Help with 15 year olds DDD and MRI

[kmg3333]

Hi all,
I am new here, and I am desparate for help from someone to explain to me my daughters MRI's. In August of 2010, my 14 year old daughter was hospitalized after loosing all feeling in her left leg, and a disk tear which ended up as a "goose egg" on her back filled with fluid.
She had a set of 3 spine injections over 3 months at that time, which helped for about a year. She ended up with cushings symptoms, and so we have not had them done since. Weve had 2 MRIs done in 2010, and 2011. She is now going to see a neurosurgeon at U of M Motts childrens hospital. She is barely moving anymore, and cannot keep up. She lives at pain level 6-8 everyday.
I am hoping I can find someone to help me understand her MRI's before we go. I have done alot of reading, but feel like I need someone to give it to me in plain english.
Below is her most recent MRI, done 2/2011 (prior one was 8/2010)

Keep in mind as you read, this all started with no injury, at age 14. I was called home from work because she could not get off of the floor, and lost the use of her left leg, She had a set of 3 steroid shots in L5-S-1 when that happened and her first ever MRI. She ended up with cushings disease symptoms, and so no shots since. She has tried traction, hours in PT and lives now at pain level 6-9 everday. She is just now turning 16.
FINDINGS:

Anatomic alignment of the lumbar vertabrae is appreciated.
The vertabral body heights are preserved
The intervertebral disc spaces show degenerative signal, more pronounced at L3-4 and L5-S1 levels.
Broad based disc annular bulge is present at L2-3 level and midly flattens the ventral aspect of thecal sac.
At L3-4 level asymmetric to the right disc annular bulge with focal central disc protrusion is noted.
There is a mild narrowing of the central canal due to described disc bulge.
At L4-5 level broad based mild disc annular buldge, with suggestion of small central disk herniation, protrusion type.
At L5-S1 level asmemetric to the left disc annular bulge with left foraminal extension is noted. There is mild interval retraction of the voluminous component of the disk bulge that was present in the left paracentral location. There is slightly less pronounced left foraminal component of the bulging disc annulus. The disc annular bulge still mildly flattens the ventral aspect of thecal sac, abuts and mildly flattens the left S1 in the superior lateral recess. The left neural foramen is mildly narrowed at the entrance. The right neural foramen is within normal range.

IMPRESSION:
1. Further interval decrease in signal intensity and height of the intervertebral sic at L5-S1 level. Progressive dehydration of the disc material at L5-S1 results in mild retraction of the left paracentral component of the dic protrusion that was present on the previous exam in August 2010. The disc annulare bulge and the left paracentral broad based disc protrusion are less voluminous.
2. Asymmetric to the left briad based residual disc protrusion and mild osteophytic ridging of the endplates flattens the ventral aspect of the thecal sac and left S1 at the level of superior lateral recess. No evidence of significant central canal compromise. Mild narrowing of the left nueral foramin.
3. Mild narrowing of the central canal at L4-5 level. Mild bioforaminal narrowing, slighly grater on the left, at L-4 level.

*also noted on 8/2010 MRI was a left S-1 Tarlov cyst, not noted on this MRI*

Can anyone help me decipher in english, exactly what is happening to my child>?? I will be eternally greatful for anyones help/advice.

Worried mom of Abbey Elizabeth......

[jsewell]

Worried mom, I am so sorry your daughter is in such pain and having such problems. i am a mom also and know how much i worry, i can't imagine having to deal with this.
I am here for support. I am here to welcome you to the forum. Sorry you find yourself needing to be here. I'm sure Mark will come on board and help you with the interpretation.
All i can add is that i have had MRI's which stated only mild problems that have resulted in severe pain.
judy

[kmg3333]

Thank-You Judy,
My heart is breaking for her. She gets so down and depressed over the pain she endures. She can no longer do all the things her friends can, and just cries all the time.
I so hope we can get some answers, this is so not normal for someone so young....

[mmglobal]

kmg333, do the doctors think that the cyst is problematic or are they looking elsewhere. the cushings symptoms do not sound like a typical spine issue. are there any auto-immune issues? Excessive inflammatory response or scar tissue formation?

Mark

[Maria]

I'm a little late seeing this and it breaks my heart to read what you've written. I can only say that I'd recommend hooking up with Mark (mmglobal) for some assistance and if and when you do you'll know why I wrote this.

Really my heart breaks for your daughter because even tho I was 28 when I first injured my back and experienced the first of my spine symptoms it dealt me a tremendous emotional blow and there have been times since then even as an adult it's all been just terribly overwhelming.

I can't imagine the way you feel for your daughter.. I'm sorry and I do hope Mark perhaps can help to hook you up with the right resources/doctors.

[Eddie G]

Sorry to hear about your little girl. Maybe you can invite her here when she's down or bored so she can learn more about her condition and it always helps to divert the mind.

I just hope she's as comfortable as possible. I use a hydrocollator, a TENS unit, exercise balls, massage therapy, hospital bed & tray, and a couple of Tonkinese kittys if all else fails.

[jsewell]

Worried mom if you have not hooked up with Mark, perhaps send him a private message asking for interpretation and maybe some doctor names.
I have been a suspect of having cyclical cushings disease and work very part time for DrTheodore Friedman in Los Angeles. He is really a world expert on the disease. I understand how the injections can cause too high a cortisol level and lead to cushings symptoms.
If you have any info or questions along that line please let me know.
Thinking about you,
judy