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I'm alive.

I had a weird health issue that I've been dealing with. As a result I've been off work a good deal.

My cholesterol has been high since I was in my early 20's (even before I got fat). My previous doctor tried several statin's but every time I tried a new one I had the same reaction to different degrees of severity - I would have mild to severe muscle pain in my neck and shoulders that would last a few days to a couple of months after I stopped taking them. Other than that I have never even had a problem with my neck at all.

Flash forward about 10 years and I have a different doctor who has been treating me with ezetimibe. No problem with the muscle issue but it doesn't do as good of a job with the cholesterol. She decides that she wants me on a brand new injectable drug and writes a prescription. I have great insurance but my insurance won't approve the med. She tries again, same thing. So, she sends me to a cardiologist because his word carries more weight and she thinks they'll approve it if he writes the script. He looks at my labs and says my cholesterol is really not that bad, so there's no way the insurance will approve the injection even from him. He tells me there is another new drug that combines the ezetimibe with a completely new type of statin and I won't have a problem with it....

After 6 days, I kind of feel a tiny little twinge in my neck by day 9 it's pretty sore so I stop the med and call and tell him. He says the med should be 90% out of my system within 2 days and it could be a couple of weeks before it's all gone. He says to take tylenol for the pain and take it easy for a day or two. I'm hurting pretty good so I also ask for a muscle relaxer which he won't do. Not to worry, I have some left from my regular dock for another issue.

Day 9 was on a Tuesday, by Saturday I'm in so much pain I can't sleep and there is absolutely no position sitting lying down or standing that I can get into to relieve the pain. The pain is in my neck, my left shoulder, my entire left arm, and strangely my thumb and index finger on my left hand (which are both completely numb). I go to the orthopedics walk-in clinic where I had my knee replaced 10 years ago. These guys are awesome and I trust them for anything ortho. They do an X-ray and the doc just about loses it. Starts asking me if I fell or had any kind of injury that could have triggered the issue. I explain about the medication and the my reaction with the statins over the years. He's scratching his head and says, "You have one of the worst necks I've seen in a long time". Explains that he sees pretty severe arthritis, and spurs on every cervical vertebrae and suspects severe disc compression as well. Gives me some nerve pain medication (Gabapentin) and a muscle relaxer and tells me to take Monday and Tuesday off, do nothing just take it easy. If I'm no better by Tuesday come back into the regular office and they will do some follow-up. Tuesday, I'm even worse pain meds don't really help and the muscle relaxer is the same one I had and it's not doing anything either. The only little bit of relief I'm getting is from ice packs and my aleve. Go back in and they change my meds around and order an MRI. Can't even explain the level of pain I was having at that point. The new meds help a bit to get me to a manageable pain level where I can finally get some sleep after 5 days of sleeping about 20 minutes here and there before the pain would wake me up.

MRI shows I have a severe compression at C5 & C6 and multiple bulging disks in my neck. It's so bad that they can't even inject any cortisone to get me some relief until they can do surgery. Doc says he's amazed that I can even feel my feet and legs because it's compressed so bad. He has to have me get another test (I go in today for that one) to determine how much he has to do when he operates and which direction they go into my neck from, This test is called an EMG. They will put a bunch of needles up and down my left arm and measure all the nerve impulses and what type of impulses. I guess this will tell them exactly what they have to do to relieve the pain.

All that has occurred over the past 5 weeks. I've missed about 2+ weeks of work during those five and I have days when I can't come into the office because I have to lay on ice packs to get the pain down. My pain level is very much affected by the weather because where the compression point is I have a very large arthritic bone spur on my C5 vertebrae. Some days the pain is about a dull toothache pain in my neck shoulder and arm and somedays it's somebody hitting me with a sledge hammer in my arm. I also have days where the pain starts radiating over my shoulder and onto the bones and muscles on my chest. My other fingers and the palm of my left hand will also go numb and ache when it's at its worst. I've also had days where my feet and legs are weak and I kind of stumble around like a toddler.

