Advice back injury
Posted , 10 users are following.
Had bike crash 2 years ago and have argued until December there that something not rite in spine.
Now had 4 mri scans and they have found I have disc bulges to c3/4 C5/6 C6/7 LEVEL ALSO DISC BULGES TO T7/8 T8/9 LEVEL ALSO WEDGE BREAKS TO T8-12was told a week after accident I had fractures to L1-2 .
Also have what looks like tear on spinal cord at L1-2 level
Have been told I have had spinal stroke at time of accident. Have lost sensation down left side from waist and no reflex. From time to time I lose feeling from waist down can last up to 30 minutes and can't stand.
I suffer from constant pain which is not nice.
During the night I have started waking when I do eventually sleep with pins and needles from the waist up which only goes away when I stand up for 5 minutes.
The great British health service don't want to seem to tell me what I can do and what I can't do.
My next appointment is not until August
I can't live with the constant pain anymore and the pain killers that make me feel drowsy and forgetful and crap all the time
Can someone shed light on my injury's for me and give me an opinion how bad they areally and do I need surgery to correct and take pain away.
Getting weaker by the day.
0 likes, 40 replies
allaroundanne bob28320
Posted
Hey Bob, I am a retired MD from the US, I did pain management and anesthesia. I am not too familiar with your system either. Just please promise me you won't see a chiropractor. Your spine is not very stable and you don't need someone cracking and manipulating it, you will end up fully paralyzed. I don't know how you go about getting a referral to a pain management doc, but I would suggest you start there. If you start with a surgical consult, you will most certainly end up with a surgery. If you start with pain management you will get suggestions for conservative therapy, that's not to say you don't need surgery, because you may, but my thoughts are to always give conservative therapy a try first if at all possible. Given that you have lived with this for 2 years it seems you can give a few nerve blocks or a nerve stimulator a try. I agree that oral drugs do make you very drowsy and to be on them long term isn't a pleasant idea. The same thing is true of drugs made for nerve pain, things like topomax, gabapentin, lyrica. These drugs can be delivered to you by way of a cather placed in the space next to your spine and they'd have less side effects. All of these options can be done by a pain management doctor. As you are in so much pain, but are also having changes in sensation I'd have your GP get you simultaneous referral, one with a neurosurgeon, one with a pain management doc. That way you will put together a team to manage all your symptoms--the pain, the sensation loss etc. Hopefully they can work together like they do here in the states. I am having a lot of problems with my neck, my MRI was a mess, the worst finding was that my spinal cord was flattened by the bulging discs and a huge bone spur. My PM doc wanted a surgeon to take a look and be on board. The surgeon saw me and my MRI, did an exam and said I wasn't an emergency, let the PM doc finish with his bag of tricks, if these didn't work for my pain, then come back to see him. Only at that point would I have to have the dreaded fusion surgery. I suggest the same tactic to you. Hope that helps!
Lynn
DJ1976 allaroundanne
Posted
Dee
Carolineq8 allaroundanne
Posted
the reason I recommended a chiropractor is because mine has prevented me having further surgery and if he'd been around in the early years maybe he could have prevented the fussion saving me from a life of chronic pain and misery, also I must add that my chiropractor has never done any treatment without seeing all my medical records even sending them
To America for a 2/3/4 opinion before manipulating my spine where my chord is being compressed with an arachnoid cyst, I live with chronic neck spasms that have been greatly reduced due to traction ( I couldn't move my neck a mm in any direction due to spasms it's terrifying) my spine is also very unstable with approx 8 bulging discs ranging from top to bottom, lumbar fussion, cervical degeneration, bone spurs, lordosis. I'm never going to be cured but he definitely makes my condition more bearable to live with, I think everyone's opinions are valid and any information given should always be fully researched first. without our suggestions then we will never know what is going to work for us as individuals, I have tried every treatment and just about every medication but my chiro is the one that has helped the most.
Laura3333 bob28320
Posted
No ones MRI is normal, we are all different, unless you have been told by a radiologist that the bulging discs are pressing on nerves, they will generally not cause the type of problems you have.
