The saga of a Bad Back

[wizer]

Well, I've not bleated on about this for a while, so I thought I'd give an update.

A couple of months ago I was sent to see yet another new consultant. This time at St Barts. All very positive, seemed like he was keen to iinvestigate new areas and see what can be done. Sent me for a load of new tests. Bloods, MRI, CT. All tests i've had before. It took 6 weeks to get all the tests done then a bit of a wait for the follow up appointment.
When I went back the mood was a little different. Nothing significant showed up on any of the tests. They can't work out where the pain is coming from. I do have some degradation around my facet joints and lower discs.
His solution is to fit me up with a corset. Yes, that's right, a corset! :shock: :roll: I'm still waiting for the appointment to get it fitted. Basically it's a rigid plastic corset that I'm to wear for four weeks. If the pain significantly subsides while wearing the corset, he will send me for a 2 level fusion (surgery). If it doesn't work then there's not much they can do. He suggested removing a disc completely, but he's not sure if it's effective.
When I was at the first appointment with him, he suggested a different pain killer. Sadly this doesn't even touch the pain. So it's back to the old pain killers which are nasty horrible things.
He also noted that my blood count was low again, which means I'm currently anaemic. That explains a few things. So it's back on the Iron tabs. Yes, I do rattle when I walk.

So expect some pics of wizer in a corset some time in the future :shock: :lol:

 

[shirehorseman]

Wizer,

You have my sympathy's mate, I had two operations on my back, the first when I was only sixteen and the second when I was about twenty.
In the first I injured my back when working on the farm, carrying bags of corn uptairs in the barn.
both were called slipped-disc.
I had traction, and manipulation, and straight leg stretchers, they also gave me one of those pink plastic corsets, followed
By a canvas one with metal bars in the back of it. and eventually the op.
another specialist told me not to wear them as my back muscles would get to rely on them, and that it would innevitably weaken my back.
But in later life when I again started with back trouble I went to an Osteopath,
He, after examination said that my Coxis at the bottom of my spine was out of sinc, and
Gave me a course of Acupunture and then proceeded to twist me into shape.
I have to say that I never really had any great problem after that, although I did always have to get up for work approx 1.1/2hrs before I needed just so I could exercise and get myself supple. But the pain in my legs was horrendous up until then.
I tried everything from a hot water bottle on my back when in bed to a heat lamp,
But I found that Volterol tablets helped me a **** of a lot. At the height of the problem
I was taking DF118s which they prescribe for cancer sufferers.
But after the Acupunture I was able to lead a reasonably normal life and spent the rest of my days grafting equal to the able bodied around me.
Best of luck my friend, it is not pleasant I know, and medical science has moved on a lot from when I first had these problems, back in the early 60s.
Kind regards,
Trev.

 

[wizer]

thanks Trev. I've not tried Acupuncture but have been to Osteo's, Physio's and Chiro's (all the O's).

I'm really not sure about surgery. Half the people I speak to seem against it totally and the other half seem to understand how desperate I am. I think I'll always wonder 'What If'. I guess that goes both ways, but I don't think I have any other option any more. If things go on as they are, I'll loose my job and I can't begin to imagine what implications that brings.

 

[newt]

Well Tom you know what I had done 5 hours under the knife and £10000 lighter, but the alternative was not an option. consistent high levels of pain really gets to you and becomes very depressing. I have used a corset, canvas with steel when I was younger, not particularly comfortable when it is hot and you cant do up your shoe laces. Let hope the outcome is positive and they can fix the problem.

 

[wizer]

I didn't know you'd been through that Pete. I guess you can understand what it's like, not just for me but my young family. I'm not very optimistic about the corset but will do anything in the pursuit of relief (even if it's for a few hours a day). I take it you went private. If only I had 10k.

 

[head clansman]

hi tom

have you look for this kyphoplasty ? not saying it's you problem but hey you never know , type that in it bring up all sort of spinal problem there is one there that has a video repairing the vertebrae , might point you in the right direction .hc

 

[wizer]

I think kyphoplasty is for bone injury, not joint degredadation.

 

[head clansman]

hi

no tom your wrong, it is about osteopathy which is about bone degradation ,

osteopathy is about bone injury yes, but also bone crumpling they place a balloon into the affected vertebrae blow it up and fill with cement , my mum in law just had it done with instant results, take a look at the video . hc

 

[wizer]

will do, cheers

 

[Tom K]

The problem with back pain is often anticipation..you know it will hurt if you aren't careful then you tense up and it bl@@dy well does.
Unless the quacks can find an actual problem they can't treat it.
Going by much of what you tell us about yourself much of your pain probably is caused by being too tall and having insufficient muscle to support your spine. The physio at Queen Marys reckoned the best treatment for many such cases was Pilates to strenghthen the core muscles. Try to remember that pain is mainly just in your head (even though it definitely seems to be in your back). Don't talk yourself into being an old cripple :lol: I know you said you had tried it but did you give it a fair go?

