Hello!

What interesting posts and everyone seems to have a terrific outlook!

I have an inner ear disorder -- balance disorder, Meniere's disease, autoimmune inner ear disorder -- it's been called all kinds of things. I've had it since age 21 and it actually forced me to do work that I could do at home. Which turned out to be medical transcription, which is another story.

Princess, I totally identify with the migraines. Many of the symptoms of the inner ear disorder are similar to migraines -- headaches and nausea. Yuk! Did you know that neurologists are having a lot of success treating migraines with more medications now than they used to have available? Things have changed in the past several years.

Take care,
Diane

Hi Dancer, I did go to a pain management clinic, but I did not like the way they operated. Oh, they wanted me to do some kind of weird spinal thing. I've seen psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists, endocrinologists, orthodontists, ear, nose, throat specialists, head and neck specialists, and drug dealers. Diane, thanks for the suggestions. I've been on all the meds. Topomax made me a crazy person, subject to attempt road rage for no reason. I heard (bad choice of words) of Menier's disease from a colleague who got the disease due to a cold. She wears hearing aides, which appear to be a pain in the neck for her. Dancer, you never did tell us how your broke your neck twice.

LOL, How I broke my neck, by Dancer;
When I was 14, I went flying down the bannister on my butt in highschool, taking the corner, I was famous for it. One morning, I tried it lying down and bam, I fell 5 feet on my head and neck first. I had a concussion and a fractured verebre.
OUCH

Then when I was forty some, a few years ago, I was playing with my son in my dance studio and I went flying up in the air. I could not decide whether to flip or come down on my feet when I crashed down four feet onto my head and my neck again, same place, same vertebre. If I had been any one of my dancers that I work with, I would have called an ambulance in a hot second but it was me so I got up and asked for some ice.
I walked around for about a week, having to hit ER's for X rays and demerol shots. As soon as I had an MRI, because I was having trouble walking and breathing and everything, the doctor called and said "get yourself in a hard brace and do not move until you are coming for surgery."

I had a disease there in my neck that had been causing me lighter pain for years that they said was muscle pain. It was pretty bad, but no one really checked it out...When I fell, I injured the area that the disease had settled AND I had crunched my vertebre again, right into my spinal cord.

After moaning and yelling by the chief Neurosurgeon at the University of Arizona hospital about hwo I could dance with the disease hurting me and that was amazing and how lucky I was that I did not die when I fell, both times, and how no one could have suspected because I was such an awesome dancer, he went in and tried to fix me with much ceremony and a bit of public watching him. I was a bit covered by the press because of who I was and my son's letter to the surgeon before my surgery, it was outstanding and he is gifted in the area of writing. My son wrote an open letter to all surgeons and it hit EVERYWHERE it was so intense. I should post it, lol.

And so I had the surgery and they tried to "rebuild me," with donor bone and metal. EXCEPT I am allergic to ALL metal, gold, titanium, you name it. SO, six months later I was dying of the metal. THAT got big and public and as soon as I saw the doctor, I was scheduled for sugery the next morning to have the metal out. SO ~ he cut my throat twice.

THEN I had a gland in my neck die, it could have been damaged from the surgeries but it had to come out. By now I was really getting to be a known enity in the medical field here.

An ENT cut my throat AGAIN and took out the gland. BUT, he accidentally left HALF of the dead gland in me that kept getting infected. NO ONE could figure out why my vitals finally were falling until the did an MRI on my neck and saw that he left half in! OH NO!

So, yes, another ENT cut my throat and took the REST of that dead and infected gland out of me and that was within the course of about 2 years. All of that time I was in and out of living vitals and no one could figure out that I, indeed, WAS allergic to metal, until they did a test, and that I indeed, DID have the rest of that gland in me until they did the test.

I was lucky, huh? And so I have four scars from having my throat cut and ladies, you don't KNOW fear until some surgeon that is a stranger is about to cut your throat! Not to mention mess with your spinal cord!

There was no way out, my best friend is a doctor. I had to submit.

And there it is. I am in recovery. You all are helping me recover and I'm making friends all the while.

Oh, and, I landed in Menopause, my period stopped, right after the last surgery.

