My legs are killing me

[kjh9835]

I had two nerve blocks last Dec. for sciatica, did ok for about a month, was pain free when I went in Jan. for the final nerve block of my left femoral nerve due to weakness in my left leg and my left knee giving out.

About the beginning of Feb. my legs starting hurting. Mid-Feb. I had muscle spasms in my lower back for about 4 days (missed work one day) but managed at home but by the end of the that weekend, my legs starting hurting and I had a shuffling gait. My left knee still gives out and I also have difficulty with both feet stubbing the floor (like the floor comes up to meet my feet)

I worked 2-10pm shift from Feb. 20th to March 2nd (two weeks) as the reg. nurse on the hall (instead of my 10a-430pm "treatment/support") nursing position helping both day shift and evening shift nurses. Our night nurse was on medical leave and I don't do nights so the usual eve. nurse went to night and I went to evenings. Neither day shift nor evening shift (now me), had a treatment/support nurse and work got totally crazy. I could walk slowly and push the 100+ pound med cart slowly but meds were late every night and I was there til nearly midnight getting my stuff done b/c I walk so slowly that I cannot get everything done in 8 hours.

I called the pain clinic to see about my next appt which is not til mid-April so they put me on the cancellation list. I called back a few days later and asked for a referral to a rheumatologist b/c my legs hurt so bad that even thought I was taking prn pain meds four times a day, my pain was still there. I was told my primary doc had to make referrals so I called him the next day (he was out). I called again on Thurs. and asked for a referal and was told he had to see me first since I did not have a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. By Thur. night my right leg was numb and stayed that way all weekend. It's tingling at times with shock like sensations and feels cold all the time (my thought was pinched sciatic nerve). Both legs hurt from my butt to my heels which also have burning sensations.

Went Monday morning, got labs drawn and new Rx for Lyrica to take three times a day. I asked about my leg being numb and he said maybe we'd do an EMG if the meds didn't help and/or depending on my lab reports. My labs are normal, absolutely NOTHING wrong. The Lyrica did help the numbness so I can feel my leg and it's not cold all the time but it still tingles like it's asleep and the shock like sensations come and go. The burning is gone. I am supposed to take Lyrica for a week and call him with an update.

I work in a nursing home. The residents all walk better than I do. My legs are killing me and I have to walk with weight on my left leg/right leg (like a penguin) just in case my knee gives out. I nearly fell into a TV yesterday, hit the wall today and right before I left work, tripped over a wheelchair and almost sat in a ladies lap! The longer I'm up, the worse they hurt and when I sit down, I get so stiff that I can barely get back up.

Since there is "nothing wrong", I cannot get FMLA or use my short term disability and if I call in more than three days in a row, I have to provide a drs. note to go back to work. I could call in for three days and see the dr again but he prob. won't sign anything to release me back to work since he doesn't know what's wrong (therefore I get the "nothing showed up" response).

All the "specialist" drs require a referral and I honestly do not know who else to go to. Even though I work in the medical field, I work long term care and we just don't do alot of referrals/etc for the elderly. A few residents yes and all of them are taken care of and we do treat their conditions but I would say 80% of them are "pallative care/hospice care: keep them comfortable until it's time"

I"m done ranting now. Sorry.

Kathy

[MartySews2]

Kathy, do try to see a neurologist as it could be a nerve problem. I'm very concerned that your doctor has such a cavalier attitude toward your symptoms. Something is definitely wrong so I would go to the ER. Maybe some different tests could be done to determine what is happening to your legs. Please don't hesitate any longer. I'm praying for you to get some answers & relief.
Marty

[bridesmom]

I'm with Marty! Your Dr is not being serious about this, if he won't do something, then go to ER. What's going on is not right.

[kjh9835]

I know its not right, I'm 42 years old and should not feel like this. The kids really brought it to my attention last week when they said "mom, 2 years ago you walked around all the malls in FL with us, helped grandma in the house and yard and you pushed dd in a wheelchair all around Sea World (she hurt her foot) and you were sore but not like this".

They complain when the weather is nice that we don't go hiking or woods exploring or anything like that. I can't anymore. Even last Summer I had more pain than usual after I did those activities. I rode the motorcycle with Joe near the end of the nice weather and I did hurt for two days but I could walk and do my job and it was gone in a few days.

I told my boss that I could not work as the main nurse anymore (knowing one of our nurses is getting ready to quit without notice) and I knew she'd tell me to fill in. I just can't, its not worth the pain. I can work the treatment/support nurse position b/c its "at my speed". I don't have to go 110 miles an hour for 8-10 hours all day long. I do what I can do and if not everything is done, it gets delegated to the main nurse responsible for the shift. My boss just kinda looked at me and asked about my lab work.

I took a chance that they could actually fire me (Indiana is an employment at will state, they can get rid of you for any reason/no reason at all). They didn't/haven't yet prob. b/c I can at least work 6-8 hours at slow speed and we need nurses and CNA's badly. They've pulled me as a CNA quite a bit but the last two days my boss has done the CNA work as she knows I can't do it (good boss most of the time, I do like her but also know she has to do what corp. says)

ER is not an option unless I actually wake up one day and can't move. We have a huge co-pay if they don't admit you. We have it if we have to pay it but I'm not going to unless my body makes me. I think I have a muscle something or other that's making my nerves not work right. I'm losing dexterity in my right hand (picking up pins is not good). I'm right handed so my right should be stronger than my left but it's not.

