Ask Me Help Desk - Back,hip,leg pain

I had back surgery June 2011 Laminectomy/Diskectomy L4. Dec 2011 spinal fusion L3-L4 work related. Two month's after MMI new injury back/leg pain returned April 2012 1st study MRI my Dr broad based bulging disc L4-L5 treatment denied from work comp. Still have back/leg pain 2nd study work comp Dr 6/29/2012 CT/Myelogram No significant neuroforaminal narrowing or central canal stenosis at any level of the lumbar spine. Still have back/leg pain worsening. 3rd study a surgeon I hired CT/Myelogram 11/13/2012 L4-L5 Mild disc desiccation with a broad based left paracentural foraminal disc protrusion that encroaches upon the exiting L4 nerve root. This contributes to mild left neural foraminal exit stenosis. Still denied medical treatment work comp.Pain is still worsening mild atrophy. Slip and fall on ice at work returned to comp Dr 4/9/2013 4th study performed MRI L4-L5 no significant disc abnormalities at this level. L3-L4 Fluid collection in the operative bed 7mm in max ap, 35mm in max transverse, 18mm in max craniocaudal dimension. Why are these studies always saying different things? Should this seroma be treated? Am I getting a missed diagnosis from work comp on purpose? What should I do to prove my injury in a court of law as I am going to trial soon for medical treatment. What would you recommend if I was your patient? I have had six lumbar injections that did help for a very short time.after my surgeon that I hired found the herniated disc.PLEASE PLEASE HELP me understand all of this and recommend what can help me.

As far as I know there are no Physicians on this site - there are nurses and medical students.

To PROVE injury (which, in fact, is my field) you need medical evidence - for example, a Physician who is willing/able to testify (and that is usually very costly). You would need to PROVE that WC is deliberately misinterpreting tests results and/or falsifying them. You are going to trial for medical treatment - what does that mean? Has WC stopped paying and you are going to Court to PROVE you need additional/continuing medical treatment?

Are the WC Physician and your personal Physician (I assume that’s what you mean by a “Doctor you hired”) reading the same medical reports?

To sum it up - you need PROOF, not guessing. You may need another Physician, someone independent, who is willing to testify and disprove what WC is saying.

Yes you are exactly right I am pursuing more medical treatment sorry for the missed wording I have copies of the studies from work comp as in cd form would it be wise for me to have them read by a 3rd party. And even a 4th what would you suggest ? Work comp covered the 1st two surgeries and would not let me return to the surgeon that performed them after a diagnosed L5 herniation from my family Dr they had me go to a different surgeon that told me I need to go to the surgeon that did the 1st two surgeries a few weeks past and work comp worked something out where he as in the second surgeon would asses my condition anyway and it's been conflicting studies ever sense I am so lost in this whole process and feel like I'm getting unfair treatment. I am in so much pain and after the 1st two surgeries there was some time with no pain.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alantw

Yes you are exactly right I am pursuing more medical treatment sorry for the missed wording I have copies of the studies from work comp as in cd form would it be wise for me to have them read by a 3rd party. and even a 4th what would you suggest ? Work comp covered the 1st two surgeries and would not let me return to the surgeon that performed them after a diagnosed L5 herniation from my family Dr they had me go to a different surgeon that told me I need to go to the surgeon that did the 1st two surgeries a few weeks past and work comp worked something out where he as in the second surgeon would asses my condition anyways and it's been conflicting studies ever sense I am so lost in this whole process and feel like I'm getting unfair treatment. .

I am in so much pain and after the 1st two surgeries there was some time with no pain I sure hope you could give me a little guidance to strengthen my case

I would not make an appointment with a fourth Physician - you're going to have too many opinons.

I WOULD get an opinion from a third, a Specialist (obviously).

And WC can be very difficult to deal with.

Good luck.