Disc problem worse
Posted , 4 users are following.
Backstory: Had problems for about 5 years now with pain in my lower back, most of the time the pain would come/go [with sometimes months between the pain] until it reached the pain of it being most weeks. After a few years of pain killers, physio the doctors finally did a MRI scan which found i had 3 degenerated discs in the lower spine.
Ok so after that i was finally told they were going to forward me to a specialist with the possibility of surgery [great i thought! finally might be able to not worry about the back]. While they told me it would take 6 months, it ended up being just under a year before they saw me [only after i went to my GP to complain about it]. Well the specialist saw me for a grand total of 2 minutes, did a 10 second stretch of my legs and that was it. After this extensive [my gp and hospital did more stretches than he did]session he just said to do more physio, now to me this felt like a total brush off when i have already been to a physio 3 times in the last few years with back only getting worse.
That was 2 weeks ago, last week while i had the pain still in my back it wasn't that bad that i couldn't live with it. On wednesday now though, something happened and now my back and both my legs [though mostly left leg if i was to compare the pain between both] are in 24/7 pain to the point of loss of balance and unable to stand up by myself if i lay down or sit down [took 5 minutes to put on a pair of socks this morning!]. With the pain being mostly in the left leg, i know this is more than likely tied to the sciatica but my question is simply what are my options? My GP is brilliant and actually sympathises with me while the specialist i got sent to seen just dismissed the entire thing and these last 3 days i cant walk straight for more than a few minutes without losing my balance and feeling like my legs/back are going to give in under me.
Incase it matters too, im a 30 year old male who walks a lot, doesn't smoke and don't drink that much too.
0 likes, 3 replies
DJ1976 damz86
Posted
Hi first I would ask your doctor to refer you to a pain mgmt. dr for an evaluation. Get a second opinion, and if you do make sure you get copies of all MRI's and the reports, CT scans with rreports and any xrays. You are way too young to be suffering like this. Although it sounds exactly like sciatica. There is accupuncture, also massage therapy. The last test I would suggest, only because it is not fun is a nerve conduction. If you have any nerve damage they should have an answer for the specialist.
6 mos holy cow. Where do you live? Do you have decent insurance? I sure wish you good luck in getting the help you need. Dee
belinda62595 damz86
Posted
Hello, I have had these symptoms with my back since I was 16 (now 55).I do not experience the loss of balance that you have,but my scan shows L3,4,5 degenerated discs with left leg sciatica and now really painful burning feet that I can hardly walk on. I too have been fobbed off with podiatry,physio etc and none have worked. Even when I have recieved spinal and facet injections neither worked. Only then to be told there was nothing that pain management clinic could do. Basically told to keep up the physio and taking the tablets. I have just gone back to GP but because of shortage of DRs saw an ANP who was not very helpful at all, and was told I had to go through the whole referral stages again, I was in tears at this stage and he could see I was in pain, But all he could say was, I have had a bad back and it was bad but only for a short time, I daren't think what it must be like to have suffered as long as you have, and then to be told go away and go through process again. If I where you (don' know if your in UK or abroad) but ask to see a neurologist, that's what I am after,even if I have to go around the houses to do so. NO ONE should be in pain .
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
jessica_78456 damz86
Posted