Update on my car misadventures...

[pippin]

Well, as I briefly said last week, I got myself into a car accident - the second in as many weeks.

The first one was a minor fender (well, hood) bender, wasn't my fault, guy backed into my car. Oh well. Wasn't injured.

Second one (exactly two weeks from the first) caused a little more damage, and I'm now getting more information about it (I hit my head and blacked out for a while so I didn't have alot of information about it)...

I was in the passenger seat all nice and relaxed, we came to a quick stop because traffic ahead had stopped. My friend stopped, and as a reflex he looked in his mirror. Didn't have time to even say anything to me, only to tense up before we got hit.

Ford F350 at 45mph. No screeching of brakes, no tire marks on the road. Just pure impact. Drove us into the other lane and we almost got hit by a landrover. Didn't though because I would have taken the direct hit.

So the day after I went to my Chiropractor, and he took xrays, did an adjustment, memorial day rolls around, so my husband went to the chiropractor (which he's actually found relief from his issues although nowhere near as severe as mine obviously), and he showed my husband the xrays. Said there was severe soft tissue damage to my neck, but he couldn't tell from the xray how damaged my back was.

I go in today - a week after the accident, SORE AS HECK. Today I can barely walk let alone sit or stand, or even lay down without shooting pain running down my right leg. Dr shows me the xrays from when I first came in and compared them to the xrays taken last week. I've torn some of the ligaments in my cervical spine, and although I don't feel anything yet, I will start to feel it he said.

I asked him about my back, he said there is evidence of soft tissue damage, but from the xray he can't say just how extensive it is.

But, I did make an appointment yesterday with a spine surgeon here in Denver that came by a recommendation by my surgeon down in Dallas who did my previous surgeries (and had previously said if I get some kind of severe impact I would face surgery at the site again), so he's going to look at my xrays, MRI's and such, and I'll probably have to have another MRI or CT scan to get definitive results from this. But I'm preparing myself to face another surgery.

I was doing so well with my pain levels until yesterday, when it started getting out of control. Today has been the worst so far, with shooting pain down my right leg, and even with an increase in meds, I've been in excruciating amounts of pain, to the point of crying constantly. I'm experiencing the same kind of pain I had when I had surgery after I ruptured the surgical site, and I've got pain running further down the spine into the saccrum area.

I'll update you on wednesday after I see the specialist, but I'm preparing for surgery as I am getting no relief from anything right now. Either way, we have an attorney and we are filing a lawsuit against the guy that hit us (and his company)

Anyway, thats my update.

[LDB]

I'm glad you have a specialist you trust. No offense to chiropractors but there comes a certain level beyond which they aren't enough. I was going to suggest you find a good Doctor of Osteopathy specializing in orthopedics and still would consider that one of the best options. Good luck in your recovery.

[PhotosbyHollyWood]

oh my...
speedy recovery for you. best wishes and good luck!

[Rson]

Good luck, we have some great docs here in Dallas.

I second LDB, after one of my crashes I saw a Chiro....
She said my clavicle wasn't attached on one side...my Bro in law (who is a Orthopedic Surgeon) about fell out of his seat laughing.
The massages are great that is about it. I am not saying that all are quacks, but the ones I have seen are.

[Jeff_Green]

I had a situation similar with the exception that I was stopped at a stop light for about a minute when I look in my rearview mirror to find a full size van on my bumper. Didn't stop until he hit me. Like you, no brakes, nothing. I was stopped on a bridge and it pushed me into the car in front of me, off to his side, and into the concrete railing. Made my 4 door into a hatchback. Luckily I was able to just have chiropractic work done to my bad back!

[Jeff_Green]

Originally Posted by Rson

The massages are great that is about it. I am not saying that all are quacks, but the ones I have seen are.

You are right, not all are quacks. They do some amazing work that many doctors won't even be bothered with... treating the problem instead of just prescribing medicine.

[ShutteredEye]

Originally Posted by LDB

I'm glad you have a specialist you trust. No offense to chiropractors but there comes a certain level beyond which they aren't enough. I was going to suggest you find a good Doctor of Osteopathy specializing in orthopedics and still would consider that one of the best options. Good luck in your recovery.

No offense to you, but in my professional opinion, many of the orthopod's I've dealt with aren't nearly as knowledgeable in spinal anatomy as many of my colleagues are...

