Hi Everyone!: Well, I've been on quite a... - My MSAA Community

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Hi Everyone!

ganna64 profile image
39 Replies

Well, I've been on quite a journey. To say the least. I've had MS for22 years and I stopped all treatments back in 2018. I've had 17 years of injections. I still ended up in a wheelchair while on them. This July I was dx with Cancer of the mouth. It started with white patches. I had ALOT of Dr, PA, nurses, and my dentist, look at it and they all said I must be biting my cheek when sleeping. I told them all I didn't think so because I get up so much at night and at some point, I'd feel pain. It was an ER, PA who told me to get a biopsy. Well, they were all wrong, as it turns out it was Cancer. I've had a 7 plus hours surgery. The DR. was an ear nose and throat surgeon who took it all out plus 34 lymph nodes. After waiting 6 weeks post-surgery I started and completed 33 treatments of radiation in Sept/ Oct. No chemo for me as the oncologist said it would kill me. (Her words) Last week I fell in the bathroom. My left leg gave out. Went to the ER and was dx with sciatica. Wow is this painful. I only take Tylenol for pain. I started Flexeril. It doesn't help. PT and OT do come in to help. Don't know how to get rid of this as I sit most of the day. What a pickle I am finding myself in. I'm telling you all this because if you think something isn't right, fight until you find answers. Thanks for listening. Be Well.

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ganna64
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39 Replies
falalalala profile image
falalalala

I'm sorry you're going through this.

I too had a bout with sciatica years ago. Chiropractic adjustments helped me with that.

Perhaps it'd help you as well.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to falalalala

Thank-you.

carolek572 profile image
carolek572CommunityAmbassador

Always be your best advocate, ganna64 , and your post emphasizes this. Stay on your road to recovery. 🙏

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to carolek572

Thank-you.

kdali profile image
kdali

What a terrible journey 😞 I am very sorry for what you're going through. Did your dentist use a light to look for cancer? I get this done and hope it is a reliable screening 😱

I had a friend with sciatica who swore by massage therapy. I hope you find some relief soon 🙏

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to kdali

No, he did not.

kdali profile image
kdali in reply to ganna64

😞😭 I'm sorry to hear this. I have been posting about this screening every few years in hopes that others seek it out and prevent what you are going through. I don't know how reliable it is, but it's more convincing than being told "oh you just bit yourself" 🤬 Ty for sharing your story, and I hope others will be wary of anything weird in their mouths now 🙏

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to kdali

Thank-you.

Humbrd profile image
Humbrd in reply to kdali

Hi kdali. I must have missed your posts about the screening for this. Several weeks ago I had a lot of little ulcers in my cheeks and I went to my dentist office and he said I must be biting my cheeks. I'm not. Then I told my primary care doctor and she said it was probably from the prednisone I was on a couple weeks before that. She prescribed something called magic mouthwash. They seem to subside. I can only feel two now, very small. Maybe you can post your information again that talks about the screenings.

kdali profile image
kdali in reply to Humbrd

It's called an "oral cancer screening" and may be offered by your dentist. The latest version involves shining a blue light into your mouth and is done annually. I usually mention it in my posts when I get it done (I just had mine, all good!). I have also stayed on a cleaning schedule of every 4 months since my first pregnancy, since people with MS/on MS treatments tend to have more teeth/gum issues. Both are out of pocket, but reasonably priced at the office I go to.

I'm sorry you suffered that side effect from steroids 😞 and am glad to hear you were not left suffering because, again, "oh you just bit yourself" 🤦‍♀️ I guess I can add this phrase to my list of annoying dismissals of symptoms 🙄

Humbrd profile image
Humbrd in reply to kdali

Thanks, I've never heard of that type of screening before with the blue light. I'm going to ask about that at my next appointment. I can probably get reimbursed through my cancer insurance. When I have a biopsy of a mole or spot on my skin I can submit that and get reimbursed $50. The spots in my mouth did not even look like where you would bite your cheek.

kdali profile image
kdali in reply to Humbrd

Please do, it only takes a minute!

anaishunter profile image
anaishunter

Wow, so sorry that you're going through so much. I'm glad you're fighting for yourself and the correct answer.

