So I know I've posted about my shoulder doing this crappy tingly thing. Where it tingles, then goes numb, etc etc. Well......it's gotten worse. It's worked it's way right to the edge of my armpit, and up my neck. It hurts constantly no matter what position I am in. The newest thing is that I have this....ugh....sunburn(?) sensation??? You know when you get a sunburn, and if anyone touches it, you just want to slap them it hurts so bad? Oh yeah, that's the feeling. All over my shoulder blade. ARGH! The whole left side of my neck (this is where it's traveled to) is tense, the muscle is like a freaking rock. And when you rub it, something moves deep inside the muscle and kind of pops. I'm pretty sure its a tendon, don't know what else would feel like a garden hose in my neck. It's towards the back of my neck too, so it's not a vein or anything. If I lay on my side to sleep, my entire arm and my side go numb. In about 40 seconds. So I can't sleep on my left side anymore either. My left wrist has always been my bad one, my joints started fusing when I was 4. BUT for the most part, it sort of stopped getting more damaged after they braced it when I was 6. It hasn't done a whole lot since then, I just have issues because damage was already done. Well, suddenly, it's weak as HELL. Not like my normal weakness, this is new and weird. And it throbs deep in the middle of my wrist, almost with every beat of blood. YUCK. My elbow also hurts randomly, and I have a feeling that all of these things are linked, as I don't really have issues with my right side. And that's my bad elbow that I keep hurting - even that isn't as bad as my left side.
So I know that like 80 of you are going to scream at me to see a doctor.
And 80 of you KNOW I don't have health insurance, and that I don't qualify for any help.
But I'm about to snap. Do you think if I called a rheumy, and told him my story, he would be willing to see me? This is a huge deal, because it's going to cost me in gas just to go see someone. There are no rheumys within about 58 miles of me. Don't ask why, I think that's pretty weird too. So I'll be doing an hour or so drive to see this person, and I don't want to give them the idea that I'm planning on paying an arm and a leg - I'd actually rather pay NOTHING.....but we know how that goes. On top of that, what good is it going to do me, since I'm betting he's not going to be able to give me any medication ANYWAY. If I'm not a regular patient, how can he write me a script for something???? I dunno, I've never done this regular health care stuff before, my daddy was a military man! LoL
So I need some suggestions. Really really bad. Because this hurts. :(
cant you go to a regular dr and have him help you? Do you have an RD that you see? maybe you could call him and see if there is anythingthey can do for you over the phone. Hope you are feeling better hun No, I haven't seen anyone in about 2 years. And I wasn't flaring or anything, so nothing ever really got done when I saw them. I don't have a regular doc either. Do you think a reg. doc would be able to help me out for a little while? Until I get my insurance? I just don't know if I can wait any more. :(yea you should try seeing a regular Internist and see what they can do for you in the interimBlergh. Okay....thanks. Man I don't want to do this before my insurance...but it could be a few months :(I was going to my regular to help me with my RA when I did not have that much money to go to an RD. I only went to my regular Dr. twice I think and the first visit he put me on MTX and gave me a crap load of celebrex samples. The next visit was 3 months later for refills and to make sure I was doing ok.
My regular Dr. I had been going to since I was 15, he knew me and my whole family and my mother is still one of his patients. He even delivered my daughter. I just took my mom with the first time I went to see him and she explained to him better than I could because I was in so much pain and hurting too bad to think straight, and she explained to him that I lose my insurance and had a newborn to tend to thru the day and all that good stuff and he helped me out until I got insurance again, then he referred me back to my RD I have a couple of years before.
So, I think they might help you out, if you pay for the visit. I had to pay for both visits, but I got my money from my mommy. She saved up for me to go to see the dr. And in-laws paid for my MTX as it was each month and hubby paid the for my pred.
Oh yeah, I forgot. I have the same exact thing you are talking about, except I do not have the numbness.
You know when I am complaining about my neck/back/shoulders thing? What you said is the same thing I am talking about but did not know how to explain it, except my back hurts from the middle of my spine up to my neck.
I also get the shoulder blade burning stuff when I try to clean house or use my arms too much, I even get it when I brush my hair. But if I stop when my shoulder blades start to burn and rest it usually goes away within 30 mins.
AC, are you on any medicine? Do you know if prednisone works for you? My GP was great for prescribing the prednisone, because she knew how to handle it. Because specific blood tests are required for some of the other medicines, she doesn't do them.I would go see any decent MD. I would explain my ins situation and I would explain my jra history. Ask for predisone 5mg. It is about . for 100 tabs self pay.
It would be great if you could get some of your childhood records to back you up.
I'd definately do that. It's likely to cost you about 0 plus the meds he might prescrib. Definately let him know of your financial hardships and ask him if he might have some samples he could share with you.
I know 0 is a lot; but you've got to see someone about this.
Years ago during my first marriage my husband use to take something valuable to a pawn shop and get a "Loan" on it and go back and get it on payday. Maybe that could be an option for some quick cash?
Good luck.
Well, I did some more thinking. I can't do it.
If I get insurance in the next 2 months or so, and I've been treated within 6 months prior to getting the ins. they will not cover ANYTHING related to my RA for a year.
I can't risk that. :(
Oh yeah, true. I forgot about that. Maybe that is why I did not have a waiting period when we first got insurance, because I had not been treated for it, as I was preggo with daughter before I got treatment 6 months after having her.katie, that pre-existing can still bite you even if you don't see a doctor. I hate this. But sometimes they are checking for just this kind of thing. It's not fair.
But it is not a good reason to not see a doctor. It does sound like you have some kind of shoulder damage with nerve compression going on. Go to the doctor. Explain about the health insurance, the pre-existing concerns, etc. A decent doctor can write it up in such a way to make sure it doesn't bite you down the road.
You can't just keep ignoring it. Sometimes you can work out something with their billing office if you can't pay the bill. I've had to go, knowing that I'd be caught paying forever on a medical bill. But you can't afford to lose the use of your arm because of this.
Call around until you find someone that will help you. But I know from my shoulder problems that time was of the essence. What will you do if you can't work any more? The medical debt is worth taking care of yourself. Besides, what is going to happen to Justin if you're not around?
Someone will be willing to help you. Please keep calling.
Katie, have you been checked for carpel tunnel. I'm not sure if that wouldI hate to suggest dishonesty, but if the doc is not sympathetic to your pre-existing worries. What makes you think his records of 1 visit will be linked with you? Ins co are good at traking data but there is always as much stuff that slips by as gets caught.
I thought I had a new sprain every week for almost 4 years (really). I say you sprained it brushing your teeth and need pred.
LOL That's some hardcore tooth brushing.
Maybe I can say that I fell?