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It's been a while

for this type of day to happen too me. I woke up around 6:34.....................PM none the less! I was like is it am or pm since it was darkish outside. Pain ruled my day again! Friday I was supposed to get an mri in Amarillo (about 1h & 40min drive). I called them and said "nope not today" and rescheduled. Wife was checking on me and making sure I was still alive. These days just S U C K!!!!!!!!!
 
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Pain management is a joke and less helpful for me! I had fusions from c3-c7 to hopefully get rid of the pain, but all it did is lower my bank account. Then there's a bug zapper approach. Electrodes placed on each side of the spine. I talked to 3 people who have had this done and all 3 said it was 0 helpful. 1st you go in for a test set of bug zappers that cost in the 10-12k mark with an adjustable setting to see what works best. If it seems helpful and you want to do the implants the test equipment gets thrown in the trash for the new implants that cost near the same, but has the added cost of hospital and all associated with it. All 3 have had this done also and with 0 help in the process. 2 with neck implants and 1 for the back. Sounds like a scam on the highest levels! As most docs will say "I'll take your money and that's the only guarantee"!
 
"Pain management is a joke and less helpful for me! I had fusions from c3-c7 to hopefully get rid of the pain, but all it did is lower my bank account. Then there's a bug zapper approach. Electrodes placed on each side of the spine. I talked to 3 people who have had this done and all 3 said it was 0 helpful. 1st you go in for a test set of bug zappers that cost in the 10-12k mark with an adjustable setting to see what works best. If it seems helpful and you want to do the implants the test equipment gets thrown in the trash for the new implants that cost near the same, but has the added cost of hospital and all associated with it. All 3 have had this done also and with 0 help in the process. 2 with neck implants and 1 for the back. Sounds like a scam on the highest levels! As most docs will say "I'll take your money and that's the only guarantee"!

I have one of those devices. I have a problem with c4, c5 which effects my arms. Severly debilitating pain. I was on Vicodin for over 3 years under pain management care. Wake up and pop 5 mg and drive to work (1 hour commute), 10mg with first cup of coffee, 5 mg more to drive home and then 20 mg once I get home, depending on the day sometimes needed another 10 mg and a Valium to sleep. The device I have is by Medtronics it interrupts the pain signals so that they don't get to the brain. I feels like you have an electrical charge running down your arm which takes some getting used to but within a week I said goodbye to the Vicodin and manage pain now with my Medtronics device and asprin. or tylenol It ain't perfect and sometimes doesn't completely mask the pain but masks it enough that you can function normally. Best part is I'm no longer jacked up on Vicodin all day, every day....
 
Only if it were that easy! Mine date back to 2 car accidents ('78 age 12 and '87 upside down car). It took a looooong time for it to kick into gear and bite me back. With a normal curve in my neck and went to no curve somehow and no signs of when it happened. I 1st found out at a chiropractic visit in '02 or '03, but wasn't really bothering me. I went in due to a farming incident (not accident) about my back. My back got better, but the neck would only get worse due to the type of work I was doing. Lack of sleep or even rest from 30 to 50 continue hour work days for 5 months. Wife busy with the kids and no help for me. She brought me food and drink to keep me supplied day and night. She wasn't able to drive the truck since she was pregnant with #3 at the time. Rough country was tough on her, so better safe than sorry.
I feel your pain. When I was in pain more pain then normal the other day my trophy wife told me that I am supposed to go into old age by aging graciously. I told her that was crap I going into old age kicking and screaming,
 
"Pain management is a joke and less helpful for me! I had fusions from c3-c7 to hopefully get rid of the pain, but all it did is lower my bank account. Then there's a bug zapper approach. Electrodes placed on each side of the spine. I talked to 3 people who have had this done and all 3 said it was 0 helpful. 1st you go in for a test set of bug zappers that cost in the 10-12k mark with an adjustable setting to see what works best. If it seems helpful and you want to do the implants the test equipment gets thrown in the trash for the new implants that cost near the same, but has the added cost of hospital and all associated with it. All 3 have had this done also and with 0 help in the process. 2 with neck implants and 1 for the back. Sounds like a scam on the highest levels! As most docs will say "I'll take your money and that's the only guarantee"!