Sending positive vibes your way for you to recover quickly.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to anaishunter

Thank-you.

mathematics profile image
mathematics

So sorry to hear about what has happened to you. The medical professionals sometimes just do not listen to the patient and then this happens it is a good warning to all of us to nag if something is not right. My husband had relapsing and remitting MS he has recently been told it has developed to Secondary Progressive MS. I know that there are drugs that could have been used to stop this happening but when we rang up his nurse he kept dismissing his symptoms and saying they were not due to MS. Anyway please take care and I hope that you get your pain under control soon.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to mathematics

Thank-you.

Greentime profile image
Greentime

So sorry for all this and thanks for the reminder to push and persist if need be.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to Greentime

Thank-you.

hairbrain4 profile image
hairbrain4

So sorry you have had to go thru all that. Have you tried Baclofen for the spasms & pain? It worked better for me than Flexeril. I hope you can find relief soon.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to hairbrain4

Yes I've been on Baclofen for years. ER Dr. said this works a little different. However it doesn't seem to be working at all. Will call the Dr. tomorrow.

hairbrain4 profile image
hairbrain4 in reply to ganna64

Prayers you can find relief soon🙏🙏🙏

ahrogers profile image
ahrogers

That is really rough! I am a radiation oncology nurse so know just how hard that treatment is on people. Now having to deal with sciatica before you have recovered is awful! Praying things get better soon 🙏

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to ahrogers

Thank-you.

bxrmom profile image
bxrmom

I'm so sorry for what you are going through. About 5-6 years ago I had sciatica that came out of nowhere. I woke up with a horrible pain that would not let up no matter what I did. After an MRI that my family dr sent me for because I was in so much pain when I would walk and it had not gone away for over a week. That is when they found out that a nerve was being compressed and that if I lost control of my bowels I needed to go to the ER right away because I may need surgery.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to bxrmom

It is very painful. Plus, with stage 1 and2 butt ulcers I can hardly sit at all. Iam so discouraged.

bxrmom profile image
bxrmom in reply to ganna64

I'm so very sorry to hear that. Hope you are able to feel better soon. I lived on an icepack for a couple of months, I swear.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to bxrmom

I haven't tried an icepack yet. Thanks.

agate profile image
agate

ganna64, you've had a lot to deal with. Sciatica involves bad pain as I know from a few bouts of it. It does go away with time--too long a time, it seemed to me--for most people as I understand it, without treatment. Just putting up with it and dealing with the pain in the best way you can seems to be the way to go.

My MS was diagnosed 43 years ago and I'm still being a bother to everyone with it. Hang in there!

bxrmom profile image
bxrmom in reply to agate

I had bags of ice constantly in the freezer so I could refill the ice pack when the ice melted.

Tazmanian profile image
Tazmanian

Sorry to hear this good luck

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to Tazmanian

Thank-you.

Brindisi1 profile image
Brindisi1

Prayers for your healing journey. Let al those who diagnosed you wrong know so they listen next time to another soul.

Tough surgery I bet. Hope you have cancer free results in th end

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to Brindisi1

Thank-you.

Humbrd profile image
Humbrd

Sorry you have been through so much lately. It was a good thing that you were in the ER and had someone tell you that the sores in your mouth needed to be biopsied. I hope you can put that all behind you now. Best wishes that you get relief from your pain.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to Humbrd

Thank-you.

Xine08003 profile image
Xine08003

I'm sorry for you about all of it. I can tell you from having sciatica that a lidocaine patch on the part that hurts (whether it's middle of a butt cheek or lower it will help )and a heating pad will help! Please give it a try. I hope you feel better!

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to Xine08003

Thank-you.

agate profile image
agate

I never found heat to be of any help with sciatic pain but everyone is different. I've often had good luck with heat for other types of pain but not sciatica. bxrmom suggested ice packs--I can't recall trying them but I'd keep trying this and that until I found something that worked.

ganna64 profile image
ganna64 in reply to agate

Thank-you.

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