Back Pain Forum - degenerative disc disease

I hope someone may have some advice or tips for me as i'm having a really bad time at the moment. I have had degenerative disc disease since 2001 & have just been medically retired from work because of it. I'm 39. I had a mri in 2001 which showed that my lower 4 discs were degenerated, the 5th disc was torn & the 6th weakened. I have been told by a number of repected consultants that surgery is not a possibility because there are too many discs damaged.

I have steriod epidurals roughly every 6 months for sciatica (next one due about march 2006) and i'm on opiate based painkillers. I've also tried accupuncture but this only worked for a very short time, no matter how often I went.

The last week has been really bad & I can hardly move, sit or lie down. Does anyone have any suggestions to help me through the christmas week? Are there any alternative therpies/supplements (suitable for vegetarians) apart from accupuncture any advice would be really appreciated.
Thank you.

Ali.

Replies(2)

fatfamily02

replied on December 24th, 2005

Extremely eHealthy

I do not believe anyone deserves the pains and complications associated with bulging disc, hernieted disc, flattened disc, or whatever they are calling yours. It completely stopped my life. I messed up 4 in my back and one in my neck during one episode of injury. What happened was my spine dislocated, and with lifting, messed all these discs up in just a few days. I felt them crush one by one, I heard and felt it!!! Even the workmans comp suggested it had "damaged my body as a whole"

it messed up my legs, arms, all the strength of my body, they would press on the spinal cord and nerve roots causing all kinds of srtrange symptoms, and no one understood it at all.

Email me and I will offer any suggestions I might have

disabledcoastie

replied on December 24th, 2005

Experienced User

Aliards,

find you another neurosurgeon to ask. I don't know what all is bad in your back but I would definitely try to find somebody to help me. Seems like you would be a canidate for a fusion with cages.

Spineuniverse

great site with alot of info I go there alot for my problems for research and such. Btw i've had two fusions on my lumbar area, I think there is someone out there who can help you. Good luck.

Learn About Us

Get Help

Join In

Do More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health
information:
verify here.

The site is not a replacement for professional medical opinion, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment. Do not delay seeking or disregard medical advice based on information written by any author on this site. No health questions and information on eHealth Forum is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor. Posts made to these forums express the views and opinions of the author, and not the administrators, moderators, or editorial staff and hence eHealth Forum and its principals will accept no liabilities or responsibilities for the statements made. Schizophrenia health sitemap.
This page was last updated on January 1, 2009.
© 2008 eForums, Inc