Off bike for a while

[eclectic]

sorry to hear that you aren't riding for awhile

Hope the pain is subsiding and you heal quickly

[bcipam]

Mary - right now I feel your pain literally!

The Friday before Thanksgiving my buddy and I went to Disneyland. Had to stand around a long time waiting for fireworks. My back started hurting and got worse and worse. Next morning I was crippled. Although it hurt like the ****ens - it didn't keep me from riding the next week since I had off from work (it did keep me from doing any house work, laundry, yard work etc. Riding came first).

This last Friday, after I got home all of a sudden my left leg was on fire. The pain was so intense I got scared. I am very high pain tolerant. After my collarbone repair and my colon cancer surgery I took no pain killers but this pain was something else. Something more than I ever felt before.

So I called my buddy and had him take me to the ER. Since I could not localize the pain and it appeared to originate in my groin so I thought maybe my recent cancer surgery was the cause. The hospital conducted tons of tests - some not very pleasant. They couldn't find anything wrong and sent me home with a presciption for VIcodin.

Have to say although I hate taken drugs Vicodin ws my special buddy this weekend. All I could do was curl up on the couch and take it. I couldn't even straighten out as when I did the pain intensified. Now the pain was more localize... my hip? My knee? My shin? A blood clot? Was hard to say.

Made it to the ortho. surgeon today. Today my pain is in my shin. It's moving down my leg. The doctor measured my weakness and surprising my left leg is barely functioning. I could not walk on my left heel, or pushed the doctor's hand back with my toes, or keep the toes curled. Strange!

The doctor took x-rays and you can easily see the degenerative changes at L1 - L5. Tomorrow I go in for an MRI. The doctor gave me a cortisone shot in his office. Doesn't appear to be doing anything unfortunately and now my back hurt where I got the shot.

Funny story - I knew the doctor was going to give me a shot, I figure a shot, you know a small needle, some pain killer etc. The nurse out this huge horse syringe - I swear it was 8 " long! Next thing I know, everyone is looking at me strangely - appears I past out. My stomach was alittle queasy. The doctor gave me the injection. All I can say is I hope it was worth it cause I don't want to do that again!

Bottom line - I have "old lady who's too fat and does too much and has a bad back oh what can I do?" disease. Oh well....

[bikerchick68]

yikes bcipam! keep us posted on that MRI... my mom is currently staying with me while recovering from a laminectomy for degenerative disc disease... she had the neck fused in 04... hopefully this will "fix" it for a long time now...

the good news? Recovery from fusion gave her back motion and life without pain... and so far on the back, it's looking good... we'll have a better idea in 3 months... total heal time...

Oh yeah.. and by the way, it's genetic... I told her I would have preferred the gene for a small butt and thighs... she assured me that gene does not run in the family...

[AutumnBreez]

I wish you the best Mary! I swear by chiropractors, saved my mother and myself. So serious...give it a try.
You will get to your 5000. Don't go overboard once you feel bit better, it's easy to overdo it. Take care, ABCL

[mary9761]

thanks ladies for all your responses. I don't know about chiropractor yet as my insurance doesn't cover anything like that. As it is, I'm going to be limited to what is done even when they figure out what is going on. It's draining enough with the pain, but I really don't like the doped up feeling either. I'm going to try to take this time to maybe catch up on some sewing gifts that I'm WAY behind on, but sitting is not that comfortable, plus I think I need to be careful operating the sewing machine. :P Don't need to sew my fingers into a toy while drugged up. Just really sick of laying around. I just finished my new HiViz safety orange vest for when I can get back on the bike. Maybe people will quit calling me pumpkin man.
Ok, I'm getting silly now so I'm going to go again. I hope you all stay healthy and have a great holiday.

[bcipam]

yikes bcipam! keep us posted on that MRI... my mom is currently staying with me while recovering from a laminectomy for degenerative disc disease... she had the neck fused in 04... hopefully this will "fix" it for a long time now...

the good news? Recovery from fusion gave her back motion and life without pain... and so far on the back, it's looking good... we'll have a better idea in 3 months... total heal time...

