Misdiagnosis... long road back

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beanspropulsion
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Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby beanspropulsion » Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:07 pm

Last December I had a mishap at work while bending over.

Felt something go in my right groin area and was in agony.

I went to the doctor's straight away and as my doctor was on holiday I saw the locum who diagnosed a torn adductor muscle.

He wasn't even going to give me time off work until I insisted that I was in no fit state to work.

Anyway I went back to work after a week, still in pain and had assistance to get my job done. Regular visits to the doctor, accupuncture, exercises to strengthen the area, possibly now a problem with the gluteus medius, more exercises, still in pain.

Locum said it could take 6 months to come right so I thought nothing of it, just plod on and it will improve I thought.

Eventually 5 months after the fact I had an Xray and my regular doctor picked up quite a bit of wear and tear in my back. Asked if I lifted a lot of weight when I was younger. Yes I said I had a job which involved picking up walking distance with fairly heavy weights from 18 to 21 years of age.

Anyway after a CT scan it has been determined that I have a ruptured disc (c3) and have to get a procedure done next week that involves a long needle and a week or two of rest. The back isn't too bad it's just the disc is pressing on the nerve and why I am experiencing pain in the right leg, groin and hip.

So after being a 1000km a month rider to nothing i'm getting fat as the house. Been on the bike 4 times this year and it wasn't pretty.

Anyway guys and girls moral of this story is if you get an injury don't believe the first diagnosis. If it feels wrong get a second opinion and insist on a scan. Hoping I can get back and be fit and healthy again soon.

Cheers.

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foo on patrol
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby foo on patrol » Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:44 pm

That's a bugger Beanspropulsion, good luck with things getting back to normal! :wink:

Foo
I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.
Goal 6000km

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beanspropulsion
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby beanspropulsion » Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:47 pm

Thank's Foo

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PawPaw
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby PawPaw » Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:35 pm

beans, sorry to hear it. but the answer to the locum's response is within the bold bit "a mishap at work while bending over".
he'd have to funnel you into Worker's Compensation which he probably wasn't prepared to do on the basis low back and groin strains are so common, and WC would go broke if everyone went there from the get go. you may also have not explained your pain accurately or well, which led to the misdiagnosis.
OTOH, some GPs orthopedic and musculoskeletal training is very limited.

the trouble is medicine and human bodies are not machines with a definite and readily identifiable cause for everything.
at the end of the day, you are better taking responsibility for a preventative approach to health, rather then waiting for things to break down, then expect it to be fixed. Can I presume you have been taught multiple times how to bend safely to pick things up, but didn't do so when you hurt your back?

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V17L
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby V17L » Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:09 pm

hey Beans, sorry to hear yur story. Have had problems occasionally with a back pain on a holiday earlier this year, and you really don't know how much you depend on a good back.

What happens after the needle and rest. Is there anything for the dsc to stop pressing on the nerve. are you talking disc fusion, or what?
I feel for you mate.
steve
Giant Defy 1

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beanspropulsion
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby beanspropulsion » Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:22 am

PawPaw wrote: the trouble is medicine and human bodies are not machines with a definite and readily identifiable cause for everything.
at the end of the day, you are better taking responsibility for a preventative approach to health, rather then waiting for things to break down, then expect it to be fixed. Can I presume you have been taught multiple times how to bend safely to pick things up, but didn't do so when you hurt your back?
I'm lucky that I have never been ill much in my 44 years. Probably went to the docs once every 3 years.

Back actually went while crouching, I didn't bend from the waist and the first thing I felt was something give way in the groin area. Obviously the disc popping out hit the nerve that affects the right leg groin area.

I am just a little annoyed really at myself now for not getting an xray/ct scan sooner. I was astounded when the doc said that my back was stuffed, it really feels like a groin/adductor/hip strain.
V17L wrote: What happens after the needle and rest. Is there anything for the dsc to stop pressing on the nerve. are you talking disc fusion, or what?
I feel for you mate.
steve
I will go back to the doc's before I go back to work, if i'm not better I think I will have to go off on compo. I have done a bit of research and surgery is a last resort.

