 is bulging. I also had a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder. I have seen numerous doctors, you know all the BS that comes with WC. So I get surgery on my shoulder, refuse to have neck surgery ( I am only 30 and a single mom of 4 boys, so I really had no choice) So WC cut everything. I was headed for settlement, it was either that or fight for my checks to continue.. and I thought there was nothing else they could do at that point. Which brings me to my first question.. if anyone knows (since my lawyer doesn't return calls!!) What happens if you went to your disability rating and then was referred back out to all of the DR's again ( Neurosurgeon, Ortho, Pain Mgmt) ? Does it just start over again? Does that rating even count? Anywhoo.. I was referred back because I started having these headaches (at the base of my skull, where it meets my neck..and it would should from left to right, my eyes were light-sensitive, I couldn't even brush my hair!!) all of the other pain in my arms, hands, neck, between my shoulder blades and my shoulder never went away.. I was just trying to live with it the best I could since WC just dropped me. Well these headaches are horrendous. In the first week they started I went to the ER,  three differrent times. Once I was told it was stress ( possible!!) next said it was migraines, and next said it was from my neck. Now I see my DR and he said it is Occipital Neuralgia. I see my new pain mgmt for the first time on the 15th, the next day he had me in for a CESI.(Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection) I thought my pain couldn't get any worse. That injection was horrible!! He must have hit the right nerve because pain shot down my arm, in my head and down my back. So the next few days after I had muscle spasms (charlie-horse) everywhere, places I didn't even know there was muscle!! I also had this sensation in my muscles, like I needed to run a freakin' marathon.. but I was exhausted, couldn't sleep, the pain in my neck/back.. unbelievable. So now everything is about the same as before the injection, except now I have more pain in my left side. My left arm hurts as much as my right, and my whole left leg.. feels worse in my knee. I can barely walk on it. Do you think that is from this injection? My right leg has bothered me some, but it isn't as bad as the left. So now I just sit here and cry, wondering how it could go from bad to worse. The worst part about it all, I feel like I am peeing myself.(Well I am, shouldn't say.. feel like, when I am!) I was already VERY depressed before, now I just want to hibernate in my house. I think I'm disgusting, or it is. I had an appt. with my neurosurgeon on Monday, he tells me before he suggested I have surgery to relieve some of my symptoms.. now he is telling me I NEED it. I forgot to tell him about the peeing thing :(  I am really embarrassed. How do you bring that up.. "Hi, I'm 30 and pee my pants like my 3 year old!!" UGH! I see my Primary care on Monday, since it is a "she", I will mention it to her. I have read online that it may be from my herniated discs too. Is this true? I'm suppose to have another CESI on Friday and I am scared to death!!! Sorry about the long story, just had to get things off my chest.. I feel like everyone around me doesn't believe me, I have been told by my family that they don't think I need the pain meds. I even went to an addiction counselor, and she cried for me.. and told me I may have to be on them the rest of my life.. which almost killed me inside ( I need to get some help, because I am already dying inside) She said the images don't lie, I can't pretend to have herniated discs (which are known to cause alot of pain) on an MRI, I have real medical issues, and real pain.. so that made me feel a little bit better. I also have a boyfriend who is taking my pain meds, so I have to hide them..then he just fights with me until I give him some.. or finds them and steals them. To me, things can't get any worse. So now, I am waiting for a call from my lawyer, my neurosurgeon's office (about the surgery.. I have to have an Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion for C3-6.) I am all my kids have, and if it wasn't for them.. I don't know what would happen to me. I'm getting ready to move in with my sister, so she can help me thru all this.. surgery, depression, pain.. but I am sure she is sick of hearing about it too. Ok, I'll end now.. LOL... I'm usually a very sarcastic person, I'm the one who makes everyone laugh. Today just is a bad day for me :(
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Avatar universal
you're right - you have to be strong and get through this for your kids.  I know what it's like to feel so all alone, even when you've got someone around.  Today, I woke up after 2 whole hours of sleep with my left arm on fire all the way down to my thumb and I couldn't will my index finger or thumb to move for hours.  Then, quickly as it came, it went away.  My husband's day off today and he's mad at me because I don't want to do anything.  Who would if they felt like that?  I've always been the sort of person who could put themselves in the other person's shoes, so to speak.  Until recently (sounds naive) I didn't realize not every one else can do that.  My husband sure can't.  Back to the point though . . . I've been told that when they hit a nerve like that you can have problems for about 4 weeks after.  So, be prepared to deal with more of that.  I'm really worried about your bladder problems - that's scary.  And finally, you need to get the boyfriend out of your life - he's toxic.  Hope you have a better day tomorrow.  Just remember why you're doing all of this - those kids.  
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Avatar universal
Dump the boyfriend
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Avatar universal
Loss of bladder control is seroius business.
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