I have chronic back pain and left hip / flank pain that often radiates down my left leg. I also have joint pain often. I have had trouble getting a family doctor to prescribe medications that will help. I m actually an old ER nurse myself and I do not have a tendency to abuse RX meds, so I think I would benefit from some muscle relaxers and maybe some sort of narcotic that I could take when this pain occurs. Neurontin has also helped me in the past. Where do I need to go to get a doctor to take me seriously? I have FEDERAL blue cross BLUE shield insurance. I just need a doctor who will prescribe me what will WORK.
HI THANKS FOR POSTING YOUR QUERY.YOUR SYMPTOMS SEEM TO RESEMBLE A NERVE COMPRESSION DISORDER CALLED "SCIATICA".THIS IS DUE TO INVOLVEMENT OF SCIATIC NERVE AT THE BACK OF THIGH PASSING DEEP THROUGH GLUTEALS.THIS CAN RESULT IN SYMPTOMS LIKE Backache, THIGH PAIN, FOOTPAIN, TINGLING,NUMBNESS OF ONE OR BOTH FEET. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU TO GET AN X-ray OR PREFERABLY AN MRI SCAN TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE THIS DISORDER.MEASURES LIKE AVOIDING PROLONGED SITTING, ALTERNATE FEW PACED WALKING, ANALGESICS LIKE BROKEN, PARACETAMOL,HOT WATER PADS USED INTERMITTENTLY.SEVERE PAIN CAN BE CONTROLLED WITH OPIOIDS LIKE TRAMADOL.IN CASE IF THESE MEASURES DO NOT RESOLVE YOUR PAIN, SURGICAL TREATMENT IS THE NEXT AND DEFINITIVE LINE OF MANAGEMENT.SURGERY LIKE "OPEN LUMBAR LAMINECTOMY"IS DONE WITH EXCELLENT RESULT OUTCOMES.CONCLUSIVE OPINION:SURGERY IS THE TREATMENT OF CHOICE IN YOUR CAPETIAN YOU.