Tremendous Spine Pain, please help.

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user904

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I am new to this site and a little nervous about posting since I have never done this before. I am litterally laying here in bed with so much pain as I write this. First let me just say that I have been suffering for many many years with back pain and in June 2009, had an MRI done with the following findings:

T10-T11: Mild right lateral disc bulging is present
T11-12, 12-L1: These levels appear normal
L1-L2: minor disc bulging is present
L2-L3, L3-L4: These levels appear normal
L4-L5: Mild disc bulging is present. No associated stenosis or nerve root impingement is noted.
L5-S1: The disc height is diminished. Anterior osteophyte formation is present. A diffuse disc ridge is present. There is a superimposed right paracentral disc herniation present fairly close to the proximal right neural foramina. There is associated right lateral recess and proximal foraminal stenosis. The disc height is diminished compared to the prior study and the reactive osseous signal changes are new. The right-sided disc herniation/protrusion is also somewhat more prominent.

This was compared to an MRI that I had done in 2002. I have been living with pain and have tried to take painkillers but they make me sick. For many years I have been treating the pain with 6 to 9 Advil per day, but was just recently told that I was bleeding internally and must now have a colonoscopy done just to be safe. I have been on oxycotton, (spelling) many years ago and it made me sick so I had to stop taking it and it did nothing for me. I have stopped taking the Advil and was put on 50 mg of Tramadol but I cannot take this either as it makes me very dizzy. My regular doctor just told me to split the pills in half and take one every 8 hours along with a perscription muscle relaxer that she prescribed for me. Needless to say, none of this is helping. They can't prescribe many painkillers, because I was told by my docotor that most of the painkillers are codeine based and I cannot take codeine. I can't even sit because the pain is so intense on my spine and when I stand up, I can't move and it takes me awhile before I am able to walk which I do very slowly. I was told by my orthopedic doctor that I should try having the Epidural shots. As he is definately not pushing surgery. I have also tried going to the Chiropractor and have been on the decompression machine for about 20 visits so far. It has truly helped my sciatic problem, but cannot get rid of the spine pain. Last week while I was there, I tried the machine on my stomach rather than my back and that did not sit well with me at all. For the rest of the day I was not doing well. The next day I had no pain and then the next day on Monday while at work, I was walking from the file cabinet to my desk when I almost dropped to my knees in pain. About 40 minutes later I tried to stand up and I couldn't move or even shuffle my feet. I had to be brought out in a wheelchair. I have been out of work since 10/20 and have been in pain since with a couple more episodes of that magnitude during the week. I have tried to get an appointment with the Pain Management Dr. and was told that that he was away for several weeks and the earliest appointment I would be able to get is Noveraber 6. I don't think I can last that long. I have not been able to do anything and am in constant pain. Everywhere I call, because I would be a new patient, they cannot see me until late Deceraber.

I am at wits end. I am tearful all day because I feel like this is my life and it is not going to get any better. I have read some information on he Epidural injection and it scares me to no end. I am not looking for a short term fix. I want to live a normal life but I feel like I am a prisoner in my own home because I cannot do anything.

If anyone has any insight or has gone through what I am going through, I would greatly appreciate any comments you may have or worRAB of advice. I apologize for this being so long, but thanking you in advance for even taking the time to read this if you have gotten this far.
 
Sorry to hear you are in so much pain, it can be very frustrating. I have some back and neck pain too, but not to that degree. There are many people suffering with pain, you are not alone, even though if might feel like it at times. Try to pray and meditate on something to get your mind off the pain. How about a pain patch, such as fentanyl? It sounRAB like the chiropractor txs are not helping. Hope you find something to help you feel better.
 
Hello, I also have had back problems for many years. I went through what you are going through now. I went to the doc, physical therapy, pain meRAB, and had the injections. The injections are the last thing they try before surgery, and they do help some people. BTW, I insisted on being sedated and nurabed for the injections, I barely remeraber or felt a thing. They did not help me, only because I found out I had a pretty bad herniation. I tried every treatment there was for 6 months, but it only helped a little, I still could not stand long without pain, and I walked with a limp. I was referred to a neurologist ( this is who I think you should probably go to next ). The neuro. said I needed surgery as he saw I went through all the other treatments. And he told me what I already knew deep down. That no amount of physical therapy, pain meRAB., or injections was going to make that herniation go away. Only surgery would take care of it. Of course I was scared and didnt want to have it, so I went and got a second opinion from another neuro. and he said the same thing. I did have surgery, and am now pain free and no more limping or laid up for weeks at a time like I was for months before. It helped me in the end. as far as the injections go, they really do work for some things, such as bulging discs, inflamation, and pain, but if you decide to have them, please ask to be sedated and nurabed first, I told my doc I would not have them unless this was done first, as I heard some docs will not, and the poor patient didnt know they had the say so on how it was done, and ended up in more pain from the injection, than the original problem. It looks like you have a herniated disc from your MRI results, this is where all the horrible pain is coming from. I would suggest you call your insurance company, and ask if you need a referral to a neuro ( explain your MRI report herniation especially ) and your nonstop pain that has laid you up, and ask if you can you make an appointment with a neuro. yourself. This is what i did, I just called my insurance co., asked if I needed a referral, they said no, I called and made my own appointment. Then after the 1st one, I went to another one for a 2nd opinion, then I waited a couple of months thinking about it, and I knew I couldnt and didnt want to live like this forever, and finally made the appointment for the surgery. I have never regretted it. The injections are what they try last before surgery. I have heard they work on alot of people for bulging discs., but mine was a huge herniation. So I would suggest maybe learning what you can by asking your doc, pain doc etc., about how they give them, if they sedate you, nurab you, etc. But i have not heard of the shots helping with a herniation and it looks like you have one. So a neurologist would probably be your best bet, you would just go for a consultation since you have had the tests, then if he thinks injections may help, you could try them, and of course last resort if he recommenRAB it surgery. I am so sorry for what you are going through, I have been there, laid up in severe pain day after day not knowing what to do and nothing helping the pain. Please come back and keep us updated.
 
Will you be seeing an Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and/or Neurosurgeon? They can help you understand your treatment options...there are a variety of options from physical therapy to massage to epidural injection, etc.
 
Thank you so much for your info. I have been bedridden since the 19th and still in tremendous pain. I finally have an appointment on Nov 1 with a neurosurgeon so I will find out more then. If I have the injections, I will only have it if I am sedated because I am just freaked out about it as it is. How long did it take for recovery when you did have surgery? Again, many thanks.
 
I do have an appointment with a neurosurgeon for Monday, Nov. 1. I have had problems for many years but this is the worst it has ever been for me to be laid up for all this time. I have tried physical therapy and ended up getting a hernia and then had to have that operated on. Which I now have another one. But that is another story.
 
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