Lucille
Hi! I had an on the job injury, and eventually WC accepted the claim, based on all of my DRs reports. I had to wait for the $$, but it was accepted, with back $$. I know the fight w/WC is worth it, keep that going, but in the meantime, you need to be treated for the pain, and the condition. I am recovering from surgery where I crushed the L5-L6 disc in my neck, on the job, at the postal service. I am 4 mos post-op and finally not feeling pain, but my right thumb is still numb. The numbness may never go away, but the surgery definitely took away the pain. The pain came back, post-op, because I went back to normal activities around the house, too soon. I was taking Percocet, sometimes 2, every 4 hrs, for pain. I had neck and shoulder spasms too, so I took half of a 5mg Valium, every 4 hrs., in addition to eating Xtra Strength Tylenol, around the clock. Darvocet, did not work for me, as a matter of fact, none of the known pain pills worked for my mom, either, who had an OTJ injury. She was turning into a junkie before a mylogram revealed her L5-S1 herniated disc, which also had trapped the nerve. She felt like her left leg & foot were constantly being electrocuted, she said. And the pain! The surgery took away the pain, but the nerve was crushed too. She has to take Ellaville and Neurontin for the rest of her life, otherwise she'll get that electic feeling back in her leg and foot. Don't be afraid of the surgery. Even if you have to put it on your own Health ins. until WC approves your claim, DO IT! You need the surgery, and until then you need pain meds, maybe in addit. to Neurontin 300mg, 4x daily and Ellaville 25mg 2x daily, that's what my mom is taking. Wc will finally approve your claim as long as your DR says he thinks it is work related. Send WC that report and keep after them. Good Luck, Jac.