Right you may have read I have 2 prolapse discs in my neck C6 & C7 left side leg, arm, shoulder and now back with pins & needles and pain so bad I am on Gabapentin and tramadol, my muscles on the left are weak and now my left side is loosing muscle mass and my reflexes have gone in L arm. Now they said I need quick surgery to remove the discs. Thought it would be done before xmas... had a letter today saying they are trying some injections under ct INSTEAD of surgery. Now great as surgery is not ideal but surley this is just masking the problem? I assume even if they work I would need to go back every few months for more, and although the pain will go surely the spine is still feked and degenerating? and this is just delaying the enevitable? and if I feel better with these, what if I start doing sports again and riding? is that not just going to fek up my already feked spine? any advice appreciated as to me this is masking the problem, not dealing with the cause and has the potaential to delay what is needed and in the meantime its just going to get worse anyway (I just wont feel it) Sorry for the rant im just rather confused and cannot speak to my consultant until monday!
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OMFG.. Sorry Need more Spine Advice quickly
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Posted 2 years ago #
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YOuhave to speak to your consultant or someone else who has all the info available. No one on here can give any sort of opinion on this as they do not have the data
Posted 2 years ago # -
I would have thought having injections to stop joint problems was pretty common thing for people with any joint problems and is taken into account vs surgery. I have read alot on tinternet and almost every article said its just delaying the problem, and does not work in a lot of people! Problem is I cannot speak to anyone till monday and the injections are on Tue! spo not much time to find out if it is necessary or just another proceedure to go through for little benefit and potentially end up in surgery anyway in 2-6 months time,
Posted 2 years ago # -
Go private with the consent (advice) of your consultant?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Speak to your consultant and/ or GP, for heaven's sake!
FWIW, there seem to be 2/3 appropriate treatments for prolapsed discs.
1) surgery. Involves cutting the extruded material away from the nerve. The idea is that since the disc has leaked this stuff out, it shouldn't leak again as there won't be as much in there to do so.
2) epidural. As for women giving birth - they inject an anaesthetic into the spinal column. It bathes the nerves, taking the pain out of it - I guess they also have some steroids in there to try to stop inflamation. My consultant loved this approach; downsides are you temporarily lose all muscle abilty south of the injection, from what I've heard.
3) nowt. Physio, massage etc, with a view to getting the disc to suck the material back in. Very much a longer-looking approach, I thinkPosted 2 years ago # -
Hi Nico.. had physio for 5 months with no effect at all, im just worried that the injections are a temp measure as they wont fix the problem
Posted 2 years ago # -
First of all.....CALM DOWN.....
Any neurosurgeon worth his salt will try anything to avoid operating; although people tend to see operations as a straightforward curative procedure, there are lots of things that can affect the outcome.
The option to try a less invasive procedure is one that he and you should consider, and one he will be only to happy to discuss with you, but it's not urgent right now, this minute.
In terms of complex neurosurgery, anything that can put off an operation and perhaps provide you with some relief is a good thing; you might get a number of months of relief from it, and it might help to damp down inflammation enough to make the surgery easier or more succesful.
Going private? Give over. You'll get the same treatment but have to pay for it, probably in the same hospital, by the same people.
Calm down, enjoy the weekend, then contact him via his secretary (just ring up the hospital switchboard and ask to be put through to Mr Insert Name Heres secretary) on Monday.
Chill fella, you're in the system....
Posted 2 years ago # -
crikey - you are right, I was just concerned that having only 24 hrs from being able to speak to him to having them was a tad short to get the full sp and make an informed decision thats all....
Posted 2 years ago # -
...it looks like the injections will be some kind of steroid, probably plus a bit of local anaesthetic, these are aimed at reducing the pain and, over a longer period, damping down some of the inflammation that you've got.
Go with the flow a little bit, try to trust the people who are looking after you, and arrange to see him on Monday for a fuller explanation of the treatment.
Yes, you may well end up having surgery, but in the meantime, this could help...
Posted 2 years ago # -
...and this could also mean that you don't have to spend Xmas in hospital, which is always a bonus!
Relax, I can feel the stress from here!
