T-Lynn...question

Hi T-Lynn.  If you do not mind, I have a question.  I noticed on other posts, that you mention your previous spine surgeries in the lumbar area.  Did the doctors first think that your leg problems were coming from lumbar disc disease??  I went to an orthopedic surgeon today as a follow up from the summer, and he said that if the lateral nerves in the lumbar area are pinched it does not show up on a MRI.    he suggested a myelogram (although he said it would be extremely painful because of my spine osteoporosis) to see if there are any nerves being pinched.  One thing though is that I would have to agree to lumbar surgery if there are nerves pinched.  Today my ankle reflexes are gone in both legs.  he said he does not want to order this painful myelogram unless I will agree to surgery if they find something.

He said before I go for any more MS opinions I might want to check that possibility.  Nothing shows up on MRI though and I am totally petrified after my LP when that poked me many times because of the osteo.

So why did you have the spine surgeries??  pain, weakness??  I am so confused..
Craig

[T-lynn]

I'm always here for ya big guy.
I hurt my back when I fell in 1993 walking through a parking lot and I fell on a cement pillar causing a herniated disk.I waited until 1998 before surgery as I tried conventional methods as PT and a chiropractor.
It got to the point I could not move without severe lumbar pain.I couldn't bend over,it was time.
Yes at first the Drs. thought my pain was coming from the 2 previous surgeries after seeing a DR with a spine fellowship,he done a cat scan, a mri and the myelogram and the nerves were not pinched and the metal implants were stable.he sent me to cleveland to an expert and he ruled out any lumbar problems.The Dr there labeled it as severe neuritis.

As for the myelogram I have terrible scar tissue and a myelogram is done in the hospital and I was completely sedated.I had very little discomfort afterwards.It was done florascopic as I have the rods and so forth.

If you truelly want answers and to rule this possibility out you can have the myelogram but you don't have to agree to a surgery.

I have no ankle reflexes either,I lost the right reflexes a year ago and just lost the one in the left.And I had my surgeries in 1998 and 1999.

I just had a MRI yesterday as they are investigating arachnoiditis,its where the nerves fuse together and misfire,causing leg weakness,spasms ,its basically a nerve disease with no cure,but treated like MS when it flairs up.A MRI tech has to know they are looking for this as it doesn't appear on a standard MRI film.Its caused by 3 things, bad lumbar surgeries,many myelograms,I've had 4 or 5 and tramatic LP's

Craig its worth investigating more in my opinion.

This can rule out and lumbar problems and if it is a pinched nerve,hopefullly they can reverse the damage,the longer the nerves are pinched the more damage is done.

I hope this helps some,you need releif!!!!

T

[monotreme]

Thanks very much T.  I will have to talk to that ortho again.  he says he doesn't want to inconvenience the person who will be doing this myelogram unless I agree in advance to the surgery.  He said my spine will be a rough procedure as they do not use fluoroscopy.  But come to think of it, I should ask that gem of a neuro in Phila who is waiting for me to be in a wheelchair if he could set one up in Phila with fluoroscopy.

thanks so much for always being there.  I am having horrible  pain at T12 tonight and no one wants to give me something for this.  This forum has helped me so much.
Craig

[T-lynn]

Find a diffrent ortho, a myelogram is always done florascopic as they have to run a line into your spinal cord to inject the dye.he's a flippin idiot!!!!!!!!Don't walk run from him.

A myelogram is a risky proceedure as not to disrupt nerves or damange the aracnoid or dura sheath.They have to use florascopic to make sure the dye is in the sinal cord and not the blood system.

Please get another opinion from a back surgeon with a spinal fellowship,they dedicate there practice to the spine and they are top notch.I'm not saying that ortho's are bad,but after a failed surgery and a reconstructive one that the first surgeon messed up,you deserve only the best!!!!.

I now have failed back surgery syndrome,radiculopathy,MS and now arachnoiditis an in curable nerve disease in the lumbar nerves because they fused together from the bad back surgeries.

I understand your pain,I wish there was something I could do for it.Call your GP and instist on something for the pain,that stupid ortho should of prescribed something.

T