Anyone suffering from worn disks in lower back?

suzygirl

Hi, I already know I have cervical spondylosis and degenerative disk disease. It is painful to stand in my lower back and I have to sit with legs raised to relieve the pain. My right leg is weak proximal and distal, I have foot drop, drag my leg and it is slow and weak. it also spasms if I sit in a chair and goes numb. It will give way at any point and I fall.

When the numbness and pain started in my left leg, I was referred to an ortho. He did a repeat mri scan and has emailed me today. The report isn't ready but he has had a look at the scans and says I have a worn disk and it doesnt need surgery.

I am slightly confused as before the scan showed a lot of problems with various disks and the canal for the spinal cord had narrowed.

Now I am left wondering what is causing my pain and difficulty. i tried walking up a slope on Saturday and it just wasn't possible,my leg wouldnt move.

My worst fear was that the scan wouldnt show what the problem was, now I have to wait for the report.

Anyone any info or similar expereinces?

barking1

hi Suzygirl
i have a similar problem i had an m r i a year ago which showed narrowing and disc degeneration also osteo arthritis and possible nerve entrapment , it got worse and the rhumie sent me for another scan a few weeks ago and has since wrote to me saying that there is no change and no nerve entrapment so he isnt going to see me again i am now left in limbo so i can understand how you feel ,he did say go back to the gp and get him to send me to pain clinic but everything takes so long to sort out i havnt been on the forum for a while as i have been depressed and fed up but i need to try and get myself together so thought i would see how everyone else is coping , hope your back gets sorted soon take care xx jane

suzygirl

Jane thanks for your reply. Sorry you are in the same situation. Glad you have come back to the forum though as we are here to support one another. Constant pain grinds you down.

I forgot to add in my post that all my pain and numbness co relates to L5/S1 which is the disks that have problems according to my previous scan.

skezier

Hi Suzy,

Right there with you flower. For mine they do the bi-laterals and the botox and that might be worth ago? I no am told I am a complicated case and they are having a mini conference.... Who knows what any of it means flower.

I really do wonder if a pain clinic could help you? they have managed to take a 3rd of the pain out the lumber and get the neck back to a manageable level (with a fair few drugs of course) so maybe that would help you?

leaving you a ((((( ))))) and a hope today will be a better day for you. Love and a sachet for Izzy Cris xx

PowerOn

Hi Suzy,

Sorry to hear you are in pain, I have the same condition.
Doctors are so annoying as much as arthur methinks.
They seem to make things up as they go along.
When my back was at it's very worst I had to stop doing nearly everything as standing, sitting, walking, everything hurt.
After a while the pain lessened and I was able to tell what was triggering pain, before when it hurt all the time there was no way to tell what was going on - (hope that makes sense) I had to stop cycling, running, pushing swings! reaching for anything list is endless.
Are you able to identify what sets off your pain and avoid doing some things, if you are at the stage where everything hurts-sorry.
One thing that helped me greatly was pilates just very gently at home at first, it really made my stomach muscles a lot stronger and took the strain off my back.
The difference has been amazing, sorry to say I had to stop most of the exercises as it was annoying my neck too much, I still do some exercises and avoid the things which trigger the pain.
Not a perfect cure and not doing stuff is annoying but better then so much pain.
Does not help with going up slopes, I can go up them but sooo slowly, my foot does not drop as often as it used to but sometimes it will slide rather then lift when I am walking-that seems to have increased lately.
I was thinking yesterday that it would be interesting to show my trainers to my doctor as the wear on them is weird from the way I walk!
I hope you find something that works.

stickywicket

I know you have more than one 'back problem', Suzygirl, so this might not help you but, on the offchance....

There was a programme a few weeks ago on BBC1 called How to Beat Pain. There were a couple of docs and, among other patients, a lady with degenerative disc problems. I've known for years to 'use it or lose it' but I was still surprised when I saw that lady's X-rays, where the muscles supposed to be supporting her problem discs had turned to fat because she wasn't using them owing to pain. The exercise regime they provided her with helped enormously.

suzygirl

Thanks Sticky, I have just emailed the consultant about where I go next. That may well be the plan.