Terrible Back Problem! Need All Advice Possible

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ms_west

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Nummy, please realize that it is not uncommon for many of us to have had multiple surgeries. I have had 4. Many people do not realize that once you have one surgery it is normal to have the domino effect and require surgery on the level above or below the level you had operated on. This is something you need to consider when deciding to have surgery or not.
 
:) Hi! I am a bit new here to the forum and will probably being joing other areas of this Health Forum since I have several disorders that are listed in here.
Long story short! 3 years ago I got ran over by a jeep in a parking lot. Have Systemic Lupus and had been on long term steroiRAB and developed Ostoesporsis. Not once did I complain about back pain until the jeep hit me. Got rushed by arabulance and they did XRay and saw nothing wrong and blamed it on soft tissue injuries. Months went by with physical therapy, seeing orthopedic doctor and I feel as if this doctor did nothing. MRI only showed a bulged disk in the hurting area and some degenerative arthritis of the spine.
Got fed up and quit seeing the doctor and even tried Chiropracter. Then stopped that. Then this past winter I started noticing a bad limp. Finally saw a back specialist and they did an EMG. Have really bad nerve damage in my legs. Sciatic nerve pain and my feet are giving me a fit.
They just did a Mylegram on me and I don't have the results yet. They are suspecting a compressed nerve! If the mylegram comes up positive then if they do surgery. What is that surgery like? Is it really painful or has it helped any of you. The disk really looked bad on that mylegram.
I have trouble walking, pain sleeping, pain sitting, pain walking. Nothing I do seems to help! So any advice would be helpful! Thanks! I look for to becoming a new meraber here! So I hope I get to know many of you online!
 
Diet---I had the domino effect,and I have not had surgery (YET).
23 years ago, I started with one herniated disc L4-5, and 10 years later the one above and below it herniated!
So it seems to be the evolution, brought on from the weakness.
And not an exception, in possible surgery outcomes.
 
:wave: and welcome!! I am so sorry that you are suffering from some much pain. I have had backpain for quite some time and it is definitely not fun. I hope that your surgeon is able to find out some answers from the mylegram to make the best decision as possible for your case. Do they plan on doing a laminectomy to decompress the nerve?

In your spare time, you might want to read this thread pinned at the top of the back problems page entitled post surgery tips. Here is the url to it:

http://www.healtrabroadoarRAB.com/boarRAB/showthread.php?t=19953:wave:

It is packed with alot of information.

If you have any specific questions/concerns, please ask away we love to chat. :D
 
Yeah, I've had just one surgery, but I'm afraid with my symptoms, I may be experiencing a domino effect. That is just my hunch as I don't know for sure. Then again I have alot of scar tissue which may be causing some of my nerve problems....but I don't know whats causing the pain in my hips/sacrum/pelvic girdle areas. I did do pretty good, though, for about 6 months after surgery. But we're all here for you, so ask anything you want..
 
Hi Nummy, and welcome! I'm really sorry you're going through all that. I'm glad at least the spine doc is doing other tests to try to find the cause of pain. I'm don't know what kind of surgery was suggested as a possibility, but recouperation depenRAB partly on what kind; how extensive it is, how your own body responRAB to surgery, whether you smoke or not, whether your in good physical shape, etc. It's always painful where the surgery site is but that pain slowly goes away as you heal, plus you'll be given pain meRAB to help with it. If you ever do have surgery, make sure to tell them that you take prednisone. Surgery is a big stressor on the body, so with lupus it's possible you might flare up a bit afterwarRAB...but if you continue the pred, it will probably be okay. I was not on pred before my surgery, but I flared up slightly after my surgery. The main thing that happenened to me was alot of fatigue, so it took my body longer than usual to completely recouperate in that regard. Other than that, I did very well and healed pretty quickly. I had multi-level laminectomies and of course it was painful where i had the surgery but that pain goes away and I always tried to keep taking my pain meRAB on a regular schedule.
 
:wave: Hi Nummy,
Just wanted to welcome you to this board although I am sorry about your back problems. I am fairly new to the board myself and had my first back surgery on Jan.29th were they go through the abdomen to get to the disc and put in the titanium cages. I had a very bad infection in my incision once I got home which was painful and also caused a delay for the second surgery. The last part was done on March 5th and they went in the back and put in the roRAB and screws. This was done on the L5/S1. I also had another incisional infection with that surgery and then a really bad reaction to Neurontin which took me a week to get over. I am still pretty weak from all of it and still in pain and depressed because I wish I could do my yard work. But I couldn't do my yard work last year either but at least I feel hopeful that my gardening days will return once I recover from this surgery. I had put up with my back pain for several years because I also had problems with the cervical spine.

It sounRAB to me like you're doctor is doing all the required tests to help diagnose. I did physical therapy and epidural steroid injections before doing the surgery but the pain just kept getting worse so I am not disappointed with the surgery.

Take care
Linda
 
:)Thank-you all so much for the warm welcome! Wow Linda! Two surgeries! I sure hope I don't have to have two surgeries! But I have been miserable. Have developed nerve damage and stay in pain constantly. Taking all kinRAB of meRAB for that nasty pain. And yes my life has been somewhat disabling. Even doing housework becomes a major chore and half the time I have trouble doing so. I have a horrible time walking. That is another major problem for me. Will keep you all posted on what the doctor finally tells me! I sure hope it's correctible and I won't suffer too much longer! Thanks for being so kind!
 
I have never been on one of these...so bear with me.
I'm just so freusterated and no one seems to understand.
I'm 42.....I've had back problems my whole life but was undiagnosed until 2
years ago when I ended up in the hospital.
Herniated Disc, L4-S1, Spinal stenosis and Microfasical Pain Disorder.
2 Epidural spinal injections and one failed surgery(last Nov.)5 different doctors
and one PM later and I think I'm going crazy.
On the Duragesic Pain patch and it makes me very sick.
I've ask to be taken off several times to no avail. "If you just can't take it call me" he says...Goin back next week. Also take Percocet but 2 every 6 hours is what bottle said....missed the part where it said No more than six a day. So I'm out a week early and Doc is on Vacation. I had to stay home AGAIN from work yesterday.
I just don't know which way to turn with all of this. My life is all about pain now. How to COPE????
 
I feel your pain....2 surgeries for me..and still hurting....microdiscectomy 10/07 on L5-S1, that did'nt work... now just 2 months ago 2/08 had PLIF fusion on same disc...was doing "ok" til started physical therapy after 6 wks. injured my right foot doing a certain calf stretch, now hve what's called a "morton's neuroma" which is extremely painful been dealing w/ this for about a month already...I can't do anything at all, but sit w/ leg propped up on ice, and laying down, can do no more...my back is just getting more sore and hurting I feel like an 80 yr old !!!! house is a wreck, yard is a disaster, it is just killing me that I can't do anything about it....hve a 3 yr old boy who is always on the go, and wifey and I about to hve a daughter in 1 month !!! so that makes 2 of us who can't move !!! just never enRAB.. I am taking percocets like they are candy, also doc just prescribed me celebrex, heard good and bad things about it. now just waiting for insurance to clear to get an MRI done on my foot see whats going on in there....well guess that's all for now...thx for the venting, we all will keep on listening....will keep every1 posted and thx... MC
 
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