6 years of pain and doctors......

ahersel

Member
Registered Member
I joined the AF in 2005 and began having pain in my knees in 2006. I started seeing the "doctors" in the clinic only for them to send me to Physical Therapy. I have never been injured before so they did not know what was causing my pain. Fast forward to Nov 2010, knee pain a lot worse and now hip pain that is so terrible it wakes me up in my sleep. I have seen physical therapists 6 times since then, done every workout/stretch you could think of, had cortisone shots, x-rays, ultrasounds and electro-shock therapy.....still no diagnosis and no relief. The hip pain started a few months after being stationed in Turkey. I went to the "doctors" here for them to send me to physical therapy yet again. Did that and got nada (big surprise.) Told them I wanted to see a specialist so they sent me to Ortho. The Ortho doctor (Turkish doctor) ordered MRI's but saw nothing on them he then decides to get MRI's of my hips (results I was never given). I was given Motrin to take 3 times a day, again, and I was given Mobic for the pain. The Mobic and the Motrin combined didn't even put a dent in the pain I was feeling. So they switched me to Percocet. The Percoet works great to relieve my pain but then I am unable to drive the machinery at work and am desk ridden most if not all days. My co-workers and supervisor do not allow me to do physical work (my job consists MAINLY of physical work) and so I am always desk ridden. Now that they cannot figure out what is wrong with me, I ask to be sent to Germany. Off to Landshtul, Germany I go to see their Ortho docs. Well, Turkey doesn't send me with MRI's, just the results. I look at my results as I leave the doctors office and noticed that the results from the Turkish doctors state early signs of Avascular Necrosis (AVN). Not knowing what this is, I google it. TERRIBLE NEWS! I get to Germany and explain my case, for the 100th time, to this doctor. She is naturally angry that I was not given my MRI's to bring and about the way I learned of AVN. She cannot squeeze me in to get MRI's of my hips w/contrast but does so for Xrays and MRIs of my knees. Nothing new, no news from any of these. I go back soon to do more MRIs and find out if I actually do have AVN. I have been on profile for EVERYTHING. I am non-deployable and cannot physically do my job. The last time I went to physical therapy I was told that I will most likely need to be Med Boarded soon. Not good news again. I have no idea how the med board process works nor do I know what will come of my future if I get the boot. Has anyone had such problems for 6 years now like me? Or have AVN? I have seen posts on here about AVN but they are all over a year old.
 
I can certainly sympathize. It took 5 years to diagnose my Ankylosing Spondalitis. I had doctors that seriously thought I was faking my pain because it would come and go. Over the last year I havent been able to stabilize it. It was a long fight. I was happy when i got my diagnosis. My rheumotologist looked at me strange when he diagnosed me because I was relieved. I told him, "you must understand. For 5 years ive been dealing with pain and people have tried to tell me it was all in my head. I knew it wasnt."

I had seen all sorts of specialists: nuerologists, nuerosurgeons, pain doctors, physical therapy 4X...ughh what a stressful time
Over the 5 years ive had at least 6 MRIs. In 2006 it showed one bulging disc. Now i have 6 of them. 3 in the lower back, 3 in the neck. When these results came out I had doctors tell me, "yes you have 6 of them but they shouldnt be causing you pain. Everyone has bulging discs." I would always be at a loss for how they could tell me whether or not i was in pain. Shouldnt it be the other way around? All of the specialists were at a loss as to my left leg weakness and pain and my back pain. I finally went to the Rheumotologist who took a slew of blood tests. I came back positive for HLA-B24 and he concluded Ankylosing Spondalitis with Sacroillitis.

Keep fighting man! You are in charge of your health care. Dont let them tell you what you are or are not feeling. Keep going back until you get relief.
 
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