Broke my back and need HELP.....

Wally you are so very kind.

I am not sure what to do know. Dr. Peters has moved all the way to California. I should not have to go across country for help.

Today I go and see this dr. over this injection. I am going to ask him if he believes this is a good idea to have someone with thinning bones have this kind of treatment.

I believe its an insurance thing. All I have is medicare. I am trying to sign up for a supplement but even if I do it will not take effect until after the first of the year.

With my condition I am just going to get worse and fighting with Doctors to get treatment seems down right laughable.

I am told I need surgery, but lets give you a shot instead. Makes me sick just thinking about it.

The only Doctor who ever helped me was Dr. Peters. All the rest wanted to do what this Dr. wants to do today. Try and cover up the problem. My quality of live suffers in the mean time and its getting a lot worse.

Maybe you see why I said. I have lost all hope. I am just going to get worse and I can not find any help. Or this is the kind of help I am getting. I am better off with no help.

Some ask why did I post here. Its because I do not know what to do. I am at the end of my rope. Maybe I should just Hang.

Osteoporosis the silent killer.
 
Tony,
I do have much sympathy for you. If you or someone else were to set up some sort of account that we could donate to, I would do so.

But at the risk of turning this into SZ fodder, this is exactly the kind of story that causes Obamacare and the thought of single-payer (government) health care to scare the crap out of me. I hope you and everyone remembers your story when they vote in November.


1600vw said:
Wally you are so very kind.

I am not sure what to do know. Dr. Peters has moved all the way to California. I should not have to go across country for help.

Today I go and see this dr. over this injection. I am going to ask him if he believes this is a good idea to have someone with thinning bones have this kind of treatment.

I believe its an insurance thing. All I have is medicare. I am trying to sign up for a supplement but even if I do it will not take effect until after the first of the year.

With my condition I am just going to get worse and fighting with Doctors to get treatment seems down right laughable.

I am told I need surgery, but lets give you a shot instead. Makes me sick just thinking about it.

The only Doctor who ever helped me was Dr. Peters. All the rest wanted to do what this Dr. wants to do today. Try and cover up the problem. My quality of live suffers in the mean time and its getting a lot worse.

Maybe you see why I said. I have lost all hope. I am just going to get worse and I can not find any help. Or this is the kind of help I am getting. I am better off with no help.

Some ask why did I post here. Its because I do not know what to do. I am at the end of my rope. Maybe I should just Hang.

Osteoporosis the silent killer.
Click to expand...
 
1600vw said:
Wally you are so very kind.

I am not sure what to do know. Dr. Peters has moved all the way to California. I should not have to go across country for help.

Today I go and see this dr. over this injection. I am going to ask him if he believes this is a good idea to have someone with thinning bones have this kind of treatment.

I believe its an insurance thing. All I have is medicare. I am trying to sign up for a supplement but even if I do it will not take effect until after the first of the year.

With my condition I am just going to get worse and fighting with Doctors to get treatment seems down right laughable.

I am told I need surgery, but lets give you a shot instead. Makes me sick just thinking about it.

The only Doctor who ever helped me was Dr. Peters. All the rest wanted to do what this Dr. wants to do today. Try and cover up the problem. My quality of live suffers in the mean time and its getting a lot worse.

Maybe you see why I said. I have lost all hope. I am just going to get worse and I can not find any help. Or this is the kind of help I am getting. I am better off with no help.

Some ask why did I post here. Its because I do not know what to do. I am at the end of my rope. Maybe I should just Hang.

Osteoporosis the silent killer.
Click to expand...

If the only person who can help you is in California, go to California.

If you can travel 1000+ miles to Vail, you can travel 2000 to Orange County.
 
MAKG1 said:
If the only person who can help you is in California, go to California.

If you can travel 1000+ miles to Vail, you can travel 2000 to Orange County.
Click to expand...
I believe that Tony's biggest need is monetary help. It sounds to me like it was tough enough for him to ask for help, but actually asking for money seems to be even tougher.

