Ksgirl<<<<<The second set of restrictions you posted from your attorney's Dr. I can understand with a back injury. I am on my third. No surgeries. 50# is not acceptable with a bad back. I know that's how I aquired all 3 injuries. constant lifting of 50#. Also, hubby had 3/4 of 2 disks removed. He re-herniated one and herniated nother after surgery during PT. It can happen and does. You need to be checked out to make sure of what's going on before any more damage is done. Please, please be careful and let us know.
CAP 
Cap. and the Others are giving You Great Info., I had a Microdiscectomy/Laminectomy at L5/S1, and the Half of a Disc I have left is Herniated Again, and I'm not Working!! I have Severe Scar Tissue Issues, and Your Symptoms seem to mimic Mine when I First Started Noticing Something was Wrong. Please try and get Yourself Off of Work, and get Re-Checked, You don't want to End up with Major Spinal Issues such as Mine! Please protect Yourself, and I Hope You get this Resolved!!
Thanks Cap and Limbo. I have been afraid for a while now that I had reherniated L4-L5 or that the bulge in L5-S1 has herniated, but since I wasn't doing much I wasn't hurting too bad. Now that I am working again and hurting a WHOLE lot more, I'm afraid it is a herniation. My lawyer is calling me back here in a bit(we've been playing phone tag) and I'll see if he has found anything out. He said he has called, emailed, and sent a letter to wc's lawyer and still hasn't heard anything. I was talking to my supervisor today and he had talked with the hr lady at work and she told him I need to go to my regular physician and let him check me out, then fight with wc to get them to cover it if something is wrong. I would rather see my regular dr than the wc dr, but I am tired of fighting with wc. Why don't they just take care of people?
I'll let you guys know what I find out.
Quick update. My attorney is wanting to file for a hearing to get me in to see the dr, but he has to have a letter from a dr stating that I need to see my dr. How stupid. I called my regular dr and since I haven't been to see him in three years (I know, bad girl) he will have to approve me as a patient. Who knows how long that will take. If I can't get in to see him by monday (which won't happen) my attorney wants me to go to the city and go to a walk in clinic. I will have to pay for it myself and wc will have to reimburse me up to $500 (Kansas thing). After being on the phone for two hours I was upset. I called the hr lady at work and asked her if she would please contact the wc and ask them to let me go back to the dr. I even cried and I very rarely cry. She keeps telling me to go to my regular dr and so this time I was able to tell her that that wasn't going to happen.
Sorry, my quick update was very long winded.
Oh ksgirl....I'm sorry you're going through this. I am with you in being so fed up with WC and what hard working people go through. You know , I do realize there are reasons, laws, and two sides to every story BUT people go through a type of living hell while on WC. This being my 5th injury (various different injuries each time) and all being paid immediately except this one I have seen both sides of the WC system. This one has since been decided in my behalf by the Judge. Although my first 4 injuries were paid and I got the medical treatment I needed, returned to work with no restrictions it was still a living hell while I was in the system. I returned to work after my first injury and of course my medical was still open. The IC refused each and every treatment and Dr.s visit. I finally in desperation called my Office of Vocational Rehab and the wonderful people there helped. My prayers and good thoughts are with you.
CAP
Thank you Cap. Isn't desperation a terrible thing to feel? It just seems to me that if wc would listen to the iw and do what needs to be done, everything would go so much smoother and we would heal a lot faster. I have about given up on getting a post op mri. I understand keeping costs down and all of that, but sometimes not allowing a test can make the iw suffer a lot longer and have even more expensive problems to fix. You would think that an honest dr would be able to tell if an iw was faking or making something worse than it is. My dr doesn't even examine me, even though he says he does in his reports.
Another update. I spoke with my attorney this morning (yes, he called me on Sat. morning) and he finally received an email from wc lawyer. The wc lawyer is going to try to get wc to allow me to go back to the dr. I am going to keep on my hr lady and get her to contact wc. Maybe if the request is coming from all sides they will give in and we won't have to go to a hearing to get another appointment.