Posted 2 years ago # -
thank you squire... just needed to vent, the letter came out of the blue saying the above, felt a bit out of the loop not getting prior notice direct from them verbally.
Posted 2 years ago # -
YGM..
Posted 2 years ago # -
My back was screwed a few years back, and I had all sorts of stuff done to it, stopping just shy of fusing vertebrae. I had an epidural at one point and it did absolutely nowt apart from make me extremely embarrassed. (I couldnt feel anything below my waist when I woke up on the ward, used a zimmer frame to get to the loo, couldnt go, then stood up and realised I WAS going and had just peed on my feet.)
Maybe I was lucky, but I tried going to a chiropractor shortly after this when the docs were threatening to cut me up. A long and expensive series of chiropraction and physiotherapy later, and its WONDERFUL!
It creaks and cracks, and from time to time it starts to ache, but I go to Chiro once every 6 weeks and its held any degeneration to a minimum and given me my life back.Ive always decided to trust the people who know in these situations, but make sure you're asking people who know it from a variety of angles. There's more than 1 way to fix a back. Good luck
Posted 2 years ago # -
Sounds like the foraminal nerve block I had in March 2008. Steroid and local in the same injection while you are sedated (stops you wriggling which makes the surgeon nervous). Within 24 hours I was able to move and exercise to build up my muscle strength to prevent a recurrence. Not had any major back problems since that date.
Posted 2 years ago # -
sandwich was yours prolapsed disc's; if this could do the job for a long time then that would be great.. just not really getting how this could sort it out as in their words I needed pretty quick surgery. Hope they do sedate me.. be good to have a rest with no pain
Posted 2 years ago # -
I had an epidural steroidal for a lower back problem (C3 perhaps? not sure). It did the job for me.
Another lad at work had the same treatment - no effect.
Now he seems in a worse state than me to begin with so my uniformed guess is that it might help if you've done none permanent damage that just needs some help to heal. But once the damage gets to a certain stage it won't help.
Now go ask your consultant if I'm right, 'cos I don't know.That said having someone stick a needle up your spine from what feels like half an inch from your anus is a very uncomforable experience - physically fine as they numb you up first, but your in a room bent over with two strangers... you know what I mean
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yes prolapse of L4/L5 caused by hyper-extension! Once the pain had gone (6 weeks with right calf muscles in tension at one point!) lots of cycling to start, then core exercises with a swiss ball and climbing regularly I've not had a recurrence. I suspect the consultant wants to keep you mobile for as long as possible because back ops bring their own problems, fusing for example causes long term deterioration as the discs above and below the fuse become damaged due to the increased loading.
Posted 2 years ago # -
L3 not C3 - L is lumbar region right?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Ok
It sounds that you have pretty significant nerve compression symptoms.However having injections is a reasonable first course of actions as your symptoms may well resolve with these
as a medic i wouldnt let anyone touch my neck unless they really needed to. Risks of paralysis/quadraplegia etc. take the injections first my friend and if this fails then go back and ask about surgical options.
Posted 2 years ago # -
First I'm notr medically qualified
Second I've now experience of a condition like yours
But do not unde estimate the power of treatment that lets your body regain strength
For the forst time in 5 years I'm typing with both hands due to a rubbish wrist damaged be sea kayaking
Whats made thge difference is wait training. Muscles that are tight and under used are very painful
Posted 2 years ago # -
thanks all I will take the injections and hope they work, at the moment I have prolapse c6 & c7, the nerves in my left arm and not working as I have no reflexes, muscles are wasting away and are very weak... strangly I am getting pain and cramp im my legs which is strange as ceverical region should not effect them, they did say I have signs of arthritis in the joints.... I guess they need to find out why this is happening, 7 months now
be nice to be pain free for xmas and able do drink a shed load without drugs in me and more important back on the bike...... now on 3000 mg of gabapentin a day, god knows what my liver is doing
Posted 2 years ago # -
3000mg of gabaP is a mighty dose
Might be worth going back to the GP and discussing, pregabalin, carbamazepine, amitryptiline etc for your neuralgia
Posted 2 years ago #
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