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Posted 7/3/2012 8:24 AM (GMT -5)
I just found this site when searching for information on prednisone withdrawl related headaches.  I am not on it long term, but my family doc put me on the 6 day pack a couple weeks ago when I went in for crhonic neck pain.  I did fine while on it, but the day after it ended I was out of commission with a headache so bad I was nauseaus.  I have 2 daughters, 2 and 3, and my wife is pregnant.  So she pushed me to get another script so I could continue to help with the kids.  So I am almost done with a second 6 day pack and I'm starting to get another headache.  At least now I know what it is and it will be short term.  I can handle that.

Now for my chronic pain story.  I have been dealing with neck pain that leads to headaches of varying severity for over 10 years.  The first chiropractor I went to told me I have 2 vertebra fused (or were starting to) because I had some kind of genetic condition that made 1 disc degenerate.  Not sure on all the proper terms here.  Anyway, between chiropractors and a lot of ibuprofen I made it through several years.  I then started to have GI problems and the GI doctor told me to stop taking ibuprofen.  So I was stuck with only tylenol, which I'm finding very ineffective.  My GI problems have gotten much better and I've pinpointed some foods that trigger me, so I'm doing much better in that regard.  Now in the past 2 years I've been working on finishing my basement.  Now with baby number 3 on the way, the wife really wants the extra space so I'm making a push to get it done.  It has reached a point where any time I work on it for more than an hour or 2 I end up with a headache and neck pain.  I am just so tired of dealing with this pain and hoping to find longer term results than what my chiropractor can provide.  Which led me to my trip to the doc referenced above.  He sent me to a physical medicine specialist, who sent me for an MRI.  I just had the MRI yesterday, so I'm anxiously awaiting the results of that. 

Reading a few posts here and seeing the great support you all provide each other I was compelled to register and post my story.  Not sure what my treatment plan is going to be.  I'm guessing just PT because honestly, compared to most, my pain isn't that bad.  But it is always looming over me and keeps me from certain activities I would like to do.  Reading the pain scale in the stick here, I have days (sometimes weeks) where I have no pain (to me anything below a 3 on that scale is no pain.)    When my neck bothers me I am probably a 4 or 5.  When I work in my basement for a few hours, I get up to the 6-7 range where I just need to lie down, meds don't remove the pain, and I am very irritable to those I love.  I would say the worst pain I have is not that often, probably from once a month to every couple of months.  Last week when I finished the first course of pred, I would guess I was an 8.

Well I'll be back to share what my docs find.  And I think I'll read a few other stories and see if I can help anyone or find any other ideas for myself.

Posted 7/3/2012 11:54 AM (GMT -5)
Welcome! Welcome! Countrydad! wink

Were so glad you decided to join us here on the Chronic Pain forum!…however, were equally sorry for the pain that brought you here! shakehead You have found a wonderful forum, full of members who understand what Chronic Pain is all about. I doubt you will find a better bunch on the web!, and unless a person suffers from it, they can never understand. This includes family, friends, and coworkers.

There are several of us here that suffer some sort of back pain, and I happen to be one of them! I had a double lumbar fusion back in 2010, and now suffer from Failed Back Syndrome, (FBS)... plus cervical pain because of a couple of bulges. I see that you had an MRI done and that will give you more information than an x-ray or CT scan will, so thats good, and will allow a better diagnoses if that is indeed the problem.

Physical Therapy may be one of the first types of treatment your PCD may suggest if you have confirmed back problems, and an injection, such as an "Epidural" may be suggested if the PT fails to give you relief. Of course then there are pain med's, and the last resort maybe corrective surgery. If you are in need of pain med's for relief, you may want to consider a PM (Pain Management Dr) for treatment. They understand the scope of med's much more than a PCD will.

I hope for your sake that your Chronic Pain is short lived, ...however, from what you describe, it sounds like you are just getting started for a journey many of us have been dealing with for a long time.

Please do let us know what the report says when you get it back, and consider making this forum your chronic pain home. We have many, many members here and we are a family of sorts, and I think you will enjoy them greatly.

Feel free to seek support here anytime, and if your able to help others with your experience, we will take that as well.

Take care, and again enjoy the forum, and be sure to check out the "Chronic Pain 101" located at the top of our forum page!

SE wink
Posted 7/3/2012 3:13 PM (GMT -5)
Bump! wink
Posted 7/3/2012 7:01 PM (GMT -5)
Hi Countrydad Welcome to our chronic pain family. I'm glad you found us, as we have very supportive and caring members here. As SE said, I'm sorry that chronic pain brought you here.