Oh to add in to the mix I had a nasty car accident about 6 weeks ago and my work van was written off. Wasn't my fault fortunately but it was an 80kph hit, I walked away but i'm thinking this could also have been a factor.

Thank's for the kind words.

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wombatK
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby wombatK » Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:57 am

beanspropulsion wrote: I am just a little annoyed really at myself now for not getting an xray/ct scan sooner. I was astounded when the doc said that my back was stuffed, it really feels like a groin/adductor/hip strain.
Wonder if you've got both - maybe the adductor strain might have just been the straw that broke the camel's (your) back ?
A muscle strain or sudden pain might cause you to straighten your back much faster than normal and maybe in an unsymmetrical
way that could have pushed your backbone over it's limit.

FWIW, I tore my adductor decades ago swinging my leg over a bike seat (with 2 year old in it). After giving it years
to try to resolve itself, decided to get back on the bike. That turned out to be the best thing for it. So once
you've gotten over the back surgery, getting back on the bike might help - if you're careful about over-extending
your adductor as you do so.

For most of us, your experience should be a reminder that it's often years of doing little things wrong rather than one
big wrong thing that can break your back - and it can take decades to catch up with you.

At least you're "lucky" in that it's workers comp - not everyone is lucky for the injuries arising from years of small
on the job insults to flare-up on the job. But of course, I'm sure you'd rather have a healthy back - and hopefully,
your treatment and recovery will be speedy.
WombatK

Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us -Jerry Garcia

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beanspropulsion
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby beanspropulsion » Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:34 am

wombatK wrote:
For most of us, your experience should be a reminder that it's often years of doing little things wrong rather than one
big wrong thing that can break your back - and it can take decades to catch up with you.
Certainly caught up with me all at once!

I've learned that it's what you do when you are young and indestructible that have a cumulative effect. I've been wobbling around for the past 5 months thinking that maybe this is what life is about when you start getting older so at least there is a definite cause that can hopefully addressed.

Cheers all

Davobel
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby Davobel » Sun Jun 03, 2012 7:04 pm

Sorry to hear about your mis-diagnosis but there are some inconsistencies in your story. Although most GP's are not great with musculo-skeletal problems they are at least competent in the basic information.

An adductor injury is consistent with your brief history, however GP's usually use the proper terminology so Grade 1, 2 or 3 strain would be the diagnosis. Grade 3 usually require a surgical consult and Grade 1 and 2 can vary for recovery time but no-one would ever suggest 6 months. RICE or PRICE protocol come into play here (protect, rest, ice, compression, elevation).

Any of these diagnosis would get a referral to a physio. X-rays are not recommended for a non-traumatic strain. If there was no improvement within 2 weeks then further investigation would be warranted.

From your CT, did you mean L3, not C3? C3 is in your neck and extremely rare. L3 disc injuries are uncommon as well. MRI's give much better info on disc injury than a CT. If you don't know the name of the procedure you are about to have performed on you, I would suggest you spend some time researching your injury.

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beanspropulsion
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Re: Misdiagnosis... long road back

Postby beanspropulsion » Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:31 pm

Davobel wrote: From your CT, did you mean L3, not C3? C3 is in your neck and extremely rare. L3 disc injuries are uncommon as well. MRI's give much better info on disc injury than a CT. If you don't know the name of the procedure you are about to have performed on you, I would suggest you spend some time researching your injury.
Sorry my mistake doc has got L3 on the paperwork.

Going for "L3 R Nerve Sleeve Block" procedure on Wednesday
Davobel wrote:Grade 3 usually require a surgical consult and Grade 1 and 2 can vary for recovery time but no-one would ever suggest 6 months.
I remember clearly that the locum on the second visit said it could take 6 months for the adductor strain to clear up.

Hence why I didn't query the ongoing pain because after all the doctor is more qualified than I, isn't he?

Unfortunately I know know that I am too trusting and should get a second opinion. Fortunately my normal GP is on it now and will definately be more wary.

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