I have one of those devices. I have a problem with c4, c5 which effects my arms. Severly debilitating pain. I was on Vicodin for over 3 years under pain management care. Wake up and pop 5 mg and drive to work (1 hour commute), 10mg with first cup of coffee, 5 mg more to drive home and then 20 mg once I get home, depending on the day sometimes needed another 10 mg and a Valium to sleep. The device I have is by Medtronics it interrupts the pain signals so that they don't get to the brain. I feels like you have an electrical charge running down your arm which takes some getting used to but within a week I said goodbye to the Vicodin and manage pain now with my Medtronics device and asprin. or tylenol It ain't perfect and sometimes doesn't completely mask the pain but masks it enough that you can function normally. Best part is I'm no longer jacked up on Vicodin all day, every day....
What was once a pain level of 10 I find out there keeps being a new standard. You probably got that too? Any pain meds I take only dull out the pain. 1 of those steak knives down to a butter knife feelings, but still hurts like none other! I look at it as I know others out there are in more pain than I, but it still S U C K S! I know it could be worse and am glad it's not.

How long have you had it installed?
 
Sorry to hear , hope somehow you find if not a cure at least something helpful. I was lucky, after 10 years of agony I had two hip replacements and now feel pretty decent.

My wife on the other hand has the all day every day pain in her back, and it kills me to watch. The tens unit gives a small amount of relief, as does the CBD oral and lotions which along with her pain meds at least allow her to get out of bed and function, but I find her crying all hours of the day. Hardest thing I have experienced... add in her CHF from chemo and it's a hard road. Sure wish I could take it for her, she's the best person I know and sure does not deserve this.
 
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"Pain management is a joke and less helpful for me! I had fusions from c3-c7 to hopefully get rid of the pain, but all it did is lower my bank account. Then there's a bug zapper approach. Electrodes placed on each side of the spine. I talked to 3 people who have had this done and all 3 said it was 0 helpful. 1st you go in for a test set of bug zappers that cost in the 10-12k mark with an adjustable setting to see what works best. If it seems helpful and you want to do the implants the test equipment gets thrown in the trash for the new implants that cost near the same, but has the added cost of hospital and all associated with it. All 3 have had this done also and with 0 help in the process. 2 with neck implants and 1 for the back. Sounds like a scam on the highest levels! As most docs will say "I'll take your money and that's the only guarantee"!

I have one of those devices. I have a problem with c4, c5 which effects my arms. Severly debilitating pain. I was on Vicodin for over 3 years under pain management care. Wake up and pop 5 mg and drive to work (1 hour commute), 10mg with first cup of coffee, 5 mg more to drive home and then 20 mg once I get home, depending on the day sometimes needed another 10 mg and a Valium to sleep. The device I have is by Medtronics it interrupts the pain signals so that they don't get to the brain. I feels like you have an electrical charge running down your arm which takes some getting used to but within a week I said goodbye to the Vicodin and manage pain now with my Medtronics device and asprin. or tylenol It ain't perfect and sometimes doesn't completely mask the pain but masks it enough that you can function normally. Best part is I'm no longer jacked up on Vicodin all day, every day....
yeah, i had a "TENS" portable machine myself, that and all the pads were free however, thanks to my insurance. the machine worked fine...some days....other days, it was like why did i bother to set it up..???

when the machine company went out of business, all the warehouse had left was old rebuilt ones, which i had to take.

then that one too, crapped out.

no more electronic therapy for me...unless i went to a physical therapy place, again, why bother, the drive there and back, wasn't worth it, when i got home.

shots were my next "option", but i was told they don't last long.....well...why bother then...??

i still get some pains too, maybe not like what @TEXASforLIFE gets nowadays, but mine are still annoying when they hit.

i can "feel" everyone's pain, that's for certain, and pain is no fun.
 
Tex, have u looked into acupuncture?

My dad - of all people! - tried it when he was about 69-70 and was amazed. I’m a couple yrs older than you and considering it myself, for a couple of ‘old age’ conditions coming on that don’t really have a cure or treatment. (Tennis elbow is one and it’s PAINFUL when it hits). About all i can do to relieve it is stretching exercises.
 
Tex, have u looked into acupuncture?

