Nerve blocks

I went to the pain management office yesterday for an occipital nerve block.  They had me down for bilateral occipitals but since my right side does not hurt I did not want it injected.  I asked if he could do a maxillary injection instead and he did.  When I told him my whole left side of my head hurts he said he couldn't block all of the areas in one visit but we had to find a combination that worked well like what we did this time.  I have done tons of research about the branches of the trigeminal nerve and from what I had read the maxillary branch (V2) should cover up into the temple area.  But I have numbness from under my eye to my upper lip and it does not extend all the way to the edge of my face.  Sadly this is not even the area that hurts the most.  When I pointed to the temple area and asked if the block would spread up to that area, he said no but that only hurts because I clench my teeth and I need to get treated for TMJ.  Oh if he only knew the treatments I have gone through for TMJ that were fruitless not to mention drained my savings account because insurance would not cover them.  But of course it hurts to talk and so I try to keep it short.  I told him I have already tried that. 

Also for some reason the occipital did not work like the others I have had.  I still have pain that is shooting up the back side of my head as usual like I never even got the shot.  I wonder if it is possible to miss the right spot and it not work, or is it possible to get sort of immune to them?  Anyway, the shots seem to have ticked off the evil headache.  It was really hard to drag myself out of bed today.  It is REALLY killing me.  Days like this I want to just stay curled up in bed all day, but I can't.  Curse you hemicrania continua!!!

New info

I had an appointment at my pain management doctor's office today.  I found out that I do in fact have arthritis in my neck by the MRI done, and also by the nerve conduction study done there is an issue with the C7 nerve on the right.  I had been thinking maybe I was having carpal tunnel symptoms on the right  but this could obviously be caused by that nerve.  They are starting me on a medication called Limbrel.  I was told it was an antiinflammatory so I immediately looked it up.  I cannot take NSAIDs anymore so I was just not going to get it filled.  But it actually sounds good.  It is a "medical food" product according to the website and is not actually an NSAID so is not supposed to cause GI issues.  Who knows maybe it will help the headache.  One can only hope!

No news does not seem to be good news

I am playing the waiting game once again.  My head is killing me as I sit here.  I couldn't concentrate enough to work and I couldn't lie still with my ice pack anymore.  The Celebrex was not a miracle cure unfortunately.  I called and left a detailed message for the new doc.  I got a return call from his research assistant yesterday evening.  She was calling to let me know they "haven't forgotten me" but he is still in the process of talking with all of his colleagues and trying to come up with a plan for what to do next.  I am just not patient anymore.  I did not want to have my 3-year anniversary of the Evil Headache but it looks like I will.  That will be January, only a month away now.  Before I went to see this new doc I had been researching on the internet (as usual!) and discovered this group named Migraine Treatment Centers.  Anyone heard of them??  They seem to be a network of physicians specializing in pain management who actually implant occipital nerve stimulators, spread out in different states across the country.  They have a physician in Tennessee, which is not that far from me.  I had called to get a little more info and talked to someone who suggested I see the doc in Tennessee.  I was asked to get my medical records and fax them to them so they could schedule me.  I have not been able to get all of them yet and received a call from them today checking to see if I still wanted to see the doctor.  It just seemed like a kinda telemarketer type call.  I am just a little nervous about letting just anyone implant something so near my brain.  I had almost completely decided to let a neurosurgeon do it instead of a pain management physician, but.... if this doctor is more available and possibly more used to getting insurance approval....  I don't know.  I'm not sure what to do so I did nothing LOL.  That is me.  I am on the no-plan plan I guess like Polly in Along Came Polly the movie.  Guess I will think about it a little more.  Now maybe I should try to get some work done.

Edit 1/31/2012: I have definitely changed my opinion about neurosurgeon v pain management physician doing surgery.  I have had the opportunity to meet and/or talk to different pain management physicians now and I must say that they all seem brilliant and have much better bedside manner than any neurosurgeon I have met or talked to.

Insurance sucks

Well I went for my appointment with pain management yesterday.  The PA I saw was great.  She was very nice and actually appreciated that I brought a printout describing my condition and a sheet with all the treatments I have already tried.  She wants to do a nerve conduction study for the nerves in my neck and also an MRI of my neck.  The insurance company requires preauthorization for MRI and they did not give it when the request was made.  They called the facility wanting to know how long I have been taking my pain medication.  What in the world does that have to do with whether or not I need an MRI done?  Now I have another thing to wait on, which is whether or not they will give authorization to do the MRI.  I wish I did not have to mess with this insurance company but it does beat paying cash for everything I guess, which there is no way I would be able to pay for all of these tests and doctor visits.  I just wish they would pay for things my physicians believe that I need without all of the crap we have to go through to do it.

Still waiting

Nothing much to update today but I felt like posting so here I am!  I am still awaiting insurance approval.  The insurance specialist from the dr in NC spoke with the representative for my group of insurance and she wants them to fax reports of studies that show how well the stimulator works and they will think about changing the policy supposedly.  I am trying to be optimistic but I just don't see that happening because 1 patient needs it.  I wanted them to just go ahead and submit a request for authorization but the insurance person basically refused stating it would immediately be turned down.  So what?  If there is nothing requested I cannot appeal a decision!!!  That is how I have heard most people that fought insurance got their surgery approved.  I am on a waiting list for a clinical trial but that isn't supposed to begin until next year.  I just feel as if I am at a standstill yet the pain has been progressively getting worse.  I scheduled an appointment with a pain management group and it was for this morning but they called stating that they would have to reschedule because the PA I was supposed to see is out sick today.  So now I have another week to wait on that.  Ugh!  I just can't seem to get any help at all.  Every day I go on about life and pretend to be normal when I have to go out into public but in reality feel like cowering in a dark quiet place 24/7, or else screaming!  I am hoping pain management will at least help me keep my sanity while I wait on possible surgery.  Nearly every night I curl up with my ice pack and tell my husband that I can't do this anymore, but in the morning I get up and start over again anyway.  I am determined to get better but honestly getting more and more tired from dealing with the 24/7 pain.  Hopefully relief isn't too far away.  I left my full time job as I couldn't handle working for those jerks anymore.  I already had some work that I did on my own anyway, just part time though.  It was nice at first until bills started rolling in!  I am starting a new  job though where I can choose my own hours, and I definitely feel like this has been the best choice I have made in a very long time.