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Any ideas? The experts are stumped!

Posted , 5 users are following.

helen10458
helen10458

Hi,

I suppose I'm looking for some moral support from people who actually know what it's like to suffer chronic pain! I've had pain in my back left leg and foot for four years now and it never goes away. MRI scans have shown disc prolapse L3/4/5 but worst at L5S1. There is no nerve impingement according to the MRI but I've had terrible nerve pain that follows the sciatic nerve and into the bottom of my foot.

There are my other threads if you want to read the whole saga. Anyway, to cut a long story short I suffered from urinary renetion in May and was rushed to hospital only to find it wasn't the discs, I'm now under a Neurologist who is conducting more investigations. A couple of weeks ago I saw my Osteopath who performs traction on my spine which completely alleviates all pain usually. After seeing him I was in agony for four days, really crppling and then on Sunday it all just went suddenly. Well I was thrilled, no pain for the first time in years!!! Then I noticed numbness in my leg and foot and pelvis and then I started to wet myself frequently.

This went on for a week and I carried on teaching my classes at school. Saw my GP and he said it was stress incontinence (my daughter is 7 and I've never experienced this before) I rang NHS 24 and was seen by an out of hours GP they sent me to hospital again where I was given an immediate MRI scan as they suspected caude equina syndrom. Anyway it wasn't and I was discharged yesterday.

The feeling has gradually come back and the incontinence has stopped. Anyone else experience anything else like this? I'm getting so depressed trying to live a normal life with two small children and coping with this. I will try and speak to the Nuerologist next week, this is just so stressful. I get the impression that they thought I was a time waster but I waited a whole week and only went in when I was desperate! What is going on? I'm taking Pregabalin 600mg as well as Diaclofenac and Amitriptylene and don't know what else I can do!! sadsad Any advice, experiences shared would be wonderful! I'm only 39 years old too!!

1 like, 20 replies

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  • Enna1
    Enna1 helen10458

    Posted

    Helen, I have been off this board for a long time now but catching up with who has written up questions.

    Although I am no expert you say "there is no nerve inpingrment" but sciatic pain. I have exactly the same as you l3/4, L4/5 and L3/S1. I have nerve inpingement from sciatic pain, the disc have spurs which are touching a nerve and thats why I have sciatic pain.  I know how you feel its very very painful. (sorry I have just taken a tramadol/paracetamol and a bit drowsy - so sorry for typing errors if there is) This new man might be the one who will get to the bottom of the problem, believe me MRIs can be wrongly read.  When you say urinary retention what do you mean, You mean you can't go for a wee, I think I must have a bone spur touching my bladder as I can go to the toilet for England - so far its 5 times in the night and I am sooo tired so I am not sure whether this is so or no.Just read further down, I did that for the first time last night and had to go and change.  MM I have taken all that medication too.  When I came to spain, my stomach was feeling horrid and so they changed my medication.  Tramadol 38%/Paracetamol (look up on internet - I couldn't take 100% Tramadol) I take 2 x 3 times a day and Lyrica which is the same as your Pregabalin (Lyrica another name) I take 1 twice a day and when I go to bed 2.  It doesn't make you drowsy and doesn't make you sleep well (just normal) but.... I think there are other side affects. but it would carry you on until they found what it all was.

    Where do you live?  

    I think we all find it very stressful and I am a lot older than you, i have had an hour in the garden and sitting here with hot water bottle on my back  but I did have my Tramadol tablets after the gardening, a chemist in the know in Benidorm suggested that we buy the tablets that disolve, they are horrible tasting but get into my system qicker. But i love my garden!!! You must be on the go with your children all the time.    We can buy the tramadol/paracetamol over the counter but prescription for lyrica which is about 70€ a box.  as i think my doctor thought i might do myself in ha ha.  So we have to buy some of it over the counter. I think you can buy it over the counter normally so find out.

    I thought Amitriptylene and Diclofenic were horrible I add a bit of coridial to it!!!

    They also gave me water tablets when I came here, I don't use them any more, I am careful that I drink a litre of liquid a day but I was thinking of toilets all day which wasn't funny.  I feel a lot better that side of the story.  But 5 times a night is  a bit much.

    I do think that the MRI has been misread.  This new dr might just be the one. Although....... the registrar of a dr in Middlesborough read mine - gave the results to the neurosurgeon and he was so wrong.   

    Bone spurs can grow out of the bone, I don't know whether this is true or not but it seems that if you have had an accident the bone seems to grow into spurs, have you had an accident.  Mine was falling down the stairs and my daughter came off her bike. So think back - have you fallen?   The bone thinks its theatened so grows bone to protect itself.  So i was told.   Keep in touch. I will have to look at the other messages that have been sent to me now.  

  • Enna1
    Enna1 helen10458

    Posted

    Sorry guys but I had to change my password for mail and I got into a terrible mess and with this memory thing with Lyrica I kept on forgetting where I had put the passwords.  After a bit of really centred thinking, have finally got on the board.
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