Needless to say, between dealing with this and trying to work I've been pretty occupied with my available time.

Thanks for checking in on me though. I try and visit the site once or twice through the day when I'm able to see what's going on. When my hand allows me to, I can type (like today) but other days, I have to keep it to a minimum to just get what I have to do done.

I'll keep you posted once they do the follow-up from today. Basically they've told me that once they get the surgical game plan that I'll be in the hospital for 2-3 days following surgery, a week at home (won't be able to do much of anything at all) and then I can return to work part time. That may mean working from home as I'm able to for a few weeks so that I can sit and lie down as needed. Will probably have an immobilizing collar on for a while and I won't be able to drive for probably 6 weeks as I won't be able to turn my head much. Then I'll probably have several weeks of physical therapy before all is said and done.

From what I'm being told, the statin just exposed a problem that's sort of been sitting there hidden for many years. It was just the proverbial "straw". That's me... mister lucky. :);)
 
Merciful crap man, that is a whole world of not that great.
Glad you are on a path that sounds like it might get you somewhere good, I need you here not laid up on the couch getting better. That wont help me any :p
Good luck Mr. Chuck. I hope you can find some relief.
 
Thanks Mark. Believe me when I say that I'd much rather be here. :)

While not very fun when the pain is bad, it's been an interesting process to go through. I do NOT like taking ANY kind of narcotic pain medication unless it's absolutely necessary and so far I haven't had to as I have a pretty high pain tolerance (I was back here in the office 4 days after my total knee replacement) but I can see how having extreme, unresolved pain could lead somebody down that path of becoming dependent.

I was bone-on-bone with my knee for 3 years and never had the kind of pain I've had with this. Living on steroids, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxers is just not a good time. The pain is mentally distracting and the muscle relaxers make me tired. Combine that with not being able to sleep more than 1-2 hours at a time, it's just making me feel like I'm walking around in a fog. I have a ton of things to do and it's aggravating that it takes me twice as long to do them because I'm constantly distracted from the pain.

They also told me that they can't guarantee I'll get the feeling back in my thumb and finger which is a bit concerning as well.

But, I'm not dying and things will improve. There's a lot worse things that could be wrong so I'm thankful to be dealing with something that's treatable.

I told my wife, I think it's a conspiracy. I turned fifty this year and ever since I started getting all that damn mail from AARP things have been going awry. I think they are putting something in the stamp glue. :);)
 
Man, at least you still got some humor.
Tolerances be dammed my friend pain is pain and it blows. I think a flooring forum is a close as you can get to a pain management support group, this crap isn't easy on any of us. So, I feel you buddy!

Narcotics aren't so bad, you just need to take lots... that way its more fun!
 
They gave me Oxycodone and Darvocet when I had my knee done. Outside of what they gave me in the hospital I think I may have taken two once I got home. The rest went back to the pharmacy for the expired meds pill turn in. I don't like that "fuzzy" feeling they give me. I'd much rather drink tequila or a really well made bloody Mary with tabasco (none of those one's with horseradish that taste like you're drinking shrimp cocktail sauce) if I want a buzz. :p:D:po_O
 
Expired meds turn in? That’s crazy talk. Everybody knows you give your unwanted pills to the warehouse guys😝. After my mom passed we were wondering how to deal with all of her prescription meds. Not supposed to flush em and the pharmacy here didn’t want them. Apparently you’re supposed to mix them in with used cat litter and then you can dispose of them that way. My aunt says that’s cus tweakers won’t dig through used cat litter to get the pills. I told her she doesn’t know tweakers very well.

Get better, Chuck. Being in pain sucks.
 
