I'm Back! Can someone read my MRI results?

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cherylww

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Hi Marlosmom!

Well, my main concen is just trying to figure out what is causing my pain. I'm better than I was 8 weeks ago, but I still can't function properly. I can't even drive, and I have a lot of kiRAB and an elderly parent that rely on me for transportation.

I just want to get to the bottom of what the problem is, and how I can make it better, and not worse, if possible. I don't know if it's the spondy or the bulging disc that is causing me pain. I hurt my back by breaking up a dog fight on Dec. 10th, and I've been a mess ever since.

Thank you for the help and encouragement. It means a lot. :)

Cheryl
 
Hi Everyone!

I hope you all are having a good week! I'm still babying my back, but starting to get around much more now.

I went in for an MRI last week and just got my print up this evening. All I can tell is that I have the slipped disc that the ER doc told me was an old injury. Other than that I can't tell what the new injury is.

Could someone tell me in plain english what these results mean, please? Thanks!


Cheryl

__________________________



IMPRESSION

1. DISC DISICCATION, ENDPLATE CHANGES AND GRADE II ANTERIOR SPONYLOLITHESIS OF L5 ANTERIOR TO S1 WITH NO NERVE ROOT OR GANGLION DISPLACEMENT, MILD ARTHROPATHY.


2. L4-5 DESICCATION WITH NO SPINAL STENOSIS, PROTRUSION OR EXTRUSION WITH NO NERVE ROOT OR GANGLION DISPLACEMENT.

Retroperitoneum, Prevertebral Soft Tissues- Normal

Cauda Equina And Conus Medullaris- Unremarkable

Vertibral Bodies- Mild endplate changes are noted at L4-5. There is grade II spondylolisthesis L4 anterior to L5 with endplate changes and spurring.

Intervertebral Discs And Disc Spaces-

T9-10 through L3-4- Normal

L-5 Disc desiccation and endplate changes are identified with mild annular bulge. No nerve root or ganglion displacement.

L5-S1 Disc space narrowing is seen with grade II spondylolisthesis L5 anterior to S1 with facet arthropathy. There is no distinct protrusion or extrusion.
 
Okay, here's my interpretation:

I have a slipped disk at the L5, grade II spondylolesthesis, which means a 25-50% slippage which is causing a narrowing between the L5-S1.`

I have some degenerative disc disease and mild osteoarthritis.

I have a bulging disc in the L4-L5

Does that sound right? :^)
 
Hi Cheryl. You really need to focus on getting you well, so you can get back to doing what you do best, being supermom and caregiver. You have 5 kiRAB.. that makes you a supermom from the start! Wow.

Most of us on here.. are the ones that put ourselves last and are the caregivers to everyone and dont even think about ourselves.

You need to change that right now. Focus has to be on YOU. It's really hard at first, but you need to restructure how things are run around you right now. Engage everyone around you including your children to help carry "your" load right now. You are always there for them, now it's time form them to be there in your time of need. This is not a selfish act, this is love and what family is all about. You may have to get some additional assistance for your parent's neeRAB right now too. It's temporary.

Running everyone about in/out of the car throughout the day is so hard on the back and involves tons of twisting at the lurabar level if you aren't being totally mindful of the alignment of your spine.

I would think it's crucial with spondy ("think" because i dont have it) to not overly bend or twist your spine.

When is your next appointment and follow up to discuss your MRI and what is recommended for you next? Did a spine surgeon order the MRI or a GP?
 
Well l4/l5, and l5/s1 are the problem children. They are drying out of course.. DDD.

L4/L5 and L5/S1 has spondy.. meaning your spine is not stable and is moving at these levels. The upper part of the spine usually moves overtop of the lower. You are crrently at grade II (they grade the stages of movement). Were you diagnosed with this previously? If so, what grade where you then and how long ago? You also have spurring at L4/L5 level, which is is sort of a calcium/bony buildup, which can be irritating to discs and nerves. They cant do much for these, but with proper exercising they can help prevent more from developing.

L5 (I assume L4/L5) disc is bulging with no nerve impingment.

Your facets at L5/S1 have inflammation and are enlarged. No protruding or bulging at this level.

I would think your biggest issues are the spondy at those levels and the facets being enlarged at L5/S1. The bulging disc is considered mild and actually is considered "normal" to have. It could heal on it's own and is not showing signs of any nerve impingement.

Hope this helps you some.
 
