Degenerative discs and nerve damage help please.

Wannabedebtfree

I've got DDD in T5-T9 and slipped discs L4-L5-S1.

The doc put me on Tramadol (400mg a day) and Paracetamol (4000mg) and that was just over a year ago.

They used to help up until last June/July, but it's trying to persuade the doc to give me something else I find the problem with

lynnysinger

Wannabedebtfree wrote: »

I've got DDD in T5-T9 and slipped discs L4-L5-S1.

The doc put me on Tramadol (400mg a day) and Paracetamol (4000mg) and that was just over a year ago.

They used to help up until last June/July, but it's trying to persuade the doc to give me something else I find the problem with

methinks it could be time to see a specialist.. sounds like you may benefit from intervention. i have just had multilevel spinal fusion (cervical), and after my recovery and rehabilitation will be undergoing spinal fusion for my lumbar spine. ive had 5 spinal injections, but to no avail, also on the tramadol and codeine for pain relief, but its affected me so bad that now my walking is very limited, and i use a scooter when out.
you should get a consultant to look after you now because GP's are not able to see whats going on in your spine, and if it is getting worse you could end up with permanent damage. they are doing disc replacements now for spine. i couldnt have them because the damage was so bad, and they discovered that my bones are soft, but if you get those replaced it could make a world of difference to you.

good luck anyway, and to all those who suffer with arthritis and associated spinal damage!

spreading the love and hugs!:):)

Ellejmorgan

I have this condition and have multiple disc herniations or bulges..
I had the one in my lower back removed as my leg was numb, i had foot drop, and my pelvic area was being affected..After suffering for 10 months they operated quickly as it had hit crisis point..The medical team stated it was one of the worst disc bulges they had ever seen and surgery was only option..this was in 2009

18 months ago i woke up to feel like my collar bone was broken and I had little neck mobility, basically a dead arm, numbness and pins & needles..MRI scan showed prolapse at
c5-6 and was due to have a fusion and replacement in july 10 but due to unplanned pregnancy they couldn't so they gave me steroid in my neck instead, 1st injection improved my arm..Had another last month which hasn't helped at all..They want to do the op but I can't because of kids..

Went to back clinic last week and doc examined me and I was crying, sent for immediate x ray which shows i have arthritis and spinal erosion in lower back and i'm looking at having my spine fused..Also still have cronic sciatica from before..

I have a great docs surgery and I was on transtec morphine patches til 8 months pregnant as was on 70 mcg when conceived I had to be weaned off, had it all tramadol, oromorph, pregablin, diclofenac and now back on the morphine patches at 15 mcg and rising..

All this and I get a grand total of £19.55 dla per week..
Also i'm only 33 years old...

Ps just had my 3rd disc prolapse and am being sent for specialist counselling to help me cope better emotionally, this was recommended by my physiotherapist...

Ellejmorgan

Ps also get bad headaches and breathlessness from the cervical disk prolapse as nerves that pass to my head are being compressed..

lynnysinger

Ellejmorgan wrote: »

Ps also get bad headaches and breathlessness from the cervical disk prolapse as nerves that pass to my head are being compressed..

well, i hope yoi get the op soon because it will definately decompress the nerves., and this will help your arm symptoms.
i have being using cpap for night time breathing because my airway collapses due to the degeneration in my neck, and thought that might have resolved with the op but it hasnt. i can only move me head about an inch to the left and an inch to the right, so driving is over for me now..which is a ball ache!
i also got arthritis in my late 20;s but it was never treated properly, so make sure you get as much help as you can, and the right treatment.

stef92

Its sad to read all these cases of ddd, i have had the condition for seven years now and have tried physio, pain relief meds, tens machine etc,etc. I to was only 33 when this started, i have always been around the construction trade and my conditioned worsened after years of floorlaying, heavy items on shoulders, ripping floors up and various other things contributed to my case. Took me quite a few years to get a mri scan, which the results of, neck disks c5,6,7 quite worn, but not bad enough for surgery. Amptripline was one prescribed med, this did not work at all for me and i have never been one to pill pop, but would have happily stuck with these if they had worked. The tens did`nt have much benefit either, it helps the muscles a little, but nothing to rave about really. Physio works for a while, if him/her really know what they are dealing with and doing, i had PAMMS treatment, which would take the edge off for 1-2months, but then its back to square one, i was paying £50 per session for this and had to stop as finishing work meant i could not afford this treatment, plus it did not solve underlying issue, the brain would tell my muscles to go repair my damaged discs, obviously they cannot do this and then they go into spasm which feels like i`m being tazered in the neck, the Pamms treatment did help this, its just pain mamagement though and cannot fix the ddd. At the moment i cannot work, well any physical work that is, i am anxious when driving, if spasms start its difficult to look left\right, not good when at the wheel, i don`t want to put other road user`s at risk. It has changed my `quality` of life, but i have very close friends the same age as i who have cancer and one a rare form of MS, i really am lucky considering, my case does`nt even come close to thier problems. Sorry i can`t really help in your plight, at least you are not alone though, good luck in whatever development`s come your way.

Ellejmorgan

lynnysinger wrote: »

well, i hope yoi get the op soon because it will definately decompress the nerves., and this will help your arm symptoms.
i have being using cpap for night time breathing because my airway collapses due to the degeneration in my neck, and thought that might have resolved with the op but it hasnt. i can only move me head about an inch to the left and an inch to the right, so driving is over for me now..which is a ball ache!
i also got arthritis in my late 20;s but it was never treated properly, so make sure you get as much help as you can, and the right treatment.

Thanks but not an option I am now a lone parent with a 2 month old..Hospital were supposed to operate at 16 weeks pregnant but forgot to do appropriate assesments and sent me home, was then too far to operate..
I know what you mean about driving it's essential to drive when you have this condition..i couldn't drive for a year before the steroid..Is that an option for you ???

I wouldn't wish this condition on anyone, i'm frightened for the future as i'm so young and was told it's incredibly unusual to have lumbar and cervical disks prolapse in the same patient..

Brassedoff

Existing on 34 tabs a day, plus matarfin/Fentanyl patches, I would always advise staying away from the knife as long as possible! I had the first of six ops in 2007, with op seven and eight scheduled soon. I am one of the minority they say go wrong. Medication can control pain, in my case I am used to it, Oramorph is like taking zambuca shots, it has little effect as I am now opiate tolerant.

Stay away from the knife, as for a treatment plan from the GP that includes a Physio stay active for as long as you can. I am now in a wheelchair 80% of the time and been missing from here having spent four weeks in a west midlands hospital that had no internet coverage on my iPhone of iPad :-(

paidinchickens

Thanks for all the replies. I have been told that meds don't really work and you just get more pain tolerant as time goes on. I have been told by everyone not to have the ops apart from one lady who said hers was the best thing she has done.

Went to the muscular and skeletal clinic on Wednesday and the woman there just wanted to go on about how much more she knows than my Doctor. That and she is not just a physio she is a consultant physio............ whoooo hoooooo good for you I don't care I just want some pain relief :mad: but she is not allowed to give any and I will have to go back to my doctor :mad: (same person she said didn't know anything)

Waiting for a scan as have to go to a flat, open scanner

Depressed all the time at the moment and just found out DH could be made redundant :eek:

PIC x

lynnysinger

Ellejmorgan wrote: »

Thanks but not an option I am now a lone parent with a 2 month old..Hospital were supposed to operate at 16 weeks pregnant but forgot to do appropriate assesments and sent me home, was then too far to operate..
I know what you mean about driving it's essential to drive when you have this condition..i couldn't drive for a year before the steroid..Is that an option for you ???

I wouldn't wish this condition on anyone, i'm frightened for the future as i'm so young and was told it's incredibly unusual to have lumbar and cervical disks prolapse in the same patient..

that is exactly what they said to me...too young...blah blah...but no treatment, then degenerated so bad..suing nhs now because my neck is so bad it took 6 hours in surgery, and the consultant said if i hadnt had it done i would have been paralysed. i was on the nhs waiting list for the op 6 years ago, then removed when the nerves settled dowm, but went back a year later, and it took me until 2010 to then be told that my neck was 'terrible' by the consultant who i was attending for my lumbar spine. he ordered new mri scans of my neck when he stuck pins in my arms and i couldnt feel anything, and discovered i had no reflexes in my upper body. if it werent for him i would now be looking at paralysis. i had spurs growing into the spinal canal, into the nerve roots and the facet joint.
unfortunately it had gotten so bad ive had 3 vertebrae fused together so my neck movement will never improve. dont let it get to that , please.
you maay be young, but this is happening. have you got hypermobile joint syndrome. thats what i have, and it was undiagnosed from childhood, and is what has caused the damage.
if you get new discs in your neck, you will be in hospital overnight, and back to work in 2-3 weeks, but no lifting for 6 weeks. thats if you do it now. if it gets so bad that your bones get too soft for the disc replacement you will have neck brace for 3 months, permanently stiff neck, and no hope of improvement. there were 2 or 3 young women who had disc replacements, and they walked out the next day without even a soft collar.

your little one needs you, but you need to be at your strongest. so please , if its getting worse fight to get the disc/discs replaced. if youre in the south west, ask to be referred to Frenchay hospital, as they are the best, and have been doing replacement disc surgery for about 3/ 4 years now.
i know that lumbar discs can be replaced, but cervical disc replacement is still quite new.
i wont even be able too have the lumbar discs replaced now because its gone too far and my bones are too soft. nhs has a lot to answer for.
good luck:):)