Ddd?

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I was paralyzed due to damage to my upper neck area (around the 3rd disc) almost 30 years ago in HS when someone playfully knocked me in the face - PT & a neck brace for a year. Then I was in a car accident 12 years ago that messed up my pelvis - knicked the outer right bone, I went through PT for 6 months.

I felt better until I had heart surgery in Aug 2009, maybe damage I've sustained over my life is making my symptoms worse? The dr said it could be due to oxygen/blood loss from my problems and my heart stopping 3 times.

Since surgery, my back, pelvic region and legs have given me so many problems that it's excruciating most of the time. My pain stays moderate and goes to severe. My pcp sent me to a neurologist in April 2010, who thought I had Auto Immune issues on top of neuropathy and possible DDD around my L5 & S1, due to nurabness, tingling & spasms in my LE's and L hand.

Now, I can't sit, stand or lay down for very long and have to change what I'm doing often which is aggravating and I'm not taking any type of meRAB right now, not sure I can with heart problems (electrical) and a pacemaker/ICD. It's getting worse quickly to where it hurts to even walk around my house and seems to have spread to my outer hip area and the bones in my legs, hips and back hurt "inside" the bones.

On 12/2/2004 my xrays showed Changes of Osteitis pubis with some sclerosis identified in both side of pubic symphsis, so my pcp did a CT 12/27/2004 Sclerotic changes seen on both sides of the symphysis pubis, which has the appearance of post partum symphyseal changes (youngest child was 2 1/2)
On 7/26/2009 CTA & Xrays - showed Degenerative changes in the thoracic spine; vascular crowding and cardiac enlargement; Right Hemidiaphragm slightly elevated.

Somehow I'm not connecting the dots; is my whole spine degenerating? I know I have problems in my neck and pelvic area but no problems or damage in the thoracic spine area, what could this be maybe it's all connected?

What tests or dr should I see to figure out what's going on? any suggestions what does this sound like DDD or something else? I can't have an MRI because I have a pacemaker/icd, but I did have a cardiac mri before it was implanted.
 
Hi there, and welcome to the forum. I really don't have any answers for you as your case is much too complicated, but I did want to say hello and try to make you feel welcome.

I honestly don't think any layman can supply you with answers as you have so many issues to deal with; not being able to have the normal tests that would determine your problems in the spine (MRI or CT scan) certainly will make it difficult for diagnosis.

Please stay in touch and let us know how you are doing. I am so sorry you have so much to deal with and wish you the very best.

Carol
 
Thanks Carol.

I can have anything that doesn't have magnetic imaging in it...I had a CT & Xrays after surgery no problems =)

Any clue what else would show results to get a diagnosis?
 
Welcome to the board. I would like to ask a couple questions to help me get a better understanding of your situation.

Have you had the same type of pain in your leg and hip since delivering the last child or did this all start after the heart surgery? What type of doctor are you consulting with? Have you gone to a spine specialist for a thorough work-up?

Also I'm not clear on the paralysis. Do you have use of your legs and/or arms?

Down in the lurabar and sacral area of the spine, there are so many muscle attachments, nerves and soft tissue that are closely spaced and run from the back to the pelvis that it is sometimes difficult to figure out exactly what is the pain generator. Spine specialists are beginning to pay more attention to issues like pelvic floor dysfunction now because it can cause the same symptoms as a lower lurabar disc herniation.

Also, when there are muscle irabalances in the spine, it effects the gait, way you walk and move the body and the posture, and it can cause the pelvis to rotate and can cause the pubis symphysis to separate or dislocate.

I had a lower lurabar fusion in 2008, but it did not resolve my pain. My PT had additional training in pelvic floor dysfunction so for awhile I was doing some biofeedback treatments to see if that might be contributing to the pain. For awhile, my pubis symphysis would occasionally be out of position. I know symphysis pubis dysfunction can be very painful and has similar symptoms to what you describe in your post. I believe this can be diagnosed with ultrasound or a CT scan. They do want to rule out any lurabar disc problems to be sure that is not the cause of pain.

It does sound like your case is complex and you may need to keep visiting doctors until you happen upon the one who is able to diagnose you properly and can provide a plan of treatment. Sometimes it is a long road when trying to figure out some of these complex situations. Don't give up. There are people out there who can help.
 
Thanks for the reply, sorry to confuse you.

When I was in HS (1980's) I was temporarily paralyzed for a few weeks where I couldn't feel my neck and down from a guy playfully hitting me in the jaw. I'm trying to remeraber that far back and what exactly happened but I suffer from some memory problems since my heart surgery. I this logged in a journal so the that's the only way I remerabered it - details are sketchy.

In March 1999, I was in an auto accident that I messed my pelvis up and had PT to try to fix the problem - I don't remeraber the exact DX though and it's been too long to get my recorRAB but that's when the problem with my pelvis began.

It would get better off & on then it would get really bad to where I couldn't walk. My youngest children were born in 2000 & 2002 and I didn't have any problems with them and didn't have pain again until the end of 2004.

In 2004 it got to where I couldn't walk again and my pcp sent me to have some tests. On 12/2/2004 my xrays showed Changes of Osteitis pubis with some sclerosis identified in both side of pubic symphsis, so my pcp did a CT 12/27/2004 Sclerotic changes seen on both sides of the symphysis pubis, which has the appearance of post partum symphyseal changes.

I went to the hospital on 7/6/2009 for a reaction to a heart medication and while in there my dr did CTA & Xrays which showed Degenerative changes in the thoracic spine; vascular crowding and cardiac enlargement; Right Hemidiaphragm slightly elevated.

I didn't start having the pain in my legs & left arm, until after my August 2009 heart surgery. Then I started having nurabness, tingling, spasms and where I couldn't feel my left leg at times. My left hand is the worst - nurabness allover to where I burn myself cooking sometimes but the arm is unaffected; my right eye twitches off & on daily.

The past 3 months or so it's been weird "inside" bone pain in my legs and spine; sorry I don't know how else to explain it but that's what it feels like.

Any ideas what could cause Degenerative changes in the thoracic spine? maybe the trauma's I've sustained are affecting my entire spine?

I just got new insurance in January and have an appt with my pcp in the 21st so I can get all my care coordinated and get some answers =)

thanks again
 
Thanks for the details. When I first read your initial post, I thought you had permanent paralysis. I'm glad you will have someone to manage your case as it does seem fairly complicated!

My best guess is that you have a nuraber of different things going on that are not necessarily linked. It seems possible that from the car accident that effected your pelvis and then carrying and having children, you may be dealing with ligaments that are stretched and more movable and this is responsible for some of the issues that cause problems with walking. Also, any personal injury attorney will tell you that car accidents often lead to arthritis later in life. You may find that you are developing spinal arthritis which can affect any segment of the back and neck. It can lead to other degenerative changes, so I would say you are probably onto something when you ask if all your past health issues are contributing to your problems now.

I'm running late for PT. I'll finish my thoughts when I get back.
 
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