Back Pain Support Group

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care. In fact, about 3 in 4 adults will experience back pain during their lifetime! The term back pain includes pain affecting the neck, midback and low back. Acute back pain may begin suddenly with intense pain but typically lasts fewer than three months. Usually, chronic back pain is persistent, steady, and...

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nemcgrath 04/30/2008

How many of you out there went thru this: your SSDI benefits did not qualify you for M'caid so you are going without any insurance and therefore no treatment?

This May I finally get Medicare. I will be able to resume treatment once again. i have been without for over 18 months and here in Georgia there is not much help for people in this situation.

I have had 4 back surgeries. My diagnosis is now failed back syndrome. I have grown scar tissue instead of bone at the fusion site. There is no way to get rid of the scar tissue except thru PT.

What I really am looking forward to is having anti-depressants again. I am in such a funk I do not even like to leave the house. I am glad i found this site it is comforting to know that I am not alone. After loosing my own home to foreclosure it is hard to face the world- I feel like a failure.

Gotta go-cannot sit to long here at the computer. I look forward to hearing from all of you and God bless.

deleted_user 05/04/2008

Wow, 18 months with no insurance. That is my fear. I have about 6 months left on Cobra and I have no clue what is going to happen. I am in the appeal process of SSDI and we all know how long it takes to fight it. I feel like my life is spiraling down hill fast.

How in the world did you make it through 18 month of no meds?

nemcgrath 05/04/2008

Barely! I have a hard time making it thru the day...the pain is bad enough but the depression is what gets you. When you are depressed everything else halts. I was lucky, I got my SSDI on the 1st try but it was not enough to pay for my Cobra. What is the thinking behind SS not covering disabled people for 2 years? They trying to kill us off? It makes no sense! Good luck to you, you are not alone remember that

deleted_user 05/04/2008

I have no insurance coverage either due to me not being able to work for the past 6 years and hubby busts butt. But i was lucky to have a teaching hospital that goes off your income. Grant me the ride is not good to me it is 3 and a half hours away but i had no choice. Everything else like PM and everything else came out of my pocket. I am hoping they will some of the PM there as of the beginning of March they informed me that the PM i was going to told me and alot of others they would no longer see chronic pain patients.

I dont get it whats a PM? To treat chronic pain rite?
So now i am looking but i am hoping they will do it cause like i said they go by income. I am still awaiting to see if they will pay for that anterior/posterior surgery i had on march 28.

Good luck to you i know what your going through.

deleted_user 05/04/2008

we are lucky in asutralia our medical treatment is free through medicare

deleted_user 05/04/2008

Same here in Canada. It is unbelievable that such a great and wealthy country like the U.S. does not have universal health care. I think it will be addressed soon though. All the best.

deleted_user 05/05/2008

PM is pain management and it is my current dream to be in it,I am so thankful that I will have insurance this week again.I just had a 3 month lapse.I need to be back on my meds ASAP

nemcgrath 05/05/2008

I used to live in Canada, my father is Canadian, and I even contemplated moving back just to get treatment! But, I do not think I could handle the snow. My parents now live in Massachusetts where there is a law all residence are to have health insurance I could get coverage there but again the snow.
As for clinics- they do not dispense anything stronger than Motrin 800mg...at least in Atlanta that is the case. I even went to my congressman here for help...he had no answers for me.

Rich country yes, but they do not care about anyone but themselves, they especially do not care about us "NON" productive people. We are just a liability to the system.

kangahop 05/05/2008

I have a friend in a situation similiar to yours. After trying a variety of options, she has approached a community service organization that helps with antidepressants, and a local free clinic that helps with medical needs. She also applied for and received assistance thru social services for the 'state/local health assistance. Although this does not cover everything while she waits on medicare, it has at least provided her with antidepressants and some medical help. Please don't think of yourself as a failure. Alot of us have gone thru and are going thru similiar situations. It's a rough situation, but we will survive. Prayers for you...

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