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IME report is in - Bummer Knees - 12-20-2008 06:14 PM
I received the IME report today.
The attorney for the wc insurance company enclosed a cover letter, the following is from the cover letter:
Enclosed is the IME report from Dr. XXX. He finds the claimant's low back complaints are related to the injury. However, he does not feel there is a need for additional treatment.
It appears that your client has exhausted all types of epidural injections and physical therapy was not benifical. She is not a surgical candidate. Please let me know where that leave you after you speak to your client.
Sincerely,
XXXX
The good news is this puts me in a whole body rating.
The bad news is the IME doctor writes in his report I have a lumbar spine sprain.
Pain management is the only treatment I have received since 8/07 for my back and I still have daily nerve pain. I have to limit the amount of time I am on my feet due to issues with my back & knees.
At the time I was released from physical therapy the therapist told me the problems with my back is keeping me from making any more progress with my total knee recovery.
The first 2 epidural injections did help, and that doctor gave me the diagnosis of S1 joint dysfunction.
I do have one question?
Can back strain cause neuropathy pain?
I have a hearing next month to add the back to my claim.
Thank you,
Bummer Knees
RE: IME report is in - hurt at work - 12-20-2008 06:40 PM
hi bummer i do believe back pain can cause neuropathy pain because then the back muscles get tight it puts stress on everything around them and swelling does the same thing.thats why they give you muscle relaxers and steroids to calm things down.none of those work for me any more.
RE: IME report is in - capricorn - 12-20-2008 07:19 PM
Bummer...I agree. I also am listed as a lumbar sprain although I have 2 herniations. I have sciatica flare ups almost every 2 weeks. Some I can deal with and others require a trigger point injections or I scream in pain. I have also been dx with S1 joint dysfunction. I also have one numb burning foot which is maddening at times. It's on the side of my bad knee. So the best I can answer is yes the swelling as Hurt said can cause pressure on the nerves and cause great pain. I also was not a surgical candidate. I find that ice and heat rotated and a low doseof Neurontin work best for me.
CAP
RE: IME report is in - Bummer Knees - 12-20-2008 08:44 PM
Hi Cap
Think you for your post. After reading the IME report I felt as if the doctor was trying to convince the reader that my back problems are in my head.
According to my medical records I have 3 buldging disc, radiculopathy pain, compression of the S1 nerve root, benign tumor of T12 bone marrow, along with other issues.
I do not want back surgery, but I do want to know why I feel the way I do.
It has been 18 months since I last had medical treatment for my back and that was physical therapy. More recent I've had a total knee replacement, which very much affects the low back.
My attorney has requested I contact him, I would think he will send me for an IME with a doctor of our own choice.
RE: IME report is in - AQA - 12-20-2008 10:24 PM
BK, in short, YES. A lumbar sprain/strain can cause neuropathy pain. I have been living with it for over three years.
RE: IME report is in - monster - 12-21-2008 03:53 AM
according to my docs I have cervical/lumbar/thoracic sprain/strain (as well as left knee). I have had hell trying to get treated, I wish you much better luck than I have had. BTW after 4 1/2 years they are still saying this as well as other things now. You would think after this long it would have healed
RE: IME report is in - capricorn - 12-21-2008 09:13 AM
Honestly I have been in this shape for a long time. Have tried everything, Bummer as you have. PT has made me worse and set off the sciatica. I'm glad you no longer think they are saying it's in your head. It's not and they know it also. My reports read similar to yours. HAd an EMG and have right sided radiculopathy again also the side of the bad knee which doesn't help. I noticed the other day that my knee hyper-extended, which it does from time to time, and I couldn't unlock it. When I did I felt the pain from my butt cheek down my thigh all the way to the burning foot. I have been checked for Diabetic Neuropathy since of course that would be the first thing the IC wanted to be true and don't have it , this is all coming from my back. Once I get rid of an attack I have to be very careful, not much, just turning wrong , will set it off.
CAP
RE: IME report is in - sparkey - 12-22-2008 06:59 AM
Now is the critical time Bummer for you lawyer to set you up for a IME with THEIR doctor. That is where I went wrong. I did not have a lawyer do that for me and had my 2 doctors ( pain management, OCC doc) rebut their findings. It did not help. It was because the labor board knew of the IME doctor that did my exam and did not know of my doctors. It is all in who they know and believe also. The ones that cared for me the whole injury as opposed to the doctor that saw me all but 10 mins. won. Does not make sense to me. But it is all politics I believe.
At the time I had neuropathy. Now I am considered to have RSD finally as they never wanted to call it that at PM. They refused to believe that is what I have. Now after the hearing they say RSD and now my meds are cut off and I am left paying it with my own health insurance. They do pay for my treatments though.
RE: IME report is in - Still in Limbo - 12-22-2008 08:15 AM
Hi Bummer, I Hope You are Well Today!! Your Attorney is going to have to get busy and get You to a Dr. of Your Choice for an Additional IME, and They are going to have to File a Petition to Review the Decision of the IME's. Both Dr.'s will have to be Deposed by both Attorneys, and the Judge will make the Decision on who They Feel is Most Credible. That was done in My Case, and My Dr. and Myself was found to be More Credible. It's a shame any of Us have to do All of this just to be Believed and get the Care We Need!! My Best, and I Hope All Goes Well!!
RE: IME report is in - capricorn - 12-22-2008 10:41 AM
Bummer>>>>Limbo is dead on. I had the same scenerio. The IC hired one of the best around and thank God I had three Dr.s who kicked his butt. My attorney was very good at slipping their IME's up through a depo.
Best of luck. You've had alot this past year.CAP