Will this effect my claim

[Andyman73]

Me again, bet some of you are getting tired of me, right? I know I sure am!

Anyway, I have an appointment with pain management for consult and/or treatment for pain in my lower back.  More specifically for the pain in the illiac crest region,  Physiatrist referred me to them recommending injections in my lower back to treat the pain in my waist.  My concern is this, will this impede any claim for pelvic region pain, if the injections work and eliminate the pain?  I had a C&P exam back on October 30th, for this, but at the time it was filed as hip pain.

During the exam I kept pointing everywhere I felt the pain, as examiner was moving my legs.  As it turns out, it wasn't my hips, since I was pointing to what I now know as my illiac crest areas.  The illiac crest is the bony plates in your waist area between hips and lower back.  And the pain is coming from there, most likely where muscles are attached.  And he was recording the ROM and it put me in 30% or higher rating block.  Afterwards I couldn't sit up with out his help.

I'm trying to get someone to tie it down to something, either lower extremity related, or back, for a secondary claim.  The physiatrist was quite intrigued by the whole thing, since I already tried the physical therapy and lasted only 3 sessions.  Therapist was disappointed at the lack of improvements and didn't want to make things worse.  He's on my side! Lol.  Physiatrist said this kind of pain is more common with patients who were in a head on crash where their knees were driven back into their waist.  Or with major muscle injuries in the back like deep tissue lacerations or major blunt force trauma.  But since I fell down some stairs, 23 years ago, and have had over 2 decades of knee, feet, ankle and back issues ever since. 

And this illiac crest related pain only showed up after my PCP took me off ibuprofen due to effects on bp, and switched me to tylenol.  We all know what that means, right? No more anti-inflammatory benefits, since Tylenol is not an anti-inflammatory.  I firmly believe that is when I first began enjoying this new pain sensation, and it was masked by the ibuprofen previously.

Anyway, any thoughts, opinions, and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

Andy

[Buck52]

Andyman

I got mine at my VAMC

you can get the CD's or ever how many you need  in your case just ask for all the CD's they did on your Back/Hip/Neck area....ask for the latest ones...

go to the cash office usually where you pick up travel pay tell them you need a receipt for Radiology Dept to pick up some CD's Imaging of your spine,hip/neck area.

Then go to Radiology Clinic

 The CD's different in price... years ago last time I got mine they were 2 bucks each  now there up to 5 bucks each   not sure on the coast? .?  its not bad,Radiology will send you to the place to get the CD/s  (VA Film Library)

I would request all they have of you or at least all the ones of what you need.

there you will need to sign the FOIA

Remember taking so much Ibuprofen can really do havc on your stomach.

you may need to see a private Doc to read the CD's and give his/her impression...if you can't get the VA Doc to do it.

jmo

Good Luck Buddy.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Buck52

[ArNG11]

I agree with Buck and the others.  Taking that much ibuprofen can lead to some serious damage to the lining of the stomach and will cause other problems out of the digestive tract such as the esophagus and trachea.  Not to mention the damage that prolonged use does to the liver.  

Im sure you have heard this before and like you've stated in your posts you know the "Motrin" will cause problems.  Naproxen is another they might send your way, if the ibuprofen works well then you can for something medication that has a mixture of ibuprofen and other pain relievers.  My private doc placed me on Duexis (ibuprofen and famotidine.  There are other compound medications that could help if you have to be on ibuprofen.  JMO  Ask your doc about them.

[Vync]

On 3/11/2016 at 8:30 AM, iceturkee said:

images would help in the liklihood the va radiologist didn't read the xrays properly.

This is indeed true. I had an MRI of my spine at the VA and took the CD to a non-VA orthopedic surgeon with 10+ years experience. He said the VA radiologist failed to document some obvious issues. I looked up the VA radiologist and found that it was a first year resident and the attending appeared to rubber stamp his findings.

[Gastone]

If the pain be gone, so be the claim, me thinks. However, with that said, pain is only a symptom, right.

The underlying, Possible Secondary SC is is still there, maybe not. If it is still there, but not dibilitating, probably good for a 0% SC.

If all else fails for pain, try the VA Acupuncture and "Essential Oils" pain therapies. I can't believe how much both have helped with the  PN in my feet.

Semper Fi

[Andyman73]

Will do, I will be up there sometime in the next week to 10 days, and will get copies of ALL MRIs they have on file.

As for the pain, Gastone, I don't want it gone before I get answers, since that seems to me that would make it easier for the VA to deny.

  Oh, pain? What pain, you not having no pain, see, we made it go away.  Therefor you have no claim, cuz you have no pain.

[Andyman73]

Okay, well, got the injections done, Monday a week ago...April 4th to be exact.  My SI joints never felt better! However, they felt fine before, so, no change.  And the pain in the illiac crest region, that only stayed gone for a week.  I was off work 12 days, and during that time the pain eased, and then was gone altogether after the injections.  But now that I'm back to work the pain is back to hurting, too.

Doc told me, when asked, that getting the injections will help DX the issue...we'll see.