My dad - of all people! - tried it when he was about 69-70 and was amazed. I’m a couple yrs older than you and considering it myself, for a couple of ‘old age’ conditions coming on that don’t really have a cure or treatment. (Tennis elbow is one and it’s PAINFUL when it hits). About all i can do to relieve it is stretching exercises.
If it's out there, I've tried it.......................well some exclusions apply! No to morphine, no to medical weed and no to higher dosage of pain meds of what I've taken! Because of what I have had done to my neck (surgery wise) some procedures are not available, ie stem cell injections. At 1 time a pain mgt place did some injections, but were not botox. I've been wanting to try botox, but no place will do it without insurance. Even paying up front they will not do it? I guess so they can rape the insurance companies? To answer your question, yes, I did try acupuncture. Back in 12/04/21 I had a pain like none other! I took 2 different pain meds about 20 to 30 minutes apart just to try and calm the pain. After 2 hours and ? pills later I went to emergency. Luckily the doc on call was my regular doc. 1st he had the er give me a shot of ? that had no affect. He showed up shortly after the injection to see me in an amount of pain he's never witnessed from me. He asked me questions I couldn't answer due to pain. Wy wife gave him good info of what she observed and by pointing to those areas to confirm of what she was relaying to him. Well, he gave me some high powered iv that finally calmed it down to being able to converse with him. About an hour later I was discharged, but I was still up all night. I am glad for my vision, hearing, motor skills and being able to walk, but some doc out there should be able to get this fixed!
 
If it's out there, I've tried it.......................well some exclusions apply! No to morphine, no to medical weed and no to higher dosage of pain meds of what I've taken! Because of what I have had done to my neck (surgery wise) some procedures are not available, ie stem cell injections. At 1 time a pain mgt place did some injections, but were not botox. I've been wanting to try botox, but no place will do it without insurance. Even paying up front they will not do it? I guess so they can rape the insurance companies? To answer your question, yes, I did try acupuncture. Back in 12/04/21 I had a pain like none other! I took 2 different pain meds about 20 to 30 minutes apart just to try and calm the pain. After 2 hours and ? pills later I went to emergency. Luckily the doc on call was my regular doc. 1st he had the er give me a shot of ? that had no affect. He showed up shortly after the injection to see me in an amount of pain he's never witnessed from me. He asked me questions I couldn't answer due to pain. Wy wife gave him good info of what she observed and by pointing to those areas to confirm of what she was relaying to him. Well, he gave me some high powered iv that finally calmed it down to being able to converse with him. About an hour later I was discharged, but I was still up all night. I am glad for my vision, hearing, motor skills and being able to walk, but some doc out there should be able to get this fixed!
i had a "run-around" with an insurance company/doctor up here. here, the doctors accept what the insurance companies pay, for procedures, and therapy, etc.

of course they can always charge us the balance the insurance does not cover, but i have yet to receive any such bills.

that being said, i can call the billing dept of the doctors office, and say i'll pay what your office accepts from the insurance company, and i have yet to hear NO.

this actually happened to me, when i needed a urine sample testing kit for whatever is causing my stones. my former insurance paid 100%.

my new insurance doesn't cover the same exact testing kit, so i offered to pay cash what the old kit was....and i got it cheap(er) as it was a cash "deal"

it's all bout the up front money, as insurance companies can take several days to weeks to pay a doctors office.

none of us should have to pay a darned thing, or at least not full pricing, when the doctors office fully accepts the insurance companies actual payment.

as for my last 3 back surgeries, and my very first one, years ago, those were done by Neurologists, not orthopedic surgeons.

i think it is a major difference, as a Neurologist deals with the spinal cord, which when dealing with back/neck operations, that's a delicate area.

the very definitions of each doctor explains thier specialty areas.
 
