Day 4 - Experience with Doctors, Dentists and Physios.

Question To Ponder
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What was the most disheartening thing a doctor has told you about your symptoms? In what ways have you kept that in your mind?

I will start with my first appointment after having my CT done. My GP said they found a prolapsed disc at L4 - L5 and L5-S1. He said I was young and that if I followed his instructions, then I should be fine in two weeks. I was told to rest, not bend over, do not lift over 5kg and take anti-inflammatories.

Two weeks pass and the back pain is still there. I go back and the first thing he told me was surgery could be a possibility. How did he go from telling me that I'm young and will bounce back to I need to have a $30,000 surgery? I said I didn't have that kind of money and he suggested I asked my parents. I could not believe what I was hearing. I broke down in tears because the pain was all day everyday and it was preventing me from living my life the way I used to (active gym goer). I expressed suicidal thoughts, and he told me not to be silly.

I never forgot that experience with my GP and it has affected me greatly. I have conditioned myself to always expect pain when I sit, lift heavy things or bend over. I went from being a moderate/highly active person to someone who can't exercise without pain. I also have seen him for other symptoms, like neck pain and joint pain. He suggested I get a new pillow or fix my posture. I mentioned I was having soreness/pain in my joints (hip, knee, ankle, hands) and without even examining me said it was likely RSI.

From all that I have read, I understand that prolapsed discs are the grey hair of the spine and that the sprouting of new symptoms everywhere is the "symptom imperative" but it is all so much at one time, and I just can't keep up with it all. So much has come on since January and I miss my old life. I want my old life back but obviously something wasn't working in it that lead me to all this.