It's unlikely that you have a tear in your spinal cord, or you would have had immediate surgery to fuse the area, or you would be paralysed.
I am not a doctor but it's more likely that l1/l2 is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, and that is causing the lack of feeling and the pins and needles.
You need to get your doctor to refer you to a pain clinic specialist for help in controlling your pain. Also he will be able to refer you for more tests if necessary.
bob28320 Laura3333
Posted
The tear is there in spinal cord. Was pointed out by the neurosurgeon on last visit that's why I have lost all feeling in left from waist down. I have had sciatica pain in past and this is different. Neurosurgeons secretary called me today and said he would like to see me on Monday now after me calling and going off my head at them and threatining legal action. So I will see what happens then.
The doctors here are a joke it took me 15 months from the accident to get the doctor to refer me for a scan.
Laura3333 bob28320
Posted
Glad they are seeing you sooner, hope they can do something for you.
It's not right to leave someone in pain so long.
Moveebuff1953 bob28320
Posted
Hi Bob; My advice would be to go to the hospital and demand to see a surgeon. Nothing gets done until you push for your rights. It took me 5 years to finally get back surgery. I was at the point that you seem to be at now...pain 24 hours a day. I couldn't walk more than a city block. It was depressing because it just seemed no one understood how bad my pain was. It's your life and you have to advocate for your rights...no one else will unfortunately. Wishing you strength to push forward.
CHICO_MARX bob28320
Posted
Laura3333 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Problem is Chico, over here in the UK, the NHS is in crisis, most people do not have insurance. It's hard to even get a GP appointment.
it isn't an option to see a neurosurgeon immediately. We are very dependant on neurosurgeons and any other type of surgeon even having an appointment for months.
Unless you go in hospital in an ambulance as an emergency, and there's approx a seven hour wait in a and e when you get there, then there isn't a bed, or enough staff to look after you.
This is the reality of life in 2017, not good.
CHICO_MARX Laura3333
Posted
So very sorry to hear that. Since the UK is not on Trump's banned countries list, why don't you fly over and apply for an extended visa or Green Card. Then apply for Obamacare and get your back done. Probably faster...no kidding. Got extra room at the house outside of Fort Worth. I'll even introduce you to my neuro Tommy "The Wrench" Ellis. (I gave him the moniker because he used an Allen wrench to expand my LLIF spacer a few weeks ago...)
No brainer. Badda bing, badda boom. Done.
Laura3333 CHICO_MARX
Posted
I'm a failed back patient, couldn't even get to the airport nowadays.
I'm lucky, have insurance, but, won't have more back surgery.
bob28320 CHICO_MARX
Posted
It's a neurosurgeon I have seen twice now
And it feels like they are not taking this serious. When I seen him in January he told me to go home and don't move as I could bend or move the wrong way and break the rest of the cord.
Couldn't believe what I was hearing if it's that bad I should be in hospital.
He told me at time of injury I should not have been released from a and e and should have been in a body cast for months to stop further injury.
So you can see my frustration I am apparently seeing the rite people but it's a joke to them.
bob28320 Laura3333
Posted
I went in a ambulance couldn't feel from the waist down, left shoulder dislocated and went under socket and jammed Had to be put out to get arm back. Ended up with ribs broke at side because where arm jammed.
Before being put out complained about back pain and no feeling in legs still did not do anything for me. By the time I came round from the morphine and whatever they knocked me out with i was at home still in great pain.
Now they collected me from where I injured myself which was a motocross track and they seen where I fell from which I should not have survived. Did not evenue get put on proper spine board
Carolineq8 bob28320
Posted
Omg that's an absolute joke, so why couldn't he do something then and there for you, there's so many people suffering at the hands of these surgeons yet it seems to be ok for them to continue, they do the job and the mess they leave behind someone else has to clean up, I was 32 and I'm only now (14 years on ) realising that I'm disabled and my life won't be the same and I really find it hard to come to terms with
Laura3333 bob28320
Posted
Carolineq8 bob28320
Posted
jessica_78456 bob28320
Posted
U need to find a new neurosurgeon pal always get a second r 3 opinion. If there good at there job they'll deal with you
DJ1976 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Dee