I will begin here in December 2023. I had a virtual follow-up visit with Dr. Luis Hurtado. Dr. Hurtado had ordered me to get a scan of my sinuses, so I had done that in November. Dr. Hurtado went over the scan, and unfortunately, the findings were acute sinus infection. I would find out later that this diagnosis was incorrect. I mentioned to him that the muscle relaxer called Baclofen that he had given me wasn’t working. Dr. Hurtado still viametly believed it was sinus, so he told me to go back to the sinus doctor and that there was not anything else he could do for me. I asked him if he could refer me to a pain doctor. Unfortunately, I am a bit foggy on his answer. However, I did not see a pain doctor afterward, so his answer must have been no. This was the end of Dr. Hurtado.. It was time for me to keep searching for help once again
I am going to send you more tests and possibly refer you to other doctors. Honestly, trigeminal neuralgia is usually easier to treat than atypical facial pain
Dear MAX,
Hello Max, who is currently hiding in his cat tree 🌳 because I had to give medication for his current bowel trouble.
On Tuesday morning 🌄 I saw yet another neurologist. The appointment took me quite a long time to get one of my twin helper girls who took me. They charge a fee, but that is alright. They have been lifesavers. I noticed that I had a tough time getting out of her car and also for the short walk to the office. (which is frightening)
The doctors name is Dr. Reefat El-Said. I honestly did not have much hope for relief from this doctor either, I felt like I was just going through the motions again. However, Dr. El-Said was quite thorough and asked a lot of questions 🤔 I also had a lot of information for him to go over.
I had “normal” bloodwork from the overnight stay in the hospital 🏥 I also had three MRIS (which were ordered by the “pain” arthritis doctor)
After Dr. El-Said had finished asking me questions about my condition, He questioned me about my weight, which unfortunately has been dropping. The doctor then examined me quickly and told me that I definitely still had TMJ on the left side of my jaw.
Fortunately, that’s when one of my symptoms came up, the mystery of why toothpaste, pills, or any kind of food aggravated the pain 😢
Suddenly, the three people in the room began nodding their heads 😳 They mentioned that this was a symptom of Trigimina Neueolgia. So, instead of prescribing Lyrica, he prescribed a low dose of tegretal.
Unfortunately, then came the words 😕 I dreaded. The doctor said he was going to send me for more tests and that he did not have a diagnosis for me now. When I heard those words, I felt sick to my stomach because I had heard them so many times before.
Dr. El-Said wants me to come back in six weeks, which is actually on my 49th birthday with the tests finished
The doctor ordered another Mri.this time of my lungs. As well as a specialist blood test.. If he found nothing, he was again going to refer me to someone else
I felt the same sinking feeling 😕 of defeat when we left the office. As I have so many times before. The unfortunate feeling of complete hopelessness.
How do you deal with guilt 😔? Especially when it involves your furry friend. I would advise against looking up the symptoms on google that your furry friend is exhibiting. Doing so can certainly cause more worry than necessary. Especially if you are an excessive worrier or have a lot of anxiety.
Also, when you have chronic pain, stress seems to make things a lot worse and the pain a lot stronger.
When this pain started back in March of 2023 it definitely was not as severe and as disabling as it is now.
So, when I made an appointment with my first ear, nose, and throat physician back then, the physicians name was Dr. Steelher and I were certain that this was a sinus issue. I had a lot of issues with this particular problem. I even had sinus balloon surgery with another doctor this however was a big mistake.
Unfortunately, when I saw this doctor, he figured that it was just a sinus infection, so he gave me some antibiotics and sent me on my way.
The next doctor that I saw was a neurologist by the name of Luis Hurtado. (Scroll down to August 26, 2023 to read about this) Neurologists are very difficult to get into here. This is why I waited so long. This appointment unfortunately went quite badly. Dr. Hurtado spoke to me in a derogatory way. Basically, he didn’t believe me. So, I left his office close to tears and with a bottle of muscle relaxers. He told me to go back to Dr. Steeler for a CT scan of my sinuses
When the month of November 2023 approached. I took my CT scan and made yet another appointment with Dr. Steeler. During the appointment, Dr. Steeler made some extremely incorrect observations about the scan.
I asked Dr. Steeler, what did he see. First of all, I asked if I even had a sinus infection. Unfortunately, for some reason, he would not give me a straight answer. I asked well do you see anything sinus related on the scan?” His answer was I see some inflammation in there. Dr. Steeler obviously did not know my issue either, so he decided to diagnose me with a condition I did not have. I believe the condition was chronic rhinosinusitis. He told me to go see a doctor called a rhinologist in Tampa, which is 80 miles away. I did not heed his advice because it didn’t make a lot of sense, and he sent me on my way. Once again, with no answer 😕 So it was time to do some more searching.
I call the “before time” (of course, before March 2023.(and the facial pain mystery had begun). These days are a bit difficult to think about.
I had finally left my ex-boyfriend and had moved into a new apartment for the first time. I moved in at the end of 2020. It was so exciting to have my own space.
The first 3 years were just wonderful. I could do whatever I wanted to.
I could listen to my music freely. and without judgment. I could watch anything I wanted. I could even order a pizza at midnight if I was so inclined.
I would usually wake up at 6 and put on the coffee. So I could relax and watch my favorite cable news program.
My favorite breakfast was frosted flakes with Skittles. candy.
I adored the company of Max and Maddie (maddie passed in 2022) and I loved chasing max around the apartment.
I had my car then and I.was able to drive and run errands on my own.
In the morning 🌄 I took great care to manage my unique hairstyle.
Even though I did not have facial pain then, I had not been able to work for most of my life. (due to depression and anxiety) so even though I was not going out the door for work. I treasured my new routine.
Since my days weren’t filled with doctors’ appointments or calls to the insurance company or calls to doctors’ offices, I was free to put on my shorts and tennis shoes and go out for a nice brisk walk on the track that surrounding the apartment.
Sitting on one of the benches afterward, I would relax and watch the birds at the small pond.
Sometimes, I would take the book that I was currently reading 📚 and sit in the sunlight.
When it was dinnertime, I would normally eat a delicious 😋 frozen dinner! I had never learned how to cook so I loved them!
My favorites were spaghetti 🍝 and lasagna 😋 Hopefully for dessert 🍨 there would be cookies! I certainly did love cookies. The best cookies were from Publix deli. My favorites were M and M, chocolate chip, peanut butter, and sugar!
Today, I would have to think back extremely hard in order to figure out when was the last time I was able to have such delicious food! ( And don’t forget sodas)
I believe that my last sugary birthday cake 🎂 might have been on my 46th birthday 🎂 2 years ago.
This quite simple life with its simple joys is something I certainly do miss.
I try not to think of these days too often 😕 but I am always reminded to enjoy these things and how wonderful life was when I had my health.
Dorothy goes to see a doctor about her illness, and this is what he says to her. He does not believe she is sick.
I Dont know where you doctors lose your humanity,but you lose it, you know if all of you could get very sick and very scared at the beginning of your careers, for a while, you’d probably learn more from that more than anything else. You better start listening to your patients they need to be heard. They need caring, they need compassion, they need attending to.
You know, someday, Dr Bud, your going to be on the other side of the table,and as angry as I am and as angry as I always will be. I still wish you a better doctor than you were to me.
LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN WITH ANNA AND MAX 