Wide Spread Pain

[SuzieeQ]

I have been dealing with horrible mid to upper back pain for almost a year now. I am seeing a D.O. and he thought he could use manipulation and ultrsound therapy to fix me up.. NOT HAPPENING!!! The only relief I get is by laying down. It is a burning, acheing, stabbing pain that migrates all over my back or just takes over my back. My right leg tingles and feels sometimes like someone is poking me with pins and needles. When I do my stretching exercises my back feels like it is wrapped in sahran wrap and the skin is just pulling from all sides. Weird feeling.

I have had an MRI of my thoriac spine and it showed a couple of mild buldging discs but nothing significant. I am currently going to physical therapy and it is not helping at all, if anything it is aggravating my condition. The pain is with me all day to the point I can't do my normal activities, like grocery shop or clean house. I am being sent to a nerosurgeon next because my Doctor has run out of ideas. My Aunt has fibro as well as my sister. Could this be what my problem is?

I have also been having cloudy urine on occasion which my Doctor has dismissed since I have no other symptons than the cloudy urine.  He in fact dismiss's most of what I say.. I need a new doctor!!

[selmaS]

u r welcome.

Good luck on ur research, and ur NS appt.


"selma"

[SuzieeQ]

I did Google Chiari- I had never heard of it before..  I will have to do some more reading on it.. Thanks.

[selmaS]

Chiari- is a malformation of the brain cavity- area too small for brain- the brain then slids down onto the spine. This can cause severe headaches, and a multitude of other symptoms including buldging disks. Chiari is something most are born with. It can be acquired from a tramua to head or neck.
Tethered cord can also cause some of the same symptoms of chiari including disks to buldge.
A total MRI of the brain and spine is needed for this to be dx. Also the radiologist must also know what to look for.
If u would like more info u can go to the Chiari Institute web site or one for ASAP. Both have videos and patient stories, and are very informative.

I was born w/ this and just dx this past Feb.- very hard to dx.

"selma"

[SuzieeQ]

That's a good question. I am not sure why I am going to a NS.  I have not been in an accident or had neck or head trauma. I guess my doctor is thinking that the N/S will be able to give me epidural shots and see if that helps with the pain. Again I think he just grasping at straws.

I talked to the N/S's office today and asked when I would get in, she said the N/S will review my case on Friday and then decide when and if he will see me. I have a feeling he will look at my MRI and decide there is no reason to see me and there I will be again at square one.  If this is the case then I will look for a different Doctor.

What is chiari?

[selmaS]

My thought on the MRI is to rule out other dx that can be mis diagnosed as fibro.
I have both chiari and fibro, but sometimes with the dx of chiari, the dr stops looking and it is possible to have chiari. The MRI can rule anything else- buldging disks ect.
Check everything-know what it is and what it's not!!!
Can I ask y u r going to a NS? Have u been in an accidet or have trauma to ur head or neck? Just wondering.

Goodluck
"selma"

[SuzieeQ]

Can a nuerosurgeon dx Fibro?

[SuzieeQ]

Thanks Selma,  That's pretty much what everyone has been telling me. GET A NEW DOCTOR!!!  I am going to wait and see what the NS says.

I am also seeing a (excuse my spelling) physicatrist and he is a wonderfull man. He has me on Remeron for anxiety and last week gave me samples of Cymbalta but they made me more anxious and then I also read some of the side effects of it and decided its not for me. I see him again tomorrow and hopefully he can give me something else to help with the pain since my GP won't help me with the pain. It's his hope to get my GP out of the picture since he has not done me one bit of good in the 9 months I have been seeing him.

[selmaS]

U r right u need a new dr...hopefully the NS u r being sent to is a good one.ASk that he do MRI's of ur entire spine and brain...this will help to determine what is going on.

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"