Degenerative disc disease treatment

Hi all I have l4/5 and s1 prolapse disk on the left and right side, I also have servers sciatica in both legs and my pins and needles in my feet. I hav had this for two years caused from and accident in the army and have gotten worse wit time. I have had 2 epidural injections and a nerve root block and nothing has worked . I have also been through pain clinic and found it a waste of time. I am currently o. Morphine 90 mg, oramorph, gabapentin , mitrazipine, daizapan , and zapain . The doctors have told me they won't operate as they fee a operation will either make me worse or paralysed. Does anyone have any ideas or has been through the same that can hep me thanks

Hi Nannycoop, Ive been told that degeneration to the spinal colum is normal in everyone. Just because we have this it doesnt mean we need an operation to cure the problem. The consulatant i saw in Oslo hospital told me that some people need an operation to cure some dont and the ones who dont live a normal live with non surgical procedures. Not sure what he meant but in my case having compressed nerves in my neck over C2 to C7 and narrowing of the spinal canal at those levels, they have no choice to operate which i wish they did not. My lumber vertebra in the lower back the discs is dried out causing extreme pain. Even sitting here replying to others is painful. But i feel sharing ones problems could help and shows others we are not alone in this and i get positive thoughts from reading posts in the forum.

Ive taken every pain killer you can name to get relief and find non of them work for me, so i try and stay positive and try and push the pain out of my mind and carry on as best as i can. 

Kindest regards.

 

Hi,

I know there has been lot of replies but I thought I would share my experience of pregabalin. I was prescribed the drug in combination with slow release naproxen two years prior to needed emergency surgery for L5/S1 disc herniation due to Cauda Equnia (? Secondly to DDD). With pregabalin there can be some unsettling initial side effects which could people off and varies from person to person. For the first couple of months, I was sometimes dizzy when standing and it affected my memory. It also increased my appetite and I gained a significant amount of Weight which in hind slight if I had known, I would have been more mindful. After a while these issues settled and I have noticed a positive difference.

Pregabalin is great for peripheral nerve pain but you will not notice the full effect for about 6 weeks. Also they use pregabalin for anxiety and I noticed that I was much more calm, not a bad side effect in my case. Also be mindful that with pregabalin as with most strong medications, it is not advisable to drink alcohol as it increases the potency of the drug. Doctors will also tend to resist prescribing pregabalin as it cost more than than similar drugs in its group.

I hope this helps? 

Take care

Hi Nannycoop, Im now eight days out of surgery and at home after my operation for replacement of two discs in neck. My dissucusssion with my surgeon prior to the operation i asked him is surgery the only option. Yes as he confirmed with a degenerative discs that have herniated and are clesrly protruding into the spinal column this has trapped or restricted the nerve and surgery is the only way to cure.

So i am at a lose why he refuses to operate, I know when i first went to doctors he said that if the problem is disc related they will either treat me with physio, drugs or Surgery.

I think you need to go back and ask some real simple question as to why? does the mri scan show disc degenerated and what that means. It was explained to me as its lost it shock abosrber effects and has lost all it fluid and dried causing it to bulge Herniate and protruding into disc. Reason why i had to have mine replaced. They can tell alot about their condition when you describe the pain and where it is felt for what disc is giving you problems.

I had to have two scans before they found my problems in the neck second scan was a deep one. I also had one one month before operation requested by the surgeon which after the op he tells me i have further levels that need replacing at a later date after i have fully recovered from this operation and he has assessed me again in 6 months time. 

Please stay positive and hope you find a solution to your problems.

One other thought i had which surprised me was i have a problem with L4 & L5 is after the surgery that problem got a lot worse and the surgeon did not operate no where near that area of my back. So thats one question i have sent to him and awaiting reply. 

I have had at last 12 mri scans since my urgent decompression of my spine. All the scans show i have problems everywhere i spent 2 month on my back in hospital having drains in my back with big infection areas. My last sc shows from top to bottom i have problems i had a injection in my neck in march its made things worse was admitted to guy hospital london as i was on the ct cat scan tanle. I was on my back on the hard table lost

All feeling in my legs they admitted me had a mri scan at 12 at night. That showed the same things. My lower half took 2 days to get back feeling. The doctor who admitted me said the wont operate again till i go into complete compression. I have a colostomy bag and a urstomy stoma bag.. so i can go into compression anywhere for my back they have a bit of time but my neck is urgent as that controls hands and arms. Any way i am not surprise they dont do surgury on u.