Back Again. Degenerative Disc Disease.

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rkolle01

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Hi there - my back problems started when I was 15 years old. That was 22 years ago and I'm still battling. I will say that I was only real bad for about 5 of the 22 years ... you learn to manage.

One recent success was that my physical therapist was certified in dry needling (like accupuncture). However, accupuncturists stick to certain spots; I remeraber having some painful treatments as well. My PT, instead, feels for the exact places that hurt and puts the needles in that spot and I get good relief.

The next time I'm in to see him, I'll find out the formal name of this, but it is not called accupuncture.

I also had some success using Sarno's mind over back pain method. I went from total pain to golfing and playing squash and feeling fine for about 7 years.

Take care,

Ann Arbor Ron
 
I can only emphatize with your pain :(, i am also very young, 22 years old and I am diagnosed with DDD and have a 3mm broad based protrusion in my L5-S1 disc pressing on my S1 nerve root, being young no Dr. wants to even touch me despite a clear MRI with nerve compression due to the herniation Therefore I also have increadibly bad sciatica and at 22 im walking with a cane and I am classified disabled, I even have the placard to go with it. I used to be extremely active I was a cop in the Air-Force, ex-security forces. So it is depressing to be unable to even run a block when I used to chase people on base, on foot, with 5:30-6:00 minute mile times. The worse is my social life which has really gone down the drain unable to do what you gotta do as a male, no pun intended,....lol...thats actually what frustrates me the MOST, I can deal with the pain since I developed a high pain threshold in the millitary, but unable to perform not because of physiological reasons but due to body mechanics is horrible and honestly has me very depressed, anxious and irritable all the time.:mad: Common at 22..im in peak physical shape but unable to exercise at all due to the amount of pain. Im taking vicodin Es 4x times daily, along with flexiril, soma, ESI's didnt work i just had one in May with only minimal pain relief that lasted about 2 wks. In addition, since I live in CA, I am a patient under on prop 215 compasionate use act (do a search for it), and that really helps ALLLOTTT with the pain I could throw all my pain meRAB if i just had that for pain relief, saddly it does get expensive, so there is an alternative for pain management although it does come with that catch 22. Hope you fell better and good luck on your journey to pain relief.
 
No pun intended with that. =]
So I just realized my last login was almost a year ago.
Quick update on me.
I'm 17 years old. I had a microdiscectomy in May '07. I did physical therapy for 7 months. I'm still in pain everyday. I needed to come back to some people who actually understand whats going on.
I had acupuncture the other day. It was horrible. It hurt so bad. I guess it just depenRAB on the person.

Anyway, I had an MRI on Monday and found out I have Degenerative Disc Disease which I have come to find out through research is pretty common. Not for my age though. So I'm not finding much information on what to think will happen with me.

Does this just mean my discs will continue to get worse and worse?
Honestly I'm a pretty positive person. But I do know that with my problems at my age that I will someday have at least one more operation since I have many more years to come.

I guess I'm going to see another new specialist. Not that I've had acupuncture I think I've covered about everything that is non surgical to help with pain.

It's just so frustrating because I know this is stuck with me forever.
I feel selfish saying that because I know I could be much worse off like other people and probably some of you reading this. I guess I'm just not used to it yet..
 
I'm sorry to hear you have DDD at such a young age. I too have DDD and I'm 34. I was diagnosed at the age of 24 and at that time my doctor told me I needed spinal fusion but that I was too young and to come back and see him in 40 years. So far, I haven't had any surgery. I've had physical therapy of every kind which has not helped at all, and I've tried every muscle relaxer, anti-inflamatory that you can name all to no avail.

For me, I have found that staying relatively active helps the most. I now know my limits and if I stay within those I'm ok. It's when I get inactive that I hurt the most. The more I lay around, the worse I feel. I cannot sit or stand for long perioRAB of time though. I go for short walks several times throughout my work day. When it comes to housework, etc. I don't do floors, or tubs, etc. I have my children or husband help with those.

As for working out, I have found that if I keep my core strengthened my back feels much better. I do work out with very light weights and it seems to help because I'm able to support my back better. By keeping my abdominals in shape, my back is also stronger. Stretching is also very important, my hamstrings tend to get very tight and the tighter they get the more my back hurts. I can't let that happen.

