At the age of 23, I was told I had DDD affecting several thoracic vertabrae, sclerosis,spondylosis missing vertabrae and a bulging disk among other things. It has been a daily struggle to deal with the pain. I am currently taking oxycodone, celebrex and muscle relaxants. I have been told repeatedly by physiatrists, orthopedic surgeons and physiotherapists that there is nothing more that they can do to help me. My quality of life has deminished and I am no longer able to work doing what I love, which is working with children. I was left depressed and with no answers as to what caused all of this. Recently I met an orthopedic surgeon that suggested travelling to Egypt where I have family and having 2 -3 of my thoracic vertabrae fused. I am scared and nervous about the possibilty of surgery but i feel i have no other options. Does anyone have any advice for me? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.
Q: I am a 27 year old female suffering from chronic back pain.
Sounds familiar to me. I thought I hit a dead end with my back at the age of 29 years old until I found the right physical therapist. All physical therapists are not created equally. Some have much more training than others. The best way to find the best physical therapist with the AAOMPT fellow locator:
http://aaompt.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=75
The American Academy of Orthopedic and Manual Therapists have an excellent credentialing program. The best and the brightest are members/fellows. Find a AAOMPT fellow and that just might make all the difference. It did for me.
Deciding to have surgery is scary. I always advise patients that considering surgery is a personal decision. You should only choose surgery if you are ready to risk your pain getting worse. Is surgery worth the risk? That is a question that only you can answer.
Dr. Christina Lasich, MD
Wow, you sound like my twin! I have DDD also and during the first two operations (laminectomy and discectomy) it was just a problem with the L5/S1, afterwards, I now have stenosis all the way up to L2 and pain everywhere throughout my legs. . If I were you, and I had tried everything (swimming, injections, accupuncture, chiropractor) and nothing can ease your pain, with lots of hesitation I say do it. I would stick to surgeons in the U.S.A., the only reason I say that is that we have more stringent rules here as far as cleanliness and safety. I say yes with hesitation because although I have problems all the way up to my L2, I would never let them touch me again. I live my days with methadone, celebrez and flexerel. I pray for you that whatever decision that you make it goes well. I began my bad back journey when I was about 40, and you are much younger than I. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones. All I can say is that weigh the decision heavily because you are young and it may fix you but on the other hand it could make you worse. I don't know if this has helped but I wish you the best.
hi .. i just had surgury my self.. dont be scared after it is done your gonna feel better believe me.. my surgury was done one last month on the 16th. i'm starting to feel better.. believe me its gonna get better .. dont give up the hope.. i struggled just like you for years i'm 24 since i was 19 i had very very bad pain and yes i'm still in pain but not that much considering the pain before was worse
Hello Medina,
Well there is a lot I can say about this, that's for sure. There are several reasons docs don't want to do surgery.
*Often if it's complicated the patient will often still have mild - severe chronic pain afterwards. When pain is not completely alleiviated, their repair job can be deemed a failure.
*You never know which patients will heal the best.
*Type of Insurance you have
*How long you have been injured/deteriorated with chronic pain.
I'm sure they have a lot more criteria than that. Avoiding people who "truly have DDD is probably common also. No matter what they do in their opinion you may still have deterioration afterwards?
Three years after my injury they finally found three blown disc in my neck. It took me a full year to find a doc and get approval for sugery. I was homebound due to medications for the most part and the final year before surgery i was bedridden. The pain in the neck would cause awfull headaches practically daily.
Though my pain is still there and in an injured shoulder, eight years later, I say my surgeon was my saving grace.
One doc told me they go by the LAW of THIRDS: 33% will get better, 33% will stay the same and 33% will get worse .... some odds eh?
My doc said 50% chance to make me better, and 50% remain about the same, he promised he'd make it no worse!
He is "watching" my herniation in the low back and says, "let's not touch it until your limbs are affected". A bit of an exaggeration. You also have to weigh how much damage is being done to the rest of your body from nerve compression.
Good luck to you,
Marge
Medina,
My suggestion is that you do everything possible, exhaust every avenue available both in reguar and alternative medicine before you opt for surgery. If you haven't been to any sort of pain management therapy you definately need to go there first.
If you have tried physical therapy - try it again but give it all you have. If you've had epidurals - try them again or try nerve blocks. Check into white laser treatments and accupunture - there are lots of alternative things out there but you have to search them out.
I guess I'm saying to avoid it if at all possible but if you've given everything else your absolute best (be honest with yourself here) - nothing has helped and it's gotten to the point that it's affecting your arms or hands etc. then I would say you have no other choice.
Back surgery is a though surgery and it is not a 100% guaranteed fix even with a top notch surgeon in the best spinal hospital. There are many failed surgeries out there - I'm one of them.
I live with chronic pain daily and there is nothing to be done about it except try another surgery... it would be my 3rd. I'm not willing to go through it again - too painful for yet another dissapointment.
Medina, I hear and understand what you are saying. I have had chronic back pain for the past 20 years. One discectomy and two years later two level fusion of L4-S1. My surgery was necessary due to the weakness in my leg and foot. I too was told that the surgery may not help the chronic pain. Two years post surgery I have the strength in my leg and foot however the chronic pain is still with me. The other complication to surgery being done on one section stress moves to the next level up or down. Meaning, fusion of say thoracic 3-4 the stress on the levels above or below increase which cause additional problems. I do not recommend surgery to treat the pain. Injections are also a hit or miss. One suggestion I do have is to try acupuncture. I know of several people who have had much success. Good Luck and God Bless. Judy
Hi sorry it took me so long to respond as i just got to open your story today.
If I was in your position this is what i would do.
I would also see a neurologist specialist in this field.
I would keep a copy of all xrays, mri's, ct scans. any medical records at home with you and yes you have a right to them. Also get reports on disc if you can.
I would read up on each and every dx that you have been given and read all you can about treatments.
I would also contact clinicaltrials.gov to see what they have discovered and if you feel the need email the dr. who is working on the study of trial.
I would forward a copy of your records along with a letter about you and your situation to the dr. in Eygpt i think you said it was.
Find out if you are going to get meds to help you with your nerves before the operation. What kind of therapy you will get after. Will you get pain meds to deal with your pain after surgery. Does the medical hospital provide in house re-hab or will you have to go someplace else. What will you experience as far as movement, walking, etc for after the surgery you can expect. And always bring your own pain meds with you in the hospital just in case you run into a problem, but don't let them know. And if you run into problems can they treat any of them at the hospital where you will have the surgery done. Don't play the wait and see game with the drs. stand your ground and be your own best caretaker.
My 15 old neice just had back surgery for her scoliosis and she is doing fine and grew 2 inches over night. All her activites were limited for months the big one no stairs, she needed at home help for 2 months.
My best to you,
misslisa
I am an old (64) retired guy who has had back problems for many years. Following a really minor auto "bumper" accident last April, I knew I needed help. Basically in the L4 and L5 region.
Somehow I found www.laserspineinstitute.com . I met with them and had my surgery last august 27th. I am happy to report that my back, though not 100% 'normal' now allows me to have a normal life without very much pain medication. They are located in tampa, FL, and opened another Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ several months ago.
They actually don't do 'open spinal surgery', but rather 'Orthoscopic surgery', which means you are waliking within 6-hours after surgery, without pain! At least check out their web site...
Whatever you decide, I wish you the very best - I have lived the back-pain life, and empathize with you.
There are certainly several things you should try before going to Egypt for such major surgery. Have you been to a clinic or doctor who specializes in PAIN? The right physical therapy could help (perhaps water therapy, which helped me a lot). You might also find that your pain is helped with denervation done on your back, which is much less invasive that fusing discs. I have thoracic problems, too, and having the doc go in and burn the nerves reduced the pain dramatically. After a year or so, the nerves grow back (which is where I am now), but it's not a bad procedure. They sedate you but you remain awake and aware...much safer than anything requiring general anesthetic. My understanding is that fusing discs only gives you a 50-50 chance of significant help. Burning the nerve endings means your brain never gets the pain message. Another thing, if you haven't tried it: TENS. You can use it all you want, and if it works, you can reduce the amount of oxycodone, which will help you sleep better and be more alert during the day.
Hello.....I just wanted to know if your back pains are worse during your periods.
I ask this because I, too, suffered from chronic back pain and when I reached the ripe age of past 40 and needed a hysterectomy, my back pain got so much better. I had endometriosis (sp) which was the major problem concerning my back problems.
So you might want to make sure that the problems are just what you think. And find yourself a good doctor whom you trust to treat you. I think the doctor who treats you is the answer to any problem you might have......make sure he/she is a good doctor and is truly concerned with your wellbeing. Yes, I do think there are doctors in the medical field who have no business being there. I have had carpal tunnel on both hands, parathyroid surgery, cervical surgery, elbow surgery and 4 knee surgeries, plus gallbladder, hysterectomy, and 3 c-sections.....and just recently wrist surgery and my 3rd carpal tunnel surgery...
If you trust your doctor then you will be more relaxed about your surgery.
May GOD bless you and comfort you and help you find peace.
MiMi
hi,
Having lived over half of my 65 years in debilitating pain, I recognize an overload of physical pain, with emotional and spiritual confusion whirling your sense of abandonment about what your body is going through. I want to remind you to take time to TAKE YOUR MIND BACK. You have a MIND, not the other way around. The isolation and developing sense that you "can't" make a good decision about what the best step for you to take at this time, could be. You don't say who (or how many) doctors you have seen regarding your options. Surgeons generally want to come in and cut, then leave and leave you to deal with whatever it was or still is consuming all your energies --- leaving you with diminiishing remnants and a growing nagging that you MUST decide at once what to do...and then do it.
Simply, I want to encourage you to put your friends and family (the ones still left) out on the laptops/libraries/support groups for others like yourself who have gone through this surgical intervention. Once cutting starts, the entryway for other diseases and counter - productive measures that only begin a beleaguring nomadic existence sets in.
You need to take your MIND and give it a task every day. At least one thing each day that is positive and opening other doors (possibilities) to take back your POWER.
(You might ask this dr.(s) about some of his other patients (like yourself) and would he be willing to take your uncertainties and request that they talk with you about this issue, what the surgery has done for them, where is it taking them and how is their PAIN on a daily basis. Are they still on pain meds (even if the surgery only reduces your level of pain to the place where you can tolerate it with meds, that would sound better to me; but then, I'm not you, do not know your issues or responsibilities in this Life, how much internal and external consequences are you willing to put up with?
I have put up too long seeing the compromise in the disguise; and thus, much time was lost. The river does not flow backwards, nor does the chimes on the clock reverse themselves.
There used to be a show on 50's tv called THIS IS YOUR LIFE (and some well known celebrity would reveal their course of down hill collisions and how they were able to put together a "team" of multi-faceted healers to pull them back from the irreversal abyss they were teatering on.
The ancient healing techniques of early humankind were treated by a "Shaman" -- many will scoff at their true allegiance to remove or reduce the pillars of pain that you must daily find your being in conflict with. This is a tough Journey and many will not choose it, rather preferring the inner wrestling with pain, being all you must be, and most certainly hiding your greatest fear -- that someone will see you falter and know. The economic puzzle in this country right now is being overloaded on every front -- what can a person with crushing pain do? YOU TAKE CARE OF YOU (and I am hoping you have someone who cares enough to battle beside you) in this partnership. It will not leave either of you untouched, undone in some fashion. Perhaps old truisms will now have to be thrown out. That which one day made you strong and saved you, may now strip you and take your life. YOU HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO WEAVE THE ANSWERS THROUGH.
