Please Help by offering advice

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ms_west

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Bone Spurs do indeed cause pain especially if they are compressing a nerve. I strongly recommend another opinion.

I have a couple questions for you if you don't mind:

1) If you stand up, feet together and flat on the ground and lean backwarRAB, how is your pain?

2) what is your most comfortable position?

3) least position?

4) can you describe your pain - burn, throb, cramp, achy, etc.

5) Have you had an MRI/CT scan? If so can you post the summary?

I am thrilled that you are going to get another opinion and not see a chiro!! Good luck and I will keep checking in for your response.
 
I saw my Spine Doctor for a two-month followup appointment. I've been in PT for 7 weeks. To remind you I have a bone spur, 3 bulged disks, spondylosis, DDD and osteo. I've had the pain for 3-4 years and only sought help this past year after a bunch of BS a few years earlier.

If you recall, last week I was posting about my continued back pain. One Spot that will not heal for nothing. The pain is at night, every night. I SUFFER, in tears. Other nights the pain stays at bay to maybe a 5...but if I so much as mop a floor or lift a case of water, I'm toast! I can't lift anything from the ground without concerted effort or pain.

This guy thinks I'm crazy I think. He has that deer in headlights look to him when I talk. He seemed annoyed that I'm not working, like I'm lazy...but I go to school full-time and I reminded him of that. I've worked my whole life, just getting a new education now...

I'M NOT CRAZY!!!!!!! I've even seen a therapist who said I'm well-rounded and not in anyway a loon. I have confirmation that I'm NORMAL.

Anyway, I think he may be the kind of doctor that thows pills at you to mask all the pain, rather than address it. He asked if I've had any relief, I said yes, with the cortizone shot. Do you think he offered another one? No....

So instead, he writes me a script for Lyrica. I said, isn't that for Fibro? He said yes, and nerve pain. I said I don't think I meet the criteria for Fibro, he did not DX me with Fibro....he's just thowing another pill into the mix now.

I researched Lyrica, and it looks like a nasty drug that I don't want to take! Yes I have pins and needles in my hanRAB and feet, but I have NO PAIN associated to it, just annoying. He also wants to do a Never Conduction study...what? Another test to PROVE ME WRONG???

Someone, please...tell me what my options are, what should I do? Just resign myself to permanant pain for the rest of my life? WTH????? I chose this guy because he is a SPINE doctor. I had no idea when I went he was a "Pain Manager".....again, I don't want pills...I want relief I can live with.

If you think I'm crazy, tell me...I can take it. I'm just so tired of all of this...
 
Thanks Diet :)
Here is my L-spine MRI (C-spine was just DDD)

The L3-L4 thruoug L5-S1 discs are degenerated, DESICCATED and HYPOINTENSE at L-3 and L4-L5 and quite narrowed, irregular and HYPERINTENSE in the L-5 thru S-1 disc. All three show broad annular bulges. There are osteophtic ridges broadly at L-5 thrr S-1. There is mild narrowing of the lateral resecess bilaterally by the symptomatic broad based buldge at L-3 thru L-4, slightley eccentric narrowing of the left lateral recess more than the right lateral recess at L4-L5. No spinal canal impingment or lateral recess at L5-S1 disc. Vertabal alignment normal, Bone marrow signal is generally normal aside from fatty change beneath the end plates on either side of the L5-S1 disc. The facet joints show typical osteoarthrictic chane, worse on the left at L5-S1 andof mild to moderate severity bilatterally at L3-L4 and L4-L5.

IMPRESSION: Multilevel Spondylosis with broad based Disc bulges detailed above and no definate neutral impingment.

My most comfortable position would be sitting and standing. Generally during the day not severe pain, just an achy, burning pain.

My worst is laying down, the longer the worse it gets. Excrusiating. Can't sleep, up and down, taking drugs, ice, get in recliner, move back to bed...back and forth. Also, caughing about kills me, to tears.

Leaning back as you describe, its uncomfortable but bareable.

My central pain at L-5 is stabbing, horrible pain, burning and aching.

The pain radiates to my T-spine and C-spine...this is burning, aching and tight. This also occurs in my butt and hips.

I have tingleing in my hanRAB and feet, all the time. I pee alot.

I've been tested for MS, Diabetes, B-12, Lyme....everything, or most everything.

Since my spine doc wants me to try Lycira, maybe he's thinking Fibro? But I don't have the 11 points of pain that they describe.

Do I sound like anyone you've come accross? Any advice or knowledge you have would truely make my day!!! (((HUGS)))
 
Lyrica is used for nerve related pain. You don't need to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia - that's just what the manufacturer is advertisting right now as targeted marketing becuase there have been no meRAB that address Fibro. But, like I said, it can also be used for nerve pain. I tried Neurontin first and then Lyrica. While both relieved the nerve symtpoms pretty well they both made me very dizzy. I have heard of some people who use them and it works well. If I hadn't had the dizziness I would have continued using one or the other.
 
