Aa
Need answers my doctors cannot give
Allow me to begin with hello to all and thanks for reading.
For about 11 years now (I am now 35) I have had fairly constant fluid build-up in the lumbar area of my spine that shows on the skin, it's visible with how much it swells at times (actually, visible most days, with only a few days of non-visibility). I do have multiple degenerative diseases, such as degenerative disc disease, what's been referred to as "severe lumbar atrophy", spinal arthritis, sciatica, foramina narrowing (bilateral), nerve damage, central canal stenosis and general spinal stenosis. Also, for all this time, I've had several MRI scans, x-rays, two spinal taps and a battery of other tests done and all the doctors have ever been able to tell me is that it's excess fluid from the multiple disorders I suffer from. However, I've seen so few patients who have been diagnosed as having "excess fluid" that have the same kind of outward swelling that I do. This causes major pain in my lower and mid back, my hips and upper legs. I've also had a marked increase in headaches and migraines over the years. My current doctor has the suspicion that something else is going on that what I've been told, but he cannot tell me exactly what it is due to a lack of experience in the area (he's a regular practitioner, not a specialist of any kind), and he agrees that something is being left unsaid about my condition. I do realize that it could be from the compounded health issues all together, but again, I've seen so few cases like mine and there's so little evidence to support what I've been told. Any help is truly appreciated. Thank you all for taking your time to read this.
For about 11 years now (I am now 35) I have had fairly constant fluid build-up in the lumbar area of my spine that shows on the skin, it's visible with how much it swells at times (actually, visible most days, with only a few days of non-visibility). I do have multiple degenerative diseases, such as degenerative disc disease, what's been referred to as "severe lumbar atrophy", spinal arthritis, sciatica, foramina narrowing (bilateral), nerve damage, central canal stenosis and general spinal stenosis. Also, for all this time, I've had several MRI scans, x-rays, two spinal taps and a battery of other tests done and all the doctors have ever been able to tell me is that it's excess fluid from the multiple disorders I suffer from. However, I've seen so few patients who have been diagnosed as having "excess fluid" that have the same kind of outward swelling that I do. This causes major pain in my lower and mid back, my hips and upper legs. I've also had a marked increase in headaches and migraines over the years. My current doctor has the suspicion that something else is going on that what I've been told, but he cannot tell me exactly what it is due to a lack of experience in the area (he's a regular practitioner, not a specialist of any kind), and he agrees that something is being left unsaid about my condition. I do realize that it could be from the compounded health issues all together, but again, I've seen so few cases like mine and there's so little evidence to support what I've been told. Any help is truly appreciated. Thank you all for taking your time to read this.
Hi....I was wondering if you have been checked for tethered cord and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
Not sure if they could be a possibility for you, but I feel worth ruling out.
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