Join Me On This Journey, Will You?

Surgery. That's how I will be bringing in the month of February. I have never had surgery besides my wisdom teeth being pulled.

Couple of reasons why I want to document this journey for myself. 

1. There is a 60% chance I will end up in a study for a new disc replacement. I want to have a place to go back and refresh my memory on how I felt before and after surgery. I already know that should I get into the study, I will have follow-up appointments for seven years.
2. My job. I work in personal injury and I see my clients going through exactly what I am going through. If I can help someone else through the process of a disc replacement, I want to be able to look back and refresh my memory so I can give them as much useful information as I can. 
3. For me. I know I will need to write and get my thoughts out. 

Lets start from the beginning, shall we? 

According to my medical records, my first appointment was April 26, 2019. Out of know where, I began experiencing tingling from my shoulders down to my wrists (bilaterally). I recall telling a girlfriend at work that I was scared because I had never had this sensation before. You know when your foot falls asleep and you get that tingling sensation? That's how both of my arms felt. I don't recall having much pain at this point. My family doctor prescribed steroids. I honestly thought it would help. I had taken steroids in the past for pinched nerves. Steroids proved to do absolutely nothing. 

On September 3, 2019, I had my first MRI of my cervical spine.

I was referred to a neurosurgeon. There's a good chance if you ask anyone in my area which neurosurgeon to see, they will mention this doctor. 

The neurosurgeon was certain it was carpel tunnel. I, however, was not convinced. Carpel tunnel in both my arms and from my shoulders down to my wrists? He ordered an Electromyography (EMG). This test is used to detect neuromuscular abnormalities. You're stuck with needles so that an electrical current can be sent causing a twinge or spasm. When your arms already feel like they are asleep, this test certainly does not help. The neurologist who did the test told me before I left that she found no signs of carpel tunnel in either hand/arm. 

My follow-up appointment with the neurosurgeon was not what I expected especially from a doctor who is highly recommended. He confirmed I didn't have carpel tunnel. He reviewed the film from my MRI. He said my neck was definitely something to keep an eye on, but that I was too young for surgery. I asked him what now? In short, he said because I didn't have carpel tunnel, there was nothing more he could do. 

I followed up with my family doctor on November 18, 2019. The note from this visit states that the neurosurgeon had reviewed my film and felt that the issues I was having was not related to my neck, but carpal tunnel. However, he sent me for an EMG and surprisingly, it was completely normal. He goes on to say that I am frustrated and not sure where to turn next. 

I started my first round of physical therapy on December 10, 2019. Physical therapy turned into a place for me to go to simply get relief for 45mins. They would do anything that made me feel good. I recall being in the most pain during this time. Perhaps the symptoms were so new that I was unable to tolerate the pain as well as I do now. I had massages, my back cracked, tens unit, scrapping (helps reduce inflammation and increase blood flow), and cupping. My physical therapy ended up being derailed because of COVID, but to be honest, it wasn't helping. 

On March 3, 2020, I saw another neurologist. I won't go into detail about this appointment because it was nothing short of a waste of my time. The doctor walked in and said, "so, why are you here?" 

I was then referred to pain management. I essentially picked the provider I wanted to see based on what I had read from my client's medical records. I first saw pain management on August 17, 2020. Another appointment gone wrong. The appointment was at 8:00 a.m. The doctor appeared to be running behind already. He didn't really listen to what I was saying. He was quick to order pain medication (which I didn't even need because my family doctor had prescribed a nerve medication for me already). Naturally, I was then asked to give a urine sample since I would be taking pain medication. I didn't know beforehand that I would be required to give a urine sample so naturally at 8:00 a.m. I had no sample to give. I was treated like a drug addict. The medical assistant made it seem like I was not peeing enough on purpose. She told me to go sit in a room and gave me a cup of water. I then tried again. The sample was less than the first time. Do they combine them together? Nope. You start over. She told me to go sit in the room again and that she would be going across the hall to explain the situation to the doctor and his staff. It was as if I was a child disobeying. She brought in a swab for me to stick in my mouth and suck on. You had to get enough saliva on it to turn the swab blue. I'm not a doctor, but if I don't have enough urine to give, I am probably not going to be able to produce enough saliva. That was the case. I ended up swishing my mouth around and around spitting on the swab over and over until it finally turned blue. It was one of those moments where you don't even know how you got into that situation. Naturally, I never went back to his office. 

I then saw a new pain management doctor at a different facility. I had an epidural steroid injection into my neck on October 5, 2020. You are awake during the injection, but are heavily sedated with pain medication. It takes maybe 20-30 seconds for the injection. There is a lot of pressure in the area when it is injected. Not comfortable, but not unbearable. The only benefit I got from this was the relief I got from the drugs before the injection. 

After speaking with a few friends, I thought I would give dry needling a shot. I asked my family doctor to refer me back to physical therapy. I started my second round of physical therapy on January 21, 2021. The first round of dry needling seemed to really help. That was the only time I got relief. We tried it multiple times but physical therapy turned back into what will provide me relief for 45 minutes and we will do that. The therapist wanted me to work on strengthening. We attempted to lift some weights and workout. Very light weights at that. Each time I tried to workout, feelings that I was not aware I even had came out. I would immediately start crying. It was so upsetting to me that I had been lifting weights, running, and boxing and now I could barely lift a 5lb weight. For the first time in my life with me being 39 and my dad being 70, I was able to be as strong as him while pulling tons of leaves from my backyard to the front just two years prior. Now, I couldn't lift a 5lb weight without crying. I stayed late one night after therapy and had a roundtable talk with two therapists. We wondered if I started exercising first when I got to therapy and ended with whatever would make me feel better; we could "trick" my mind into not believing that whatever exercise I was doing was not going to result in more pain and discomfort. I didn't complete all of my physical therapy. I was discharged early for making no progress.

On April 22, 2021, I had a zoom appointment with another neuro doctor. Nothing came from that appointment other than what I already knew. 

Other treatment I tried was Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAIDs) to help with inflammation. It seemed to help. However, I ended up with an ulcer. It was so bad I had my sister turn around and take me home as we were on our way to shop for Black Friday. It is my families tradition to do that with all of us girls. 

Since the NSAIDs seemed to help, it was suggested I use the topical form. I tried that but it didn't work. 

I did a few rounds of chiropractic treatment. He was more concerned about what I was eating that could be causing inflammation than anything. I'm not saying he is wrong, I just didn't want to be lectured every time about what it was I was eating or not eating. 

I tried essential oils. No relief. 

I went to the CBD store and started off with lotion. That did seem to help a bit. I ended up breaking out in a rash though. I got CBD oil drops to take and even gummies. No relief. Lastly, I tried a CBD vape. I have tried most of them that they have, all of which help with pain and inflammation. I have found one that seems to help some. Not much, but some. 

The only thing that has gotten me through is bi-weekly deep tissue massages. Albeit an expensive treatment, it is is so worth it. I absolutely love my massage therapist. It blows my mind that she can always tell what parts of my body need more attention. It's 75 mins of pure bliss.

What has not worked for me, may work for someone else. I encourage anyone going through any type of pain, to try everything you can. It's really trial and error. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. 

Because my symptoms have not improved in almost three years, I have decided to proceed with a disc replacement. Not to be confused with a fusion. I have already went through the pre-screening for surgery and had labs drawn yesterday. I'll go into detail about the possibility of being put in a trial and what has happened since deciding on surgery later.