Thanks Mark. Believe me when I say that I'd much rather be here. :)

While not very fun when the pain is bad, it's been an interesting process to go through. I do NOT like taking ANY kind of narcotic pain medication unless it's absolutely necessary and so far I haven't had to as I have a pretty high pain tolerance (I was back here in the office 4 days after my total knee replacement) but I can see how having extreme, unresolved pain could lead somebody down that path of becoming dependent.

I was bone-on-bone with my knee for 3 years and never had the kind of pain I've had with this. Living on steroids, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxers is just not a good time. The pain is mentally distracting and the muscle relaxers make me tired. Combine that with not being able to sleep more than 1-2 hours at a time, it's just making me feel like I'm walking around in a fog. I have a ton of things to do and it's aggravating that it takes me twice as long to do them because I'm constantly distracted from the pain.

They also told me that they can't guarantee I'll get the feeling back in my thumb and finger which is a bit concerning as well.

But, I'm not dying and things will improve. There's a lot worse things that could be wrong so I'm thankful to be dealing with something that's treatable.

I told my wife, I think it's a conspiracy. I turned fifty this year and ever since I started getting all that damn mail from AARP things have been going awry. I think they are putting something in the stamp glue. :);)
I love your attitude!
If I had all that going on I'd probably be locked up in a crazy house. I feel I've been very lucky through the years not having anything major break or go wrong.
One misstep going down some steps, has started my only semi continuous pain in my lower back. Tolerated with the help of two Ibuprofen in the morning. Hope you get back to normal soon. What a nightmare to have to go through. Keep your chin up..... no, that probably makes it worse. 🥴
 
Well, that was a weird test. They placed surface "probes" on several spots on my hand and lower arm and passed an electrical current through very specific areas and took measurements via computer connections to the probes. Then on my upper arm and neck they actually put needles, like acupuncture needles into several of the muscles and measure the electrical impulses that my own body was sending through the nerves. They would put three jolts through each spot. Each jolt was a little stronger than the previous one. They also upped the juice the further away they got from my hand. Nothing crazy but enough to make you twitch or jump.

He gave me the diagnosis right then and there as the test is pretty straight forward. I have three nerves with "damage" from the compression. One of the nerves is lower (C7) than they though and so that probably means they will need to do a bit "more" than they thought when they go in because I still have spurs and bulging discs that they will have to fix at C5. But, that's why they wanted this test, to make sure he didn't do too much or too little when he does the surgery. I want them to measure twice and cut once.

He thinks I have a fair chance of getting everything back after surgery but no guarantees.

The test is also sophisticated enough that it can tell if the damage is old damage or new damage. I'm a mixture. Some old some new which fits in with the whole "final straw" scenario. Pretty crazy that they can tell all that from a little jolt in the nerve or muscle.

Now, I see the surgeon on Tuesday next week and they'll give me the game plan and get everything scheduled.

The last zap in the neck muscle got me a bit and I'm a kind of sore from it but the rest were no problem just felt pretty odd. Felt like that frog in biology class that's dead and you make his leg jump with a battery. 🐸🐸🐸

Back at my office with an ice bag on my neck and one on my arm. Hopefully it'll calm back down here in a bit.

Thanks for all the well wishes. They're appreciated. I'll keep you posted if I get anymore news.
 
I had high cholesterol. I took fish oil capsules and it dropped 30 points in three months. Just be careful. Gabapentin is the only pain med I can tolerate. With kidney disease, I can't have nsaids. You can have up to 300mg of gabapentin 3-4 times a day. I wish you the best of luck. Let us know how you are doing.
 
CFP I am sorry to hear about all your troubles but by the sounds of it you can see the light at the end of the tunnel
I get concerned when I havent heard from someone for awhile in these times as I consider you and others here friends even though we have never met. I have met several members over the years at Surfaces
Take care
 
I’m doin what I can to help you out CFR. This is about as strong as I go anymore so if it still hurts let me know and I’ll pour you another one.

I’m glad to hear that you have good insurance. I couldn’t imagine if you had crappy insurance or god forbid no insurance.