Luckily my husband bought me a hot tub for my birthday last year and it has helped my back immensely; I use it daily!! I also have received steroid shots a few years ago and I'm about to undergo an MRI and have another round of shots. I guess you can only have so many and then they can actually be bad for you. So far, they have provided some relief. I have a problem with pain meRAB, they help my back but I have found myself addicted to them. I am currently on day 6 without them. I am trying to stay away from them, but as you well know, this DDD is a very painful thing. Couple that with the addiction I got myself into and I have a terrible corabination. Anyway, now I'm trying to "suck it up" and deal with it. I'm hoping I'll get the injections soon so I won't be forced or tempted to take the vicodin again. I don't know what I'll do after the shots wear off this time. I don't want to go the surgery route yet.

I don't know if anything I said helped or not, but I do wish you the best of luck. If you find something that works for you that we haven't tried or mentioned, please let us know. You are a very brave young lady. Good luck to you!!

A~
 
Thanks everyone for the replies.
I wish the best of luck to all of you.

I saw my new rehab specialist. I feel bad because every doctor I see I end up hating. Just because they aren't telling me what I want to hear when I really don't even know what I'd like to hear. You go hoping for an answer or to get results from a test wanting them to find a problem but when they say there is nothing, rather then being happy it just aggravates me even more.
I'm taking gabapentin now. I'm at 300mg and I saw my doctor today and he said that 300mg is a very low dose for it so now i'm taking 300mg twice a day instead of once. I refused to even touch the medicine for 3 weeks after the specialist gave it to me. I hate medicine. I had bad experiences with pain meRAB after my surgery so I was terrified to try it but I crurabled one night and figured since nothing else could be done may as well try it.

Another one of my least favorite things about seeing doctors is how they say things like, "You have to deal with this the rest of your life," "I know you wonder why millions of other 18 year olRAB who live normally with no pain but you do." and, "There is nothing else we can do it's up to you." or anything similar to that. It's sadly the harsh truth but it makes me so mad and hurts.

I wish some how I could not have to work or do school and be able to dedicate all my time to my back. But at this point I barely have any time at all to do anything.

No degenerative disc disease is the good news though. Just "chronic disc disease." Two years to figure that one out..ha

Life goes on..
 
First time posting, decided to register after reading this thread.

Veronica, i am sorry to hear about the pain and suffering you have to go through at such a young age. I myself am only 21 years old and have been battling my back for quite some time now.

About 7-8 months ago after going through so much pain, seeing the doctors and all that my doc set me up with an MRI. Results were not pleasing...the "impression" on the report my doctor showed me says Multilevel DDD with advanced degenerative change at L3 through L5. Large Central and left paracentral extrusion at L3-L4. Large extrusion and L4-L5, and a large extrusion and L5-S1....needless to say i was definitely not happy, but can't say i was very surprised...

I know the feeling of having so many questions "Why do i have to deal with this?" "is it just going to get worse?" "how am i even going to function later on in life when im having so much trouble at this age?"

Luckily, at least right now i am able to function much better then 10~ months ago, there is never a day that goes by without pain but lately the days are much much more bearable, even though i can't do much of the things much of us have taken for granted in the past, i must remeraber to be thankful for what i can still do.

I know saying all this doesn't help you much, but i just wanted to let you know that you are not alone, and that there are those of us who understand what you are going through. Keep your head up! I know it can be really hard at times but just try and remeraber the good things you can still enjoy (even though sometimes it seems like there are NONE).

Today was the first time i sturabled across this message board, i plan to keep popping in from time to time, even though we never want anyone to have to deal with the stress and pain backs can cause, it is nice to know that there is a place to go where you can hear about people coping with similar problems, and find ways to better your own situation or even just relate to what others are going through.

My thoughts are with you Veronica! Hang in there.
 
Hi Veronicag

Sorry to hear you are having problems.

Its bad enough being a forty odd year old woman like myself and having to cope with pain but being 17 it must be quite debilitating.

I have degenerative disc disease too and as far as i know the discs gradually get worse.
I went through all the non-surgical options like yourself and am at the stage where i have to live with the pain or have a 3 level fusion or have a smaller op to see if the nerve is trapped so i have decided to go for that option.