 

[wizer]

I did Pilates for 9 months. During this time I pulled my back out twice. I loved doing the classes and felt extremely relaxed after, but it never did a thing to improve my condition. My brother in law is an Osteo and I saw him FOC for 2yrs with no real improvement except when I was actually in his surgery. The pain is there morning noon and night. Whether I'm laying down flat, walking or sitting. I can get no relief from it. Even the pain killers, which are the strongest you can be given whilst living a normal life, don't completely get it. One of the hardest things is convincing myself that the pain is real. So many times have I tried to just 'get on with it' or 'pull myself together' and ended up riving in agony. Sometimes I wonder if people just think I'm lazy or worse still, a drug addict. Well over the last 8 weeks I weaned myself off the pain killers, going from 2 tabs 3 times a day down to 1 a day. Since I've been off them I've felt fantastic, except for the pain. I so desperately DO NOT want to take another bloody pill, but I really do need them. Right now, I'm laying here in front of a laptop on my own, bored out of my skull. But sitting in a chair or even laying on the floor is too painful.

It is most certainly not in my head.

 

[BMac]

Wizer,

I've got back problems and, after all the pain killing pills stopped working I was put on Transtec patches and they made a huge difference. I am still in pain but it is tolerable and the drug doesn't mess my life up. I have been offered a stronger Transtec patch but I refused because my condition is progressive so I want to keep the stronger ones for later. Maybe it's worth investigating.

Brendan

 

[Tom K]

It is most certainly not in my head.

All pain is in your head just your body ringing alarm bells. Doesn't always follow that there is a just cause for the alarm.
Please don't take offence at my ramblings I have had back problems for the best part of 30 years but as I know my problems were caused by a rather spectacular motorcycle stunt (unintentional) so are easier to rationalize. i.e Broken leg = Short leg = Pelvis tilted = Back strain
Theres always crack I suppose :lol:

 

[wizer]

Thanks Brendan. I've made a note of that and will investigate it.

 

[wizer]

Theres always crack I suppose :lol:

One of the ingredients of my paint killers is.....

 

[Ironballs]

Is this a roundabout way of telling us you want to wear a basque Tom

As usual you have my sympathies as I can't imagine how bad that must be, plus as usual reading your troubles has made me stop slouching in front of the PC.

I do a lot of mountain biking (though not as much as I'd like) and a long draggy climb in the saddle where you're really grinding out the gears will make your lower back scream with lactic acid. Which shows that a) your legs really pull on your back and that b) my stomach muscles are feeble and not stabilising my back enough in the saddle. No relevance for you Tom, but does show how everything is linked

 

[wizer]

Cheers IB. It makes me cringe when I see people doing those sports. But on the other hand I'd be doing them if things were different. Just be careful. It's no fun being 29 and unable to do even the simplest household duties, like lifting your daughter out of the bath.

 

[head clansman]

Hi

In your head, rubbish, total rubbish, my mum in law is 81 with osteopathy given here brittle bones , vertebrae No 4 and 5 plus another one lower down the spine all broken/ grumbling , both me and my wife Pam seen her mum go down hill very rapidly over a spell of about three months , she could hardly move without her vertebra's grinding together we could see the agonising pain and anguish in her face every time she moved .

Nhs wrote her off after taking x rays total missing on the x ray it clearly shown the damage to her spine , sorry it's your age you got to live with it , after I kept on to her for weeks she eventually went private thank god .

On her first visit to the private consultant he immediately picked out the damage to the spine as soon as he seen the xrays She was given three choices go private anywhere , or ill re fer you back to the nhs but cannot guarantee you will be seen in the next three to four months waiting list in Southampton was eight weeks maybe longer , both i and my wife were convinced in three month she would be dead the pain was dragging her down very fast , she had given up.

It had got to the point of no return a decision had to be made for her as her family we took the decision there and then in the consultants office to go private , the following day up to Bridgewater for an MRI scan five days later operated on here locally , from the moment she woke up no pain this was three weeks ago every day we see a reversed situation in her as she making progress and now she is her old self again . try telling her it was in her head :twisted: believe me she's not one to mince her words :lol: :lol: :lol: hc.

 

[Tom K]

Hello H.C, glad the MIL is better however her case is different to Tom's
she had a clear cut and findable problem.
All in the head but not ficticious is what I'm saying, its like the mystery of the little light in the fridge (it goes out when you shut the door)

 

[head clansman]

hi

she had a clear cut and findable problem

.

That s my point it wasn't findable at least not by the nhs it wasn't,( yet clearly seen on the x rays by the private consultant ) written off due to her age THATS WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO (AGE & BUDGETS) :twisted: , why should you have to pay to go private to get any problem solved BECAUSE THE NHS CANNOT BE BOTHERED :twisted: , who gave them the right to play god on who should live and who will died. :twisted: :twisted: unless you can pay of course .

I know if she had stayed in the nhs long enough to see the consultant she would have died before she got that far in the system , pay and bypass the system, thats OK , only to see the same consultant you would have done if you lived long enough under the nhs system , but now in a private hospital ever thing can be done as long as it involves money :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: that really make me see red big style . hc :twisted: really :twisted: