I think you may have grounds for legal action!!!! How could an x-ray miss three shattered vertebrae? Unless they were cracked in a miniscule way and then collapsed some time after the accident.

I suggest you seek out an orthopaedic consultant and request those x-rays be sent to him to review in time for your appointment. Your gp can and should refer you on the basis of those findings so you can best discuss how to tackle it.

I had a serious accident in my teens and 13 years later, have all kinds of problems. I have also just founded a (slicker looking than this forum for brits with back problems to meet and discuss, its at british back pain dot co dot uk /forum and is brand new and needs new members who have back problems to share knowledge and support each other. Please join and pass on the word.

Hope you get some answers soon for your back too, must be agony.

Bex

I complained to the hospital and they said they saw it but that the doctor was new and she couldnt be expected to act like experienced doctors and that you cant avoid human error! I am waiting for a response from the healthcare commission.

You'll probably be looking at a spinal fusion when your older. But even if they had seen the fractures when you were in the ER the treatment would be pain killers and possible surgery to stabalize the fractures if they needed it. Other than than that the treament wouldn't be greatly different. You can seek out an othopedic surgeon that specializes in spines see an neurologist and they can better tell you what to expect long term. There are a lot of factors to consider like your current health and weight, and diseases that you might have that will affect your healing like osteoporosis. Also your current activity level can play a factor.

One of the problems with the back recovery was that they sent me home within 2 hours but I couldn't walk. A wheelchair took me to the car, but I had to crawl over the drive and into my front room where I took up residence on the sofa. I have been there a year and a half now. I can't lie flat it is too painful and I can't return to a bed.

The MRI showed 4 compression fractures at T11&12 and T6&7 with up to 75% loss of bone height and a burst area into the spinal canal. It is just short of pressing onto my spinal cord which seems to bend around the projection. The spine is straight rather than curved between these areas and all the bones from L1 to T5 show some element of damage. The discs between look abnormal too.

Have you seen a spinal surgeon about this and your treatment options? If not this would be your next step.

I have seen a spinal surgeon. He offered to fuse some vertebrae and do a piriformis release (I have had no feeling in my buttock since the accident and have shooting pains up my back and down my spine. After 3 months, my legs swelled and became pink, then red then bruised. At this point I lost feeling in my foot. This resolved around 6 months later. I also get tingling in my calf). He emphasised the danger involved in working near the spinal cord, aorta and sciatic nerve. He also said that he had never done a piriformis release and he would have to research it. I opted for a rehab programme as the surgery sounds scary. It sounds like 3 weeks intensive physio. I do not know if I am up to it. I generally sleep most of the day.
I have not yet seen a neurologist. I asked to see one but was sent to oropaedics where my broken back was discovered. I have asked since and have been told a spinal centre is just as good for this. Is that correct? I can't trust what they tell me any more.