I have just had a 'mini'break through with my pain where my doc has put me on Lyrica which so far has taken my pain from a constant 8-10 down to a 2-4 on the pain scale.

Are you taking anything for your pain?

I really hope you find something that helps you soon.

Best wishes
 
Hmm, it occurs to me I had my first herniated disc and laminectomy right after my first daughter was born, at 30 years old. My doctor then said he wasn't sure if the weakness was brought on by the pregnancy or was congenital.

If there is an inclination for this to run in families, I'm the poster child for it. My mother also suffered with serious back problems her entire life. In those days, before CT scans and MRI's, when her back would get bad enough they'd pop her into the hospital for 2 weeks and put her in traction for the entire time. I'll never forget being young and visiting her, and seeing the bandages wrapped around her legs, attached to cables and heavy weights hanging off the end of the bed.
 
Hello. I am a 49yr old male. I was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease when i couldnt move for a week.. I lay on the floor and crawled to the bathroom. I was 28yrs old. The MRI showed DDD and the doctor said I have the back of an 80yr old man. I found a personal trainer that strengthened my core (lower back and abs), and helped me work out slowely. I am now 49yrs old and live a pretty normal life (back wise). Drink lots of water to keep hydrated!
 
Hi, Veronica and others. :)

I'd just like to share my experience with you and others. I have had my back problem since I was 17 and now I am 20. I don't know if it was a coincidence but it started when I had a really bad flu-like virus (Runny nose, really high temperature, being sick and having bad hallucinations) that gave me back pain from the neck down, all the way to my feet/toes. I haven't been the same since then. I can't sit for long, stand for long or walk long distances. Physical exercise really starts it off and also getting my monthly menstruation does too.

At first when I went to my doctor and other doctors too, they told me that for a person of my young age they doubted it'd be anything nasty wrong with my back and just put it down to 'muscualr pain'. I didn't believe these doctors. I knew otherwise. I kept going back until eventually in Noveraber 2007 (I got ignored by my doctor for that long since Feb/March 2005) he sent me for a back x-ray which then came back and showed degeneration so the doctor then told me to 'go away and do loaRAB of exercises and come back in about four months and tell me how you're getting on' I found no relief, in fact it made it worse. I then went back and told him that I was fed up with my back pain and he referred me to hospital to supposedly see a spine consultant but it didn't happen for some reason the spine consultant didn't want to see me so I got ignored once again. I actually got seen by a sports physiotherapist who was pretty good and assessed me and sent me for an MRI of my back. This came back also with degeneration of my L2/L3 disc. For some reason I only got to see another physiotherapist who, this time was certainly not as helpful as the other one, to read the MRI results out to me, though she didn't take much notice of this degenerated disc at all. She said that it was normal and everyone gets it. Though I disagreed with her on that as the report from the radiologist says it is 'unusual for a person of this young age'. This physio even said that nothing would help me and to 'live with it'. The very same physio who said that 'nothing would help' started me on physiotherapy sessions and I haven't found relief, in fact, if anything it makes me worse! I went back to my doctor and complained about the fact I didn't think I was treated correctly at all. He then sent another letter to the consultant, demanding he see me as this problem of not being able to see this consultant was due to this consultant not wanting to see me for some unknown reason, a reason they won't state at the hospital, strangely enough. Funny and unprofessional thing was, this consultant didn't even bother to write back to my doctor and still hasn't seen me now. I've now been passed onto another consultant!

The appointment with this other consultant came totally out of the blue, though I knew something fishy was going on as the person who rang me up at the hospital to let me know that there was an appointment to see this 'new' consultant, said 'you've been waiting for a while now and we've only just received this letter off your doctor' which sounded like my doctor hadn't sent it until he'd returned (middle of Septeraber) from his paternity leave/holiday!

I saw this 'new' consultant and he said that it is unusual for someone young to have degenerated discs and has ordered some tests (Nerve Conduction Studies and Scans) of my whole spine and maybe my head as he reckons that I could have a trapped nerve (I have pain that travels through my legs and feet/toes) and more degenerated discs higher up as the MRI I had just of my lower/lurabar spine doesn't show a trapped/compressed nerve even though I get leg pain/pins and needles/hot/cold feeling/tingling.

I am now awaiting these tests to be done, not sure when as they didn't tell me.