I'd change drs but don't have much choice: one doesn't take new pts (soon to retire), one is an a-hole that I wouldn't take my dying fish to, another soon to retire, another who only doles out to drug-seekers and is being investigated for that and one who thinks he is God/doesn't write Rx's for stuff we need but will write the order on the chart and gets pissed when we call/fax for the actual Rx, the last one also doesn't take suggestions from us who give the daily care. HE IS THE DR AND WILL DECIDE WHAT TO ORDER....yeah, yeah, yeah, we know who you are but WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED!

I'll see how I am come next week. If it's too bad, I will go to the ER. Lyrica should take 7-10 days to work, I had relief the 2nd day with the numbness being gone but still have the pain so I'll give it til Monday. The pain isn't worse/isn't better so I know I'm not dying yet.

Thank you for your concern. Joe is here but not real supportive with health issues. Being former military he is usually like "ok, whatever, get over it, move along" but he did agree he thought I had a pinched nerve or something with my nervous system being wrong and he has always taken good care of me after I had surgery or was hospitalized. It's the not knowing that bugs him I think.

Kathy

[sewingmom]

Have you ever had a myelogram or an MRI on your spine. labs won't show a nerve compression of the spine. Kathy, I am worried about you!! Have you thought of seeing an orthopaedic doctor. If there is a good one in town that works on backs, it might be an alternative. It really sounds like a neuro problem though but you might get a referral and an earlier appointment.

[Skye]

I'll join in and say sorry that you are going through this (hug) I also thnk that you should see a neurologist.

There are many syndromes that can start with symptoms like you have Guillian Barre for one.

[kjh9835]

I was referred to ortho last Summer for left hip/back pain that was actually my sacro-illiac joint. I had xrays of hips, pelvis, spine and maybe something else then had an MRI of my spine. It did show a bulging disc at L4-L5 but not bad enough to do anything about. I was still in pain, neither my primary dr or the ortho dr. would give me anything but ortho did refer me to the pain clinic so that's how I started going there after about 3 weeks of suffering.

Once there, I was diagnosed with a long list of stuff, prob so ins. would pay for treatment. Ins. did pay for exam and a glucose tol. test to rule out diabetes (negative) which he really thought I had due to the amount of nerve pain I had. Still having issues with ins. company paying for the nerve blocks (they keep requesting more info and denying claim in the meantime). I will file an appeal if I have to. The hospital and dr. should have made sure it was covered BEFORE I had anything done as I don't have $7K laying around!

I had a bulging disc in my neck for years (again, not bad enough to do anything about). I had recurrent muscle spasms of my trapezius muscle that caused shooting pain, tingling and numbness in my right arm/hand off and of for maybe 7 years or so. The disc finally blew one morning in 2003 when I rolled over in bed. I literally could not move but thankfully kids were home and called Joe. I had surgery 2 days later after initial consult with neurosurgeon and then a second opinion. I had 90% compression of my spinal cord so it was an emergency type surgery.

I am scared they will put me off, put me off and put me off and if/when the one at L4-5 blows, I will not be able to walk at all but they just say "it's not that bad". Maybe it's worse now than it was last Summer, maybe it's not but something is causing my legs to hurt all day, everyday and it's embarrassing to be at work and have the more alert residents offer me their walkers and wheelchairs and tell me to get to the dr! I tell them I'm fine and not to worry about me as I am supposed to be taking care of them! The therapy dept. keeps telling me to get to the dr asap too but I went and did what I was supposed to do and I'm taking the Lyrica, now we wait and pray I can walk everyday when I wake up. (I'm up now for PB and J, milk and pain pill).

Kathy

[temom]

I would say you need a different doctor, one who will take the time to listen to you. Also, make sure you are communicating clearly what the symptoms are, when they occur, and even demonstrate how you stand/walk when in pain. Try not to offer diagnosis, and ask the doc what they think the issues are, and how to treat it/them. As far as finding a new doc, you might even think about asking your own doctor who they would suggest, since they are too busy. If you do it nicely, that might be enough to get them to take the time to treat you correctly.
There are a lot of good doctors out there, and if your doc isn't up to the challenge, I say find one who is!

[sewingmom]

Kathy, degenrative disc disease is an ongoing problem for millions of Americans. Rest and proper exercise and keping the weight down are the usual reccomendations. You may well have blown the disc. Another thing about MRI's. They aren't infalable. Mine on my shoulder did not indocat that I needed surgery but the ortho said my clinical symptoms warrented surgery and now my problem is fixed.
Marty had a run in with the insurance last year, about her treatment not being covered and the hospital not getting it precertified before treatment and I think she took it to a lawyer. Check with her about the outcome and the procedure she followed. I know you are in pain, but don't let these people make you a victim. Be proactive and rattle some cages till you get help. If I was there I would.........
On another note, how is the job hunt going??

[Mule]

Kathy, you have to see another doctor. A specialist who will find out what's going on. Regardless what your labs indicate, there's obviously something wrong. Even if you have to travel outside the area, it would be worth seeking out a really good doctor. Don't let them put you off!