New & need support

[Guest guest]

Hi, I introduced myself last week & have enjoyed reading all the

posts. You have so much knowledge to help one another with, I thought

I'd share my need for help.

My rheumatologist X-RAY report says I have " significant cervical

spondylosis at the C5-6 interspace with narrowing of the interspace

and anterior and posterior osteophyte formation. "

Can anyone interpret this for me?

What I DO know is that I have bone spurs which have grown on the

discs in my neck. I have been complaining about severe shoulder pain

for 2 years to my rheumatologist (my second one now) and he has been

giving me cortisone shots in my shouler. I have not been receiving

any relief from these shots so I continued to see him despite the

fact that I believed he thought I was exxagerating. Then he finally

took an X-Ray of my neck and he felt it all made sense. So he gave me

two cortisone shots in my neck in addition to my shoulder and I still

have had NO relief. He has never recommended any type of treatment

other than cortisone shots and they have not helped me. In fact, my

neck was NOT hurting until he gave me these shots! This was about two

months ago. Now BOTH my shoulder and neck are in excruiating pain. I

wake out of my sleep every night feeling like I have broken my arm.

My neck feels like I was in a severe car wreck and I have a horrific

case of whiplash. I did go into Boston for another opinion and was

told to see a neuro-surgeon, which I have not yet done.

Here are my questions for the group - does anyone else have anything

similiar to this problem, how is it being treated, what are people's

experiences with cortisone shots, any guesses on what a neuro-surgeon

may do differently than a rheumatologist? I am on no pain meds. The

only pain meds I got from my rheumy was the duragesic pain patch,

which he put me on without my ever having been on ANY pain meds

before and I got so violently ill that I had to rip if off only after

a few hours and then spent the next two days in bed vomiting

violently.

I am of sick of waking up every night feeling like I have a broken

arm and walking around all day with a neck that was feeling fine

until I got these cortisone shots!

Has anyone here been helped by a neuro-surgeon? Do they just do

surgery?

HELP!!

thanks so much,

Kay