Oh yeah.. and by the way, it's genetic... I told her I would have preferred the gene for a small butt and thighs... she assured me that gene does not run in the family...

Bikerchick - I might be asking you some more questions about your mom's surgery. It was suggested to me and frankly I am scared silly about it. 1) I vowed no more surgeries and hospital stays, I have had enough and 2) cutting on my back - just plain scary.

This has all just happened sortof out of the blue and I hope is an acute problem. I had a MRI today but had to leave it early because the pain in my leg was too intolerable. I'm going back tomorrow after taking after pain meds (yes someone will be driving me) to see if I can complete the MRI. I'm just hoping this won't keep me off the bike. I can sit without much problem. I figure I can cycle as well. What sucks is standing and laying down (such as for the MRI).
* * *

MAry just keep doing what the doctor tells you to do. Hopefully the problem will resolve itself.

One word/just my opinion: I am so against chiropractors - just handling injury claims for so many years I've seen the damage they can do. Yes I know folks swear by them and for minor issues, I think the massage they perform works great it's just when folks start going to them for neurological issues as oppose to sprain/strain. You can understand why some insurers won't cover chiro. services. If your insurance covers PT, that is more helpful. Good PT done under the doctor's careful eye, can resolve most sprain/strain issues. Neurological problems (such as my pinched nerve) cannot be rsolved through manipulattion. As you can imagine, moving things around when there's swelling and nerve damage can do no good!

It's like this... if you have a broken arm, you wouldn't have a chiro. manipulate it - you would leave it alone and let it heal. Same with neurological issues. Rest is best.

[bouncybouncy]

heal fast mary!

i am still hopefull for your goal! I remember when you joined te...you are a determined woman!!!

hey...maybe we can have a virtual trainer ride...donate our miles to mary!!! or am i just high on ibuprofen???

[mary9761]

Bcipam, I'm sorry to hear you're having more problems. You have had way too much on your plate to be worried about more problems. I hope they get you back on the mend again quickly!

Well, I must say I'm not surprised but very disappointed to find out it could be MONTHS before I get my MRI to find out what's going on in my back. Gotta love my insurance (NOT!!) When I wasn't hearing anything about getting my MRI this week as my doctor wanted, I called to see if it was scheduled yet. I was told NO that it wasn't scheduled and that THEY don't schedule them. The person who answered the phone said, the Doctor writes up the orders, they forward them to the department that does the CTs and MRIs and that it could take MONTHS to get one!!
I called the department again today and was told that they didn't have the orders yet that the office had to schedule the test. Sooooo I call the doctor's office back today AGAIN and tell them I was told they were supposed to make the appointment and was told that if the other office didn't have the paperwork that the DOCTOR hadn't made out the requisition yet!! All I know was that my doctor told me he wanted an MRI done THIS WEEK!! Well, it's Friday and it doesn't look like THAT'S going to happen. I don't care who is supposed to do what all I care about is I don't want to turn into a couch potato again while I'm waiting. This is so frustrating, I want to get my back healed so I can take some burdens off my mom and be able to watch my grandsons again. Tomorrow is supposed to warm back into the 40's again so I'm going to be cooped up NOT being able to ride AGAIN!!
Now I'm waiting for my meds to start working again and go lay down again. They say they are going to give the doc a message that I'd called asking about my test and have him call me. I won't hold my breath waiting for them to actually follow through with something they say that they're going to do, I might as well crawl into a cave and disappear as believe what they say. Sadly I'm not a football player who can go directly from the playing field with an injury and get tests run in a timely manner. I just tired of being tired and hurting and getting the run around. Sorry to vent again.

[bcipam]

Mary - it's interesting and maybe insurance plans work differently but I saw the ortho Tues and had my MRI Wednesday (although I also had to go back Thursday as I couldn't complete the first session due to pain). My doctor called me last night after getting the MRI screens and I see him next Tuesday, meet with the surgeon most likely Wed. and Thursday and will hopefully have surgery in the next week or two. The Doctor's office did everything for me. I just had to show up.

