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zest4life · 10-01-2007, 01:05 AM

Ive had a pretty hard time the last several months. Dealing with wc, my employer, the Drs. I was hurt at work ...during the last several months the pain in my back and leg has gone from very bad being unable to walk without holding onto somthing to no pain and numbness in my leg at all..back and forth> I never know what Im going to be like until I get out of bed every day. My dr has finally taken me off work all together on sept 5th during a time I couldnt walk..he ordered another mri that showed a cpl severe herniations..and sugested a limainectomy with a cpl other things...wc agreed to begin with then said I had to get another opinion...and that appt is tue ttwo and 1/2 weeks since Ive seen my neuro and almost a full month since Ive been off work. Well here lies my problem..since Ive been off work Ive done nothing except take it easy and for two weeks now my pain has been less then it has been since my accident. My neuro says that his decision to take me off work is why Im so much better now but still recomends the surgery. If I get the ok from the wc comp choice of neuro for the surgery I dont know if I should have it or not since Im not really hurting rigt now. Im already on FMLA and have began getting wc checks finally. I just feel like its a wold of mess. Can wc make me get the surgery? I know my neuro wont release me to go back to work without restrictions and I have no idea what the thier choice of neuro dr will say...

jayne · 10-01-2007, 07:48 AM

no they cannot make you have surgery....but if you refuse the suggested treatment they can and will put you at MMI and depending on your state the TTD checks could stop.

~~Still in Limbo~~ · (This post was last modified: 10-01-2007 11:48 AM by 1171.)

Zest, Jayne. as usual is absolutely Right!! But think of this for a moment, if Rest stops Your Pain, and Work causes it by inflaming and irritating Your Nerves due to the Herniations,do You really want to have to deal with this the Rest of Your Life? I am not usually an Advocate for Surgery, if You read my Signature Below, You will See that I am Disabled from a Surgery went wrong, but not all Surgeries end the way mine did. If the Odds are High that the Surgery will Help, and only after a Second or even maybe a Third Opinion, all looks Good for the Surgery, it may be worth a shot to give You a Better chance at a less Painful Life! I have a Friend that had a Laminectomy to clear Bone Spurs, and He's doing Fine!! Just Food for thought, and I Hope which ever Path You choose, it Helps Your Pain!! Wink

zest4life · 10-01-2007, 12:14 PM

Thanks for your thoughts

ksgirl · 10-01-2007, 12:19 PM

From what you have written it sounds like surgery may help you. If you don't have surgery and go back to work, you will probably keep having problems. I have had two laminectomy/discectomies and I am thankful I had them. I am having a slow recovery after the second surgery, but it is a LOT better than before. Do a lot of thinking and ask if alternatives will work. I wish you the best.

Cervical_Fusion · 10-01-2007, 11:28 PM

Zest4life. I need a 4 level lumbar surgrey from L2 down through the S1. No surgeon here in the north end of the state will do it.. they say i will be worse after the surgrey that i a now... But my point I want to make to u is that i am in excruseating pain .. I work 10 hrs a day on my feet.. but on the days i am not at work my pain is much better... I am in the process of a SCS. But with your dr putting u off work. and u feeling better is because u are not on your feet now like u were at work... bet if you were to go back to work right now and not have some kind of treat ment or surgrey u would find that all your pain would come back.. so i be very cautious about not getting the treatment they are offering.. buddy u do not want to live in total pain the rest of your life.

sparkey · 10-02-2007, 04:04 AM

I just have a question. Wouldn't it be good to get those inserts in shoes to wear for working 10 hours a day on your feet? I know it is alittle to late, but was wondering how that really would work. I have just always been told it makes a world of difference on the back when you put those in your shoes. As far as the surgery, i think from what everyone has mentioned the surgery should not be that bad. If you refuse treatment i think they can stop payments. I really do not know, but thought i read that somewhere. Best of luck.

jayne · 10-02-2007, 08:05 AM

because I have excessive scarring(most natural red heads do) and the fusion on my cervical disc caused way to much scar tissue they (my doc) adviced me not to have surgery on lower back...the option was mine tho....however just the choaking feeling I have in my neck from the excessive scarring was enough of a red flag to me...if this scarring took place in the lower back disc not only extra pain but my ability to walk would have been my fate........

Truckster · 10-09-2007, 08:48 AM

wow,i have the exact same problem as you do zest,as long as i am at rest,the pain is bearable but go and do something and watch out....and am at the same point as you faced with the decision of surgery or not,except my doc wants to do something like a fusion with artificial disks....good luck!!!!!!!!!