OT - Panicing too much to knit

#1

Just want to have a rant because I’m freaking out and DH is working late.
:!!!: :!!!: :!!!: :!!!: :!!!:

I have two herniated lumbar discs that have had me in a wheelchair for a few months, at the end of November I had an MRI and I’m due to get the results on Wednesday.

I am absolutely terrified of the treatment though. One of the options, that I think is the one they are most likely to offer me is a root nerve injection of cortisone. I am not good with injections of any shape or size but this one is a doozie. It’s long and big and I am really scared and freaking out.
Also, there is something like a 50-70% chance that It won’t work and I’ll need to have another in 3 months.

The other option is surgery - which although its not a pleasant thought, its a MUCH better option for me. Especially as I’ll get 4 weeks off work at full pay afterwards :teehee:

I think I’m going crazy :thud:

#2

I’m sorry to hear about your back, but here’s what I’m floored about. You had an MRI in November and you still don’t know the results?!?!?

Here’s to hoping you can calm down enough to knit after Wednesday!

#3

I’m in the UK - it takes a loooooong time here unless its Critical.

I’m urgent but not critical. I’m not the only crazy one!

#4

I’m so sorry. You can always come here when you need to vent. I can’t believe you’d prefer surgery to an injection – I’d be terrified of either one, but I think surgery would be scarier. (I know someone else who had spinal surgery recently and he’s doing great – he’s much happier now since he’s not in constant pain anymore!)

Wanna hear something funny? When I saw your subject line, I thought you were panicking because you had too many projects to knit and couldn’t keep up – not that you were so panicked that you couldn’t knit at all. Maybe you could fondle yarn instead. That might help you feel a little better. :wink:

#5

I do nonop treatment for people with your problem. GET the injection!! Most people will offer you sedation for it so you won’t mind it. They are totally routine and I have never had anyone have a complication from one. Frequently they get you through the really painful stage so you can avoid having the surgery. Disks usually settle down eventually and stop bothering you, unless they are so big they compress the nerves enough to cause muscle weakness, in which case you should have surgery.

By the way, I am also really surprised you don’t have your results yet. My patients always get them within 1-5 days after scan.

#6

I know i should get the needle. But its a needle!!!
I don’t like pain!

Is the sedation good? I mean really good like I won’t know whats happening?

The reason it took so long is a little pathetic - my hospital doesn’t have a scanner so I had to be referred to another hospital - the chain of events (after I finally got an appointment with a consultant, that alone took 5 months) was;

GP Appointment to be referred to a consultant (april)
Consultant referred me to xray dept recommending an MRI (sept 12th)
I went on a waiting list to get onto the referral list
I then got onto the waiting list for the other hospital
I had my MRI in November.
The results got sent to the xray dept in the other hospital.
then they were sent to the xray dept in My hospital, who write a report and send it to my consultant.
Then I go back on the waiting list to get an appointment with the consultant - which is what I have on wednesday.

If they do recommend surgery, it’ll likely be april that I get it.

So a whole year wasted for a simple to fix problem
:verysad:

#7

I know a lot of people have needle phobias but it always surprises me when people would rather have a complicated surgery with a lot of pain involved, prolonged recovery and a higher complication rate rather than try something that I would consider easy!

Well, an injection may be easy for me but maybe it isn’t easy for you. See what your doc says, but seriously if he does recommend the injection, do think about it.

As far as how the sedation is, that totally depends on who does it. Some MD’s use no sedation, others use so much that you’ll remember nothing after. If you decide to do it, you should ask about sedation when you schedule the apt for the injection, and let them know you want the max you can get. Then when you get there, you can ask the doc right before and reserve the right to back out if you don’t like the situation. Best wishes to you!!!

#8

good luck, lots of rest, and speedy healing to you, niffer! :heart:

#9

sorry - my puta is double posting again

#10

Our health care service in the UK is offered free. Anyone working contributes towards it with National Insurance payments but it is free to all. It is often misused and abused and over the years has become a dinosaur. While we make some leaps in medicine - the hospitals are run by trusts who have government targets to meet.

