2025, Health, Medicine, Uncategorized

Pain-Less

26 Comments

I am a very healthy person. I am prescribed no medications and I only see my doctor once a year for my annual physical. For the past 5 years or so, though, I have struggled with intermittent sciatic pain, mainly in my left leg. I will be walking along and all of a sudden my left leg will give out, with pain at every step. My annual physical always seemed to coincide with brief respites from the leg pain, so I always could say it was better.

I have done four rounds of Physical Therapy over the years, which helps, but never lasts longer than a few weeks, even when I do the exercises. I really watch my posture while walking or sitting, and I stopped sleeping on my stomach, This has helped somewhat at times. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen did not help at all.

I had a really bad flare-up the end of January, and in June I finally went to the doctor and he ordered an MRI. That showed, in the fifth lumbar vertebrae, a bulging disc, spinal stenosis, and arthritis, especially on the left side. That vertebrae is where the sciatic nerve passes through. No wonder this had been happening. I also have lumbar scoliosis, which doesn’t help.

On Friday I drove to a pain clinic in Bismarck, and got a cortisone injection in my fifth lumbar vertebrae. The procedure took about 2 minutes The pain relief was instantaneous, and I walked out of the clinic with almost no twinges. I may need to repeat this procedure every 4-6 months, but it sure is worth it.

How are your relationships with your medical providers? What kind of a patient are you?

26 thoughts on “Pain-Less”

  1. Similar to you, Renee. No medications, just supplements. I’ve had a chronic bad back since college (also due to slight scoliosis) but it’s a minor annoyance and has been managed with chiropractic treatment and a stretching regime along with weight training and aerobics.

    I have arthritis in a big toe that got bad enough last year to merit a visit to the podiatrist. Ended up getting a cortisone shot, which helped immensely. Got a booster in June, and will probably get a third in another month or two. Allows me to walk the golf course virtually pain free.

    I’m not 100% healthy but am grateful for only having minor annoying health issues, not a biggie like Type-2 diabetes, heart disease, or similar biggies.

    I’ve worked at staying healthy most of my life, and the results have been worth it. “Move it or lose it,” is a good motto for describing my philosophy. Exercise or lose the ability to do the things you like to do.

    Chris in Owatonna

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  2. Husband has significant airborne allergies, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and occasional gout. He has multiple pills he has to take every day. He is really good about watching his diet and taking his meds, and his conditions are well controlled.

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  3. I am constantly complimented for how I am as a patient.
    I can barely walk anymore as the problem you are having has grown worse and worse. But I have several complications. Shots failed. Surgery worked for a while. Further surgery is impossible. Radio frequency ablation (is that what it was?) failed. Several bouts of PT did little good. She told me a few months ago there was no point in trying anymore. I can’t take pain medicines except Tylenol which doesn’t work for me. But with all my pain issues it fades into the background until I try to walk for more than 50 yards or stand for more than 30 seconds.

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    1. I need to have an involved day surgery but the doctor and I agree we need to wait until Sandy dies. We don’t want to schedule the OR and then I have to cancel for her. So I will wait.

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    2. So do farmers… (make poor patients)
      I have fun with the doctors and nurses, but I don’t always listen to their suggestions, especially the limitations. Kelly keeps me in line. At least as much as she can.

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  5. My primary physician retired a few years ago. He was my doctor since the early ‘90s. He was a very kind man, but perhaps just a little slow to come to a diagnosis. I was very sick in 1999. I had been exposed to pertussis, and had a severe case. Being asthmatic, I was really sick. My doctor was good about ordering things for treatment, and prescribing medications, but not so great on a firm diagnosis and the causes for illness. He couldn’t figure out what I had. Another doctor finally diagnosed the pertussis. I still don’t know why I became asthmatic in 1994 after years of good health. I want to know the causes, so I know what to avoid or fix in my environment, if possible.

    When he retired, I chose a local female doctor. She is very professional. She likes to do a lot of tests, which I don’t think are necessary. I don’t argue this, but I know I don’t have AIDS. She insisted on an AIDS test. Okay.

