Chronic Pain

[Mrs-Darling]

I think I've posted on here before about my chronic pain and I recently had an MRI to investigate my back pain. Well today I got my results and I'm gutted about what they show which is severe degenerative disc disease and arthritis. The locum I saw today said that surgery is likely and she's referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon as an urgent case. I can't believe that just as I start to get my MH sorted I'm delivered this blow. I bought a packet of cigarettes (after vaping since 1st October) and really wanted a drink so I bought some non-alcoholic beer. Cheers!

[Suzi]

Do you know which discs are affected? Where is the arthritis?
I sympathise, as part of a long list I have both these conditions..

[Mrs-Darling]

It's L4/5. I've had problems with it for years and countless hours of osteopathy. I worked on a train for 13 years and then sat on my arse for 7 years behind a desk. I've had countless falls, sprained ankles, broken ankle all which have contributed to the damage.

Have you had surgery Suzi?

[Mrs-Darling]

Oh and the arthritis is in my spine if it wasn't clear.

[Suzi]

No, currently there are too many negative factors towards surgery - they'd have to work on too many discs. I also have many other things too including scoliosis, spinal slippage etc and apparently I'm not old enough...

[Mrs-Darling]

Christ that sounds painful! I hope you get some relief soon.

[Jarre]

I have degenerated disks between L5 and L2 I am apparently to young (at 36) to have any surgery and it would only be a fusion but has a chance of spreading up my spine, basically its grin and bare it and take my pain meds when it really gets bad, yes it does affect depression especially when bad I have been in and out of physio since I was 13 and took them till 2005 to actually properly diagnose me after my first MRI scan. Your not alone with this and we can sympathise with pain and how it affect depression and also the changes you have to make to keep going.

[Suzi]

Christ that sounds painful! I hope you get some relief soon.

Thanks. I take a cocktail of meds every day to take the edge off and basically my spine is collapsing both in my neck and my lower spine. Like Jarre I've been told that it'll be a fusion op they do (if they do that) but as that is a dramatic thing it's best for me to carry on as I am atm... Like Jarre, I've been dealing with it for most of my life. I was diagnosed with arthritis at 12...

[Mrs-Darling]

I just don't understand how you can be 'too young' to have a surgery that could dramatically improve your mobility! Since I've told friends about my GP mentioning surgery I've had a couple tell me friends have had this done in their late 30s early 40s- does that mean it depends on where you live then? Is it another postcode lottery?

[Suzi]

Probably, but with me they have said it would be a fusion surgery both in my neck and lower spine which would mean that I couldn't turn my head without turning my whole body itms?
My Mum's recently had surgery where rods were inserted into her vertebrae but that was for stenosis. For her it's been a long road to recovery and she still isn't near there yet itms?