C David Ericson - Idiopathic Generalized Dystonia
Latest Activity
LindaWalms - welcome to the Dystonia board. :)
You poor thing. 3 weeks is awful.
A few questions that can help us help you: When did you have the blood patch done? Who did it? What kind of cervical injection did you have done? Do you have Dystonia…
pls help - have spinal headached due to cervical injection...had 1 blood patch, dr. won't repeat...been in pain for 3 weeks - anyone know how long it will last? went to 2 diff. er's/hospitals, no one will repeat the blood patch.
Rather than post a bunch of stuff here, suffice to say I updated "My Profile" to include current goings-on.
One amazing thing; since I went to the Neurologist for the "new" cervical Dystonia, I was scheduled for the earliest appointment for EMG-gui…
glad to hear that your headaches are getting better..i'm sure that your glad to have them starting to ease up!!..i'm glad that the xrays showed that there weren't any problems with the catheter..i'm anxious to see how you respond to the baclofen..ju…
Keep us posted.
Just came from surgeon's office. Xrays showed all is well. My Spinal Headaches are getting better with new medication. Monday I will receive the Baclofen. Told my wife I would be back to work by Friday!!!!
Thanks for writing. Things are going well.…
Dave,
I have had spinal headaches (after LP). I'm so sorry. Mine lasted a week and was really awful. I would question the blood patch. A blood patch took my headache away almost instantly. If they expect the dura to heal, maybe in 2 weeks the hole…
If you can't control your situation,
You must control your perspective.
My Therapist
You must control your perspective.
My Therapist
Profile Information
- In the online health communities I participate in, I'm:
- not really sure where I fit yet
- The online health resource I contribute to most frequently is:
- http://www.dystonia-bb.org/cgi-bin/anyboard.cgi/forums/asd?cmd=dW
- This site is:
- a community I contribute to
- Another place where I contribute is:
- http://www.ZHILLS.net
- Which is:
- my personal website
- More about me (my health interests and reasons for joining WEGO Health)
- After more than three years in Las Vegas, my wife and I will be moving to beautiful Zephyrhills, Florida. We will not miss the so-called glitz and glamour of Sin City. It has been an experience. But not one either my wife or I would want to relive. I had two great jobs here as a Slot Machine Technician. Really, humbly, I could fix anything. I had moved to Las Vegas from Tacoma, Washington where I was also a technician in a casino. But this was a tribal casino, and my opportunities were limited, as I am not a Native American. In the past, I had managed video arcades, where I was also the technician. The experience in the arcades, where I was forced to teach myself how to fix the machines, made for an easy transition into casinos, which are basically adult video arcades, but with many more rules, and a lot more money being spent.
In 1998 I was diagnosed with a focal Dystonia - Writer's Cramp. Any time I tried to pick up a pen or pencil (or soldering iron) my hand would tremor furiously. For a while I received Botox injections in my forearm so that I could write. But with that, I lost the ability to lift anything even remotely heavy and it became too difficult to do the manual labor part of my job, so I gave up on writing; instead using a computer to communicate just about anything I needed to convey. At least I became adept at using all forms of Microsoft Office software.
In '98 I was not told that the Dystonia could or would spread to other parts of the body. In 2001 I began taking Valium at a low dose to control severe spasms and excruciating pain in the Lumbar region of my back. I was bent 90 degrees at the waist. The Valium, though, did get me back to work.
April 1, 2006 (on our second wedding anniversary) we moved to Las Vegas. The Dystonia came back with a vengeance. I was forced to quit one job as they would not make any reasonable accommodations. This, after exactly one year at the Silverton Casino. I got a new job immediately at the Orlean's. But it wasn't long before I couldn't walk, and was having frequent Dystonic storms. These resemble a seizure although I am fully awake, and after one hour of every muscle in my body contracting painfully, I was exhausted. It usually required 10mg Valium, 2mg Ativan, oxygen, and Benadryl to keep the storm to an hour or so. I took a leave of absence to get to a Neurologist. But as insurance and doctors dragged their feet, I ran out of time off from work, and was terminated.
Fortunately, I started receiving SSDI almost immediately after my short term disability was exhausted. Since then it has been a challenge to get any kind of decent medical care in this city. I did receive an implanted pump for Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy. It worked wonders on my lower extremities, and seems to have stopped the frequent storms.
The pump was installed in January, 2009. In April the Dystonia caused spasms that the pump could not reach. I now have cervical spasms and constant pain near my shoulders. MRI's have shown that my spine is perfect for my age. But the spasms continue, and the pain as well.
08/13/09 Getting (finally) MRI of brain, w/ & w/o contrast.