Take care and come back anytime you need support, and let us know what the doctor says about the MRI.

hugs
Loretta
Posted 7/3/2012 9:45 PM (GMT -5)
Welcome aboard, sorry to hear about your chronic pain story, sounds rough. Hope you have a good doctor, and that you find some relief in the long term. Best of luck to you.

David in SC
Posted 7/5/2012 12:13 PM (GMT -5)
Well I made it off of the prednisone and I've been feeling pretty good. My neck is "self adjusting" pretty well the past few days. By that I mean it cracks like when the chiropractor adjusts me but usually without me even touching my head. Little twitches of pain here and there, but not at all bad. As good as i've felt in a while. The true test will be when I get a few minutes to try to make some more progress in my basement. The nice thing there is, I'm almost to drywall and most of the stuff after drywall I am going to contract out. But most of the "heavy lifting" so to say is finished.

I read a few more stories here and I have to say, I feel a bit guilty even having posted my story here. I deal with nothing compared to what I am reading here. Having had some taste of chronic pain, all I can say is I hope people are able to find relief and do some of the things they enjoy. I do fear that with the problems I have I may get worse one day. Hopefully I'm wrong! Best wishes to all those here dealing with pain on a regular basis, no matter how severe.
Posted 7/5/2012 11:13 PM (GMT -5)
Hi CountryDad,

Welcome to our board!  First and foremost - never feel guilty posting here.  Yes, there are some that have some pretty life-altering conditions here on the board.... but you really can't compare one person's pain/suffering w/ another.  When something hurts - it hurts!!  That's why I think the support group we've formed here is so important.  We share information.... help pick someone up on a bad day.... receive encouragement on one of our own bad days.... oh, and we spend a lot of time laughing.  I truly have found that being able to laugh about so many thing in life helps get me through.

Congrats on your the new baby-to-be... You're going to have 3 under 3, right?  Oh, I've been there!  (I have 8 kiddos - 6 boys and identical twin daughters). 

Anyway, hope to see you posting.... whether it be regularly or just as you feel like it.    Take good care!!

--Tina

Posted 7/6/2012 2:45 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks. Not sure if it qualifies as 3 "under" 3... My oldest will be 3 for about 4 months after the newborn comes. And we just found out this week that I'm 3 for 3. All girls. That means the wife is going to want to try again. I won't commit until the baby is at least a year old. The first 2 are 16 months apart and that's a bit close for my blood. The gap from 2 to 3 will be about 29 months.

On the pain front I have had one of my best weeks in a while. I feel it today, but haven't felt compelled to even take Tylenol yet. I even worked in my basement a couple times this week, and I'm planning to some more. I'm SO CLOSE to being done with "my" part. The slight bit I'm feeling is making me consider stopping at the chiropractor on the way home.

No word back from the doc on my MRI yet. I will call him after lunch on Monday if he hasn't called me. The MRI was this past Monday in the AM, but I'm being generous with the holiday and all.

Thanks again and I hope anyone who sees this is doing well today!
Posted 7/6/2012 5:09 PM (GMT -5)
Hi CountryDad, Glad you found this forum. Wishing you the best on your MRI results. Chronic Pain is something we all deal with on a daily basis here. Many of us have done the same as you trying to treat the pain with OTC meds like ibuprofen before having to move on to stronger meds. I did also for quite a while until my stomach started telling on me. Then I quit but not before I ended up having to get an upper and lower GI series test ran. Anyway my stomach and guts calmed back down after I got away from them.
Do let us know what you find out. There are many good people here that can offer great support.

Take Care
Posted 7/6/2012 11:05 PM (GMT -5)
I had upper and lower GI's 2 years ago. Nothing major was found, but they put me on one of those heart burn/acid reflux pills (omeprozol) and I've learned some foods to stay away from. I've been doing much better with that.

I've got my first headache of the week tonight and it's moderately bad. I took a vicodin and it didn't really touch it. Blah. I hope after bed it will be gone. We have dinner plans tomorrow night, then a company outting on Sunday at a baseball game. At least the temps are supposed to break before then!

If I do have a headache in the morning, I'll give my physical medicine doctor's prescription another try. I'm on celexa for anxiety and he gave me tramadol. I read a bunch about seratonin syndrome and got too scared to take the stuff. I took it a couple times before I got that scared. I questioned him and the pharmacist on it and they both said it was a low dose and to just avoid taking them too close together.