Hi Cheryl,

This is totally a layman's guess, but I don't think the spondy is responsible for the pain you're experiencing. The MRI report indicates that there is no nerve root involvement which would be a really good thing. A lot of times docs just kind of "eye-ball" the measurements when they tell you if it is a grade 1 or grade 2. You mentioned it was the ER doc who told you it was a grade 1 spondy. I doubt he had carefully measured when he told you that.

Also not all cases of spondylolisthesis continue to move...so I wouldn't worry too much about that aspect of your MRI. As you said, you want to figure out what's causing the pain so you can treat it.

Have you tried some very simple stretches in an attempt to straighten out the feeling that you are lop-sided? I would suggest that every chance you get, lie on the floor on your back with your arms to your sides. breathe deeply and just lie there. Better yet, lie on the floor, perpendicular to a couch with your hips nearly touching the bottom of the couch, with your legs bent at a 45 degree angle, calves resting on the seat cushions. Just breathe deeply and relax and lie in that position for 5-10 minutes at the beginning. This will help your spine decompress. Hopefully this will help straighten out some of those vertebrae...and get you out from the forces of gravity for a few minutes.;)
 
Okay, you got me pegged! LOL! Supermom syndrome here! I have actually backed off a lot..especially since I was bed-ridden for 5 weeks. I'm still resting a lot..so I'm just taking it step by step.

It was the neurologist that ordered the MRI. I'm STILL waiting to hear from him.

Thanks for the help and advice. I'll try to keep my life simple for now. :)
 
I've been wanting to do that floor stretch, but I'm still in fear of relaxing when I'm on my back. That's when the sciatica and muscle spasms start up. Sometimes it's when I twist my body to the side.

Well, the ER doctor did talk to the radiologist before talking to me. He said the X-ray looked great, other than a little spondy. He said it was only about 25%. So, maybe it's not too much worse than that since a grade II can be between 26-50%. It's good to hear that it may not get any worse. I just imagined my spine breaking in half..Yikes!

I hope that I can get in to the neuro to actually see the images from the MRI. I'd like to see how bad the spondy and the disc desiccation is. I hope I'm not too shriveled up in there.

Thanks for all of your help!

Cheryl
 
Thank you so much!

The only time I've had any images done on my back was at ER a couple of months ago. The ER doctor told me that I only had a grade I spondy. He thought that it had been that way all of my life. I was surprised that the MRI showed it as a grade II. I hope that it hasn't changed that much, or I'm in trouble.

I know that my pain is about 80% better than it was 2 months ago when I suffered from intermittant sciatica (electrocution down right leg). I have only been feeling aches and muscle spasms in my lower back, hips, and buttocks. Not too bad at all. I'm wondering if I did have a herniated disc that has healed, since I waited so long to get the MRI.

Also, my body is all off kilter. My right hip sticks up and I'm a bit stiff from laying in bed on my left side only for several weeks. I feel like my muscles are all out of whack. Even my right arm is swelled up. I've had that once before. Not sure what it's from.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Cheryl
 
Hi Cheryl,

I can't really tell from your posts what specifically it is that concerns you, so my comments may be off the mark.

I just wanted to mention that many people live with spondylolisthesis and do not even realize they have it. It is not something that you commonly look for unless you are having a bout of pain and are trying to get a diagnosis.

Also it is something that many people live with for many years without incident. Don't jump to the conclusion that this is causing you pain just because a doctor has mentioned it to you.

xx M;)M
 
Hi Cheryl ~

When I was first told I had spondy, I'd never heard of it. I didn't think to ask "what grade?" as I didn't even know there were "grades." So of course I came home and read everything I could get my hanRAB on. I was initially of the impression that it would continue to get worse and that there could be continuous movement, but that is not always the case. That CAN happen, but it doesn't happen to everyone who has spondy. There are 6 different types of spondy, and to some extent, it depenRAB on which type you have.

I went to 8 different spinal specialists and no one seemed particularly concerned if my spondy was at 25% or 35%. All they cared about was that if I had a laminectomy or any procedure to "fix" the stenosis, I would need a fusion. Otherwise it was too risky as the spondy already made me somewhat unstable.

Regarding the stretching, I can see why you wouldn't want to get stuck on the floor in that position!!:eek: During all my back problems, I was always liraber and had no trouble moving from any position....so I forget that this is difficult for some.

Hang in there!!

xx Marlo
 
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