I too often wonder what my future prospects will be but at the moment I don't know as these slow so-called healthcare professionals are taking their time in finding out what it totally wrong with me and what treatments to offer me. The other thing I also wonder, like you, is whether these degenerative discs will get any worse and also if I could perhaps prevent this somehow. A disc replacement sounRAB promising. I have been told that I am too young for a fusion and I also don't like the sound of where it can make the spine more unstable and degenerate further, kind of defeating the objective of restoring the spine.

Sorry I can't be of much more help but I just want you to know there are other younger people, and people in general with degenerated discs and other back problems out there who know what you are going through.

Good luck with your back and finding treatments. :)
 
veronicag, i just wanted to say you are not selfish this is alot to handle for any age and at 17 it should be unheard of.you sound like a remarkable young woman,and the good thing is you will heal faster than most of us God willing.just be careful with your back dont lift anything to heavy (if i had taken that advice my problems would not be as bad as they are.does this run in your family?please take care of your back you are to young for this. marywoo
 
Hi Veronicag,

Do you have scoliosis that might have brought this on? And, as Marywoo asked, does this run in your family?

Just know there are people here who will be here for you, and who understand your pain.

Paula
 
Hey there!

I also have DDD and I thought I was young (34). I can totally understand the pain and fustration you are having. I have this on a daily basis myself, but cannot imagine having to have dealt with it at age 17! You poor thing.

As far as your discs getting worse, I really cannot speak from experience because I've only been living with DDD for about 3 years. In that time, I've had two discetomies (on L5-S1) and now have major nerve damage due to the crushed nerves. I live in pain every single day. My doctors basically say that in time I will more than likely need a fusion because my discs are just really bad (L4 & L5). They tell ME I am too young and are trying to hold off on this for as long as they can.

My advice to you is to just be VERY careful with yourself. You need to re-adjust the way you live. I am just starting to accept this. I can no longer go on rollercoaster rides. I cannot do kickboxing anymore. I cannot work out with weights. I am on major restrictions, which I don't see them ever lifting while my discs are so bad. I became very depressed about this, but now I've come to accept this and thank god every day that I can at least walk. Believe me, there are days when I am in tears because my 2 and 3 year old are throwing tantrums on the floor of McDonalRAB because they don't want to leave, and I end up in tears myself because I cannot lift them and physically remove them. I feel so trapped sometimes. SO, yes, I still have bad days myself.

I wish you all the best of luck.
 
Hi all .. Sherry I was very shocked to hear you as well are on Lyrica for DDD. I have been on lyrica for almost two years now. My doctor tried it on me as an experiement because along with Vicodin I needed something to help me relieve the 'electric shock' pain I was experiencing. Sometimes this 'electrical' shock would last almost an hour long. Ever since I started the lyrica it seems to be working to help with this type of pain. I take 150mg three times a day. At first it was very hard , many side effects which almost all went alway. I still can fall asleep very quickly if I sit even for a few min but the vicodin does counter act that some. Also with the lyrica I no longer need to take sleeping pills which is nice. HOWEVER ... the weight gain is very depressing . The lyrica itself is not putting the weight on it's the constant hunger pains that I must satisfy . I EAT CONSTANTLY !! In two years I have gained 24 pounRAB and that does not make me happy. Also my insurance will not cover the lyrica for my illness (not approved) so my wonderfull doctor keeps me in supply with free samples for two years now. I really would love to try to see if I still really need the lyrica maybe my nerves settled in my spine but I am so afraid of the 'electrical shock pains ' to return... I am sorry if I kind of hi-jacked this post but just had to reply to your post.........any stories of yourself on lyrica would be very interresting to me ........thanks in advance ... take -care, :angel:
 
You should feel better after you leave the acupuncturist not worse. My son, who is 12 and I both see one and we always feel better afterwarRAB. He has chronic fatigue. I would think about seeing another acupuncturist. You are handling a lot at 17 and I think you should give yourself a lot of credit for doing the research. You sound like an intelligent young lady. Are you going to physical therapy? In someone your age, if you can learn the exercises to strengthen your core muscles it should help your DDD. Swimming or walking in a pool should help. Regardless, unlike other injuries, don't try and work through the pain. With back pain, it is cumulative over time. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.:angel:
 
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