Help/advice Plse (at My Wits End) Posted: 02-07-06 10:38am
I am presently having pain in the very
bottom of my back, and shooting pains
going down both legs. Whilst sitting all
my toes go numb and after walking for
about 10 mins my legs become weak, also
when laying down on my back for more than
15mins both my hands go to sleep with pins
and needles. I also have a numb patch on
my right thigh that extends from the top
of the thigh to my knee. These sysmptoms
have been going on now for 18months and a
getting worse. I have had 2 x mri scans
but they just showed some disc
degeneration at l4/l5 and some fornanimal
narrowing but not significant enough for
my specialists to consider surgery. I
have had a selective nerve root block that
made things worse.
I am presently taking 180mg of
dihydrocodeine, 75mg amitriptylne, 400mg
tramadol a day, 1 x 30/500 mg cocodomol, 3
x 50mg diclofenac.
My farther suffered with a similar thing
when he was my age which resulted in
partial paralasis, although he is not sure
what his problems was and all he knows is
he had to have emergency surgery have you
any ideas of what could be the cause or
suggestions to aid recovery
many thanks
tony
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disabledcoastie
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 68 Location: West Virginia
Posted: 02-07-06 10:49am
Popeye,
you need to get to a neurosurgeon, and
pronto. The doc's who are saying you
aren't ready for surgery maybe putting you
more at risk for permanent nerve damage.
With your family history I would be doubly
concerned as you may have a genetic
condition that causes your back to
deteriorate. Please go get a second
opinion.
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popeye1234
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Feb 2006 Posts: 4 Location: uk
Posted: 02-07-06 11:14am
Thanks for your quick reply have seen a
neurologist and a neuro phsyoligist but
they didnt have any ideas, the best advice
I could get was try a chiropractor but
dont waste to much money. They did an emg
and nerve conduction studies but said that
all it showed was there was no permenant
nerve damage at the moment. Had a 3rd mri
yesterday which supposed to be with
contrast dye, but at the hospital they
said after the normal mri they werent
going to do it with dye, and it was a
clinical decision by the radio ologist
(what ever that means!?) and refused to
tell me what if anything the scan had
achieved, so have now got to wait until my
dr can fit me to let me know.
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AM_28
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 8 Location: UK
Similar Situation Here Posted: 03-04-06 08:25am
Hi popeye. I am sorry to hear of your
problem as I can identify only too well
with this. In the uk, consultants
will delay patient investigations for
years to save money.
Like you I have had the same situation in
trying to get further tests done -i had
some mri which are showing a "mild"
prolapse at l5/s1, I am told this is not
particularly diagnostic for my symptoms of
back pain, numbness in the legs sometimes
and muscle spasms.
I have also seen a neurologist and a
neurophysiologist, had emg, bone scan,
lumbar puncture and countless other tests,
there is evidence of minor neurological
deficit yet I am being told "you have not
reached the threshold at which the pain
clinic can do anything for you". What
threshold are we expected to reach?
Already I am living on morphine tablets
and liquid, this has been going on for
three years now and I am getting worse and
worse with the neuro problems, muscle
stiffness, bladder problems, pain in low
back dropping into left buttock etc.
I was mistakenly diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis, upon my own independent uptake
of a second opinion, this diagnosis was
rescinded. I have reached a stage
where I have no confidence or belief in
most doctors I meet. There is one
doctor who is fully engaged into helping
me and has tried numerous things, botox,
epidurals etc, he is the only doctor whom
has not given up on me and is still trying
to elucidate matters to final conclusive
diagnosis. My next step is also a
neurosurgeon whom is experienced in pain
management.
What I can advise is that I have achieved
very powerful results when I have invoked
my mp's support when the hospital get
sticky about doing further tests and
putting me on long waiting lists. I
have been quoted mri waiting times of 18
months and my mp got me them within six
weeks. 18 months for a diagnostic
test is simply not acceptable.
I agree that you must insist upon a
referral to a neurosurgeon - realistically
the decision of whether or not surgery is
a necessary intervention lies in the hands
of the person whom has experience of
carrying out this surgery. Do not be
fobbed off - if you become increasingly
disabled now, it's too late after that!
I would imagine at some stage depending on
the outcome of the neurosurgical
appointment that you should potentially
consider seeing a solicitor regarding
clinical negligence, it sounds like you
are in an extremely similar position to me
overall but mismanagement of chronic pain
is unacceptable. Allowing neurological
deficit to worsen if it is cause by
orthopaedic correctable problem is
negligent medical practice.
Popeye - basically we're pretty much in
the same place here albeit minor
differences in symptoms, if you wanna chat
then drop me an email, regards annemarie
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paininacme
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Acme,WA
Posted: 03-09-06 10:44am
Wow!!! I think I would be finding a 2nd
or 3rd opinion. Technology has come
soooo far since this happened to your
father. You need to get this taken care
of before its too late. Im really sorry
for the pain that you are in. :cry:
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disabledcoastie
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 68 Location: West Virginia
Posted: 03-09-06 22:58pm
Pain,
these poor fellas are across the pond in
the uk, so health care there is government
funded, so you kinda get what you get.
It is my understanding that they don't
have the same options we have here.
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popeye1234
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Feb 2006 Posts: 4 Location: uk
Posted: 03-10-06 02:18am
Ive supposedly been lucky, all my medical
costs are being picked up by my company so
can get it all done privatly which cuts
down on waiting times no end, one of the
perks for working for a big american
company I suppose they try to look after
you medically as much as they can. But
even though they have spend around £4500
in the last 12 months on nerve blocks,
scans, and op to free latteral cutenous
nerve, and various other things still no
further on than when I started, have now
been off work for the past 6 months with
no sign of returning at the moment, so
getting fed up, and have now been
diagnosed with depression!!
Have started taking fentanyl patches
(50microgram per hour), does anybody have
any experience with these?? Was a big
step to go over to them, I was trying to
avoid strong painkillers, but got to the
stage now where I dont really care.
Thanks for all your replys it has given me
heart knowing im not the only one
suffering with these problems, and it
means alot that you could take some time
out from your own problems to drop me a
line.
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AM_28
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 8 Location: UK
Fentanyl Posted: 03-10-06 07:01am
Hi I used these, then found I was getting
breakthrough pain, there are other patches
called transtec, I lost a lot of weight on
fentanyl, at worst point 1 stone in 4
weeks, had nausea, loss of appetite,
profuse sweating and drowsiness. I was
on a high strength so give it a go, see
how u get on. I wouldn't even take an
aspirin before this! You just reach the
point where you don't care and need pain
relief.
