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Back & Neck pain - Numbness and tingling. Please HELP!

Posted , 3 users are following.

Chris2195
Chris2195

Hi my name is Chris i'm 23 years old and i have severe back and neck pain for the last 5-6 years.

Let me start off by giving you all some background about myself (In case it may relate lol)

When i was 13 i was diagnosed with UC (ulcerative colitis) Which was pretty hard going but managed to make full recovery, medication etc. 2 weeks after leaving hospital i then suffered a stroke due to the colitis. Blood travelled from colon to my brain and left me with unable to walk. Again made full recovery (as if i never had it) My medication is as follows: Aspirin, salofalk, azathioprine. Fast forward to 18/19 i got myself a engineering job and apprenticeship! which involved a lot of lifting and laying. I ended up with sciatica (usual numbness tingling and pain) i was given amitriptyline for this (which doesnt help) as the years went on at around 20 i ended up with a very severe pain in the middle of my back right where my spine is. It is dull pain and whenever i stand, straighten up it catches with even more pain! (great lol) so with many doctor appointments and physio, it still hasnt got any better.. infact it has got worse. I also then got prescribed co-codomol 30/500mg which i find so strong but even now it doesnt remove any pain! as this went on longer and longer it has got worse, the pain has travelling up to my neck which now is constantly in pain, numbness down my right jaw and down to my shoulder which crunches and sounds like it clicks! this then brings tingling into my right hand and fingers!

I now feel at a loss because iv been to around 20+ doctor appointments, iv had an x-ray on my shoulder which they have said looks "healthy" i also then waited 8 months on an MRI which was for the middle of my spine as the physio said it might be "compressed" but the MRI was only done on my neck and i explained that it was wrong scan reason which they didnt care about.. the results have came back for my neck which is absolutely fine and i have been discharged because they are no issues with my neck or apparently! Even though the scan was for my back not my neck!

I'm getting to the point where i believe im only 23 with these issues i hate to think what ill be like at 30! im terrified and i feel iv tried everything and dont really see a point continuing a life like this as the pain is so so bad. Can any one recommend anything i can try or go to see?

p.s I have been to 2 chiropractors, 3 physio' and given all sorts of medication from co-codomol, gabepentin and amitriptyline. I have been told i could have a compressed spine, herniated disc etc yet no one has ever looked into these.

I appreciate any help i can get, thank your reading!

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • cosmo321
    cosmo321 Chris2195

    Posted

    Hey Chris,

    omg you poor love.

    I cannot believe you have been left to try and cope with this at such a young age.

    This is a time when you should be enjoying life, not dealing with such stresses 😦

    Ok, my advice, get yourself an appointment with GP... BE SURE TO BOOK A DOUBLE APPOINTMENT (20 mins), so you are not rushed and able to explain in depth what you are going through.

    INSIST on a FULL BACK MRI and referral to a NEUROSURGEON.... its not possible for them to get a full picture of what's going on with small MRI images.

    Its just not right that you are on a cocktail of medications without knowing exactly what you are taking them for.

    I have gone through the same rubbish as you sweetie and i've learned you have to stand your ground and fight for help.

    Is there someone who can go with you too? sometimes its good to have support while you try and get help.

    Also a really good idea is to write down all your symptoms before you go to doctors, its very easy to forget things when you get there, so like you have detailed your symptoms here, do the same to take along with you.

    It might also be worth getting a full blood test done also to check your Vitamin D and B12 levels as surprisingly enough these deficiencies can cause tremendous bone and pain problems... Once again I must advise you to DEMAND the help you need, its just wrong for you to be going through this at such a prime time of your life.

    I wish you well and pray for you to be pain free very soon.

    Good Luck sweetie .......... Lou 😃

  • amkoffee
    amkoffee Chris2195

    Posted

    I agree with what Cosmo. has said in the post. the only thing I would add is I wonder if you have multiple sclerosis. if I were you I would certainly Google that term and see if it fits your symptoms. I do not know a lot about MS so I really can't advise you. I do know that some people get so bad they end up in a wheelchair. And other people don't get that bad. Some even go into remission. but you are certainly entirely too young to have to be dealing with all of this pain. I wish you all the luck in the world. Make sure when you're at the doctor's office that you advocate for yourself because no one else will.

  • Chris2195
    Chris2195

    Posted

    Thanks for all replying to me! so far i have a doctors appointment on monday, so i will find out then! It has got a lot worse this week and i'm just biding my time currently.

  • Chris2195
    Chris2195

    Posted

    Okay so had doctors appointment, for once they seemed like they actually cared!

    I am currently awaiting for further scans and blood test to check inflamotary markers and other aspects which they didnt want to go into! and i was prescribed a new tablet instead of gabipentin , pregabilin? I believe! but thank you all

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