Jass' Questions!

Hi Everyone,

I will be moving all of Jass' posts regarding her questions to this thread, because there are too many of them in the 'Introduce Yourself here' thread, which is really only an introductory thread, not one for lengthy discussions.

Below is a copy of Jass' introductory post, which I will leave in that thread!

Thanks,

Peter

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I'm here because I literally have no where else to turn...
I've been experiencing severe constant sciatic pain since Feb 2016, I have had intermittent issues since the birth of my son in July 2016. In September I discovered I also have a bulging disc in my cervical spine located at C7, which was causing nerve pain down my arms, this condition has since improved with some physio. Around the same time I was suffering from mild but constant sciatica on the left side. It went away for a few months before returning on the right side. Just a few weeks ago I had a CT scan that revealed I have bulging L4/L5 disc that is compressing the L5 nerve root on both sides, currently it is my right side that has almost constant pain worse in the morning and at night. I have been taking codeine now since february and am currently taking up to 4 30mg panadeine forte a day. Unfortunately it barely takes the edge of. I have been offered tramadol but I turned this down as I do not want to become reliant on narcotics, I just want the issue fixed.

Which leads me to posting in this forum...I have just moved to Korumburra in South Gippsland Victoria. I have no seen two GP's, one wants me to have an MRI, the other wants me to see a sports injury specialist. The issue is that I am already on DSP and cannot afford the MRI or the specialist. $310 mri, and $225 specialist consultation where I get only $70 back from medicare. This is half of my fortnightly pension for one appointment, even with the appointment being a month away I still cannot save to pay. The best I have been offered is to pay in two installments, right now I just can't cover the cost. I've also called some pain clinics and their fees are even higher $320 for first then $200 there after.

Please does anyone here know how I can get treatment for my issues without massive costs? I'm in constant pain and I just want it to stop, I can't pick up my son, I can't walk far, I can't sit for more than 10 minutes. All I can do is lay in bed and try to get as comfortable as possible on the bad days, and do limited activities with no lifting on my good days. The best I have been offered for now is an appointment 1st of July to see a care plan nurse to get the 5 sessions for a physio or osteopath. I have already has physio last year, it did help the cervical spine issue but did nothing for my sciatica. I have yet to see an Osteopath, but I'm willing to use my 5 sessions for this. After those 5 sessions run out I would only be able to afford to see someone once a month. At this stage I feel that I have no choice but to take the tramadol and become a legal drug addict...I've taken the stuff in the past for various injuries and it leaves me pretty much like a zombie.

Does anyone have any advice for me on where I could go to get affordable help? or any other potential ideas for treating this? I'm at my wits end and have been in tears today wondering how I can afford pain management so I can get on with life.

Hi Rachg,
You weren't wrong in offering support you were caring and that is what we all try to give each other and air hugs are great as we are all on the worldwide web.
We are happy that we have been able to help you out with info on pain management the team old guard and they know who they are have kept a myriad of info. which is available to everyone ,so please go to all site that are of interest and if we need to answer any questions don't be scared to ask .
Thank you for caring as you do and I hope Jess is seeing how much .
Johnno

For Jass......I contacted a friend who suffers from Chronic Pain and lives not that far from you Jass; she lives at Leongatta.
I know this probably won't make you feel any better but she had the same problem as you as far as finding an understanding doctor, bulk billing issues etc.
She doesn't know any of the doctors where jass lives but has said that the medical centre does bulk bill and that it is hard to get a specialist or a pain clinic that bulk bills anywhere near her.
She has found a good doctor in Leongatta but apparently he is hardly ever there; he is always going overseas etc to train other doctors etc. When he is at home she has regular appointments set up to see him.
She also said that she told her Dr that not to refer her to anyone or anything that does not offer bulk billing as she is a single mum of 3 and also on a DSP.

Jass....if you are reading this she has told me to tell you that if you want to talk to her I can let her know and put you in contact with her. Her pain is from Fibromyalgia etc and although it is not the same as your condition it is just as debilitating. Please let me know if you want to talk to her.