Well have a good weekend folks.
Posted 7/7/2012 9:33 AM (GMT -5)
I've was reading about foods that are good sources to help hold down inflammation in lieu of prednisone. I did a search for 'Prednisone alternatives - foods' and found some good info. I am a diabetic and prednisone elevates my sugar levels. I can't use the Prednisone packs. If the prednisone is causing you to have headaches. That may be something you may want to look at also. I may give it a go to see how it helps myself. I don't have headaches but anything that may reduce inflammation is worth a shot. Besides, I like to Eat...lol.
Posted 7/7/2012 10:04 AM (GMT -5)
Interesting. I never thought to look for foods that help with inflammation. I am not on prednisone anymore. I have been off it for 3-4 days.

I woke up this morning and still had the headache. It was stronger when I first got up. I took a tramadol and iced it before I got up and got in the shower. I'm questioning whether the chiropractor helps or hurts, so I'm not sure I want to go give him a try this morning. I just saw him last night for the first time in a couple weeks.

This headache is reminding me that while I don't have constant pain and not as severe as many here, it still comes back often enough and severe enough to be a problem. We are about to head out for a multiple stop shopping trip with our 2 little ones. It was 88F a few minutes ago when I went out to pick up breakfast at 10am. Hopefully getting in and out of the AC doesn't make it worse.
Posted 7/9/2012 8:02 PM (GMT -5)
Well I heard back from my doctor today. Actually I called them and she said the doctor would call me back. Then she called back and asked where I had my MRI done, so she had to chase down my results. This evening the doctor called and said just above my congenital fusion (I think it's C6/7?) I have a slightly bulged disc at C4/5 or C5/6. He said it's not that bad, but may be pinching the nerves on the left side. He asked when the last time I had PT was and I told him roughly 10-12 years. So he is giving me info to the PT place next door (about 1 mile from my house) and they should be contacting me. So hopefully this will get me in better shape and with some kind of a routine to keep up on it on my own. I'll keep this thread updated with the progress of the PT. Thanks for all the support and best wishes to everyone here!
Posted 7/9/2012 8:48 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks for updating us...I know it seems like so many on here have had no success with treatments but there really are millions of people who have disc issues and they either get resolved on their own...or through rounds of PT, or even just one surgery if needed and are much better. So it sounds like you are definitely going at this with a positive attitude and I hope and pray you are one of the lucky ones!

I personally did every single possible thing to prevent surgeries and only when it would have caused irreparable harm.

Keep us posted!
Posted 7/9/2012 8:58 PM (GMT -5)
Sorry to here about your buldging disc that's probably pinching nerves (that's my issue at L5, medial branch nerves to be specific as shown by an MRI in 2009) BUT on the bright side, you do know there's a quantified reason as to why you are experiencing pain.

From what I can see on the forums here, there seems to be a common connection between nerve pain and "chronic pain". It seems most of us have in effect a damaged nervous system. It really does suck and I totally empathize with you, although I cannot fully understand what you are feeling as pain affects each of us differently (it amazing how nerve pain can be preceived in so many ways depending on its location, type of pressure or inflamatory disease/disorder, ect.

I really do hope you get better sir, but understand that sometimes these changes are lasting......but over time with treatment and good support we get through them, and we come out on top ;)
Posted 7/10/2012 8:44 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks for the responses. I'm really hoping to hear from the PT office today so I can get started ASAP. I'm experiencing some discomfort/pain today and I'd like to get underway on this treatment. I think I will be hitting up the doctor for something else for the pain/discomfort. The tramadol he gave me doesn't seem to do anything. As my wife and I both have careers, we have 2 children and a third on the way, I don't have time to be out of commission!
Posted 7/10/2012 9:43 AM (GMT -5)
 

      Morning countrydad!

          When you start the PT...if they happen to use a decompression machine on you, ask if they have a portable one you can take home with you. You may have to pay a small refundable co-pay of sorts on it, but I think it will be well worth it. My Physical therapist did this for me, and I was able to use it three times a day. If your insurance only covers so many visits, then you can get these units on ebay for about half of what they cost new.

    Of course you will have to follow his lead and advice on what is needed for you....but if they happen to use one of these machines, then ask... wink

        The cervical device is called a "Saunders" decompression machine. My therapist went to medical school with Mr Saunders who invented the machine. In fact my Dr also was in class with both of these guys...and the Therapist told me that my Dr always scored in the 96 percentile of his test, and was hard to beat.

  Good luck, and were interested in your results from the PT sessions.

  SE wink

Posted 7/10/2012 3:00 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks for the tips. I will definitely ask about this. I think I do have a limited number of visits on my insurance, but I can't find it on their web page right now. I know for chiropractic it's 24 or 25 visits.

