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.
Degenerative Diseases Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to living with degenerative disease.
Lumbar Spine MRI - Surgery????
by LindaDarc, Dec 14, 2007 01:30PM
I would like to know the layman's terms for an MRI report. I am at the point of deciding on surgery or not. I have looked up some information and to me, it doesn't look like I should take the chance on infusion surgery. I just had a second MRI done today; the last was in March. I will give you the summation of the report from March and I would greatly appreciate your opinion on how I should proceed.
"Moderate left paracentral herniation of nucleus pulposis at L5-S1 with dural sac compression and probable compression of the left S1 rott at its origin. Moderate degenerative disc disease at Lr-S1. Levoscoliosis of the lumbar spine".
Also they note that "There is moderate narrowing of the L5-S1 interspace with loss of signal on the T2 weighted images in keeping with partial disc desiccation. Mildsubcortical sclerosis and edema is noted about about the L5-S1 interspace. Moderate left parcentral herniation of increased pulposus is noted at L5-S1 with ventral dural sac compression and probable compression of the left S1 rott at its origin".
I've had 2 series of epidural shots; the first was acutally 2 to the left side of my lumber spine which really worked well but only lasted a month. The second was just 1 shot between my left side and mid back - there was no relief at all....
I cannot stand on my feet for more than 10 to 15 minutes to do dishes, put wash on, etc. I have pain upon wakening and sometimes have to 'slide' out of bed.
I would greatly appreciate your opinion on my condition in terms I can understand and what you would suggest as far as surgery or getting shots every month?
Thank you.
"Moderate left paracentral herniation of nucleus pulposis at L5-S1 with dural sac compression and probable compression of the left S1 rott at its origin. Moderate degenerative disc disease at Lr-S1. Levoscoliosis of the lumbar spine".
Also they note that "There is moderate narrowing of the L5-S1 interspace with loss of signal on the T2 weighted images in keeping with partial disc desiccation. Mildsubcortical sclerosis and edema is noted about about the L5-S1 interspace. Moderate left parcentral herniation of increased pulposus is noted at L5-S1 with ventral dural sac compression and probable compression of the left S1 rott at its origin".
I've had 2 series of epidural shots; the first was acutally 2 to the left side of my lumber spine which really worked well but only lasted a month. The second was just 1 shot between my left side and mid back - there was no relief at all....
I cannot stand on my feet for more than 10 to 15 minutes to do dishes, put wash on, etc. I have pain upon wakening and sometimes have to 'slide' out of bed.
I would greatly appreciate your opinion on my condition in terms I can understand and what you would suggest as far as surgery or getting shots every month?
Thank you.
Post Comment
I had a lower back injury in 2001, L4 L5. I could not walk for a few months and my whole body would shake. I did all the drugs and shots and nothing helped. I continued to fight to make it work. Why because I lost my Cousin just a year before to suicide due to her back injury. When she came out of surgury the doctors told her it did not go well and there was nothing more they could do for her. She ended her life as soon as she got alone at home just a couple days later. I am tellng you this because I decided to take a different aproach. I went the routeof Chiroprators and massage therapist and physical therapy. It was a long painful road and just when I thought my back had stopped hurting overnight just last summer, then my neck slipped a disc into my spinal cord. I now have had surgury on my neck with fusion to C5-C7 two levels. For what ever reason, my lower back seems to have stopped hurting. I have degenerative Arthitis on every level of my spine, in my hips knees and ankles. I can say looking back from where I am now, I am so happy I did not do surgury on my lower back. Yoga helped a great deal too. I had no choice with neck, it was basicly broken and my bood pressure was getting so high I would have had a heart attack if I continued that way. I was in surgery within two weeks after it slipped. My other point being that if you are being given a choice, I say no surgery. My neck surgery has been a success but you know they are coming out with artificial disc soon that are already being studied in people now. If I had to choose between fusion and an artificial disc, I will go with the disc. Once you are fused there is no turning back.
Take Care and hang in there