Pain management is a joke and less helpful for me! I had fusions from c3-c7 to hopefully get rid of the pain, but all it did is lower my bank account. Then there's a bug zapper approach. Electrodes placed on each side of the spine. I talked to 3 people who have had this done and all 3 said it was 0 helpful. 1st you go in for a test set of bug zappers that cost in the 10-12k mark with an adjustable setting to see what works best. If it seems helpful and you want to do the implants the test equipment gets thrown in the trash for the new implants that cost near the same, but has the added cost of hospital and all associated with it. All 3 have had this done also and with 0 help in the process. 2 with neck implants and 1 for the back. Sounds like a scam on the highest levels! As most docs will say "I'll take your money and that's the only guarantee"!
Similar situations kinda/sorta. Fell backwards unloading a flatbed. Curbed my head and neck. Out like a light about 30 minutes before somebody found me. TBI, blown disks, ripped shoulder AC, etc. Pain management took along time to get where it is but it's holding for now. Contemplating cervical surgery, will it work? Be worse? Nobody knows. One thing is certain, I'm 1 rear end collision from a wheel chair, or worse. Sux too because I built this bad ass .450 Bushmaster, rolling the dice on a range trip. 😆
 
Similar situations kinda/sorta. Fell backwards unloading a flatbed. Curbed my head and neck. Out like a light about 30 minutes before somebody found me. TBI, blown disks, ripped shoulder AC, etc. Pain management took along time to get where it is but it's holding for now. Contemplating cervical surgery, will it work? Be worse? Nobody knows. One thing is certain, I'm 1 rear end collision from a wheel chair, or worse. Sux too because I built this bad ass .450 Bushmaster, rolling the dice on a range trip. 😆
If they try and fix the neck issue going in the front be warned as you might not be able to enjoy your favorite foods anymore? Some things are hard to swallow unless greased up (mayo, bbq or salad dressing was required). They pulled my throat out of the way to do the 4 fusions. Whatever you decide, I hope it goes good for you!
 
What was once a pain level of 10 I find out there keeps being a new standard. You probably got that too? Any pain meds I take only dull out the pain. 1 of those steak knives down to a butter knife feelings, but still hurts like none other! I look at it as I know others out there are in more pain than I, but it still S U C K S! I know it could be worse and am glad it's not.

How long have you had it installed?
I've had mine now going on 8 years. I go through pain cycles. I may go 6 days or 6 months out of the pain cycle but when i go back into pain mode, varying intensity for usually minimum of the next 6 months and have had one last over 2 years.
Before I went to pain management I was seeing a back surgeon. He was pushing me towards fusing my discs together. I researched and the success rate was not all that great and if it did not alleviate the pain then you were stuck with less mobility yet still have all the pain and limited future options. Plus he was adverse to pain killers and just getting him to prescribe naproxen was like pulling teeth. Jettisoned him and went into pain management and started looking around for a second opinion. After a couple of years of vicodin they tried the medtronics device (they have one that they can hook up externally to test it) and I really wasn't all that sold on it. My pain got worse and it was taking more and more opioids all the while I was working as an IT Analyst with a 120 mile round trip commute every day. I was in such a fog I had to keep crib sheets to remind me basic computer commands that I had been using every day for the last 20 years. I decided I had to do something. Did the Medtronic device and now feel it was the best decision of my life.
The device itself is about the size of a pack of cigarettes only about half as thick and is implanted under the skin. The Medtronic device isn't perfect and takes getting used to because the affected area feels like you have an electrical current going through that area. It masks the pain by not allowing the pain signal to reach your brain and the intensity is adjustable up and down as needed depending on your level of pain But it allows me to function without the pain meds. It works for me YMMV
 
it's all bout the up front money, as insurance companies can take several days to weeks to pay a doctors office.

none of us should have to pay a darned thing, or at least not full pricing, when the doctors office fully accepts the insurance companies actual payment
I'm retired Air Force so I have Tricare for life. In 2009 I had an undetected brain aneurism burst and suffered a Hemoragic Stroke requiring brain surgery to stop the brain bleed. I spent 10 days in ICU and an additional 5 days on the stroke ward. Now granted this was 14 years ago so prices have gone up substantially since then but to put it into perspective the bill was just shy of $150K. Tricare had an annual Catastrophic Cap of $2,500. Once you reached that their were not further copays for anything for the rest of the year. The bill was like this: Charge $1,250.00; Tricare Allowed $525.00; Tricare Paid $525.00; Balance Due $0. For each line item. All-in-all I paid $2K and Tricare paid a total of about $60K. The insurance companies have deals with the hospitals and pay substantially less than Joe Public does. Now granted Tricare is a Government Healthcare System and may have more pull then say United Healthcare but thats just a guess.
 
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