How many here would be willing to send him $100 or more, (or less)? I would, if I thought we could make this work for him. It's easy to criticize him from a distance, but when you are in pain and don't have the resources to relieve that pain, it is difficult to accept tough advice.

It's not like he is a one-time poster looking for charity. Tony is part of POA.
 
MAKG1 said:
If the only person who can help you is in California, go to California.

If you can travel 1000+ miles to Vail, you can travel 2000 to Orange County.
Click to expand...

Its not that easy. First this disease has taken everything I have. My wife and I have nothing today. I am lucky to have my little airplane to fly.

Second when someone goes through a surgery such as this, one needs help. I will not be able to walk on my own for a while. I know with my neck I was bed ridden for a few months. This is not something you want to go through alone.

Then to travel. Talking about pain. The last time I broke my back I was in the middle of a move and a few states away. After leaving the hospital I had to climb back into a truck and finish my move. No way I ever want to go through that again. I told myself never again.

But California I believe is my best hope. Dr. Peters knows the shape I am in. He has offered to help me but wanted me to move to where he is, this was Colorado back in 2005 when I saw him last. He could not believe how I just fell apart. When he operated on my neck it was before they found I have Osteoporosis. I broke my back two days after I started walking from my neck surgery. We where moving back to Illinois for I knew something was very wrong with me. Even though no doctor told me this yet, I knew it.

He said he can not help me living away from him. I understand this. But California and southern California. Nothing against Southern California to all that live there. I am not sure I could do it.

I go see this Dr. here in a bout one hr. I will report back what he tells me. But I am NOT having that injection.

Tony
 
1600vw said:
I go see this Dr. here in a bout one hr. I will report back what he tells me. But I am NOT having that injection.

Tony
Click to expand...

Is this injection intended to be in place of surgery, or is it intended to give you some comfort until surgery?
 
JOhnH said:
Is this injection intended to be in place of surgery, or is it intended to give you some comfort until surgery?
Click to expand...

The doctor told my wife and I quote " You do indeed need surgery. But lets do a local injection in that area and see what happens. I am sending you to a pain clinic."

Thanks for asking John. and thank you to all for your posts. I do not mean to come off short sided. I feel I am at my end if something does not happen to correct this or slow down what is happening to me. I am afraid the rest of my life will be in a bed looking up at the ceiling.
 
JOhnH said:
I believe that Tony's biggest need is monetary help. It sounds to me like it was tough enough for him to ask for help, but actually asking for money seems to be even tougher.

How many here would be willing to send him $100 or more, (or less)? I would, if I thought we could make this work for him. It's easy to criticize him from a distance, but when you are in pain and don't have the resources to relieve that pain, it is difficult to accept tough advice.

It's not like he is a one-time poster looking for charity. Tony is part of POA.
Click to expand...


I'd donate
 
1600vw said:
The doctor told my wife and I quote " You do indeed need surgery. But lets do a local injection in that area and see what happens. I am sending you to a pain clinic."

Thanks for asking John. and thank you to all for your posts. I do not mean to come off short sided. I feel I am at my end if something does not happen to correct this or slow down what is happening to me. I am afraid the rest of my life will be in a bed looking up at the ceiling.
Click to expand...

What "cure" is available for your condition? It sounds like you have an incurable bone degeneration problem that is just getting patched together to keep you ambulatory. What is there available in the form of treatment for the underlying condition? From all appearance in this thread there is none.:dunno: I'm afraid that what you are afraid of is the only possible outcome. Surgery will not cure the problem, merely remediate one immediate issue.
 
1600vw said:
Its not that easy. First this disease has taken everything I have. My wife and I have nothing today. I am lucky to have my little airplane to fly.
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Yes, I understand that traveling with an injury can be unpleasant at best and impossible at worst.

What I don't understand is how a 1000 mile trip to a fairly remote mountain location is feasible, but a 2000 mile trip to a big city with excellent air service isn't.
 
