Doc's at 10.50 neck xray c5-c6 not good!

vwkamper

Morning all,

Well i'm off to the doc's at 10.50 am.
I had Thoracic and cerical xrays done and i know my thoracic has minor scattered spondylotic changes.

My neck c5-c6 has spondylotic changes disc space narrowing and bulky marginal osteophytes. A small (grade 0) retrolisthesis of c5 on c6 is noted at this level.

So what's next :!:

lexy

stickywicket

I don't know what's next, Lexy, though I guess you might have some idea after 10.50am. Whatever it is, I hope it will be something that will make things a bit better for you. Please let us know how you get on.

Numptydumpty

Hi Lexy,
I hope all goes well at your doctors appointment, and you get some answers.
All the best,
Numpty

barbara12

Hi Lexy
Wishing you well with it all, hopefully you get some good answers xx

bubbadog

Hope the G.P appt was a helpful one and you came away with the answer to your question 'what now?'

LignumVitae

Hope they helped you see a way forward, I crossed my fingers for you

earthspirit

ive had these issues with 2 3 4 5 6 for years and years and wished that they would cut of my head sometimes, to excape the pain. have been quite clearly told many times that this pain & the nasty little osteophytes will cause me more pain that a damaged hip joint. yes they are correct.

what have they done about it? nothing, as its far too dangerous to do any op. i used to put cold fingertips on the spaces between the bones which was a quick hit of pain relief. now i can no longer get fingers round back of neck so lost that free pain killer.

correcting your posture or getting a position of least strain is just about all they can do. no excercise i was told. keep your shoulders down. hope you dont get strains or compression in the brachial nerve which increases the pain drastically.

hope your doctor was able to give you some advice and support

tjt6768

I hope your appointment went as well as can be..
Best wishes

vwkamper

Hi all,

Thanks for your words and wishes,

Well i went to my appointment and she just gave me a repeat for my diazepam. She said she didn't want to change anything and that i had to hang on untill my specialist appointment on the 9th August, she says he's a back guru and i'll be in the best hands possible!

So keep popping the pills and carry on each day at a time.

lexy

bubbadog

That's all we can do Lexy take a day at a time, not too long till you see back Guru! Take care.

fowls48

Hope all goes well .

be i ya pocket, ear wiggin .


good luck
karen xx

PowerOn

Hi I just found this post after browsing osteophytes.
I also have a very large osteophyte in my neck but my doctor has refused to send me to a specialist and says, "everyone has osteophytes". and made me feel totally rubbish.
I do not want to overtake your thread but would you please let me know if you got any treatment and if it has helped?
I have an appointment to see a different doctor in a few weeks time.
I hope you have found something to help.

Soretoe2

Hi, for more than 30 years I've had a very ropey old neck, exactly what my consutant calls it.
I've had injections/epidurals/pills/ accupuncture/collars/talking about it... I've never understood that one. It certainly didn't help my neck feel better. Nothing really helped and some treatments have made me worse and given me a problem liver as well.
I have limited use of my left arm and hand because of the stenosis, sponylitis, sponylosis, arthritis, degenerating discs, osteophytes, nerve damage and extra tight nerve sheaths (genetic). It's pure hell most of the time.
I have also been told the surgery would not benefit me because it's all too much. Surgery is usually only done if you have one problem that is easily fixed.
I have met many people in my time at hospital, only one or two have ever said that the treatment actually helped big time. Most moan about the side effect of the pills/steroids and the general big sigh that the consultants give when you enter the room.
It is sad fact that necks are hard to treat. Partly because of the weight of our heads on them and the complex nerve roots that branch off down our arms.
Sorry to be so negative. Today I'm climbing up the wall with it all.
What can help in the short time is heat. Pads,cherry packs, hottie bottles, whatever your personal preference is. One friend of mine has got through three showers so far as he stands under one for hours with the hot water hitting his neck shoulder area. Also massage can be very soothing if done by an expert.
I'd say give anything you are offered a go, you never know it just might be the treatment you've been waiting for. However be prepared for disappointment. I'm always open and hopeful when I trundle along for an appointment. My hubby is very used to me coming back with the usual defeated look on my face.
It's no joke having a neck! Joy

vwkamper

Well joy you were right i went to my specialist and he doesn't want to touch
me, he said i'd be better off in the pain clinic.

But because i fell in the bath he wanted me to have another MRI on my
lower back so i had that done on 21st september. In the meen time the pain
clinic won't touch me untill i've seen him again and that appointment is'nt
due till 7th december.

My doctor has decided to take me off my florexetine and has put me on
duloxetine which seems to be helping a bit.

Yes sometimes my head feels like a weighty pumpkin laying down is my only cure.

lexy.

stickywicket

It's not at all nice when you feel everything is on hold. I hope this month will soon pass and the doc's appt will be useful, if only to get you into the Pain Clinic.

maria09

Hi
Sorry you are going through a tough time
I went to pain clinic all he told me to do was increase my pain relief patches which i did with little relief!!! My rheumy got me off them so now on a cocktail of meds wish it was a proper cocktail!!
Keep strong
Maria

suzygirl

I hope the wait passes quickly for you. It is not a nice feeling to have thinking that there is no help for your pain.

Soretoe2

Thanks for letting us know how you are doing but so sorry you got the response that you did . Its par for the course I'm afraid. We build ourselves up to these appointments and often don't get the positive reaction we hoped for.
When you see the doc next month push for the pain clinic. It does depends on the clinic but be prepared for not a lot of help, they usually offer pills and accupuncture, cognitive behaviour therapy and some tests, however you never know they may hit on something to bring you relief, always worth a try.
I'm off to the consultant in an hour, guess what a large osteophyte rubbed a hole in the tendon of my wrist ! I was told it was just arthritis but a scan I pushed for showed different. So osteophytes aren't always innocent lumps.
Its hard to know what to advise, as said before heat helps, rest , medication that suits you, distraction techniques to deal with the pain , stiffness, numb arms etc.
Massive sympathy coming your way as it's hell to live with but you do get very used to it all after a while.
Take care of yourself. Joy

salamander

I've got osteophytes, was told they were normal and they don't trouble me, as far as I am aware.

Soretoe2

Hi Salamander, apologies to vwcamper for vereing off subject.
Please dont worry about your osteophytes. They are normal as we get older and most people get them and they generally cause no real problems.
However in a very small number of people who are very arthritic they can get to a size when they rub on the surrounding tissues and cause damage.
This has happened to me but it's only because I insisted on the pain and weakness in my wrist being taken seriously that it was picked up. I knew it just wasn't just arthritis and had been in extreme pain and unable to use my wrist without a tight support for many months.
Many apologies if I worried you or anyone else needlessly.We all know our own bodies and if a joint becomes extra painful or difficult to move for a long period it just needs checking out rather than just putting up with it. Joy