Lower back pain

[shurely]

I'm having terrible lower back pain. It also hurts in my hips. When I stand for very long, my legs get real weak and trembly. Any ideas or suggestions? I never had these problems until after having a myelogram on my cervical spine. It's now been over six weeks ago and still no improvement. I had an injection of toradol Monday and felt no relief. Please help...

[shurely]

Oh sorry. I meant to ask if you had a nice Easter?

[shurely]

Thanks so much for your reply. I agree with you that they were probably there all the time but the dye irritated them some way. I've been seeing my GP and I'm going to try to get him to refer me to a NS but of course he's on vacation this week. I'm really excited to think this is the answer. I know that may sound funny, like I want to have this, but it's just that I've had this pain for three months and I feel like if this is what it is maybe they can 'fix' it. I'm tired of getting all kinds of injections and taking a lot of different drugs and none of it helping me. (I know..me and a lot of others too). Thanks again for your help. I'm going to look at that web site now. I've read a lot about it but I can't find anywhere that says it may go away on its own...did you?
Debbie

[kittyluv1]

Sorry for the delay in responding.  I was out of town for the Easter holiday----
First off, who do you consider to be your primary physician?  If it is the GP, he probably would not have the expertise to treat your complex condition.  The neurosurgeon would be the best person to evaluate this new finding on MRI.  If you did not have a good feeling about the prior NS you saw (wasn't he ready to hand you back to the GP?), you have the right to another opinion with a second neurosurgeon.
Tarlov cysts (per the research I did) are generally asymptomatic, but in your case may be the culprit producing your symptoms.  My gut feeling is that these cysts were present and not causing significant problems until you had the myelogram.  The dye is injected into the dura (space surrounding the spinal cord) and could have caused these previously unremarkable cysts to become irritated.  The Tarlov cyst is comprised of nerve root endings and the pressure exerted on them during the myelogram may be the trigger that produced your current symptoms.
Only a skilled neurosurgeon who has had some experience with these types of cysts would be able to fully review the films and determine what treatment options are available.
Until you are able to be re-evaluated by a neurosurgeon, you might want to look at this web site:  www.tarlovcyst.org
Not only will it provide you information collected by others with this diagnosis, but it might give you support in helping you with questions to ask the neurosurgeon.  It's another avenue to pursue rather than trying to mask your symptoms with pain meds.
Keep me posted!

[shurely]

Hi. I am still having the terrible back/buttock/leg pain. I had an mri 4/7 and this is the impression: unremarkable lumbar spine. It also says tarlov cysts are present in the sacral spinal canal, the largest measuring 7mm. These are generally of no consequence.

Have you heard of these cysts being symptomatic? I looked it up and the symptoms are the exact problems I've been having since the myelogram dye was injected. What is your opinion? Thanks in advance for any info you can give me.
Debbie

[shurely]

Any advice? My GP office called back almost two weeks ago and said they got the report from the radiologist who did the test and he said he thought it was the dye causing inflammed nerves causing my pain. My GP had already gave me an injection of toradol and then gave me a prescription for mobic and said that it should help within eight weeks! Ha! Easy for them to say. The toradol didn't help. I've taken the mobic for two weeks and it hasn't helped. I am worse if anything. I can't sleep hardly at all anymore. Do you have anymore suggestions? I'm desperate here and can't see waiting six more weeks like this. My leg weakness has increased and I just can't stand the pain. Thanks.

[shurely]

Thanks. I'm still waiting for a return call from my PCP. They certainly don't get in any hurry. After all, it doesn't hurt them at all. I agree that the NS should have ordered an MRI to check this out. At least I feel like she should. I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks again for your reply. I feel so alone with this since it's not a common complaint after a myelogram. I'd think it's all in my head if it wasn't for the terrible pain in my lower back/butt/legs. lol I may as well laugh....

[kittyluv1]

Now you are caught in the doctor tango!  It does seem unrealistic for them to be playing a turf war -- a diagnostic test does not tie them to being your primary treater.  Based on your history and the extent of your symptoms, the neuro really should step up and get the testing done.  Hope you are able to persuade someone to move forward ---

I'll hope to hear from you with good news soon!

[shurely]

Thank you both for your reply. My cervical diagnosis is spurs, herniated discs, and spondylosis. Went to eight PT sessions but had to stop because of this lower back pain that keeps me from driving. I can't even ride in a car without getting out every little bit! This pain first occured when the dye was injected into my back and hasn't stopped. It had never done this before so thats why I say it was started by the myelogram even though they say its a rare complication. My neurosurgeon says she can't order a lumbar mri because she was seeing me for my neck and told me to get my pcp to order one. He won't order one because he says it's up to the NS since she ordered the test. Now he says he's waiting for the report from the radiologist who did the test. I don't care who did what or anything, I just need some help for this neverending pain. I don't understand it I really don't. Sorry this is so long but it has been seven weeks tomorrow and I'm dying here. Flexeril doesn't help and I've also been taking lortabs and they don't help either.

[RJ233]

I started out with an injury to the C6,C7. As the years went by my hips started bothering me,then my back and now I get injections in my back to help. Sitting makes my hips ache and walking. I am sway backed so that has not helped, but the dr told me when I started with the hip pain and lower back that the alignment of the spine is off because of the neck. So basically it makes it affect everything else. I go to a pain specialist and they have many different things to aide you. One thing I have found is not to push yourself by doing things that will cause more stress on the spine as it makes it worse. I use heat and ice to help with the pain. If you prop your knees up at night when you lay down it will help take the pressure off of the spine. Tell your dr about how bad your pain is. He doesn't know unless you tell him. As stated above, don't suffer silently when you have help available. Wish you the best.

[kittyluv1]

Welcome to the Back and Neck Community.  Members are here to provide assistance and support to individuals experiencing symptoms that are related to possible abnormal conditions of the cervical and/or lumbar spine.  The advice given is non-professional and is based primarily on personal experiences.  Please feel free to post on the Expert Forum if additional medical advice is needed and one of the medical doctors will respond as appropriate.

It sounds like you have a couple of things going on.  I will assume the myelogram of your cervical spine was done to determine causes for any neck, shoulder, arm pain and probable tingling and numbness of the upper extremities.  What were the clinical findings?  What have the doctors recommended in terms of treatment modalities?
I am not sure that the pain in your low back and hips can be connected to post myelogram complications. There are many factors that could produce similar symptoms.  The obvious one is degenerative disc disease in the lumbar spine in addition to what was found in the cervical spine.  You could also be having arthritic changes in the joints and other forms of joint dysfunction.  I could not speculate which of these might be the true cause.
It is important to contact your doctor and communicate these symptoms to him and he can determine if additional diagnostic testing is needed.  No one should be asked to suffer silently when options are available.
Please post back and let us know of the results.
Regards -----