In order to meet targets they juggle patients around, shunt them from one hospital to another and generally it takes a very long time to get seen by a specialist.

It took them over a year to diagnose my fathers Non Hodgkins Lymphoma., They thought the lump was a varicose vein.

I feel for the doctors and nurses that work in the National Health Service here - the conditions are very poor and the pay is appalling but we all want our free healthcare service!

#11

Niffer - I had the cortisone injection in my achilles tendon. Right at the base of the leg, at the back in that soft squishy part just above the foot.

I can tell you this, it hurt like hell - the jab is done always with a huge needle and I hate needles. I even paid to have this done privately. They didnt give me anything for the injection pain. BUT - by the same token it healed the problem almost immediately. The tendon went again and I had another injection about 18 months later. I’ve not had a problem since. The second jab didn’t hurt AT ALL

Mum had it done too into the back of her heel the bit on the foot for bursitis - she said the jab didn’t hurt at all but it was after that it hurt - it took her 3 days to recover.

Different people react differently. Tell them what you want and they will sedate you so you don’t feel it.

#12

I totally agree with you Mulene. Its appalling that the NHS Staff have to be more concerned with paperwork and targets than patients, and that certain government officials are paid a lot more than a couple more MRI scanners and hospital wards would cost. :!!!:

I am grateful for the free service - but when are they gonna invent that machine that you walk into and get fixed pain free?
:teehee:

#13

I want the machine that you walk into and transforms you into Jessica Rabbit without any illness or pain and where you can have an anvil dropped on your bonce and still be fine =P

#14

I don’t mind the pain after the jab - That can hurt like heck and I won’t care.

Its the thought of the needle that panics me.

I will ask for sedation, I’ll ask what the maximum is then ask for triple that :roflhard:

I don’t know whether I’ll be better or worse if I take DH in with me. I can’t decide if its a good idea.

#15

I had a double lumbar laminectomy in 1999. Believe me, it takes more than 4 weeks to recover. In my case I had permanent nerve damage and the pain has actually been worse since the surgery.

I’ve had the spinal injections done several times and they do relieve the pain for a good while. They’re well worth having them done.

#16

Thanks for posting that, Mason! I think the voice of one who has been there is probably just what Niffer needs!

Niffer, sorry I didn’t notice you are in UK, of course that would take longer from what I hear! That said, my husband had GREAT treatment there at the eye hospital in London when he had an acute attack of narrow angle glaucoma. They got him under control with drops till he could get home and have the laser surgery, and in fact offered to do it there too. His statement from the visit said, “Patron: Her Majesty The Queen”

Good luck to you Niffer. One consolation… most (not all, but most) back pain, whatever the cause, goes away eventually. Hang in there.

#17

I thought the same thing. That’s why I put off the surgery for 9 years, resulting in the permanent nerve damage that could have been avoided by having the surgery sooner.

Just something to consider. But the shots really do work wonders.

#18

It’s not quite the same as the spine, but I had the cortisone injection in my foot to deal with some mangled connective tissue from a stupid sports accident. The shot did hurt, although not terribly bad with local anasthetic. It sounded somewhat like ripping velcro as he injected me -BUT- it kept me from surgery, and worked. Even if the shot has to be repeated a time or two, which I understand is common with the procedure, just remember, surgery ALWAYS involves needles, so that option won’t likely alleviate your needle worries. I hate needles too, but I totally recomend the injection.

#19

You can HEAR IT???

I know surgery involves a needle - but its a tiny diddy ickle needle.

I know surgery would be a silly idea if they can fix it with a needle and I will think about it a lot. I just hope they are willing to give me the max sedation so I don’t worry about it.

#20

I used to be terrified of needles, so I understand. Now I’m just terrified of dentists… shudder I got over the fear of needles because I had a kidney condition that needed weekly bloodwork. It helps to have someone with you-- trust me. Let them keep you distracted, and that will go a long way to helping with the panic attacks.

:hug: Good luck!