Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Los Angeles, Ca
Ddd Making Me Lose Patience With Life Itself... Any Advice? Posted: 03-11-06 04:41am
Hi. I am a 23 year old femal who was
just digagnosed with ddd. I have a
desiccated l4-5, tear in the annulus, a
3mm difuse bulge, a herniated disc and
minimal stenosis. All my doctors seem to
vary in their opionions of just how
serious this is... From orthopedic
surgeons saying I need fusion to my
general who just keeps pumping me full of
pain meds. I do physical therapy 2x a
week, accupuncture 2x a week (which helped
when I ordiginally hurt myself but I am
just starting again after about a year
off), aqua aerobics 2x a week and sooooo
many doctors appointments on top of 15
units of school, 30 hours of work and
trying to plan my wedding in july!!! I
am losing my mind and getting soooo
depressed, on top of it my fiance and I
seem to not be getting along because I am
turning into an evil b*tch :twisted: .
I have an appointment for the epidural
steroid injection, in two weeks. I have
been told it may not help me b/c the
radiopulthy isn't really that bad and the
back pain is what my main problem is. I
am wiling to try anything but am scared to
death of the idea of undergoing fusion, I
don't have time and it seems so
severe!!!
... But I would love to hear
stories/advice from people who have lived
through this.
Advice? Personal experience? Words of
wisdom? This is so hard right now!
Thanks!
-elisa
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Alex1
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 16 Aug 2004 Posts: 11 Location: U.K
Posted: 03-14-06 17:15pm
I feel for you I really do I know how bad
a toll it can have on your personal
life.
Basically I had abit of back pain somthing
of which I know now wasnt that serious, a
small buldge in the middle of my back.
For some reason the sugeon wanted to
perform facet joint injections on my facet
joints in my lower back?Anyway I now have
constant pain caused from the injections
even 6 months on.
Anyway nothing shows on an mri scan. I
dont know how this compares to your pain
but I do now how seriously it can affect
your personality and therefore effect
those around you especially loved ones.
I split up with my girlfriend over this
and was with her for 5 years.
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sandyallen
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 4580
Posted: 03-14-06 17:47pm
Hi there! I too live with ddd, djd along
wit fibromyalgia and other medical
conditions. Although I am older than you
and I realize what you are talking about
with the pain meds but what I have learned
is that stress makes it worse if pt is
helping, stay with it. I learned after
having two neck fusions that one leads to
another and so on but we are not all alike
I do not want to be cut on anymore because
I have learned that after sugery, then you
also have scar tissue thrn artritis to
deal with. If my Dr. Would tell me that
it would make me 50-60% better, then I
would seriously think about it, just my
opinion. Only you mainly, your dr,
fiance and family can help you to
decide.
Good luck!
Keep us posted on your decision.
I have always felt with ddd that you just
had to live with it even though my problem
is l4 to s1 with it being degenerative
that it would just get worse.
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arunlnaik
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Bangalore
It Is a Bit Serious Posted: 03-17-06 12:42pm
Hi
i have not seen your mri, but the fact
that some surgeons advised surgery is a
serious issue. If there is significant
foraminal stenosis or canal narrowing you
may need surgery. But stay away from
those epidural injections usually given by
some orthopedicians. These epidural
injections temporarily relieve pain, but
eventually you need another shot in your
back soon! Also these steroid injections
induce severe epidural and perineural
fibrosis which make your pain worse after
some time. If you contemplate surgery in
the future, then you wont get good relief
because your nerves get scarred due to
steroids. In fact many recent studies
have shown the dangerous side effects of
these injections. I have not used any
epidurals on my patients in the last
decade or so. Whether you need a simple
microdiscectomy or a fusion can be told
only if I see your images. Feel free to
respond.
Regards
dr arun naik
neurosurgeon
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tinkerbelisalynn
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Los Angeles, Ca
Thank You Posted: 03-17-06 13:19pm
I appreciate everyone's advice, truly...
This is very difficult!
My decision is to start the injections-i
refuse to remain on them forever and am
pretty sure 3 will be my max! I do have
some stenosis, but was told it is
minor-does that get worse with age?
Any help would be great!
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disabledcoastie
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 68 Location: West Virginia
Posted: 03-25-06 19:07pm
Yes it will get worse with age. I too
have ddd, degenerative joints,
osteoarthritis, etc. But the good news
is that you are still young enough to do
something about it. As you age your back
will continually break down, or age faster
than the rest of your body. The stenosis
normally gets worse and the ddd can spread
to other levels. The trouble with the
shots is that you get to feeling better
because the shot has numbed the pain, you
end up being more active during this time
and doing more damage to yourself. Then
another shot and the same thing happens
all over again. What you have to realize
is that you have a chronic condition that
needs to be addressed and not covered up
with pain meds and injections. Deal with
it directly and see if you can get long
term benefits, not just a bandaid that
ends up causing more damage that it helps.
I did great with my first fusion and if
ihad of listened to the docs then I don't
believe I would have hurt myself the way I
am now. I'm married and according to my
wife a total a$$ most of the time due to
pain. I'm in pain all the time with no
way to get any relief outside of
narcotics, you are young, find yourself a
good neurosurgeon and get some treatment
that will give you long term benefits.
Check out www.Spineuniverse.Com
to do some research of your condition.
Also there is another board at http://spineyat42.Conf
orums.Com/index.Cgi where the people
there all have and are dealing with
chronic back conditions, you will find
alot of support, advice and resources to
help you. Take care good luck and have a
wonderful wedding.