Unfortunately they didn't call today. The doctor didn't give me any of their information. he said he was going to send my information over to them and they would call me. I hate waiting! I did take 1 Tramadol this morning when I was feeling a bit sore and I'm doing much better now. So maybe it will help me get over some of the humps.
Posted 7/10/2012 4:51 PM (GMT -5)
I just have to really caution that now you have the MRI results back and know there are bulging disc issues...I would personally NEVER step a foot back in a Chiropractic Dr.'s office...This could literally paralyze you with one wrong adjustment/movement as they do not have the same training as an actual Medical Dr.

It's one thing to do PT, traction (done by a board certified Orthopedic Dr. or bc Neurosurgeon)...injections, or other treatments...but Chiro is very dangerous for someone who has known disc issues.

Just my opinion/thoughts based on talking with my Dr. who is a Board Certified Neurosurgeon as well as my other surgeons....they all said that they were so glad I didn't try that route to injure myself further...
Posted 7/11/2012 6:41 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks for letting me know that. My wife and I have both been questioning the effectiveness of the chiropractor for the past 6 months. When I go in as needed, it often seems to help. But if I go in repeatedly for a period of time I seem to get stuck and never get better until I stop going. I think I'm well over half way through my 25 visits for the year already. I definitely won't be going while I'm in PT, and after what you say I will think long and hard and do more research before I go back.

Still waiting on the PT place to call. If they don't call today, I'll call the doctor back and get their number so I can call myself. I'm impatient!
Posted 7/11/2012 8:08 AM (GMT -5)
 

     Morning Dad!

           I will have to second what Snowball said! You are much better off with a PT. Let us know how it goes and when it happens for you. I have had to wait as long as three weeks to get into some of these specialist at times, but a call to your Dr might be a good idea for a follow up.

    Take care,

    SE wink

Posted 7/12/2012 11:40 AM (GMT -5)
Hi there countrydad, I've got the SAME issues you've got...well kinda...I just found out via MRI that I've got a ruptured disc at C6-C7. We're skipping PT at the time and going straight to epidural injections. I get them next Wednesday and absolutely CANNOT WAIT! I know that sounds ridiculous to most people, but those of you in chronic pain can relate, I'm sure. Hopefully the PT will help you, hopefully you've gotten some info as to an appt by now!

Heather
Posted 7/12/2012 8:35 PM (GMT -5)
I called my doctor's office today. She said she would make sure the PT place had my info. They called and of course I missed it. I called back but I think I missed them. I'm sure I'll talk to them tomorrow. I've been doing pretty well. Some slight discomfort, but no need for pain meds today. I use biofreeze on my neck and that has gotten me through a few flare ups today.

I hope others are doing well today. Take care.

Randy
Posted 7/14/2012 11:55 PM (GMT -5)
Hi countrydad I just started reading your thread and I want to welcome you to the forum, I definitely agree with Snowbunny I am scared to death of going back a chiropractor. Espicially with the shape my back is in! I do have a question for you, you talked about having headaches, what type of headache? I mean is it in the front of your head or the sides or the back or lower back of head and neck? You mentioned that you often had neck pain with your headache. The reason I ask, is because I had problems with severe pain in the lower back portion of my head and upper neck. It was caused by C-4 my pain doc thought it was the disc at C3-4 but it wasn't the disk it was the articular joints in the back they were eaten up with arthritis and caused the vertebra to slip and caused me the headaches. You mentioned  a bulging disc at c4-5 you might want to ask your Doctor if that could be caussing your headaches. If they are in the back of your head and upper neck? Anyway becareful with what you do, I don't remember seeing your age, but if they are bad now, they can definitely get worse if you abuse your body and don't take care of yourself.  I had my first disk fusion in my neck at the age of 34 so it doesn't just happen to us older guys!

 

Oh by the way there is nothing wrong with having daughters, I have two of them, they are grown up now, but daughters are great! I am glad you found us and keep us informed on how you are doing. Good luck to you!

 

White Beard

Posted 7/15/2012 10:34 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks White Beard. I am 36. To be honest on the headaches, I think I need to start making a log. They do frequently feel like they are at the base of my neck in the back and up the sides, but sometimes they wrap up around to the front above my eyes.

I do need to watch my activity. Like I said, I'm almost done with my basement work, and I haven't even been able to get down there lately. Mostly due to family duties, but the rest of the time I don't feel well enough or have enough energy. Yesterday we took the kids to a water park and I definitely over did it there, but I feel decent today.

Thanks for sharing. I definitely feel like the sharing of experiences can give us clues to what is happening.

Still no word from PT. I called them a couple times on Friday and each time was on hold for longer than I cared to wait. I was hoping/expecting them to call me back. I'm sure I'll get ahold of them in the week ahead.
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