Spondylolisthesis & pars fractures
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi anyone!
Im a 37 year old female who has had a painful lower back for over 10 years, ive been to several GPs over the years and sadly never been taken seriously, i was told it was "age" and to take pain killers.
The pain would come and go but at the beginning of the year it flared up and didnt budge at all (and still hasnt) so i took myself to the GP again for one last attempt only to be told back pain is no longer seen by the doctors and that i had to self refer to Physio which i did, i did a block of physio for around 2 months which didnt help in the slightest.
Thankfully the physio was extremely helpful and arranged for X-rays and a scan that showed i have Grade 1 Spondylolistesis and referred me to the spinal team who i saw this morning.
During the appointment i was told i have pars fractures which is what has caused the vertebrae to slip forward, he told me "if i was younger id be able to have an injection" but as it stands theres nothing he can do, that spinal surgeries dont work so thats off the cards, sp basically i have to take pain killers and put up with it.
Im devastated and frustrated im in so much pain every single day, i cant sleep, Its painful to sit or lie down for long, if i walk for longer than 10 minutes i need to constantly bend over forward to relieve the pain & pressure.
Im only 37 i cannot live my life like this, i honestly dont see the point in carrying on.
If anyone has any experience with this or advice id be so grateful!
0 likes, 3 replies
barbara66703 Justme86
Edited
Ask to see another back specialist for more opinions and research on the internet. There ate more alternatives to treat spondy.
Have you tried wearing a soft elastic back support , sleeping on your back nightly icing and rest. Learning how to do things mind -fully by planing ahead , not do things that can aggravate and trigger the issue. I have had spondy for many years. It can be managed and is definitely a lifestyle change but it is not the end of the world. Important to have good walking gate and good arch supporting shoes. This helps the back pain a lot. Micro wave heat packs are a life saver too as well as OTC pain patches.
michelleDee Justme86
Edited
Hi,
I had a double pars fracture and the 2 lower discs could not be saved.
I was operated on as the fractures were causing spinal stenosis.
I ended up having a double instrumented fixation and fusion.
To be honest, I'm actually in more pain now than before. I also had to wear a rigid full back brace for 5 months which was a nightmare, I could only remove it when I was lying down.
2 of the screws have since moved. One of 3 on the left but the middle one on the right is now working it's way out of my back.
I'm now under a different consultant whilst they figure out what to do.
barbara66703 michelleDee
Posted
Very saddened to hear of the surgery failure. I have read about this sort of thing many times over the years. I hope you find peace and freedom from pain soon.
sending blessings your way.