Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Neurology (Expert Forum)
At witts end with Doctors
This forum is for questions and support regarding neurology issues such as: Alzheimer's Disease, ALS, Autism, Brain Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Pain, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, MS, Neuralgia, Neuropathy, Parkinson's Disease, RSD, Sleep Disorders, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury
At witts end with Doctors
by Joannie, Apr 30, 2002 12:00AM
I thank you for taking the time to read about my situation. I have for two years struggled with what began with a slip on a wet floor. My left leg went out to the left and I over extended to the left didn't fall. I have had two MRI's showing mild L4-L5 bulging disc, and a myleogram showing the disc and hypertrophy of the ligimentum florum or whatever. I have had two VERY bad experiences with epideral injections. The first in June of 2000. The Dr. had troubles with inserting the needle and Mother said I was stuck over 6x's. Blood covered bed and I passed out. The second was in Sept,2000. Leaving me with incontenence following. I too had four other injections of cortisone. Low back,left hip,piriformis,and SI joint. I experience severe pain in spine at l-4 toS-1 area. I have also in 2000 had three EMGs. I have since seen over 20 some Doctors. None of course wanting to treat or diagnose. All nerves are overly sensative on left lumbar side. Now starting on right. I can barely walk due to weaknees. I have been looked at as if I am crazy when explaining that pain is going up into shoulders and back causing headaches. It can't is what I am told. With every dr I am asked ARE YOU SURE your MRI's and EMGs are normal. I have with left knee reflex where it flies and then stops for two hits then flies again (my leg that is.) I was wandering if it is possible that this "could" possibly be arachnoicitis due to the epiderals or if you feel there is something else that may be causing all this. Eyes sight changes to Thank you so much for your help. Anything will help
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT, Apr 30, 2002 12:00AM
Sorry to hear about your symptoms. Your case is complex and the symptoms could be caused by a number of things. Disc problems pushing on nerve roots causing a sciatica type pain is one possiblity. ANother is a disease called Reiter's syndrome which involves joint problems which can be in the back and sacroiliac joint as well as uveitis (inflammation of the eye) and urethritis (genital discharge). If the MRI and EMGs are truly normal, consider blood work to look for rheumatoid arthritis or other causes of joint disease like ankylosing spondylitis, an arthritic like condition that affects the sacroiliac joint. Also simple plain films of the hip and SI joint as well as bone scan may also be helpful. Good luck.
It amazes me to see the number of people that leap straight in to spinal surgery, there does'nt seem to be much talk of softer options, i.e. stretching exercises etc. I am very tall 6'7" and have suffered from back pain for most of my life, one of the consequences of being so tall i suppose. The last 5 years have been especialy hard since i put my back out digging a trench at work, resulting in excrutiating back pain, permanent sciatica in my left leg and a sway back. I had a cat scan which revealed a prolapse at L4/L5 with sequestrated disc fragment, also a bulge at L5/S1.My doctor said the next step was surgery the success rate for these things was stated at 80% but in his experience was more like 30% and he advised putting this option off for as long as possible.Make no mistake this was the best advise i could have ever had !. Over the last 5 years i have looked at everything from neurosurgeons, chiropractors, doctors,natural therapists right down to a lady who lay me on a couch held her two clasped hands over my head for 1/2 an hour and then said whew i think youve had enough now we dont want to over do it, that will be $30 thank you.
Finaly at my wits end i looked seriously at the option of surgery and visited a neurosurgeon who said he would operate as a last resort but doubted the chance of success, i went away with a lot on my mind. Next i picked up the phone book and called a physiotherapist and asked to see someone who specialised in long term back injuries, i was referred to a physio who specialised in a procedure called the McKenzie technique, which focused on one simple exercise, lying down on the floor face down and then with my hands on the floor at shoulder level doing a 1/2 pushup but leaving my hips on the floor, in yoga they call it the sphinx or cobra position.
The results were immediate, within 15 minutes of my visit i no longer stood with a sway back and had lost 75% of the pain. It has been a long road to recovery and have had relapses but overall i can definetley say that i am greatly recovered still with minor sciatica and back aches but am on the road to a full recovery allbeit no more trench digging though.
The two books any person with back pain MUST READ before considering surgery are Treat your own Back by Robin McKenzie and the back sufferers bible by Sarah Keys, do the exercises, use your intuition as to which ones help you and which ones dont and above all stick with the exercises even when youre in pain, and like me you DEFINETLEY WILL RECOVER just a little bit at a time and before you know it you'll be playing Rugby again and saying to yourself thank goodness i did'nt go down the surgery path