Here is a little background! I have 5 slipped discs – each have their own problem but here are the main things….I have arthritis in 4 of them, 1 of them has an annular tear plus I have mild scoliosis. My primary care physician had me on Lortab 7.5mg 2x’s / day – which is only helping some but could use better relief obviously. I was sent to a pain management specialist and had my appointment today where I had filled the new patient paperwork, etc.

The PA came back and examined me and went over my paperwork doing the usual routine then the Dr. came in. We discussed my problems, treatments such as epidural injections, physical therapy and medications. He had stated that I would need to submit a urine specimen before he could start me on any medication which was completely fine. When we’re finished talking, he leaves and a Nurse comes in, gives me the cup and shows me where the bathroom is, I get it taken care of, give it to the Nurse and go back to the room. The PA came in with the Physical Therapy form to take to any place

I’m only 18.. so I know it’s not arthritis.. They also cause me a ton of pain.. I would think it’d be carpal tunnel only I don’t have any of the symptoms.. so what could it be? If you need any more details let me know.. Thanks for your input
What can I do about this? Doctors? Medicines?..

My dog has mild arthritis but he is currently going through a rough stage. I spoke to my vet and he has an appt. on Monday; however, in the meantime I am supposed to give him a third of an Ibuprofin one-two times a day, depending on the severity of his condition. I was researching his condition last night though and it said on one of the websites that Ibuprofin is toxic for dogs. Is this true? I’ve given him some this morning and now I’m back to worrying, I need some peace of mind. If it is, what else can I give him?
Alright, three responses say it is toxic. Until his vet appt. in the meantime, what can I give him?
Thanks so much. I’m so upset I gave him some more this morning… I’ll definately keep an eye on him today. I don’t understand why the lady I spoke to at the vet clinic said to give him ibuprofin. I’ll pick up some baby tylenol today and find out what the right dose for him will be.
This question is getting longer and longer. No to tylenol then? I think the glucosamine chondroitin supplement sounds the best- what form can I buy this in at a drugstore?

Very Very Very Longggg Story Made Short:
My Mom A 46 Year Old Legally Blind, Over Weight, Type Two Diabetic, With High And Low Blood Pressure And Arthritis, Fell On Her Left Abdomen. She Went To The ER And They Prescribed Her Percosets. A Week Later (On The 17th) She Called An Ambulance And An Emergency Appendicitis Was Performed.
Three Days After Surgery, She Was Taken Out Of Intensive Care, Because They Didn’t Find The Need To Keep Her There. And That’s When It All Started To Go To Hell From There.
The First Day She Was Fine. She Had Very Little Appetite, And Could Not Use The Bathroom On Her Own.
The Second Day They Gave Her Oxygen Because She Had Trouble Breathing.
The Third Day, They Suspected She Had Pneumonia So They Gave Her The Widest Spectrum Antibiotic Available.
The Fourth Day She Was Back In Intensive Care Hooked Up To A Mechanical Ventilator.
Once In Intensive Care (ICU) They Started Giving Her Dialysis Because Her Kidneys Were Slow Due To Her Diabetes.
It Wasn’t Until The 29th I Found Out She Had ARDS.
Her Condition Keeps Changing. Sometimes She Gets Better And Sometimes She Gets Worse. One Step Forward, Two Steps Backwards. Three Steps Forwards, One Step Backwards, And So On.
Every Time She Takes A Step Backwards The Nurses Give Her Cisatracurium, To Completely Paralyze Her Muscles, And Keep Her From Fighting The Ventilator And Risking Trauma.

I Need Professional Help On This. I Am On Leave From Iraq And My Time Is Expiring Pretty Soon. I’ve Been Fighting To Get An Extension, But It Seem Unlikely At This Point.

I Want To Know All The Different Things That Cause ARDS, And Is It Negligence From The Hospital? Is This Something That Just Happens Or Could It Have Been Prevented?
What Are The Different Treatments Available?
Could The Surgery Have Caused Complications To Her Kidneys?
Can Cisatracurium Cause Adverse Effects Such As Paralysis?

Anything You Guys Might Want To Add?

The Reason I’m Asking Is Because The Nurses Keep Giving Me The “She’s Gonna Be Okay” Answer Or The “It’s Hard To Say” Answer. Something Smells Fishy.

