Just got back from the ER

And I'm so annoyed! I have had severe lower back pain since last Saturday that is radiating down into my legs. I am also getting cold flashes come over my legs once in a while. I can't sit for very long because it hurts like he!! and when I get up, it hurts horribly. The pain is only dulled by laying down. I chalked it up to my spinal fusion I had 7 years ago, but the pain has gotten worse and today I could walk at all without DH helping me.

He made me go to the ER. We decided to go to Winthrop because the head Ortho Surgeon there did his fellowship with my surgeon who's out of Manhattan and I had an appointment to see him on the 29th anyway. Doctor's out here look at my back Xrays and tell me they have no clue what they're looking at and I have to see my surgeon, so I figured maybe this guy would know it well since he worked with my surgeon.

Well, I never got to see him. I spent almost 6 hours in the ER for a doc to give me Percocet and some anti-inflammatory shot. He said my x-rays looked fine. I asked if it could be a nerve (because that's what everyone says it sounds like) and he said it could be, but they couldn't order the MRI there because they can only do that for patients having surgery that day. I have to go to the other doc, have him order the MRI, get it done, and then go back to him for the results and treatment plan. To top it off, I told everyone I spoke to there that I needed to lay down because the painw as horrible and only getting worse as I sat there. Yeah, no. They let me sit there, crying in pain, while taking patients before me that came into the ER AFTER me. And they weren't in serious condition. One women hurt her pinky!

I'm so annoyed. I wanted answers. I can now walk on my own, but it still hurts when I sit. The pain is still going into my legs. The Percocet did nothing, but that's what he sent me home with. The shot is what's helping me walk. Sorry, just needed to vent.

Im sorry they didnt really give you any answers!
Hope you feel better and get the answers to what is going on

sorry!!! Feel Better!!!

So Sorry Jenn.

ER's can be quite Frustrating.

I Hope you start to feel Better.
I Hope you get some Answers

Oh my goodness sweetie, you KNOW that I really understand what you are going through -- I have been working from home for the last few minutes b/c of my herniated and bulging discs. I could not even imagine being in the level of pain you describe and having to sit in a waiting room ... especially while they take other patients like that!

Does your other doctor have a service # you can call, maybe he prescribe something better for the pain to get you through until he can see you? Vicodin didn't really sit too well with me, but Vicoprofen was better.

And for that matter, maybe he can see you before your original appointment. I'd hope that since you were a previous patient he would work something out for you. Maybe he can see you on Monday (if the office is open ).

If you need to talk, please don't hesitate to FM me ...

Ouch!! I know your pain. I have muscle spasms in my lower back all the time from a childhood injury. I get them all the time. I have trouble walking and sitting and laying is almost unbarable. I am so sorry you had to sit there in pain for so long. What about soaking in a hot bath?

I really really hope you feel better soon!

Thats terrible !! I really hope you get some answers and I hope you feel better soon

Oh no I hope you get some answers very soon. I hope your not in pain anymore

sorry sweetie

hope you get to see your regular doctor soon and get some answers

I am sorry that you had such a horrible experience at the ER and that you couldn't get the answers that you needed from the doctor that saw you. I hope that you feel better.

I freakin can't stand Drs and hospitals sometimes! Sorry they were useless and mean to you....and here's to hoping you feel better very soon!!

back pain is the worst!!! I hope you feel better soon!

Call your surgeon and bump up the appointment!
He'll have the most interest in making sure you feel better! By the sound of your surgery...it seems like you had it in the teeny hospital in NYC without an ER. So wait til Monday or Tuesday (dep. on when he's in). But call his service.

So sorry

Welcome to my world. That happened to me on my honeymoon. Sounds time for a new MRI, although with HMOs nowadays they make you get pre-authorization for them. They will never do them on the spot since HMOs won't pay. You might want to go back to your specialist. I found out my pain was from a herniated L4. Percocet does nothing. Phyiscal therapy helps me, but maybe you can call emergency on your doctor's line today and see if someone can see you. They gave me oxycodone (stronger than percocet) for when I can't walk straight and valium for the muscle spasms, which is why you feel the pain and can't walk-there is an underlying cause to this, which is why I would see your specialist to find out....


Feel better though!

I am so sorry you are feeling this way... I can't believe they didn't do any more than a stupid shot!! At least it's helping a little!! Feel Better!!!

omg I'm so sorry!!!