Take care

hoping Jass has taken up the offer to speak with your friend who is near her, what a great little network

Thanks Jenn that would be helpful, but I also don't want to burden anyone else with my crap.

I'm happy to stick with my current Dr he does understand pain and also my financial situation which is why he hasn't referred to anywhere because there is no where that will bulk bill me. The other Dr I saw referred me to a sports injury specialist, I have an appointment but not sure if I will take it. The cost is $225, the best they could do was let me pay in two installments, but even that is out of my reach. I'm expecting a carer payment adjustment around that time so if I can I will at least go that appointment and find out if seeing her ongoing is worth it at $125 a session I get $30 back from Medicare.
I have contacted the nearest pain clinic, the waiting list wont allow me to get in until late this year. I have a revised care plan in place which is has given me 3 osteo sessions with a gap of $20, after that it's $60 a session nothing refunded by medicare. I am able to get physio from my local hospital around $10 a session, that's doable, but again there is huge waiting list and I wont get in for several months.

I can get a no interest loan to cover the cost of MRI and specialists possibly..have to confirm this. But I wont be able to get that loan until November. As the stress of everything else that is going on in my life is getting to me I have again organised support services for my Mental Health, this will take several months before I have a case manager and access to services. I'm doing everything I can to be proactive in my own care and to get healthy, I just don't feel that I'm getting the right financial support from the government. As my condition now means I can't do many physical activities this is now reducing my partners capacity to return to work. I need home help, I've called council, dhs, centerlink, they all say that since my condition is a "health concern" and not a "physical disability" under the Disability Act 2006, there is no support being offered. It looks like if I want help under the NDIS that isn't here for another 2 years I will have to take it to VCAT to get recognised as having a disability.

It's extremely frustrating, I'm angry! I'm sad that the only way I can deal with it is to take highly addictive medication, and as others said eventually it stops working or you have to continually increase the dose. Coming of this stuff is a hell I never wanted to have to go through again!

Feeling down and pretty sorry for myself today. I'm fed up with being "doped up" on painkillers. I guess no one's actually following this thread now. I've tried getting support and access to all the things that have been suggested, there's just nothing there for me. I don't even qualify for the NDIS or home support.

Hi Jass,

Why wouldn't anyone follow this thread?
All you have to do is what you have done, post into it, then everyone who has posted in it will get a copy of your post.

Anyway, I'm sorry to hear you are having a down day. We all do get them from time to time, but unfortunately we all suffer the ill effects of drugs. Some of them are utterly terrible and worse than the disease. I can commiserate with you there that's for sure.

Unfortunately there is not much we can do to assist you with your current plight in your local community. Like you I live in a small country town and have to travel 50 k's to see my doctor. If I wish to get any proper specialist help or attend a pain clinic, I have to travel 3.5 hours to Perth. Country health systems in every state are very poor quality and it's just a fact of life for us, which is pretty sad.

However, we here can support you and be here to listen when you are not feeling so good.

I hope things improve for you soon!

Peter

Hi Jass,
Hey I've been on a roller coaster ride with medication to get me to a space where I can function semi normal, I have suffered CP now for a loong time and the ride has been horrible, I tried to carry on working in the drug induced haze but I couldn't I had to stop work and rely on my wife's income.
Don't give up on applicating for disability pension if you keep knocking on those doors they will listen eventually we can only offer advise we can't find answers if you go to venting and scream "use large letters" maybe that will help you .
Whereabouts do you live ,"sorry if you have already told us " with that we may know of people who are able to help .

Johnno

I follow eveyones posts but sometimes I'm just to bloody sore and tired to answer. Like today; writing this is an effort.
take care and don't give up

Hey Tequilablue ,

The same to you take care and don't give up if you can just rest I did just that today oh bliss

Johnno

hi Jass, just wondering how your going :huh:

sorry to hear Tequila blue - not feeling so good, hope your days improve soon

I have been given the go ahead to start doing light activity, all as per tolerated by the pain - yay for me, it is has been a LONG 11weeks of pretty much bed rest, so ... went a bit overboard on day 1, and in a lot of pain today, must remember to take it slower :blush:

Pamcarr,

At all pain clinics they tell you to PACE yourself

Johnno