hello dr. and other members...
it's hard to know where to start. so i will list my current symptoms & brief past medical history. i'm just curious if you have any thoughts or suggestions. I'm 39 y/o. this back pain is really getting the best of me and affecting my sleep, therefore affecting my job and other daily activities. thanks in advance. amy
Current problems – not in any particular order
- Severe lower back pain: has gotten progressively worse over last 2 – 3 months; with the past 2- 3 weeks really affecting sleep, pain with sneezing, etc.
o Mostly VERY low-back: radiating to hips; very recently radiates to mid-back (1-2 days)
o Much worse at night – cannot turn over; keeps me awake or wakes me up
o Sneezing makes me fall to floor
- Headache: ranging from moderate to severe over past several months
- Dizziness: very “faint” feeling; sometimes even while laying in bed X 1 -2 weeks
- Severe muscle cramps/spasms over my entire body; progressively worse over past 2 months with 3 -4 episodes this past week
- Nausea: Zofran seems to help; this seems to be an ongoing symptom for me, though is worse when my pain is worse or I am driving; X several months
- Fever: very low grade – comes and goes; ranges from normal to 99.5 to ~ 100; has done this for almost a year
- Swollen inguinal lymph node: goes up and down in size (pea-size to grape size) x 1-2 weeks
- Loss of bladder/bowel control two times in past 2 weeks: was in bed
- Alternate constipation/ diarrhea for several months
- Bleeding in between periods: very light
- Occasional minor night sweats/chills; ~ once a week for past 2 -3 months
- Insomnia: basically because of such severe back pain or headache
- Pins and needle feeling in feet legs: sometimes one leg, other times both; anywhere from 3 – 4 times a week to once a day for past 1 -2 months
- Itching over entire body: usually at night or after a shower; for almost a year
- Mild shortness of breath
NOTE: had recent blood work done including re-check on thyroid, CRP, ESR,and no reported problems....
Current meds:
1. Levothyroxine 125 mcg qday (hypothyroidism)
2. Maxzide 75/50 qday (HTN)
3. ASA 81 qday
4. Nitro 0.4 mcg prn (prinzmetal angina)
5. Tramadol 50 prn (degenerative disc disease/ headache/ undifferentiated connective tissue dz)
6. Skelaxin prn
7. Midrin prn (migraine)
8. APAP prn
HERE'S the reason I'm posting in this community (bet you were wondering! lol)
I had an MRI done last week. It showed 1) worsening of my degenerative disk disease 2) abnormal signal intensity between L4 & L5 – suspicious of Diskitis and 3) incidental finding of large (>7 cm) ovarian cysts, multiloculated, bilaterally – suspicious for possible solid areas on right ovary
As stated by MRI, I have degenerative disk disease as well. That was diagnosed a few years ago. So I totally understand the horrible pain you have as well! Also, obviously due to the degeneration, I’ve had severe back pain before, but not this severe, and not at night – it was usually relieved by rest or laying down. This is what it driving me insane.
I have a transvaginal and pelvic ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow to further investigate the cysts more thoroughly. I suppose this could theoretically be the cause of the back pain as well. I had some major trouble with cysts in the past – but nothing so painful as what I’m experiencing now.
Unfortunately, I am allergic to most narcotics. In that I have to go to ER due to shortness of breath, lips/tongue swelling, etc. The meds I CAN take for pain don’t even come close to touching it – but I guess it would be worse if I was not taking them. I’m seriously considering finding a good chiropractor, but have been putting it off because of horror stories. I understand that there are wonderful ones out there – I just don’t want to end up with the QUACK! lol
Sorry for such a long “question” - just seems to need some background info. I guess I'm just wondering if anybody from the community has had similar symptoms??? Any thoughts in general?