James Peter Deering

I waited a year to post this review to see if things would change but now it's time to share my experience. I had a nerve ablation done on my back at the end of February 2024. Initially, Dr. Deering's bedside manner was great and I found him very supportive. He explained the procedure, which I was not exactly feeling great about to begin with due to my fear of needles but he felt assured that this would be a good treatment to help alleviate the pain associated with my L3-L4 pinching on my nerve while I completed physical therapy. Despite my apprehension, I agreed since I was making progress with physical therapy and was regaining my strength and was desperate to get my life back. The day of the procedure, he and his team were professional and things went smoothly from that perspective. The procedure was painful and there is no kind of analgesic administered so you can actually feel your nerve getting burned. It was difficult to not scream to the top of my lungs from the pain… but I managed to hold it together and received the proverbial "pat on the back" for making it through and was discharged. Hours later at home, not only did my pain return but it came back in tenfold. My back was on fire and the only thing I had to help me were ice packs. I can't take NSAIDS due to my ulcer so all I could do was bear through the pain since nothing was prescribed upon my release. I was told that there could be discomfort for possibly two days or up to two weeks. I had the foresight to ask for a leave of absence from work for two weeks because I did not want to do anything to jeopardize my recovery and a friend came to help me if needed. Instead of light duties, my friend remained on ice pack duty for three weeks, running back and forth to swap out new ones while I remained confined to the couch with the packs firmly pushed against my back. I couldn't move because I was in agony. I could barely find a moment of relief and my friend was scared to leave me on my own after three weeks. To be on your own and incapacitated is a horrible feeling and triggered my anxiety and depression. My one month follow-up arrived and I was eager to get some kind of direction from Dr. Deering. I told him what was going on and wanted to know what went wrong and his indifferent response was "some people heal differently than others." I questioned him as to why I wasn't offered any kind of analgesic during the procedure since I had read that it was allowed. He said he didn't feel it was necessary and then I saw the shift. I dared to question him and that comforting demeanor slowly slipped away. It was like a dark cloud fell upon the room. He acted as if he did me a favor signing off on my LOA request and I should be thankful. The visit ended with no resolution, no sense of concern and I was dismissed with a "I did all I could do". The awkward silence and look on his face was my cue to collect my belongings post haste. No follow up appointment offered. No medication prescribed. When I hobbled back to my car, I sat there in disbelief because I felt belittled and unheard. I couldn't even return to the physical therapy needed because the pain was so awful. I never returned and was referred to a different pain management center. There I received the support that I needed. The medication doesn't completely dull the pain but it subsides just enough for me to perform minor tasks. It took almost nine months to return to PT. I am in pain every day -- it's just a question of to what degree. Aside from the initial pain that sent me to him, I have developed new issues. Two fingers on my left hand freeze up and spasm if I sit a certain way. Every day I feel like electricity is running from the middle of my back down to the back of my upper thighs. When my nerve is really aggravated, my left ear starts to ring until my medication kicks in. I regret getting this procedure done and watching Dr. Deering's demeanor shift like Jekyll and Hyde wa