Henning said:
What "cure" is available for your condition? It sounds like you have an incurable bone degeneration problem that is just getting patched together to keep you ambulatory. What is there available in the form of treatment for the underlying condition? From all appearance in this thread there is none.:dunno: I'm afraid that what you are afraid of is the only possible outcome. Surgery will not cure the problem, merely remediate one immediate issue.
Click to expand...

Henning, please stop trying to help this guy.......:confused::confused::eek:
 
Henning said:
Surgery will not cure the problem, merely remediate one immediate issue.
Click to expand...

Some forms of Cancer are the same way, but it's viewed as a chronic disease that can be treated.

Tony, hope you get the treatment you need.
 
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SixPapaCharlie said:
If we donate and he goes all Robin Williams on us, I will like to get my money back.
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I am a coward. How can someone do this. Plus I believe in the 7 layers of Hell and do not want to spend forever there.

I believe if we have a cross to bare on this earth that when we die we will be in heaven happy and pain free or what ever your cross was you had to bare.

Before I lay my head down to sleep every night I pray. Lord please take me before sunup. I am still here. If my time comes today I am ready, but I can not push the matter. Out of my hands
 
1600vw said:
I am a coward. How can someone do this. Plus I believe in the 7 layers of Hell and do not want to spend forever there.

I believe if we have a cross to bare on this earth that when we die we will be in heaven happy and pain free or what ever your cross was you had to bare.

Before I lay my head down to sleep every night I pray. Lord please take me before sunup. I am still here. If my time comes today I am ready, but I can not push the matter. Out of my hands
Click to expand...

The biblically acceptable way is through fasting, but if your choice is to suffer through, then that is your choice. I just don't see how it's going to get better. If you can manage an 11 day Vipassna course, you can learn to control, or at least escape, pain through meditation. Www.dharma.org It costs nothing.
 
I saw the Dr. today. I do like this man. He was very nice and explained everything to me. He showed me my MRI and how I have indeed ruptured a disc a few discs below where I have crushed the vertebrae.

I told him my concerns with doing an injection and he believes one injection will not cause any additional problems. I am not a Dr. and have no idea. What I do know is something has to happen.

I told him maybe one time would not hurt. I need help and at this point will take about anything I can get.

Can a disc that is ruptured repair its self or once its ruptures will it be forever ruptured without surgery?

It was cool how we could look straight down the spine. You could see the pinched nerve from the ruptured disc.

He said this is why my hip hurts and my feet are numb. I can not feel my feet. That has been going on for years but not this bad. This is really bad.

I can not tell you what it means to me and my family that there are those that care so much. My soul has been touched by you. Brings tears to my eye's.

Thank You and you know who you are.

Its all in the thought.That is what counts.

God Bless.

Tony
 
Good luck with the new Doc Tony.
Did he discuss if or when you may be able to have the corrective surgery?
In little old Daytona Beach, where the Docs are more accustomed to repairing smashed up drunk drivers and motorcycle crash victims, there is an excellent doctor that patched up my 60 year old receptionist's back when she fell off a horse and fractured 4 vertebrae. She was out of work for only two months and is on her way to a full recovery. She also has a minor case of osteoporosis, but obviously not as bad as yours.

If we have a skilled surgeon here, I would imagine there are more than two in the country. I hope you give this guy a chance.

I'm not a doctor, but I do know there are treatments for some forms of osteoporosis. Are you pursuing those treatments/.

1600vw said:
I saw the Dr. today. I do like this man. He was very nice and explained everything to me. He showed me my MRI and how I have indeed ruptured a disc a few discs below where I have crushed the vertebrae.

I told him my concerns with doing an injection and he believes one injection will not cause any additional problems. I am not a Dr. and have no idea. What I do know is something has to happen.

I told him maybe one time would not hurt. I need help and at this point will take about anything I can get.

Can a disc that is ruptured repair its self or once its ruptures will it be forever ruptured without surgery?

It was cool how we could look straight down the spine. You could see the pinched nerve from the ruptured disc.

He said this is why my hip hurts and my feet are numb. I can not feel my feet. That has been going on for years but not this bad. This is really bad.