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Thanks you guys. I think the world of all of you as well. 🤗🤗

All of your best wishes must have helped last night. I slept for nearly 6 hours straight for the first time in over a month. If I hadn't had to pee I think I would have slept a few more. My arms a little tender but for the first time in a few weeks my neck feels a bit "looser". However, it's probably temporary as we're having some pretty quick weather changes and the weather really effects this. The current conditions must be favorable for my arthritis at the moment.

@C.J. , when I woke up to wander to the bathroom it was also time for my pain meds. I was a bit groggy and I took them and then convinced myself in my fogginess that I had only taken one of the three so I took the other two (muscle relaxer and nerve pain med) again. I feel like I drank about a half a bottle of Southern Comfort this morning. I probably should have let the wife drive me in but I made it in safely. I only live a couple of miles from my office (11 minute drive).

So, I'm at work and feeling half way good this morning for the first time in a while so thanks again for your kind words and wishes. I have to work on writing an application that generates a few specific reports for my boss today. We'll see how well my coding skills work when I'm half snockered. :):)

P.S. I do have a bottle of Jameson somewhere in one of my desk drawers that was left over from our annual golf outing several years ago. If I get desperate relief is not far away! :p;):)
 
O-Boy ! And I thought I had it bad. This past weekend I spent 17 hours in the warehouse consolidating and relocating material for my nephew. It’s a young mans job....He found a girl friend and can no longer work weekends, what’s wrong w/ this younger generation 🤔.....I opened up more space on shelves for him and did a wonderful job but now the lower left back is screaming help ! ....... thinking of you CFR and wishing us both pain free living soooon 😀
 
I'm pretty sure the "old" damage is from carrying rolls of vinyl and cartons of VCT on my left shoulder. Being right handed you have a tendency, or at least I do, to hoist everything up there on the left side so you can have your dominant hand free. Probably where I got the severe bone spur they found.

It amazes me that I have multiple customers who are in their 60's and 70's still humping rug by themselves with no helpers. That stuff will beat the snot out of your back and knees and they do it day in and day out. Must have better genes than me.

One of the weird things the test I had done showed was that I have moderate carpal tunnel syndrome in my left wrist. I'm right handed so I never really troweled that much with my left hand but I started thinking about it and I would rest my weight on that hand while I was troweling or installing an awful lot. So, I'm thinking it's from that. It's never really bothered me though so I was a little surprised to even hear there was a problem. Apparently that nerve has some damage to it and that's probably what's causing the numbness in my thumb and finger with the additional compression in my neck.

Use to be what you'd see is guys start out with carpet and then in their 30's and 40's after they are beat up they would start doing hard surface. Now with everyone being so in love with LVT that's typically what guys seem to be starting with. These retailers seem to believe the myth that "anyone can do LVT" so they throw these guys out there with very little training or oversight and they soon find out not everyone can do it. It's definitely a trade that's hard on the body. Of course if we were sparkies instead of flooring guys it might be easier on the body but one good zap and your looking at the grass from the wrong side. :)

Wishing you a speedy recovery!
 
While it is true that just about anyone can click together LVP, not everyone can ‘install’ LVP. Big difference.

@MSLI I think your nephew has the right idea. I’m sure you would have rather been out with the company of a lovely lady this weekend rather than rearranging warehouse shelves. Especially a cute younger one, they’re not as expensive (usually) 😁 Your back may still hurt but you sure wouldn’t be complaining😝
 
While it is true that just about anyone can click together LVP, not everyone can ‘install’ LVP. Big difference.

@MSLI I think your nephew has the right idea. I’m sure you would have rather been out with the company of a lovely lady this weekend rather than rearranging warehouse shelves. Especially a cute younger one, they’re not as expensive (usually) 😁 Your back may still hurt but you sure wouldn’t be complaining😝
Around here, most everything except carpet is DIY. It looks like crap, but they are so proud.
 

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