Da*n it.

dancer NINE

Dancer, that is an intense story of pain. I cringe at how you write "cut my throat." And your a singer! What a way to phrase that. I can't believe all that you went through. I mean, I can believe it, but to go through all that and continue your career in dance. I'd be interested in reading what your son wrote if you are so inclined to post that. Plus you have a disease in your neck? And you're not even an Aries, which rules the head and neck! How did you heal from the fractured vertebrae when you were 14. As an active dancer, did you have to stay still in a body brace? Phew! What an ordeal. And you have such a good matter-of-fact attitude. You deserve lots of silk pillow covers and massages, that's for sure.

Hello!

Dancer, that is indeed scary. I especially would not want anyone messing with my spinal cord!

Princess, it does sound like you have been through the wringer searching for a treatment for migraines. I think the Topomax is the same as using Depakote for it, and the Depakote has the added benefit of -- I believe -- making you gain weight. Oh joy!

Have you read about the use of botox for migraines? Now there's another scary thought!

Take care,
Diane

Reading about others...I send my love.
I was injured by a student who was doing "horseplay" this meant I could no longer function as a school nurse and I was off 10 months before moving into teaching .I loved my job so I grieved for what i had set up and was doing.
I turned the experience into good by faciliating other to be care workers and taught special ed. needs students.
What I had during that 10 months.
23 hours a day pain. slept in a chair...mri and hospital visits.I have a spinal oculsion which meant my sacral bone was pushed into my pelvis. A chiropractioner made me as well as I could be.Arthritis set in..I cannot take pain relief I use a tens machine.Anti inflamatory drugs caused anaphylaxis.
Though all this I have been learning..a thing comes along you get round it..there are things to find out.It has not been easy but I am here and grateful.
Most of all I lost friends.The people who saw my inuries at school when asked to say it happened closed ranks.Were told to by "someone" I did get my pension early...I did get another career but one boys "horseplay" cost me dearly.
We get changes to redefine ourselves.One day I opened my bible and there was in the Psalms..about having a broken back...then meeting a GOOD chiro then finding out where my own strength was..One day I could not walk back to my car in town...I look around wondering who I could trust to help me..that was rock bottom.Pain is awful..so now I work at keeping as well as I can be,
I have been open in this message as the others have..so I am trusting that others understand .
During the pain...had I not had loved ones I would have sought death.I admit that.
As A trained counsellor I have learned some of the paths others walk on.I am still learningn.
Love Mountain ash

A couple years ago, I had such pain in my feet; the pain went clear up to my knees and I was in misery. I don't know if it would work for everyone but it worked for me. I walk four miles everyday, without discomfort. I had acupuncture on the bottom of my feet. And had those treatments from mid February until Mid September of 2004. The doctor had been an emergency room surgeon in China for 16 years; she now had her own acupuncturist office and taught classes at the University of Buffalo, besides. While I went for those treatments, I met people there being treated for various types of back problems; headaches; chemo treatment, assistance; to stop smoking; chronic, upset stomachs, etc., etc. I had acupuncture on my hip; it pains from arthritis; and on a deteriorated thumb joint. I had treatments on nearly every body part. It's expensive and not easy to withstand. But it worked for me and others, with varied ailments. All I'm saying is, it's food for thought. Someone in my life has migranes and I've suggested
he have acupuncture.
Prayers and blessings

thanks,Princess, but trust me,I "processed," it completely as I was going through it! I know better than to cover my feelings! It was NOT easy and it was a nightmare at best. Still, I'm alive, I can dance, I can sing, and all doctors were careful and said they did not want to compromise my ability to do both. In fact the neurosurgeon said he did the surgery so I "could make more dances," and the last ENT took 4 hours for a half hour surgery to protect my vocal cords and other nerves there! They were supportive as was my attorney afterwards!

It worked out and I will post my son's letter here, soon.

dancer

Yes! All true, true, true, wordscribe. It is so with Carbatrol also, another mood stablizer/seizure medication and Neurontin! All of which was tried on me before the big guns had to be brought out!
I worry for that pain, Princess. There has to be a way to make your life more pain free.
I have read your book. You have had this pain so long that it HAS to be affecting your choices in life and what you can and can't do! I would not give up were I you. PM me, or email me if you want more ideas!
dancer9

Mountain Ash, you are a dear woman,
I have the pain you have. The "choose death," if not for loved ones and pain relief.
Tell me, is your pain relieved now? I so hate to think of you suffering with our sort of pain that is worse than death.
dancer9