I can not tell you what it means to me and my family that there are those that care so much. My soul has been touched by you. Brings tears to my eye's.

Thank You and you know who you are.

Its all in the thought.That is what counts.

God Bless.

Tony
Click to expand...
 
1600vw said:
I saw the Dr. today. I do like this man. He was very nice and explained everything to me. He showed me my MRI and how I have indeed ruptured a disc a few discs below where I have crushed the vertebrae.

I told him my concerns with doing an injection and he believes one injection will not cause any additional problems. I am not a Dr. and have no idea. What I do know is something has to happen.

I told him maybe one time would not hurt. I need help and at this point will take about anything I can get.

Can a disc that is ruptured repair its self or once its ruptures will it be forever ruptured without surgery?

It was cool how we could look straight down the spine. You could see the pinched nerve from the ruptured disc.

He said this is why my hip hurts and my feet are numb. I can not feel my feet. That has been going on for years but not this bad. This is really bad.

I can not tell you what it means to me and my family that there are those that care so much. My soul has been touched by you. Brings tears to my eye's.

Thank You and you know who you are.

Its all in the thought.That is what counts.

God Bless.

Tony
Click to expand...

Tony,

That sounds like good news... Pain is usually transient and hopefully this will get better. It wasn't clear from your post but did you get the shot??

I think in the end you need to find a doctor you trust and listen to what he says. Would the guy in CA be willing to give you advice from long distance as a second opinion? It may be worth asking, especially with the portability of imaging now days.

Finally pay no attention the grim reapers...... some people have lost control of their lives or have lost hope either due to an organic issue or whatever reason and enjoy yelling jump to the guy on the ledge. You don't sound like you are on a ledge, just like a guy in pain. Don't let the reapers push you to the ledge or beyond, I feel this will get better for you, hold on to your hope.
 
JOhnH said:
Good luck with the new Doc Tony.
Did he discuss if or when you may be able to have the corrective surgery?
In little old Daytona Beach, where the Docs are more accustomed to repairing smashed up drunk drivers and motorcycle crash victims, there is an excellent doctor that patched up my 60 year old receptionist's back when she fell off a horse and fractured 4 vertebrae. She was out of work for only two months and is on her way to a full recovery. She also has a minor case of osteoporosis, but obviously not as bad as yours.

If we have a skilled surgeon here, I would imagine there are more than two in the country. I hope you give this guy a chance.

I'm not a doctor, but I do know there are treatments for some forms of osteoporosis. Are you pursuing those treatments/.
Click to expand...

I went through all the treatments and the monthly shots. My Osteoporosis just kept getting worse. After a few years because of the side effects the Doctors took me off all these meds.

The doctors tell me my body is eating itself from the inside. Nothing they can do. I am a tough case for them and I do understand this. I have seen it in a few doctors eye's. I had to tell them, its ok, I know there is not a lot you can do for me.

When my doctor told me I had this he was almost in tears. I told him it was ok for at least he was telling me what the problem was and now we can fight it. He knew there was not much anyone could do but did not at the time want to tell me this.

I am happy to know what the problem is and not be told its all in my head.
 
Here I sit at 3 am. My hip and back hurt so bad I can not sleep. This is an every night deal. I have to get completely wore out before I can get any sleep, then its just for very short periods.

I go for the shot Tuesday the 14th. The last time I had one of these some 30 years ago, the doctor hit a nerve and I could not walk for over a month. The doctor told me they do not do the shots the same way. Something about he will not inject into the disc but around it. Before they went into the disc or it felt that way when they where doing it. The doctor said these shots are not like this today. Things have changed in 30 years, we will see.

Its not all bad though. The only reason I was ever able to fly was because of this disease. I would have been working to hard and no time for such things as this. So its not all bad.

Even though I know this at times I do get depressed and I have thought of suicide. Just no way I could ever do it. With my beliefs and I am a coward. What Robin Williams did, I could not do for I am a coward. But I do think about it. Just being honest with everyone.
 
Speaking of the treatment for this disease.

One shot, this was just one med I needed every month out of about 4 or so meds I was on. But this one med after insurance paid their portion cost us out of pocket $750.00. This was per month and not counting all the other meds I needed.

After I lost my job my wife put me on her health care or insurance at her work. The cost of this was a two week pay check. It took a complete two week pay check to cover this cost.

I call the pharmaceutical company who made this drug for the pharmacist told me most will help if one can not afford whatever med.

So I call, they ask, " Do you have Insurance ". I say yes. They said, " we will not help those with insurance". I say we will drop our insurance. The lady starts laughing. She said " it does not work like that. You can not drop your insurance then expect us to cover your costs."

So the wife and I talk about it. Here we just moved over a thousand miles. I broke my back and am in a body cast, she was working some low end job making squat. What do we do? pay rent or buy meds.

I told her we should buy the meds. I will get better and return to work then I can start helping again.

Boy was I wrong and we had a long row to hoe but that is another story.

Tony
 
I went for that shot today at 7:45 am. Slept most the day until 3:30 pm. Around 4pm my hip and leg started hurting. The numbness in my left foot has eased some but my hip is hurting pretty good. Not sure I will sleep tonight. The doctor will be called first thing in the morning.

I am calling Dr. Peters and seeing if he will look at my MRI and give me his opinion, like someone already mentioned I should do or have done before now. The reason I did not he probably will not look at it, am I really going to come and stay in LA so he can treat me. So why will he waste his time, but lets see I will place this call after I call the doctor who gave me the shot.

I do not drink beer at home but am having one tonight, maybe I will sleep. Whenever the wife and I have one beer out at dinner it always puts me to sleep. Maybe tonight it will do the same.

Tony
 
You need to take charge of your own life: stop posting your problems on the internet (like you're the only one in the world who faces challenges), and most importantly, stop being a victim- it gets old. This Dr. Peters, if he's reputable, should not offer an opinion on your condition without gettting your history and performing an examination. A diagnosis and recommendations should ethically and legally not be provided by images alone.

If you trust your physician, follow his or her advice. Or, go out to LA with your studies and get treated out there.

Regardless, take charge of your own life, stop feeling sorry for yourself, and do something about it. (without telling us on the aviation board about it) If you can afford to fly on Medicare and SSI, you can afford to go to LA.
 
1600vw said:
I went for that shot today at 7:45 am. Slept most the day until 3:30 pm. Around 4pm my hip and leg started hurting. The numbness in my left foot has eased some but my hip is hurting pretty good. Not sure I will sleep tonight. The doctor will be called first thing in the morning.

I am calling Dr. Peters and seeing if he will look at my MRI and give me his opinion, like someone already mentioned I should do or have done before now. The reason I did not he probably will not look at it, am I really going to come and stay in LA so he can treat me. So why will he waste his time, but lets see I will place this call after I call the doctor who gave me the shot.

I do not drink beer at home but am having one tonight, maybe I will sleep. Whenever the wife and I have one beer out at dinner it always puts me to sleep. Maybe tonight it will do the same.

Tony
Click to expand...

Tell him , the Dr. you know in CA, your situation and ask for his help in reviewing the treatment. The worst that will happen is he will say no. Some drs. are jerks and in it for money, but most that I've run into want to help and make a positive impact. Also, I'm not a doc, but my understanding of those shots is that they take a couple weeks to work, patience and positive thoughts.

Hang in there.
 
The medical literature says that over 90% of acute low back pain will resolve within a month. Also, there are studies that show that 40% of the population will have disk bulging in the absence of low back pain. This does not mean that after an injection and a course of PT, that surgery would not be unreasonable if these treatments are unsuccessful.

However, the results of operations for disk herniations are not all that predictable compared to other surgeries such as joint replacement. The surgeon in IL sounds like he or she is taking a reasonable and prudent course of action. Obviously Tony does not have enough faith in his patient-physician relationship that he needs to also consult his prior physician in LA, someone that treated him for an entirely different problem.

