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Should I get another opinion

Posted , 4 users are following.

skater97
skater97

Hi all. In 2015, I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease. A few days later, I started realising that there were changes to the sensation in my saddle area. Woke up next morning and had wet myself, lost all sensation in saddle area and relatives took me to a&e to be told to wait for scan. 

MRI came back with this report 

L3/L4 - there is no significant disc protrusion or evidence of neural compression 

L4/L5 - there is a broad based protrusion but no significant lateral recess narrowing or evidence of neural compression 

L5/S1 - there is spondylolisthesis with bilateral pars defect, marked bilateral exit foraminal narrowing and compression of the exiting left L5 nerve root and possibly the right. There is narrowing of the lateral recesses. 

This was the first and only MRI scan I had on that area of my spine so not sure how much has changed since then. 

Within 3 months I'd lost all feeling in legs, had no bladder or bowel control of which I later learnt that I'd actually had urinary retention with overflow incontinence for god knows how long. The neurologist I had been referred to said straight away that it was conversion disorder and that my spinal problem would not be the cause of these symptoms. The urology nurse who helps me with my bladder has told me she absolutely thinks it's CES, 2 GPs also think it's CES, a physio who I was referred to said that there's no way I have conversion disorder, and a doctor who I saw when in hospital said if it is CES that I have no hope of recovering because they've missed the opportunity to operate but that I should just continue to be treated for conversion disorder in case it is that and not my spine (I have continued with the treatment although I think it's a waste of time because I'm quite frankly not improving and getting nowhere). 

So should I fight to get another opinion in case it is CES and then attempt to get the conversion disorder diagnosis overturned or should I accept that it definitely is conversion disorder.

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • dawniesback
    dawniesback skater97

    Posted

    Hello! Sorry to hear of your symptoms! I had a similar experience with loss of sensation and incontinence. That is nothing to mess around with! I would get another opinion pronto, as this can be a permanent condition (CSS) if not treated. It certainly sounds like it to me, although I am not a doctor and do not claim to give professional diagnosis. I ended up having fusion from L2 to S1. Tough but worth it for me! Keep us in the loop, best wishes!
  • hope4cure
    hope4cure skater97

    Posted

    Have you considered stem cell therapy to help regrow tissue.

     

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