Not sure how to use this site but had an MRI yesterday and a consult today for a vertebroplasty and he said no because I am almost healed and the risks were to great for the result. The pain is only a 3 but it has been about 41/2 months so I thought a vertebroplasty would strengthen my spine and I could be just like I was before I fractured my T-7. I also thought if you had osteoprosis you were to exercise which I loved to do now he says don't lift anything more than 10 lbs. and walking was good, swimming but not real keen on the gym. He just said I MUST be careful as I can get another compression fracture. I thought you were to build your muscels with weights etc but I will do what he says as I will continue to stay active BUT. Pam someone read your story somewhere on this site but I don't know how or where. Would like to know about you as whatever it was you have not given up. I have always been someone to do it myself so this is aufull but anything can be worse. The doc did say even with the vertebroplasty my life would not go back the way it was before all this happened.
- Find
Q: This is for Pam Flores about MRI and herself
Hi Sandra: Larry has done an excellent job explaining his personal experiences with fractures, exercise, limitations and pain. Since all of these things are so personal, you really just have to find out what works for you.
Since your fracture is already healing, then I can see why vertebroplasty is no longer an option. Hopefully the fracture will take care of itself and your pain will subside once you've completely healed. A broken bone does take time to heal so be patient, as annoying as that can be.
I would take your Dr.'s advice on the things to watch out for since you don't want another fracture. Unfortunately once we fracture, additional fractures *can* triple in occurence so just be smart about your movements and what you lift. If you do lift anything, make sure it's really light in weight, and bend from the knees not the spine to lift, also holding the object close to your body.
Are you using heat/ice for the pain? I use those two things a lot and find it does help. You might want to ask your Dr about some of the topical pain meds, like Lidoderm, and see if that's something that might help. Lidoderm is a patch with lidocaine on it and it absorbs into your skin. Just make sure you don't have any allergies to novacaine or lidocaine before trying it, if you do. This is a rx'd med and not real inexpensive, so check the price and your coverage on this first.
I don't know if I can explain this, but giving up, is not an option for me, so I just keep plugging away. Don't get me wrong there are times when you wish things were different, but since I can't change my situation, I just have to deal with it, with the help of others and in finding things that help me out when I really need it.
Larry also did a great job explaining this site, so just play around with it and see if you can't navigate it using his advice. Remember that all blue text are links to other pages, so whenever you see them, and your interested in the topic, just click on the blue word. Here's a link for using this site that might also help you out.
Good luck, and take it one day at a time, don't rush it, you'll figure it all out as you go through each day.
Hi Sandra, I'm sure Pam will join in... I am in the same boat as you are. I have a compression fracture at T-11. I was shocked that I have osteoporosis and the fracture at age 54 (and I'm a male, I thought this was a women's issue!). I am quite active and run 3.4 to 4.4 miles 3 to 6 times a week. Tests show no cause for my osteoporosis, I just have it.
I have been in pain since Feb 07. The fracture was found by accident on a routine chest x-ray in Dec 08. A chest x-ray taken in Mar 07 actually shows the fracture but both doctors and the radiologist missed it! I have had every test imaginable (except for back/osteoporosis). Because I felt the pain as radiated pain in my abdomen, they checked all my internal organs and then my heart (due to family history). I had an expensive nuclear stress test.
Any way, I have osteoporosis. I am researching what to do about the fracture. It would seem that while your doctor is correct about the fracture being almost healed, there are other more serious surgeries possible if the fracture is unstable or there is nerve involvement. I will be going to an orthopedic surgeon soon to explore this further. You have had the MRI, which I have not yet had. I think that there is also a nuclear scan test that can show how new the fracture is.
While I can't tell you at what level to continue your exercise, my doctors have not actually told me to stop my running. Studies show that weight bearing exercise does improve bone quality. The level of exercise we do has to take into account how severe our osteoporosis is.
One of the first things I looked at is how much exercise to do. So many of the recommendations seemed to tell us to do little exercise... that the risk is too high that we can get another fracture. At my age, I don't want to stop. I found a lady on line that was in her 60's with osteoporosis and was an avid skier. She made a choice to continue skiing as a quality of life issue. Yes there is risk. If you are 20 you can fall and break a bone. She continues to ski. We can get another fracture rolling over in bed or sneezing! Your level of exercise has to be your choice taking into account what your doctors say.
I have a great amount of pain just standing washing my hands at the sink, and have little pain running! If I stop and sit on the curb or get up from the couch, I have pain. I find that getting on the floor flat on my back will relieve the pain. For me I have decided to continue living and running as long as I can or until I am told to stop. I am aware of the risk and I am aware that anything can happen at any time.
So, Sandra, take care, learn all you can. Keep asking questions. Keep living!
Hi Sandra, it is Larry again! I thought I would give you some tips for using the site.
If you go to the home page: http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/ you will see lots of information about osteoporosis. There is news and other information there. You will also see Pam's profile. You can click on her link and find out about her and also see all of her posts. There are links by other experts and other people like us. I haven't yet done my own share post, but that may come.
You can log in and and send and receive messages, too.
I hope that can help you get around the site a little better.
Larry
If you see a question or post you can contact that person by clicking on their name or picture (or where a picture would be).
You can also see all questions anyone has asked on the site.
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