Cervical Discogram?

[sunshine2008]

I am a 18 year old female and I was  involved in a car accident in March 2007. I was at a complete stop and and two cars rear-ended me( the 1st car that hit me.....their car was totaled and the one behind was messed up)..No matter what i do the pain is always there, most of my pain is in the center of my spine and the left side of my upperback and middleback area.The left side of that area gets numb and tingly. I've had 8 MRI'S(3 cervical, 3thoracic, 1 lumbar, 1 sacral). I was told I have 3 cervical bulging disks and one thoracic bulging disk. I was given a variety of pain meds,muscles relaxers, and anti-inflammatories(Nothing worked). I went to physical therapy for 2-3 months but was discharged because they told me they couldn't help me any longer. I did ultrasound therapy,traction,exercises,stretching,tens units, 1 adjustment and massages.I recieves 3 trigger point injections in May.I then started seeing a neurologist and had an EMG and NCV study and both came back normal. I then recieved 4 cortisone injections and it didnt work. After my orthopedic said he couldn't help me anymore he referred me to pain management. I recieved an cervical epidural on Septmber 21st...... and that didnt work either(that doctor told me after the 3rd epidural that i would need surgery).I did not go through with anymore epidurals because my parents wanted another opinion. After a year and a half in pain, and seeing numerous doctors(10).....I am very close to solving the mystery. The most recent doctor showed me in some x-rays I took last weeks that my cervical disks are very unstable...meaning when I bend the disks move with me...which is not suppose to happen. He suggested a discogram to pinpoint the pain and to see see there was actual leaking in my disks. Needless to say I will be in a "twilight" state during the procedure, I am scared beyond belief of getting an IV(because my veins suck, it took more than half an hour to get an IV in when I got an cervical epidural) and of being somewhat awake during the procedure. I was wondering if anybody had a cervical discogram and how did it go? I have read some horror stories online with people calling the procedure "medieval torture" and I am terrified now! I have the procedure this wed. morning :(

[pushpin]

I am a lot older than 18 and I am not afraid of iv needles and I have given birth to 5 babies, but I must tell you that the discogram that I had done 2 years ago was the most painful thing I have ever felt in my life. I was given medication for this and I asked for lots of meds because I was familiar with how painful this might be. I felt everything and was wide awake for the whole thing. When I came home later that day I was stoned and slept for 18 hrs. It seemed like the meds didn't kick in until everything was over. You need to make up your own mind on what to do, but after all the pain when I finally saw the ortho surgeon he said he didn't need to see the results of the discogram. They are not necessary. Maybe some surgeons want them prior to operating but not all do. Good luck to you, but as for me I would never do it again, not ever!

[lazydaizy]

I just had a discogram done, and I was given fentanyl 100mcg and do not remember a thing about the treatment, I am a little sore from the injections and sick to my stomack maybe from the fentanyl but no "medieval torture" I feel the same way you do, in that i want to find a cure to my pain so, I suggest tring it with fentanyl if you can. Good Luck!!

[sunshine2008]

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