I'm not sure how many internet forum users have heard of torpedoing a thread...but that's what I am doing. It means to dig up an old thread and bring it back to the top of the list of topics. What's funny is when people don't realize that it's an old thread and start commenting on it as if the thread just started. I just brought that up so everyone will know I wasn't "torpedoing" for sport.
I just wanted to give a quick update of how things are going. I went to my followup appointment in April and my BP was still high, so my cardio increased my amlodipine from 5mg daily to 10mg daily. This increase has put me right in the "sweet spot" and my BP has been excellent since the increase.
In other news I've been dealing with an extremely painful right hip for over 2 years now. About a year and a half ago I went to an orthopedist, had physical therapy, and went to a chiropractor for a few months...but as soon as I stopped going the pain came back. After dealing with the pain for another year plus I decided to go to a different orthopedic group. After the doctor did his exam they actually took a complete series of x-rays (the first orthopedist didn't take any at all) and his diagnosis was arthritis in both my right hip and my lower spine at the L4 and L5 vertebrae. he wanted to do a (you guessed it
) MRI to get a better idea of where the pain was originating. I gave him my "sucky insurance...can't afford a MRI) story so he gave me a SI (sacroiliac) injection where he guided a needle using fluoroscopy and injected a mixture of lidocaine and cortisone into my sacroiliac joint. Unfortunately after about a week my hip pain was pretty much back to where it was. I had my followup this past Wednesday and he said in order to get to the bottom of where the pain is coming from we HAD to do a MRI. Unlike Duke though, once they got the "pre-cert" from BCBS they said they will only charge me what BCBS's agreed amount to pay the provider will be. They also will allow me to pay over 6 months with no interest. It's too bad that Duke wouldn't give me this same option. I've thought about asking the radiologist (who I met last Wednesday) if he might allow his techs to "unofficially" scan my aortic root when they are done with my back. I doubt he will considering the liability issues but it won't hurt to ask. After the MRI has been read...most likely I will receive a series of three epidural steroid injections. He thinks I have arthritic stenosis of the neural foraminae (
http://www.allaboutbackpain.com/html/files_links/spine_anatomy_foramina.html ) which is causing the bundle of nerves from the L4 and L5 vertebrae that come together to form the sciatic nerve to be pinched by the narrowing of the foraminae. This in turn is causing the pain in my hip area since the sciatic nerve runs right along the sacroiliac joint.
One really cool thing was that when I went in for my followup visit after my SI injection the nurse took my BP and it was 118/71,
In a doctor's office no less.
Well...other than the aortic root dilation, the back/hip problem, and having no luck finding a full-time job with health benefits...things are going great.
And I know that sounds kind of sarcastic, but actually I'm quite happy considering. But then again...since my Ross Procedure in March of 04 it really takes a lot to get me down these days.
Take care all,
Bryan