I also remebered that the dr wrote me a script for muscle relaxers in July that I told him I didn't need. Thankfully I kept it and the pharmacy said that they would fill it. Maybe with those and the pain pills I have left I will be able to make it through work til I can get back to the dr. I really didn't want to start taking the pills again. They make me so sick to my stomach and I hate feeling dingier than I already am, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
I really do thank all of you for listening to me and being there for me. You are a great group of people and you are all in my prayers.
ks, when I Started feeling a Change in My Back, and Pain Starting to Creep in, My Surgeon had Me Trying Work Hardening. My Second Day there I Arrived 1/2 Hr. Early, and they had to Help Me out of My Car, and Ice My Back Down, just so I could Drive back Home. They Stopped WH until after I saw My Surgeon. I saw Him 5 Days Later, and He tried to tell Me Pain was Normal, and I should Fight through it. I told Him to give Me another MRI, with and without Contrast, and if nothing was wrong, I would Crawl through WH if I Had To!!! Low and Behold, the MRI showed the Scar Tissue had filled were My Disc Piece was removed, Traveled through the Foranim, and Totally Encapsulated the S1 Nerve Root!! He threw a Scrip. at Me and Said "Go Get ESI Shots"! I went Straight for My First Appt. with My Attorney. I had a Phone Conversation with the Attorney I Have, and I told Him if I was Treated Correctly, I was going to Hold Off on Retaining Him, I Never wanted this Battle with w/c. But as You can See, I had no Choice! All I ever wanted was Repaired, and sent Back to Work! You Know the Rest of My Story!!!
Still, you are an inspiration to all. You have fought and keep on fighting and I really do pray that everything works out as well for you as it possibly can! You and your family deserve the best you can get.
I kept telling this dr that I feel I need a post op mri, but all he says is that it can take a year for the nerves to heal. After I started the work conditioning and my right foot started hurting, he still said it can take a year for the nerve to heal! I think that the part that upsets me the most right nw is that in his reports, he doesn't state that I am still complaining about my back and legs. The reports mostly say that I feel I am healing and getting better. He said in the next to last report that I have stated that my back is still hurting but that after examination, that is myofacial pain. From what I understand myofacial pain is muscle pain (that's not exactly what I am feeling) and he has not examined me since I had surgery except to look at my scar twice. He has not checked reflexes, straight leg raises, bending, nothing! Thankfully the pt I was seeing has documented everything I have said including that I feel like I need another mri, because I feel something is still wrong. Her report, the FCE report, and the attorneys drs report all show that I have no ankle reflex in my left leg. He has never even checked my reflexes. How do you do an exam without checking reflexes?
Sorry, I was fussing and whining again. Hey Still, are you watching the Steelers? I'm rooting for them!
Morning KS>>>> I hoe the pain killers and muscle relaxers have helped somewhat. Yes frustration at this system is horrible and I live in a decent state for WC. I can't imagine what some go through. I also would like an MRI of my post surgical shoulder but all DR.s have told me there are no gaurantees and most of the pain is coming from the nerve damage in my neck. After seeing a Chiro a few times I believe them . her mild adjustments to my neck have eased some of the pain in my shoulder and arm. OK, that's me I'll stop.
WH PT!!! Had it, loved it, worked several years as strong as an ox after it. BUT I DID NOT have surgery. My back is not as bad as either of you . I don't recommend WH to anyone who ahs had lumbar surgery. Limbo how wrong it was for them to put you through this.
UGH TO WC!
CAP
ks, I think You are going to have to take Control of Your Medical Care, it's the only way I got Any further Testing. I forget if You have an Attorney, but if You do, have Him try to get You a Change of Dr.'s, and an MRI to Check Your Lower Back Concerns. I'm in Pa.,and if We aren't Happy with the Way the w/c Dr. is Treating Us after 90 Days We can get Our Own, and w/c has to Pay! If You don't have that Option, Maybe Your Attorney can Petition the Courts with the Other Dr.'s Records for the Necessary Care You need! The Evidence You have Clearly shows You need Further Testing, Maybe the Courts will Agree! I Wish You the Very Best, I know how Lower Back Pain can Totally take Over Your Life, Every Move You make causes Pain!! Best of Luck, and My Prayers are Going Up For You!!!
Cap., It is a Shame, but You know how Our State is. If You don't do Every Little Thing by the Book, they will Surely try and take Your Benefits from You! I had to go to PT, and WH, and the Pt and WH Professionals had to Stop My Care and refer Me Back to My Surgeon or My Benefits would have been cut, for not following Dr.'s Orders! Pa. w/c is Good in some Ways, but they sure can be Very Uncaring in Others!! Thanks Cap., and Have a Great Day!!