I think I'm blessed with the plan I have. Between this and the cancer surgery - it's really come through for me. I have a PPO plan with United Heathcare in case anyone is interested.

Are you on an HMO? Regardless, insist on getting the test sooner. Ask the doctor's office why they don't do the scheduling (note my doctor's office not only did the scheduling but ran everything first thru the insurance plan to make sure everything would be covered).

If you are having the same pain, I can't imagine waiting any longer!!! Become the "squeeky wheel" sometimes its necessary!

[mary9761]

I'm on the indigent program at our local county hospital so yeah, it's an HMO of sorts. Just getting in to see the doc is like pulling teeth. I'm just frustrated that I'm either in pain right now and or I'm in pain AND doped to the gills. I called the office several hours ago and of course the doctor hasn't called. The office will close in a few more hours and it will be another weekend confined to the house when I'd rather be riding. Last night I was dreaming of riding to my weekend ride and riding the route that I normally take to and from. I dreamed of leaving the group a bit earlier to get a head start and the riders passing me along the way.
I'm lucky to have any coverage at all, but it seems so many times that every time we need to be seen (wait hours to be seen for a few minutes since they schedule a dozen people to see the same doc at the same time) then wait for hours in the pharmacy to get our meds (often one window open to dispense meds for everyone) It doesn't matter if you've just been released from the hospital, just gotten out of the recovery room after surgery etc, you have to wait to get your meds. They close the pharmacy often before you get out of the emergency room and then you have to come back the next day and wait for hours again. It's just frustrating and I feel like an ungrateful whiner right now. I know there are so many people in worse shape in so many ways than me.. I know that a lot of this is the pain and meds talking and I shouldn't even be complaining. I've just come so far, I don't want to go back to where I was 18 years ago and that's what it feels like right now.

[HappyAnika]

Ok, so BciPam has a bad opinion of Chiropractors, to each his own, but there are plenty of bad MDs, PAs, and PTs out there too. Simply put, I love my chiropractor.

Mary, if your insurance doesn't cover chiropractors, you might want to look into seeing a DO, Doctor of Osteopathy. They go through the same training that MDs do, they take the same board examinations, they are surgeons, orthopaedists, radiologists, cardiologists, all of the -ologists that MDs are, but they go through an additional type of training called Osteopathic manipulative treatment which is a hands on approach to diagnosing and treating all kinds of symptoms. Most insurance plans will cover DOs since they are essentially identical to MDs. Check out http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ost_omt for some information. I can't imagine being that type of debiliating pain for months waiting on an insurance company. This might be an option to get you some helpful treatment while you're waiting for an MRI. Best of luck!

[bcipam]

Mary - just make sure you get a DX before doing any physical treatment to make sure you won't injure yourself further. I can imagine if you have a cyst like me, PT or manipulation probably is not going to work or help.

Be patient and be strong. I would hate to be waiting so long to get help. You must be miserable and you have earned the right to whine. I feel for you and pray and hope you get help and relief soon. Until then, rest and relax. Let the back heal if it can. Big Hug. Please take care.

[mary9761]

I wanted to give a quick update. I finally received an appointment card in the mail today for an Open MRI Monday at 1pm. I have a doctor's appointment that had already been scheduled before the back injury. I hope that they have some results by then so we can get to FIXING whatever is the problem. I'm sick of hurting and being doped up at the same time. I've got to get better so I can get back to watching my grandsons.

[silver]

Hi Mary! I'm sooo sorry that you are still having trouble with this. I do hope tha tyou get some answers with the MRI. Take good care of yourself!

[Geonz]

Gosh, and I just posted at BJ asking... but I know they want to know too. THinkin' of ye!

(P.S. I posted one of my fav'rite holiday greetings on my blog... link in my sig...)