08/17/09 I am getting Botox in the Cervical muscles and neck, guided by EMG. I hope he gets the Botox in the right location, and administers the correct dose, as I am aware there is only about a 50/50 chance of it working on the first try.
09/03/09 we will be moving to Zephyrhills, Florida. All of my family lives within 30 minutes of our new home there. If you enter our new address into Google Maps, you can view our apartment from street level. (7417 Landing Pl., Zephyrhills, FL 33541) Jean will also get some much-needed relief from taking care of me all the time
I have lost 30 pounds since the surgery, which I can't explain as I am not at all mobile, and the pump occasionally hits my hip!
Comment Wall (6 comments)
- At 12:00pm on April 30, 2009,
beka said…
- Dave - what is this about pain ?? is the pump not working.. please email me directly at infoc4d@aol.com
You are not alone in your thoughts.. but we must get you thru this phase...
beka
MODERATOR
DYSTONIA Forum
- At 12:45am on January 7, 2009,
Thorns said… - Hi Dave,
Wishing all the best and a speedy recovery with no complications, great results and only good thoughts. Thorns
- At 7:12am on January 6, 2009,
Robin Wood said… - Hi Dave,
All the best to you today, thank you for letting me know so I can keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Happy 2009, may this be a year of much relief for all of us !!!!
- At 6:44am on January 6, 2009,
Ellen S said…
- Crossing my fingers for an awesome result to your surgery, and finally some relief. Let us know how you're doing, okay??
- At 10:41am on November 2, 2008,
karen said…
- hi david..let me add my welcome to the group to robin's!!!..i'm glad that you found your way here..it is a great group and very educational..in all things to do with dystonia and beyond..
glad to hear that your going to get "the pump" soon!!..i know you have been waiting for it for what i'm sure to feels like forever..let me know when it's getting closer to "pump day"..and keep me posted on how your doing..after you get your pump we can be "pump buddies"..since right now i'm the only one here that has one..
take care and remember i'm here if you have any questions about the pump or if you just want to talk about the whole process as "pump day" gets closer and afterwards!!
karen ;0)
- At 7:04am on November 2, 2008,
Robin Wood said…
- Hi Dave, Welcome to WEGO :) You are the closest person to me that I know with dystonia. Have been thinking about checking our Movement Disorder Docs up in Vegas, it's nice to finally see someone from Vegas that I'll be able to compare notes with once I am ready, right now I have transportation issues. Docs here always want to send me to Phoenix, I hate Phoenix and besides that Vegas is an hour closer and I love the drive over the damn.
Robin
CDavidEricson's Blog
Been a long time
Rather than post a bunch of stuff here, suffice to say I updated "My Profile" to include current goings-on.
One amazing thing; since I went to the Neurologist for the "new" cervical Dystonia, I was scheduled for the earliest appointment for EMG-guided Botox -Sept. 10, 2009 - 7 days after I will leave the state! I called every single morning to check for cancellations, to no avail. Then, last Friday, about 3:30 in the afternoon I got a call. Caller ID said it was the Neurologist. I could not bre… Continue
One amazing thing; since I went to the Neurologist for the "new" cervical Dystonia, I was scheduled for the earliest appointment for EMG-guided Botox -Sept. 10, 2009 - 7 days after I will leave the state! I called every single morning to check for cancellations, to no avail. Then, last Friday, about 3:30 in the afternoon I got a call. Caller ID said it was the Neurologist. I could not bre… Continue
Posted on August 10, 2009 at 6:52am —
Pump now in - Baclofen fill Feb 2
January 25, 2009 Surgery took place on schedule ten days ago. I now have the pump inside me. On Thursday, January 29, I will return to Dr. Lee, and he will remove the sutures. Jean replaces my wound dressings each day. The incisions look to be healing very well. There has been very little pain from the incisions in my stomach or the back. The pump is running, but only with saline. Dr. Kim will fill the pump with Baclofen on Monday, February 2nd. I have had a few Dystonic storms since the surgery… Continue
Posted on January 25, 2009 at 11:00pm —
Receiving Baclofen Pump January 6, 2009 - Tomorrow!
January 5, 2008 - 9:00 AM PST - Just got the call from Dr Lee's office. My surgery for implanting the Baclofen Pump is TOMORROW! Will be done at UMC Hospital on Charleston St, near downtown Las Vegas approximately 1 PM. Have to go to Dr Lee's office at 4:45 PM today to fill out pre-registration paperwork and bring it to UMC. Should be home in the evening the same day. Have to bring my CPAP machine, I assume in the event that I have to spend the night. Not sure about that. Well, It was along time… Continue
Posted on January 5, 2009 at 5:51pm — 6 Comments
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