![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Budzoid on March 1, 2009, at 23:14:11
Does this make sense to anyone else? I'm 50 yrs. old and have had problems my whole life with periodic stiffness or "cricks" in my neck. I had a neck injury when I was about 8 yrs. old and had to wear a neck brace for 2 months. As I got older, I would get a stiff neck every 4-5 yrs. that lasted for a couple of weeks and then would go away. As I got older, these episodes became more frequent. In the early 90's I was diagnosed with OCD and put on Xanax by my mental health Doc.(First time I had ever gone to one).It helped with my mental problems and all was good for about 8 yrs. These were some of the best and most productive times in my life (very out-going and sociable).I give full credit to the Benzo's. Thinking back now, I had very few stiff neck problems during this time. Well, the next thing I know, my Doc. had left and his replacement was totally against the use of Benzo's. He stepped me off of them and told me I was depressed and put me on Prozac, Trazadone, and Mirtazapine (some to help me sleep). I had never felt depressed before, but after being taken off the Xanax, I soon felt depressed and figured all the new meds. would help with that. I also noticed my neck problems had returned. After about 10 yrs. of being on the SRRI's, and repeated requests to be put back on some type of Benzo, and being told I was a bad person for "wanting to get a buzz" from them, I stopped taking all the "crazy meds." he had me on. After about 2 months I felt much better (clear headed). Unfortunately, my neck stiffness got so bad that I had to get a couple of MRIs which showed degenerative joint problems (arthritis) and bone spurs that were enclosing around my nerves, causing more and more pain in my neck and back. I saw a neurosurgeon and was told they could fuse my bones together and make it look better on an x-ray, but it would not stop the pain and stiffness. Next, they put me on opiates (which I hate). In the mean time , whenever I would have to go to the emergency room for the neck stiffness, they would always put me on a couple of months of Valium for the muscle spasms in my neck and my stiffness would go away for several months. I have just had steroid injections in my back and neck. It helped a lot for about 2 days. Next they are going to inject Botox. If that doesn't help, they will start doing epidurals! I am now on both morphine and percocets for the constant pain. Needless to say, my quality of life is going downhill fast.
Recently I was doing research on the 'net and came across something called Stiff Man Syndrome: (http://www.med.yale.edu/neurol/programs/neuromuscular/stiff_man.html) and I believe it explains why Benzo's helped my stiff neck problems in the past and I kept asking for them (unknowingly) all this time and why they may be the only medicine that can actually improve my situation and quality of life. How can I convince my Doc. to try this for a few months and see what happens, when he is so dead set against them because they can be "addictive"? I guess a life addicted to opiates is O.K. (?). Would someone please check out the link I provided and let me know if this sounds reasonable, or am I just a bad person for asking again for Benzo's. Keep in mind that I use the VA, so getting another doctor is not an option. Thanks
Posted by Phillipa on March 3, 2009, at 23:35:48
In reply to Possible reason I want Benzo's, posted by Budzoid on March 1, 2009, at 23:14:11
I've never heard of this it's very interesting. Suggestion? Post your thread on the meds board as more traffic and it is on benzos. Love Phillipa
Posted by Budzoid on March 4, 2009, at 0:01:11
In reply to Re: Possible reason I want Benzo's » Budzoid, posted by Phillipa on March 3, 2009, at 23:35:48
Thank you, Pillipa. I will do that tomorrow. I would appreciate any feedback.
Posted by Phillipa on March 4, 2009, at 0:19:06
In reply to Re: Possible reason I want Benzo's, posted by Budzoid on March 4, 2009, at 0:01:11
You're welcome. Sounds like nothing I know have you googled autoimmune diseases and checked to see if sounds like one of them? Also lymes disease from tics? Love Phillipa and if you're new welcome to babble.
Posted by Budzoid on March 4, 2009, at 0:47:44
In reply to Re: Possible reason I want Benzo's » Budzoid, posted by Phillipa on March 4, 2009, at 0:19:06
Funny you should mention lymes. I do remember back in the early 90's I got what I thought at the time was a tick bite on my bum after a day out in the woods. I was so convinced that it was a tick bite that I went to the emergency room to have it checked out. They told me it was not, but I don't remember if they did a test or not. This was back in the days when lymes was all in the news and maybe they thought I was being a hypo?
If I was bitten back then, can a test show it after this many years?
Posted by Phillipa on March 4, 2009, at 20:04:13
In reply to Re: Possible reason I want Benzo's, posted by Budzoid on March 4, 2009, at 0:47:44
Oh yes as had or have chronic lymes. Originally from Connecticut. The tic is so tiny. Didn't know it. years later a Western Blot diagnosed me done by a pdoc. In the hospital a month . Pic line rocephin, biaxin xl for two years three months a time. And joint pain is one of the symtoms. An infection control specailist working with a rheumatologist figured it out as mimics autoimmune disorders also. Spianl taps, Head MRI were normal???? Still test positive but the docs in NC don't believe in it. Love Phillipa
Posted by Budzoid on March 4, 2009, at 22:27:55
In reply to Re: Possible reason I want Benzo's » Budzoid, posted by Phillipa on March 4, 2009, at 20:04:13
I see my PC doctor in 5 days and I will ask for a test. Maybe this will answer a lot of questions. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks!
Posted by Zana on April 3, 2009, at 13:13:54
In reply to Possible reason I want Benzo's, posted by Budzoid on March 1, 2009, at 23:14:11
You are not a bad person for wanting relief from your anxiety and wanting to get your life back. Sounds like you are stuck in a very rigid system with a very rigid doc who is wrong about what you are experiencing and how to treat it. Sounds like he is not hearing you at all and not helping you. Can you wrangle a psych consult? Get someone who will focus on the anxiety not your neck. I doubt the two are connected. Sounds like you have pretty serious arthritis in your neck. They wouldn't be giving you opiods if they didn't see the structural changes you describe. But I do think the neck pain and the anxiety are two different things and should be treated by two seperate docs.
Hope this helps.
Zanz
Posted by Budzoid on April 3, 2009, at 21:25:27
In reply to Re: Possible reason I want Benzo's, posted by Zana on April 3, 2009, at 13:13:54
Zaz-Thanks for the response. The neck stiffness is definately related to the arthritis. My neck muscles are trying to compensate for the mis-alignment of the bones. I have been seeing a physical therapist for a while (once a week) and when he gives me a deep muscle massage, he can't believe how knotted up my muscles are. He has been keeping track of my range of movement and thinks some traction might help, but because my discs are being pinched soo bad, he is concerned that it may do more harm than good. If I could get a few months of Valium, I know it would ease a lot of the muscle strain.
Posted by Phillipa on April 4, 2009, at 20:33:50
In reply to Re: Possible reason I want Benzo's, posted by Budzoid on April 3, 2009, at 21:25:27
Keep up with the massage it's extremly theraputic health wise also. Used to get one weekly. Keeps the lymph flowing the bad stuff out of your body. Love Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Health | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.