Scoliosis

[MilanMiller]

Hi.  I'm 37 and have scoliosis with an increasing curvature.  My first xray's were done in 1990, my thorasic curve was 35 degrees and my left lumbar was 30 degrees.  In 2004, the right thorasic was measured at 30 degrees, and left lumber at 34 degrees, in 2006, right thorasic 37 degrees, left lumbar 30 degrees with a note that says:  shifted to left 2 cm, and in 2007, right thorasic is now 44 degrees and left lumbar 37.  I wasn't diagnosed with scoliosis until I was 19 and then it was too late to do anything but wait and watch.  I attempt to be as active as possible, run, bike, swim, yoga and for the most part I think those activities help.  But, there are increasing days with more and more pain and I'm less and less able to do the things I use to do.  Everyone says that's just getting older but I say BS and want to be able to do as much as possible and I'm only 37!!  I have ran 2 full marathons and 2 half marathons.  Which, are must easier on my back that house cleaning or yard work (ironically).  But just yesterday I woke up in pain and it was painful just loading the dishwasher.  This sux!  Are there any other methods out there that can be used to correct scoliosis besides surgery?  What happens after surgery?  Will I be further limited in my activities?  I need some advice and support.  I hate living  and looking like this.

[marmarmar]

Hi, sorry to hear of your situation.  I know almost nothing about scoliosis, but you might want to look into this forum:

http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-179.html

and this product:

http://www.sacrowedgy.com/scoliosis.htm

Hope this is of some help.  

[MilanMiller]

Thanks for your post.  I'm not sure if that device would help but it never hurts to try.  Is the theory that a muscle causes scoliosis?  or does scoliosis cause the unblanced muscles?  It there ANYTHING that can be done to correct the curvatures besides surgery?

[MilanMiller]

Lately it seems like my back problems are getting worse.  I wake up in pain and go to bed with pain.  I'm really trying everything I know to improve this.  I do Bikram yoga, swim, try and stay in good shape but it seems to be getting worse and not better.  I can't tell you have increadiably frustrating it is to work your but off for NO results and still live in pain.  What am I doing wrong?  Is there anything else I can do?

[yeeoouch]

I too was told at 18 that I had scoliosis but was too old to have surgery to correct it, I was told that it should have been corrected when I was very young, anyway I sure wish it had been corrected.
I ignored my pain until at 40 I could no longer move my head, numbness in left arm and extreme pain, lost my job had surgery which worked but my back continues to fall apart at an alarming rate, the pain is excruciating, I've tried everything, at times nothing helps to ease the pain, the symptoms are endless.
Today I went to the hospital because I could hardly move, let alone walk and the doctor at first was rather rude telling me that I should see my family doctor and what did I expect him to do, I just told him, please just x-ray my entire back so I can find out what is wrong and try to deal with it, he said ok, I'll send you for x-rays but thats it. 4 hrs. later that same dr. came up to me and now with sincerity and genuine concern said " In all my 30 yrs. I have never seen someone with a back as messed up as yours" How come no one has helped you, I am sending you to an urgent neurosurgical dept. in the hospital for emergency treatment and contacting your family doctor as well. Finally, at long last someone actually cares.
If anyone has children or knows of children with any sign of scoliosis, get it taken of asap, that child will grow up thanking you instead of growing up in agony.

[BKPAIN727]

I'm 39 years old and was told by my doctor 11 years ago that I had Scoliosis.  At the time I was working, going to school and had insurance.  I was diagnosed while I was there for the removal of a cyst.  I asked what the treatment was and was told I would have to wear a back brace fro a year.  I was an Electrician at the time and that wasn't an option.  The doctor asked me if I had any pain and at the time I didn't.  The doctor said in the future I would.  I wish I would have taken care of it then.  I don't understand how my Scoliosis wasn't caught when I was younger.  

Over the last few years, the pain has become unbearable.  I was recently laid off from work.  My workplace didn't offer health insurance.  The pain when I wake up often renders me helpless.  It puts me into a depression.  Without health insurance i've had to resort to getting pain meds off the streets.  I've been on the pain meds for the last year and a half.  It was the only way I could go to work without being in pain.  I can't afford the pain meds off the streets anymore since I was laid off.  The pain med that seem to work without making me drowsy is Roxy.  I also take either Zanax or Valium to keep my head from dwelling on the pain.

I've tried the over-the-counter pain meds.  I was up to almost 30 Ibuprofen a day.  My liver was taking a beating.  I've tried just about every pain med out there.  Roxy seems to be the only one that actually works and gives me a little pep for work.  People don't understand what chronic back pain can do to you physically and psychologically.  I'm looking for options.  My left arm is starting to go numb now.  I thought it would go away after a couple days.  I thought maybe I slept on it wrong.  Then I started to do some research on Scoliosis and found out that the numbness is one of the symptoms.  I've also started to look into back braces.  The kind of work I do is physical.  Being an Electrician is what I went to school for.  I'm 39 and feel like I have the body of an old man.  The pain and the depression is wearing on me.

I asked some friends about getting help from the government for my condition.  They told me if I get unemployment benefits I make too much.  I haven't been to a doctor in a long time.  Which doctor should I go to If I decide to make an appointment?  I can't afford to go to one doctor and be referred to another.  Do I tell them what i've tried on my own to relieve the pain?  How do I express to them the amount of pain that i'm really in?