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I think my ribs have fallen

Posted , 5 users are following.

shirley_1955193
shirley_1955193

in September I had a total break of my lumbar all of them broke. One in June just thought I had a sore back I'm getting old (61) another in August. I ignored this my daughter was getting married. September the rest went and I was in the hospital for a month. 

I have a walker to help around the house and I now have a wheelchair to go any distance. I am getting worse I don't do anything but sit and when I do get up to go to the bathroom. I feel like my ribs drop and I can't breathe. Can anyone out there relate and help?

1 like, 23 replies

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  • kathleen65757
    kathleen65757 shirley_1955193

    Posted

    Oh so sorry Shirley. You are very limited. I have some issues but not as bad as you. I need a walker too because I have a problem with my sacroiliac probably coming from two bulging discs. I sneezed and felt like I had broken my back but fortunately had not. I know from my GP I am at risk of having happen to me what has happened to you because of osteoporosis as the tscores are -4.3 in my back and not quite as bad in the hips. I don't know if other areas are as bad because only the back and hips are checked.

    I have mild scoliosis in my spine and arthritis in my back and elsewhere. I am limited too but your situation makes mine pale in comparison.

    I am 72 so quite a bit older than you are. I am sorry that you are suffering like you are.

    • BoneAmi
      BoneAmi kathleen65757

      Posted

      What's up Kathleen? I was really hoping we would hear back from you. I hope you're doing well, and do very much hope we will hear from you soon! I have similiar symptoms and would love to be able to share, compare and maybe even come up with some answers together.wink

    • kathleen65757
      kathleen65757 BoneAmi

      Posted

      I wonder if this is meant for Shirley?

      I think it might as you and Shirley are similar in your experiences.

      How are you going?

      I get by, just very limited!

    • BoneAmi
      BoneAmi kathleen65757

      Posted

      You're right. It was meant for Shirley. Oops! I'm glad you replied though. Glad to hear you're getting by...sorry very limited. It sounds like I can relate to you as well. It can be very difficult, especially if you've always been a person on-the-go, and loving to be outdoors much of the time. I'm going to have to go back over your posts, maybe to learn more from you. Thanks! Hope to hear from you again from time to time.

  • BoneAmi
    BoneAmi shirley_1955193

    Posted

    Hello Shirley, Finally someone I can relate to. I don't know how much help I can be yet, but hopefully we can find some answers and help together. I have the same exact issue-my whole ribcage seems heavy as if a magnet were pulling it down towards the ground, and yes, I too feel like it makes me feel like it's hard for me to breath or get deep breaths without some effort. I struggle daily trying to be mobile, but get very discouraged because I don't seem to be able to get up and stay up for very long, and if I don't pace myself I can do too much (which isn't much) and pay for it later in a lot of discomfort, especially from the mid-back into shoulders and also low back. I'm sorry, I had to laugh a little bit (even though this is far from a laughing matter) when you mentioned you were getting old. I'm only a few years older than you, but I feel like our age is not really that old, but I FEEL like I'm 90! Yikes! Let's try to stay in touch and see what we can come up with okay? My heart goes out to you. I will keep you in my prayers.

  • BoneAmi
    BoneAmi shirley_1955193

    Posted

    Hello again Shirley. Can you tell me how you had the lumbar fractures, do you know your t-scores, and are you taking any of the bone drugs? This is dreadful isn't it? I can so relate to you and feel the same-not able to do much and sense I'm getting worse. The sensations I experience as a result of the ribcage feeling heavy or like you said 'fallen' and the breathing difficulty is so unnerving. How 'bout you? Just thinking about you since I read and responded to your post a day or so ago. Hope to hear something back from you. Hang in there.

  • OsteoMan
    OsteoMan shirley_1955193

    Posted

    I keep pulling my ribs out of place too. But I have a connective tissue disease along with Osteoporosis. I have Marfans Syndrome. This has attacked my skelliton. All the discs in my back are falling apart. 

     I fell your pain and hope you start felling better.

    • BoneAmi
      BoneAmi OsteoMan

      Posted

      Man! That sounds painful. I feel your pain too! Every time I hear a bit of your story, I just feel for you. I think you did say in one post that you are still very active, which is wonderful. Do you feel much pain?
    • OsteoMan
      OsteoMan BoneAmi

      Posted

      Yes the pain is aweful. I have not had a full nights sleep in months. Everytime I move in bed I wake up screaming. I do way to much. But refuse to let these diseases side line me. But the time is coming fast when I will not be getting out of bed again. I contacted my back doctor. I need surgery but no money for this and insurance only covers 80%. I can not afford a supplement for they want 500 bucks a month for this supplement. I only make 800 a month and need to pay rent and such. It could be worse. I could be dead. So things are not that bad. Thank you for carring and asking. Most don't care. 

        Tony

    • BoneAmi
      BoneAmi OsteoMan

      Posted

      Most don't realize what you're going through. There are some of us who do though...walking in the same shoes. I do care, and will say prayers for you.

    • kathleen65757
      kathleen65757 OsteoMan

      Posted

      You will find many caring people on here but few are going through what you are dealing with. So sorry that this is happening to you.

      Maybe try not to push yourself so hard. You have a lot to deal with.

      Are you in the US?

      It makes it even harder for you with only 800 a month.

      All the best.

    • OsteoMan
      OsteoMan kathleen65757

      Posted

      Yes I live in the USA. This boils down to our health care system or lack there of. Obama care is a flop. These supplements are so expensive I can not afford them. Because of this my back surgeon will not see me again. I was told to get a supplement insurance policy before coming back. My general practitioner told me the same thing. I have not seen a doctor in over a year. I need surgery and need it bad. I have a few bulged disc pressing against my spinal cord. I was told if one of these disc reputures it will cut my spinal cord in half and I will be paralyzed. All I can do is pray nothing like this happens. The cost of not only insurance but the cost of health care is out of control in this country. Until we rein in the cost of this health care no insurance will help. My family and I lost everything we had fighting my health. I refuse to let it happen again. I will go without health care and live in torture first. Just what I am doing.  
  • kathleen1792
    kathleen1792 shirley_1955193

    Posted

    Hi Shirley...I found your post yesterday but I see that it was from 2 months ago. I was hoping to get in touch with you because I have had a similar experience with Osteoporosis. I am 61 years old and I have also lost all of my lumbar vertebrae to fractures and 50% of my thoracic vertebrae. I have lost so much of my independence and it is difficult to understand how to handle what is happening. I just wanted to reach out to you and let you know that I feel your pain and that I could really use someone to share all this with as you must feel the same way. Please write back when you can. Take care until then. Kathy
    • BoneAmi
      BoneAmi kathleen1792

      Posted

      kathleen1792, I'm sure this works the same for everyone...anytime someone posts we're notified via email, so we can link right in there and see what's up. I was excited to see your post, as I too have been anxious to get in touch with Shirley. It appears we three may be in a similar predicament. Do you know, is there a way to private message each other? I think I would prefer that way of communicating. I hope to hear from you soon. I don't know where Shirley is. I'm concerned.

    • BoneAmi
      BoneAmi

      Posted

      ...just thought I'd reach out today and see if I can get a reply from you, Kathleen or Shirley. I'm in a similar situation and would love to share...hope to hear from either or.

    • BoneAmi
      BoneAmi kathleen1792

      Posted

      kathleen1792, Well...I'm reaching out again to see if I will hear back from you and/or shirley 1955193. I too would love to share our experiences with this horrible osteoporosis disease. It's been a couple of months since I first reached out, but have not heard of any new posts by either of you. I hope to this time. I hope you both are doing well and are finding your way through this maze.

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