How will they know what pain MD says?

Your neurosurgeon is right! You should not have surgery unless it is absolutely necessary!!!
I can't believe PM is pushing to operate. Disco gram is a painful, invasive procedure. Wth?

Wow.

I would think a Neurosurgeon would be the last word on what's best for. Spine issue.
Does your pain management Dr knw what the neurosurgeon has advised.. and is STILL advising elsewise?

Do yo have a disability attorney? ( because we can't really give legal advice any more than medical advice. ...Only share our experiences.

I'll be interested to see if/what others have to say about this.

I can't believe after years of dealing with Dr.s and systems and so n..
I can still hear things I find dumbfounding.
Hugs
jc

I have to disagree with Aronia a little bit. I have had three discs "grammed" during three procedures, never felt a thing; sound asleep. There must be different methods for doing discograms, but here in Houston, you are put out.

As far as MRIs vs. discograms; IMO based on four thoracic, four lumbar, and one cervical, MRIs, MRIs suck. Discograms all showed much more detail that the MRIs. My main problems are all discs actually, but especially T7/8 - T9/10. MRIs showed only a bulge at T7/8 nothing much below. However, disograms of the same three discs showed all three to be badly degenerated and bulging.

If one puts all four of my thoracic MRI reports side by side, one would think that they are from 4 different patients. Same thing with the four lumbar MRIs. To make things more interesting, the MRIs were performed at different locations.

I am sure not in favor of surgery unless absolutely the last resort. But do not think for a minute that MRIs are god's gift to imaging.

As for disability, I do not think refusing surgery would be grounds for denial, especially based on back surgeries known poor track record. Although I do believe that getting disability for a back problem will not be easy.

Billw they have requested records from all my doctors.
Aronia he has been pushing for the disco gram since my first visit with him. I don't know why he would need it if neurosurgeon can see the tear in mri.
jancam yes I have attorney. I will be talking to them in the next few days and see what they say.
I don't think I want to trust pain doctor to operate anyway. His specialty other than pain management is anesthesia not surgery.

Sptrout they do not put you to sleep for this. The pain doctor himself said it can be a very painful procedure if there is a tear. Thank you for the info that it does show more detail.
51percent that sounds great. I hope it doesn't take long to be available.
Thanks all for input.

Must be a Texas thing because I was definitely knocked out for mine. I would not want to be awake for that test.

I have never heard of a pain dr doing surgery i agree with everyone else listen to your neurosurgeon, and i dont think you would be turned down for surgery based on his opinion (pain dr) alone, hope you get better soon. Angela

I got a call from the neurosurgeons office who said he would take care of my disability paperwork. He told me to give it to them at the desk. Which I did. The nurse called me today and said the doctor said he is not going to fill it out because he does not consider me disabled. I don't understand. He said I had torn disk along with the l5 slid down covering the s1. He sent me to therapy which after 2 months aloud me to stand 2 more minutes but since I have stopped therapy I have gain no more time. What full time job can a person do that can't stand more than 10-15 minutes or sit in one spot for more than 45 minutes to an hour. I also asked him at my last appointment if a tens unit would help and he said yes then we got side tracked on what pain doctor wants to do. Which he said he sees no call for disco gram and I should put off surgery. I called last Wednesday and spoke to the nurse about getting a tens unit and she said doc would be back in Friday and they would call me. Friday came and went and no call, so I called Tuesday and they said the doc had emergency brain surgery on Friday and wasn't in. They called me this morning to tell me he wouldn't fill out paper work but said nothing about the tens unit. I have another appointment with him in 3 months. I think I am just going to cancel it.I see no need in medicaid paying him when he more or less can't or won't do anything to help me.

Oh man.. What a runaround. Can your PCP help you out ?
PCP just has to write a script and you can get TENS anywhere you want. I used EMPI company, but I don't like them.
I have the unit and get my leads on Amazon.com even though they are covered by insurance .
Your PCP may be able to take care of your disability status as well.
What I would aka from the neurosurgeon's office is to make an addendum in his office note specifying your level of disability and whether or not it is temporary or permanent.
Like " 50% permanent disability" or soecify lifting and standing restrictions.
Also be sure to find out if the neurosurgeon has anything on the note about scheduling a follow up, because that can effect disability time as well.
Good luck!!

Thanks for the info. Neurosurgeon should have me down for follow up in 3 months. Have pcp appointment next month. Maybe I'll call and see if he'll write tens unit script for me to pick up before then.Thanks again.