Re: DDD, Spinal Stenosis, Bulging Disc, Arthritis

[Guest guest]

I was recently diagnosed with at least two bulging discs (herniation) in the c4

and c5 area of my cervical spine as well as stenosis. My pain started in my arms

and elbows. The doctor says when a nerve in my cervical spine is impinged upon

it causes the arm/elbow pain.

Basically what I was told is the bulging discs often return to normal

size/position with physical therapy/meds combinations. The doctor also labelled

my problem as genetic/age related (I'm 54), posture at computer. I was not told

that surgery is never done but it is seemingly a last resort. I think the next

thing the doctor is going to try is epidural shots.

We'll see. I have been on Workman's Comp for 7 months. I do plan on going back

to work at least part time this next month. I work at a computer. My pain is

really not so bad at this point that I cannot do keyboarding. I will try 3 to 4

hours a day at first and see how it goes. I had MRI's of my neck. I am going to

find out MRI results on my left elbow this coming week. There may be other

things going on.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It does sound similar to mine.

Ken GreyEagle

Cherokee Nation Western Band

-------------- Original message ----------------------

From: " Sweetie " <twhite300@...>

> Hi all, I am new to this group. Seems like there's quite a wealth of

> information here, that's great!

>

> I wonder if anyone here has had an experience similar to mine. If

> you have, I'd love to hear from you.

>

> I have degenerative disc disease (also present in 3 direct blood line

> family members), spinal stenosis, bulging discs, and arthritis. I am

> 30 years old. I haven't worked in 2 years because of daily pain.

> Although all four of these items have been confirmed on an xray and

> an mri, I am told over and over that NONE of them are actually my

> problem and I've been given the label and blanket statement " you have

> mechanical back pain " . Apparently the docs seem to think that my

> levels of each of these are in accordance with most of the general

> population and are not of significance. But yet I live in pain every

> single day for the last 2.5 years.

>

> Any thoughts/experiences?

>

> Thanks! Happy New Year!

>

> Sweetie.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

HI,

I have lower back probs from an old injury at work many years

ago, and upper back probs from a bus wreck last year. With

fibromyalgia and arthritis on top of them. And I don't know how many

times I heard that same ol' same ol' about " such and so percentage

of the population has a bulging disc too and they live with it. "

Well bully for them! I have waaaaay more than ONE freakin' bulging

disc and I HURT! Give any one of them what I've got and most of them

would fall down mewling like scared kittens. Maybe, just maybe, if

you fix the discs some of the other problems will lighten up. Ya

think Doc?? Now that that's off my chest, LOL, I have to say I

finally found a doc who seems to be willing to look at the

possibility of fixing the upper back probs. And he's a talented,

dedicated surgeon that I believe in so I feel comfortable with his

care. My first appointment with him isn't until Jan 22, but he has

been my husbands doctor for a year and a half now. His excellent

skills and caring attitude have been evident in our experience with

him so far and I am positive he will treat me with the same high

quality of care. What I wanna know is.......why can't the rest of

the docs care that much? Why can't they work that hard to build

their skills? Why do they all fall back on the old cliches like the

one above? HUH??? I wish I could hit some of them over the head with

a stack of medical files on people like me who have had to wait

years for real help because of people like them. I sure hope you

don't go as long as I did before finding a good one. Don't give up,

they may be few and far between but they ARE out there. KYAC, Darz

>

> Hi all, I am new to this group. Seems like there's quite a wealth

of

> information here, that's great!

>

> I wonder if anyone here has had an experience similar to mine. If

> you have, I'd love to hear from you.

>

> I have degenerative disc disease (also present in 3 direct blood

line

> family members), spinal stenosis, bulging discs, and arthritis. I

am

> 30 years old. I haven't worked in 2 years because of daily pain.

> Although all four of these items have been confirmed on an xray

and

> an mri, I am told over and over that NONE of them are actually my

> problem and I've been given the label and blanket statement " you

have

> mechanical back pain " . Apparently the docs seem to think that my

> levels of each of these are in accordance with most of the general

> population and are not of significance. But yet I live in pain

every

> single day for the last 2.5 years.

>

> Any thoughts/experiences?

>

> Thanks! Happy New Year!

>

> Sweetie.

>

[Guest guest]

I sounds like you have not had an MRI, my question is why? How do you know that

you have bulging disc, etc. if you have not had an xray or an MRI? If you have

these tests done, you will find out as to what extent of damage you have. I

would insist upon diagnostic tests.

Phyllis

Sweetie <twhite300@...> wrote:

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[Guest guest]

Mark from Boston here,

I have Spinal Stenosis, fibro the triple D and I could go on!! My last

surgery was for a case of my skull slipped off my spine, kinked my brain stem

and

the fused, plated and rod ed from the back of my skull down to C4.if you

would like pics send along your email address.

I have had a total of 8 surgeries for the stenosis when they first

discovered it at 47 they said they probably wouldn't have too see me for a while

but

it seems to have progressed faster than we all would like.

I have another coming up the 23 of Jan. Good luck and I would find another

doctor before it gets any farther than it is !!

Good luck

Mark from Boston

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your response, I have indeed had an MRI and an Xray.

This is where they found the problems, but insist that they are

not " my " source of problem or pain.....that mechanical back pain is.

Sweetie.

>

>

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