    I tend to wait until I’m really, really sick before going to the doctor. After I retired, and with encouragement from friends, I started asking more questions and asking to see specialists. I still haven’t gotten answers about my asthma. It seems related to dust/mold/smoke, but that’s all I know. I still don’t know why I seem to be losing my voice, except for GERD. Voice therapy was only mildly helpful. Mostly, I’ve learned to watch what I eat, and I quit coffee. GERD can also cause asthma. I take three different medications for asthma.

    I have scoliosis too, and I have severe back pain at times. I use a heating pad, exercises, and take Tylenol for pain. The Tylenol is only a little helpful. The heating pad and the exercises are more helpful. Weight loss would help enormously if I could only do it. My sympathies are with anyone who lives with that kind of pain.

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  6. After years of working with drippy nose children in play therapy, I find myself immune from most colds and flu. I think long term elementary school teachers experience the same immunity

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    1. It’s interesting. I was never exposed to all the drippy nose kids until I worked in the group home with all the young moms. They preferred to use their sick time for fun things that they couldn’t get the time off for, and chose to come to work sick. I was exposed to all kinds of day care viruses all the time, and I would say that I had more colds and flu when I worked there than at any other time in my life. I haven’t even had so much as a cold since 2022 when I stopped working entirely.

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      1. Not just young moms who come to work sick. I was always amazed over the years that the people who would drag themselves into the office clearly ill. I hope, really hope we’ve at least learned something from Covid about this tenancy.

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  7. We have a woman (phys. assistant) that I really like for our primary care – no nonsense, matter-of fact attitude, sense of humor. Luckily, I have nothing major at this point, and only take one med, Levothyroxine, for my hypothyroid. She knows I probably won’t take her recommendations for more meds and some vaccines, but she doesn’t insist.

    Husband has more meds, and until recently had nothing that caused pain. Now he’s dealing with tendonitis in right arm… He’s doing the recommended exercises and cold-packs, but is resisting the ointment (Voltaren) that we’ve been applying, for some reason.

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  8. As I get older, I’ve been getting more pills. I had to get a pill box! Some are simple iron supplements or multivitamins.

    I have a really great PA whom I actually enjoy visiting. And my main Doc is pretty good too, she’s just busy enough I don’t often get appointments with her. I remember reading the office visit report 10 years ago, and it said I was a ’51 yr old male’ and I thought “51?? Who’s 51??” Oh. Yeah. I am.
    It makes me happy when they say “patient is a very pleasant…”.

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  10. Back Home from the State Fair, Baboons,

    I have had the same physician for many years. I value her care. I see her Thursday for my annual physical. The orthopedist who has done my joint replacements has also worked on some friends, a couple. Among the 3 of us he has replaced 9 joints without complications. I am a pretty good patient, but I have had to work hard at maintaining my health due to a serious pesticide exposure when I was a child. The exposure left me prone to cancer so I get my screenings and follow instructions.

    Tonight my feet are sore, but my new hip stood up to walking 11,000 steps through the grounds. I will be surprised if today a new attendance record is not set– mobs of people there today.

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  11. All the doctors I had fifteen years ago are retired or retiring soon. I had very good relationships with several.

    I’m not a bad patient, exactly, but I tend to ignore some of the advice that I find overly cautious. They always tell you you should have someone stay with you for a day or so after a surgery, but that’s the last thing I want. Who wants to have company over when you’ve had sedation and just want to sleep? And I don’t take the pain meds they give me. Those just make me feel sick and groggy.

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  12. I am for the most part a good patient. Since I didn’t bother to go to medical school for a gazillion years, I’m willing to cut some slack for those who did. I learned from my mother to do what the doctors recommend. So right now I’m doing icing three or four times a day, keeping my leg above my heart at least three times a day for 15 minutes and then there’s the exercises and the brace. Knee is much better than after the injury so hopefully I am on the mend.

    I have a new doctor at the orthopedic office for my knee. He’s fine but I swear he’s 12 years old.

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