What does this mean?…

A few days a week, the veins in my arm start to get large, my whole arm turns completely blue (I think because of the vein)…
my hand starts to hurt and in my palm, fingers, wrist, and top of my hand, my vein sticks out, completely, making huge, long ‘trails’…could this be because of my poor circulation?

(I also feel a slurping sensation in my legs, and my body limbs also fall asleep or go numb, stiff, pressured, ALOT!)…

Could it all be because of an auto-immune disease?

I won’t go in to the auto-immune disease stuff, because there’s so much and I’m seeing some doctors, soon to see a rheumatologist.

I just want to know if this vein thing would be part of a auto-immune disease, particullary Lupus? and if not, what do you think it is from?

P.S. – because of the continuing symptoms, my doctor may think I have neuroalgia (nerve damage where I feel a painful shooting from my chest up my neck probably to my brain) and arthritis…
PS. I didn’t want to get into this, but I am worried about Lupus beacuse of other symptoms and blood tests positively indicating it as well as genetic factors, but I wanted to just know about the veins mainly…thanks for your answers, I appreciate it !

The vet told my wife that our dog has a torn ligament and if we don’t get it fixed, the dog will get arthritis and will have trouble walking for the rest of her life. My wife really wants to get it fixed, but I’m thinking 1400 is a lot of money. That’s over twice as much as we paid for the dog. Also, the dog is 8 years old, so is this really a good investment? I feel bad because she’s been a good dog and I’d like to get her leg taken care of, but 1400 bucks? ouch!
oh geeze… everyone’s making me feel so guilty..

I guess we’ll get the dog’s leg fixed… *sigh*

I have had serious leg pain for a few years. I finally saw my dr. about it, he did a bone scan which revealed severe degenerative arthritis and major knee alignment problems on both sides. So he gave me an anti inflammatory drug and sent me to a specialist in ortho. The ortho dr. gave me very painful steriod shots in my legs, which only made things hurt worse. Now as I sit up all the time rocking back and forth in agony, I wonder if either dr is taking this seriously enough, or if these are just the standard treatments for these problems. I went to the dr in the first place because I had tried every over the counter pain reliever for years with no luck, and worsening pain.
I mean, I understand docs are scared to prescribe pain meds, but should I just wait a few weeks for the steroid shots to hopefully work (which is unbearable) or find another dr?
I’m also only 31 yrs old, but a former professional tap dancer. That’s the reason my legs are so messed up. But I wonder if it’s because i’m young for those diseases that they are more hesitant to treat?

My dog is really sick. She is an old dog and developed arthritis and bone cancer. Everyday she is getting weaker and weaker, and it has come down to the end. She hasn’t eaten in 3 days and hasn’t drank water in around 2 days. If she doesn’t pass away naturally, my family decided it is best to consider euthanasia. She has labored breathing but is still some-what attentive. We will have to put her to sleep within the next day or two because she is so frail and sick. I’m absolutely heartbroken and don’t know how to deal with losing her. I’m now 20 and have had her since I was 9 or 10. She is a huge part of my family. I’m devastated and can’t stop crying. Does anyone have any suggestions to help me cope with her death?

I have had previous problems with tendonitis when I was working. I am currently out on disability due to Fibromyalgia. I was recentyly told I may have Arthritis but my doctor never officially diagnosed this. For the last several days, two of my fingers have ached and now my mid arm as well. The fingers ache at the knucklles and the bones that lay just above them. The weather is in the 30’s and 40’s. Could the cold be making this worse? Is it more likly to be from the Fibromyalgia, Tendonis even though I am not spending as much time with repative type work? Or, is it more likly to be a symptom of Arthritis? THey are not swollen, just tender and achy in nature. Any type of remedys that will help this type of pain until a doctor can be consulted?

My dog’s arthritis has been getting worse so we took her to the vet. They recommended she loses a little weight. Right now she’s on Beneful dog food. Now when we took her to her normal vet they said that food was fine and to just mix it with Beneful Diet food. But at the animal hospital this morning (she seemed to be in a lot of pain and the vet wasn’t open) they said Beneful was bad and to switch her to Science Diet. However, I read some reviews online that said that dog food was not a good kind. I need to know, I want the best for my dog. P.S. I have an 8 year old mini dachshund.