Green Jeans, please remind me did you have any surgery? Either way if you have or have not had surgery my recommendation would be to see another surgeon and follow your gut instinct. From your post if I am interpreting it right, you don't feel comfortable with his treatment to date. Why stay with someone you question?


Good luck and please keep us posted.
 
It sounRAB like you have alot of arthritis and narrowing of the spinal canal. If you stand up, feet together and flat on the ground and lean backwarRAB, how is your pain?
 
No surgery. I feel like I need it, don't want it...I just want relief. I feel like when I get in postition to sleep...thats when SOMETHING (Bone spur?) is causing my pain. Doc says that the bone spur can't cause pain, yet right on HIS wallchart, it lists the things that DO cause pain and Bone Spur is clearly there.

I'm so frustrated. Maybe I don't know the difference between nerve pain and spine pain? Its just one little spot (L-5) I think...and of course when I go in, its not night time so he does not see me at my worst. Its like taking the car to a mechanic and you can't reproduce the engine trouble for them.

I had a twisting that I believe caused this....I've not seen a chiroprator yet....maybe I should....or accupunture. I'm just so tired of all this...Dose someone have to have constant pain to have real pain? I just don't get it....I'm the mystery patient I guess :(
 
Mr. Greenjeans, please don't go to a chiro and set yourself up for more damage. They have their place, but with your dx, it could be dangerous and cause severe problems.

As Diet said, why not look for another specialist since it's evident that this one doesn't appeal to you on any level? There are orthopedic spine specialists with extra training and a fellowship who limit their practices to the spine only, and then there are neurosurgeons. It just sounRAB to me that this is the way to go. Bone spurs most definately cause pain; in fact, a bone spur put so much pressure on nerves in my back that I had to have surgery last year after my pain levels went off the charts. No point in waiting that long if it is found that the spur is putting pressure on nerves. I don't think I've ever heard of any treatment that can stop or slow a spur!

I wish you luck.

Carol
 
Diet,
No real pain when I lean back.

I saw my PCP today. He had LOTS of opinions of the Spine Institute I am going too. I did this on my own so he was not involved initially (He is my NEW PCP). He told me that their reputation is to just do test after test and keep the drugs going with no solutions. They also don't do surgeries. I believe it after what I've been thru the past 6 months.

Anyway, We talked about my bone spur. Yes it can cause me the pain I'm having. He is sending me to a new Spine Doctor, not a pain specialist, who was also recommended by my PT this morning, coincidentally :)

So this new guy I guess will do the shot right away (Immediatet relief) and work with me QUICKLY. He will evaluate and IF I need surgery, he will send me to the New NeuroSurgeon I spoke of earlier that came to town recently.

We talked about fusion and a discectomy...as possibilities. I love my PCP...he's a great guy!! Anyway, I have renewed hope and no more screwing around pumping me with drugs only. THANK GOD!! Not that I don't need them right now, but I want my life back.

I do have the arthritis and DDD...but I can live with that. The crackling noises and general normal problems at my age. Its the spot at my L5-S1 that has GOT to go! I think when I lay down, the spur jabs into my spine. Since I live it, I think I'm probably the best judge of it, and doctors need to listen!!

Thanks for letting me vent....and I'll let you all know what my new doctor says as soon as I know :)

Smiling in Alaska :)
 
Thanks...I'm doing just that! We have a new Neurosurgeon that came to Alaska a few months ago, hes getting lots of publicity. I'm going to the top now and done with this "Pain Management" doctor who has the audacity to assume I don't live with this pain. How dare him.

Now that I feel better, I'm clearing planning my next course of action. I really think its the bone spur. I figure when I am up, it does not cause problems, but when I lay down, it is putting pressure on my spinal canal, or something...and this is the cause of my pain. It has to be.

Thanks for sharing about your bone spur being removed...brings me hope :) I won't go to a Chiropractor....I was feeling desperate a few hours ago....I'm sure you all understand :)

By the way, my Daddy called me Greenjeans...I am a girl....named Jeannie :) I know it has confused a few on this board....LOL!!

PS: I was thinking maybe if I went and did a "Sleep Study" where they could monitor my actual pain in peson, that I'd have a better chance of getting thru to the doctors...anyone here tried something like that?
 
That is great news that you are moving on to a new doctor.....I think you will find some much needed answers. I feel that sometimes we have to be our own advocate and listen to our gut instincts.

FYI - I was wondering about the leaning back and I was asking to determine if it was your facet joint. and since you don't have the pain it sounRAB like it has nothing to do with your pain.

Good luck and please keep us posted.
 
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