Any advice?

[Lil E]

I had a discectomy at L-4 in 1997 and it was good for about five years. Now its bad at L4, L5, and S1. I have nerve pain down both legs in back and on the outside of both quads. My low back hurts constantly, my feet hurt and the right one goes numb with foot drop. I can't walk far.

I also had the same on C5/6 in 1998 which was the worst of three, C4/5 and C7. My left arm hurts and I'm having pain at T1&2.

I'd better mention I also have Fibro. I can't function from being tired all the time. I tried Provigil but it was too much for me, I was so hopped up it was ridiculous. My Nuero has said before that I would be a good ADR candidate thats why he said no fusion for me.

I just need some advice, I can't believe I'll have to feel this way forever even with great meds. Its been eleven years.

P.S. wrote this the day the site was down.

[mmglobal]

Lil... I'm so sorry that you are back on the spiney path.

I never trust the Fibro diagnosis... especially in the presence of substantial spine problems. That's often a "go away" diagnosis. Chronic pain wears you out.

Do you have recent imaging? What is happening in lumbar and cervical spine? Even if you do have Fibro... that doesn't mean that you don't have serious spine problems... or spine problems that may be corrected.

Mark

[dshobbies]

Hi Lil,

I am so sorry for you pain but glad to have you with us. Too many of us have the same tale to tell and yours sounds familiar.

Too often a discectomy, which leaves the disc compromised, sometimes severely, can lead to deterioration of adjacent discs. One discectomy leads to another with each surgery less effective than the previous one. It's called failed back surgery syndrome. What surprises me is that doctors, good doctors, know about this and still perform 3rd or more surgeries. I know someone who had 9. Fusion also often has the same consequences on adjecent segments but also can limit movement.

Are you a good ADR candidate? Your neuro thinks so. It's now time to educate yourself and get another opinion. Finding the best doctor is more than half the battle. Give Mark at call if for nothing other than to head you in a good direction. ADR is not without it's own risk and/or success rate. It is not a walk in the park and revision/removal can be risky if not impossible. This is not a decision to enter into lightly. Having said all that, for some it is a new birth, giving us back our lives, or at least part of our lives.

Good luck to you and I hope you find what you're looking for,
Dale

[Lil E]

I Had MRI's of all three parts of my spine. They say the cervical is normal but thats not possible because I had surgery there in 1998, that should show.

It shows normal thoracic spine they say.

The lumbar is different. It says there are significant chronic end plate reactive
changes at L3/4 and L4/5. Advanced disc disease at L3/4 and 4/5. At the 3/4 there is a mild broad based bulge of the annular disc remnant and a more focal left paracentral disc protrusion.

L4/5 is desiccated and moderately reduced in height. There is a mild broad based bulge of the annular disc, minimally abutting the anterior margin of the thecal sac. There are mild facet hypertrophic changes at L3/4, 5/6 and L5-S1.

Can anyone tell me what this means?

[Poncho]

Although sorry you have been dealing with this for so long!!!

Now, the "fibro" diagnosis ~ for some - I'm sure it is legitimate. However, I have found in my experience in healthcare that it is a "catch all" diagnosis when the physicican can not get to the bottom of the patient's symptomatic problems. Just my 2 cents.

I would ask to have the c-spine re-read because radiologists can overlook issues with the spine. I am speaking as a patient advocate who has found this in the past. I would insist that it is re-read - and you should not be charged for it knowing that you have had c-spine surgery in the past- geez!!! This should have been mentioned in the reading at least

Now for the lumbar spine. It looks like you may have some degenerative changes in the lower back after having a discectomy. However, it is very difficult to tell where all of the pain is coming from from an MRI reading alone.