And I guarantee an orthopod or radioligist even wouldn't be able to tell anything more from an X-ray--it's simply not the best medium for soft tissue damage.

Further, a DO, which I assumed you recommended since they are known to 'manipulate' in a loosely similar manner to a chiropractor, actually will use long lever manipulation techniques, (if they manipulate at all, many do not anymore,) which are not nearly as gentle or exacting as the short lever adjustment you'll receive from a good chiropractor.

Pippin-- good luck in your search for relief! Sometimes surgury is the only option, but I urge you to take it slowly, it can come with side effects of its own--as you no doubt already know!!

Regards,

Dr. Robert Fenton, DC

[ShutteredEye]

Originally Posted by Rson

Good luck, we have some great docs here in Dallas.

I second LDB, after one of my crashes I saw a Chiro....
She said my clavicle wasn't attached on one side...my Bro in law (who is a Orthopedic Surgeon) about fell out of his seat laughing.
The massages are great that is about it. I am not saying that all are quacks, but the ones I have seen are.

Let me get this straight, you've seen one chiro, and you've made your mind up about us all? I suppose you've never met a single bad MD, or DDS, or DO....

Also, did your brother-in-law see any imaging before he 'fell out of his seat laughing?' Because a sterno-clavicular separation is a relatively common issue in trauma...

BTW, if your bro-in-law injured himself falling out of his chair, I'd be happy to refer him to a good chiro that specializes in that...

[LDB]

I based my suggestion on knowing a few good D.O.'s who are top notch, my father being one. I admit I'm biased, however he's been called by internationally recognized physicians so I believe he'd pass the test even without my bias. I'll amend my original statement to be that in all likelihood the bulk of chiropractors, like the bulk of physicians, are merely good. In a case like this, seeking out one who surpasses the crowd is desirable.

[ShutteredEye]

Originally Posted by LDB

I based my suggestion on knowing a few good D.O.'s who are top notch, my father being one. I admit I'm biased, however he's been called by internationally recognized physicians so I believe he'd pass the test even without my bias. I'll amend my original statement to be that in all likelihood the bulk of chiropractors, like the bulk of physicians, are merely good. In a case like this, seeking out one who surpasses the crowd is desirable.

Question: What separates DO's and MD's these days? Just curious as to your thoughts.

[alamoshutterbug]

I think this side discussion needs a new thread or should be continued privately...sorry to hear of your troubles pippin, but I must say, your typing is impeccable for being on pain meds. Good luck with everything and I hope all works out well.

[Ahh!]

Lisa, we'll be praying for a quick recovery over here!

[pippin]

Originally Posted by alamoshutterbug

I think this side discussion needs a new thread or should be continued privately...sorry to hear of your troubles pippin, but I must say, your typing is impeccable for being on pain meds. Good luck with everything and I hope all works out well.

That would be because I've pretty much been on pain meds continuously over the past year.

The doctor has increased my medications from vicodin ES and percocet to norco and percocet and flexeril. And none of it is doing squat.

This morning I'm worse than yesterday. I can't do anything right now that doesn't cause pain. I'm feeling the same pains I felt before I had to have emergency surgery after rupturing the area I had surgery before. I've taken my pain meds right now, in a hopes it will help with the pain, as I'm seeing a specialist, I'm rather hesitant to go to the ER today.

But, I know my body well enough and I listen to it and if need be I will go to the ER.


As for the whole chiro debate - my doc can be a little off the wall at times, but he did provide me and my husband relief. He genuinely does care, and is very sensitive to my needs when it comes to relief. He's hesitant to touch the area of prior surgery, focusing on my neck, and my headaches have subsided. I was making progress, getting my pain under control to the point where I didn't have to take anywhere near as many pain meds, but after this accident all my pain management has been thrown out the window so to speak.

Robert, would you mind if i contact you privately about chiropractors and their methods?

Thank you all for your kind words.
-- Lisa

[ShutteredEye]

Originally Posted by pippin

Robert, would you mind if i contact you privately about chiropractors and their methods?

By all means. I'd be happy to speak with you by PM, or by phone if you prefer.

[C!LLY]

I hope you feel better soon. I am facing surgery this summer for my l4, l5, and s3 after bad genetics and a fall broke me (not a literal breaking of my bones or anything, but I hurt). I can feel your pain. I've dealt with 9 years of physical therapy, chiropractors, orthopedics, cortisone shots, pain management, and tens therapy. I'm almost looking forward to surgery.