This approach is not likely to be successful in achieving the goals of a pain free existence or becoming a productive and employed individual. The hyper-religiosity and histrionics also do not indicate a good outcome.His prognosis is poor.
 
AcroBoy said:
The medical literature says that over 90% of acute low back pain will resolve within a month. Also, there are studies that show that 40% of the population will have disk bulging in the absence of low back pain. This does not mean that after an injection and a course of PT, that surgery would not be unreasonable if these treatments are unsuccessful.

However, the results of operations for disk herniations are not all that predictable compared to other surgeries such as joint replacement. The surgeon in IL sounds like he or she is taking a reasonable and prudent course of action. Obviously Tony does not have enough faith in his patient-physician relationship that he needs to also consult his prior physician in LA, someone that treated him for an entirely different problem.

This approach is not likely to be successful in achieving the goals of a pain free existence or becoming a productive and employed individual. The hyper-religiosity and histrionics also do not indicate a good outcome.His prognosis is poor.
Click to expand...

What does that medical literature say about the other 10%?

Karma is a bit##.
 
PaulS said:
Tell him , the Dr. you know in CA, your situation and ask for his help in reviewing the treatment. The worst that will happen is he will say no. Some drs. are jerks and in it for money, but most that I've run into want to help and make a positive impact. Also, I'm not a doc, but my understanding of those shots is that they take a couple weeks to work, patience and positive thoughts.

Hang in there.
Click to expand...

Hanging and not like Mr. Williams.

I have people all the time tell me, you need to exercise. In the 90's I would split 10 cords of fire wood with a splitting maul. No machines for me, I did it all by hand. I also rode a bike everywhere and used exercise equipment daily.

Today or before this last bout I was doing squats, using the treat mill and some yoga. I had been working on getting my weight down. I had lost 10 lbs and was at 170 lbs. I am shooting for 155 lbs.
 
I know they have water treadmills for dogs. You might look into that.

It's very low impact recovery type therapy.

Best of luck.
 
I hurt myself again. This really sucks. Here I go again. Damn it anyway. Wife's car quit working and I tried to push it in the garage. Now I must go crawl under it.

I must do what I have to do and stop whining about it. Be a man. I am off to tackle it.
 
1600vw said:
I hurt myself again. This really sucks. Here I go again. Damn it anyway. Wife's car quit working and I tried to push it in the garage. Now I must go crawl under it.

I must do what I have to do and stop whining about it. Be a man. I am off to tackle it.
Click to expand...
Pardon me for saying this, but being a man doesn't mean being stupid. Why the heck are you pushing a car after all you have told us about your medical issues?
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
How are you doing?
Click to expand...

I am hanging in. Can not do much. Tried cleaning the kitchen floor on my hands and knees and spent a day in bed recouping from it.

As to why did I push our car, who was going to push it in the garage? I did find even though I got it in the garage I was unable to do much with it. I ended up calling someone.

I learned even though I say who will help me, I can not do it. What I can do is slowly becoming less and less. I have to wait on certain things and call for help. Like pushing that car into the garage. Never again.

Slowing down at my age or any age is a tough one. I am fighting it tooth and nail.

I should have never pushed that car. But put yourself in my shoes, I hate I mean hate asking for help. My mind says I can do it but my body says, yea right, just try it.

Thanks for asking how I am. I am counting my blessings and trying to stay positive.

Tony
P.S. I am back to walking on my treadmill again. I try to walk 15 mins 3 times a day. If I do not feel I can I don't. Taking it slow.
 
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I can not walk again. Its going on three days now. The pain is so bad I want to scream. I did sign up for some different health care during the enrollment period. It does not go into effect until after the first of the year as everyone knows. Maybe now the doctors will fix this problem.
The shot was a band aid like I said many times. What a waste of not only my time but money when an operation is what I need.
Tony
 
Does it get better if you stay in bed for extended periods of time?
Reason I ask is you have this issue but you post about still doing heavy lifting.
That can't be helping at all.
 
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