backtomyback

[backtomyback]

Post 2: Misdiagnosis Adventures

Around the end of September my pain increased significantly. I hadn’t gone back to my GP because of his behavior at my last appointment (see Post 1) and the pain was starting to become debilitating. Unsure of what else to do, I went to the local urgent care. They took me rather quickly, gave me an x-ray, and said that I must have sciatica. In the end this was actually partially correct, but they diagnosed a symptom and not the cause so I’m counting it as a misdiagnosis. The Physician’s Assistant who saw me also made a few patronizing comments about how hard “being a real adult” was when I expressed concern over my impending loss of insurance and a desire to get a diagnosis quickly. This was due to me still being in school...I have so much to say about that, but I won’t.  I was told to sign up for physical therapy and was sent on my way again. 

A few weeks go by, and still no improvement. By this point, I am barely able to walk or sleep because of the pain I’m in. I call out of work and decide to take myself to the urgent care clinic at the local orthopedic hospital. They take me back and run some more x-rays, which come up blank. The physician’s assistant there determines that I must have a torn hamstring and sends me for a pelvic MRI. No rude or inappropriate behavior this time, so I am relieved. I go get the MRI done and then head to my chiropractor the next day. 

I had been regularly seeing a chiropractor for some unrelated issues, so when I tell him that I’m being treated for a torn hamstring and explain my symptoms he just stops and gives me a funny look. 

“Why are they treating you for a torn hamstring? That’s not what that sounds like at all.” 

“So what do you think it is?” At this point I am so over people telling me a different thing every time I go in somewhere. 

“I’m about 99 percent positive you have a herniated L4-L5. Here, watch.” He then proceeds to press on a part of my back and the pressure has me arching off the table because it hurts like hell. He stops immediately (thank goodness lol) and explains how that level of sensitivity tells him that I am most likely dealing with a disc herniation. Now, I know a lot of people think chiropractors are quacks but I think there’s something to be said for the fact that he was the first one to get it right. He also was able to check the pelvic MRI to see if he could see my lumbar, but wasn’t able to. 

The MRI results then come in at the orthopedic hospital I went to. Unsurprisingly, there’s no hamstring tear. I make an appointment to see their hip and leg specialist who examines me and very quickly determines that it’s nothing to do with my hips or leg. It’s then that I tell him what my chiropractor said, and he tells me that he’s inclined to agree. He sends me to their back specialist then, and that is when I finally, finally get a back MRI. A few days later I get a voicemail from the back specialist. 

“Hi, this is [doctor’s name] from [orthopedic hospital]. I got a look at your MRI and I just wanted to let you know that it does confirm what we talked about. You do have a...*deep inhale* (my warning sign haha) fairly large disc herniation at one level, your L4-L5. This is causing some pressure on the nerves and is definitely explaining your back pain...(insert some more medical talk here that’s not relevant) The picture is actually bad enough that we have had patients see a surgeon to have it fixed.” 

I should’ve known then, honestly, that surgery was going to be the final outcome of this whole catastrophe. But I was optimistic that a more conservative approach involving physical therapy (PT), cortisone injections, and anti-inflammatory medications would do the trick. 

This whole process, from my GP appointment to the final MRI, took about 3 months, 7 different appointments (not including the chiropractor) for assessments and imaging, and over $245 in copays and medications that didn’t do anything in the end. 

[backtomyback]

Post 1: The Beginning

Starting on August 29, 2019, I began experiencing intense lower back pain. This was accompanied by what my physical therapist refers to as a “shift”, which means that my body started contorting itself to protect itself. It took a total of 5 doctors and one chiropractor to figure out what was going on; I have a severely herniated L4-L5 disc that is crushing my sciatic nerve. 

The day after this all began, I went to my GP to have him take a look. This is where my frustration started. My GP is not very professional, never has been, but I was in a lot of pain and this took my dislike of him to a whole new level. In the middle of my exam while I was explaining what was going on, my doctor rolled his chair over to the door and opened it. He called out to the nurse in the hallway and I figured he was getting her attention. WRONG. 

“Hey [nurse’s name].”

“Yes?”

“What did the doctor say to the nurse when the invisible man walked in for an appointment?”

“What?”

“Tell him I can’t see him.” 

I kid you not. That was the exact exchange. I was dumbfounded. He interrupted my medical examination, risked violating my privacy by opening the door while I was talking, and was clearly not paying attention to me while I explained my symptoms because he wanted to tell his nurse a joke. In that moment, there was nothing I could say or do thanks to the shock and the fact that I have to find a new GP before I go burning bridges with this one. So I just sat there and finished the exam. 

GP diagnoses me with a piriformis tear/strain, prescribes me a muscle relaxer, and sends me on my way. Obviously this was a misdiagnosis, but at the time I just took him at his word and continued on my merry way. That was a mistake on many levels, and was also misdiagnosis 1 of 3. 

[backtomyback]

My Back Pain Journey

So I’m writing this blog as a way to vent about all of the frustrations and complications that come with having a bad back injury. This blog will deal with a lot of personal feelings, some of which may get a little heavy, but I want to express them somewhere so here we are.