Chronic back pain

[pinkfloyd]

I have had back problems for years, had a spinal fusion for a torn disc at L5/S1 level, L4/5 disc is bulging towards spinal chord and now degenerating as are L3/4 and L2/3. The fusion was in 1995 and gave me a life back for 14 years, then it all went down hill.

Have had numerous nerve blocks, facet joint injections and in April 2011 had a bout of denervation which worked for about 8months. Had it repeated in Jan 2012 which sadly seems to have left me worse. Am having loads of unpleasant sciatic nerve pains, tingling, numbness and occassiona feelings that I'm suddenly going to wee myself.

Am on a pharmacy of slow release tramadol, dihydrocodeine, celecoxib, baclofen and occassinal diazepam or methocarbamol. Not really sure where I want to go from here, but need to do something as this present state is horrible + miserable. Anyone out there with any ideas?

[poppet2]

Try this web site.

http://www.experienceproject.com/groups/Had-Spinal-Fusion-Surgery/22204

Also, google 'spinal fusion' for other info.

[medusa]

You have my sympathies pinkfloyd As another chronic back pain sufferer I'm afraid I can offer you nothing more than sympathy, as my back problems will only be improved by surgery if and when synthetic replacement discs becomes available, and even that will have to be coupled with a huge operation to remove multiple extra bones which make my spine look like I was built by a YTS trainee on a Friday afternoon.

 

I can empathise completely with the unpleasantness of sciatic pains, numbness and inability to move the leg, but other than recommending yoga, osteopathy, as much exercise as you can cope with and some damned good pain relief I can't recommend anything new I'm afraid.

 

Keep hoping that someone will find the key to getting you some relief though- there are developments every year in spinal surgery and treatment

[poppet2]

I've never heard of synthetic replacement discs' s, where did you hear this? The usual treatment is a spinal fusion or steroid injections in the lower back.

[MrSmith]

I've never heard of synthetic replacement discs' s, where did you hear this? The usual treatment is a spinal fusion or steroid injections in the lower back.

 

I think medusa is looking to the future.

[medusa]

I am indeed referring to a future treatment which is not available yet (but I hope will come along soon).

 

I'm not suitable for a spinal fusion because I've got too many missing discs and too many extra ribs and process bones. I've got ribs not only on my thoracic spine but also on my L1 and L2 vertebrae, then I've got a single extra bone on my L5, which articulates with the back of my pelvis on one side and has twisted the vertebra out of alignment. This means that almost all of my movement comes through the L3 and L4 joints, but these are also the levels at which the discs have completely degenerated (L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1 have all been ground out of existence). If I have a fusion at any of these levels then I may gain in reduction of sciatic pain but I'll lose so much in movement and the nerves have been compressed for so many years that it may not result in a reduction of pain either.

 

My orthopaedic consultant says that I basically need to hope for replacement discs to become available and then go for one huge operation that removes all the extra bones and replaces all the damaged discs in one go. Can't say I'm looking forward to the idea, but if it's that or end up in a wheelchair then I may have to take that choice.

[smithy266]

Have you contacted the Sheffield Back Pain Association?

[HeadingNorth]

I've never heard of synthetic replacement discs' s, where did you hear this? The usual treatment is a spinal fusion or steroid injections in the lower back.

 

I think medusa is looking to the future.

 

Artificial spinal discs have been in use since the late eighties, I believe; certainly they're in widespread use in many countries, and can be used at multiple levels in a single operation.

 

But the NHS still lists them as being in trials and not likely to be available any time soon. Can someone lend the OP about thirty thousand pounds for a private operation?

[Teddybare]

Chiropractors, osteos, sports therapists, acupuncture, possibly some physios may be able to help. Not the crystals and feathers and music therapy BS kind, the poke you twist you and stick you with needles kind.

 

Never believed in any of it til it worked for me.

Highly recommend a chiropractor at woodseats back clinic. Dr Dave strutt. Legend of a man.

 

http://www.backclinics.co.uk/clinics/sheffield/

 

 

 

You'll never be pain or relapse free but they can really help with mobility.

 

I say try it and see. Different stuff works for different people. There's a free assessment at most places.