WHILE we all walk on high wires for which we were not made (yet can be learned); we must yet cross over to the other side. I suspect there are more stable and enriching wisdoms trying to get through to you. Now everyone dreams. Most do not get serious with their unconscious mind where these dreams can be revealed. I encourage you to take a notepad along with pen and lay them on your bed/floor/table, so that immediately when you awaken you will find yourself with some yet clear images. Don't try to make sense of the them, just write down how you felt, any visuals or sounds that left you especially touched. This may take some time as we set our minds for morning rising, so we must become quite serious about where our dreams may take us in your dark sleep--and what the language (dream) of this strange land may tell you, inspire you, open doors and windows of LIGHT......you didn't even know existed. I say this only because I have followed and still do follow my dreams and their language. This accomplice can become your most reliable shadow. After some time goes by, you may find yourself able to retain more and more of the "jungle-like" tricksters you are pushing through. The more you TRUST YOUR DREAMS (and pay attention to where you are in Life and the living of it, you may want to draw them--now don't start with the no no's --- you are not seeking to be van Gogh (and then again....?). The Idea is to get your MIND to enter the rooms of your "home" ---- the house you live in. (your MIND) And there are many good books out there on DREAMS (also a class involving the dream language -- the dream will use what is familiar to you).
But, I have strayed too far (a vice of mine) from my original intention. We stand at the portal of a newly birthed year. You see I know you can fly, the dance is for you to know that too.
Be well. As you take care in what you eat (right?), so should you take care of what you allow entry into your MIND -- for here is our Heaven or our Hell. REMEMBER:
The HEART has reasons that REASON knows nothing about.
And as you macerte through that jungle you've allowed to take over your body and mind, so you must wield it through and along a Path you (perhaps) never knew existed. We all have one. Sometime it is a song to be sung, or a dance that becomes a communion. Whatever IT is for you, don't let this GOLDEN YET pass you by, therefore missing altogether the ridge of the pain, the whitewater currents of your body's reckless and frightening unscouted or unexplored terrain; or the greater Light that shines through you, in you and your Body's Lesson (to get you to understand so desperately that it would go to these lengths) , while always just inches away, is the cradle of Knowledge, Path-Finder, Immense Leader for others who then will be where you are now.
Amazing isn't it? What LOVE is and what IT is NOT. Open your Self and begin the REAL JOURNEY, my friend. PAIN is the door bell, the watcher at the well, the gardner on his knees not even glancing up as you pass, or are carried by. The Sun and the soil; the wind and the enfolding breezes wrap you gently and while you sleep, the answers grow beneath your tender feet. YES, the Journey is worth it. You are too much young to give up ! We do not know the role of our soul...and that for which our hearts in measure, once we do finally KNOW WHAT IT IS TO LOVE AND BE LOVED.
~ayearning~
Have you tried liquid glucosamine?
That's what I use, I too have a deteriorated disc in my lower back, and living off of pain medications didn't sound like really living. More like just staying alive and dodging endless pain.
I chose not to pursue surgery because the success rate is about 50/50 and it could lead to worse pain, which means living life as a cripple.
I bought liquid glucosamine from Synflex online, and I take 1500mg/day. I also exercise and stretch my back and drink about 4 liters of water a day. After about 6 weeks of doing these things, my pain has vanished.
Hope this helps!
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~ayearning~...
Thank you for your reply to this lady's question! My spine injury and resulting pain are nowhere near what this dear lady is going through, though my pain combined with other health issues have made each day a challenging one to live. Though not spoken directly to me, I needed to hear these words of truth you spoke. These are words of life... reminding me of who I am beyond pain and sickness and exhaustion. And it is these words that beckon my spirit to rise up in the life and strength, not that I possess, but of the One who calls me to life. Your words have given me more HOPE than anything else has in the past 11 years!
THANK YOU!!!! *big warm hug of gratitude*
You are quite the unexpected treasure, and I suspect that not many people recognize the gift that you are! <3