acl828
04-25-2005, 12:55 PM
Pardon the pity party here but it just seems that I've fallen into some kind of Black Hole. To make a long story short, I had a very bad fall in January 2001, didn't go to the doc until April (when I could hardly walk), went to various docs up the chain of severity, and now, 3 surgeries later, am a mess! I am in constant pain and nothing seems to get it gone.
I suffered badly from January 2001 until August 2002 when I finally agreed to a single level fusion. Now that it's 4 years later and I'm still in so much pain, I look back and wonder if I waited too long and all this pain is coming from nerve damage that can't be fixed. My first sugery was revised to a two level fusion and then the third, they removed the hardware. I did actually have a small window of relief in 2004. From March through August I was doing so well that I'd gone back to school and was much more active. Unfortunately, the old familiar pain returned in August but I didn't go to my Neurosurgeon right away.
At the beginning of December he ordered an MRI and the results were that now, the level above, L3 has gone hinky. I've done the epidurals (none helped). I've done PT (made it worse). I take Lorcet (helps a little but nothing totally stops the pain). I've also been told they see Arthritis in my back and the PT said I have Neuropathic Radiculopathy (I hope I said that right). Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else has this same diagnosis and what treatment regimens (successes and failures) you have endured. I thank you for your time and for all inputs.
I suffered badly from January 2001 until August 2002 when I finally agreed to a single level fusion. Now that it's 4 years later and I'm still in so much pain, I look back and wonder if I waited too long and all this pain is coming from nerve damage that can't be fixed. My first sugery was revised to a two level fusion and then the third, they removed the hardware. I did actually have a small window of relief in 2004. From March through August I was doing so well that I'd gone back to school and was much more active. Unfortunately, the old familiar pain returned in August but I didn't go to my Neurosurgeon right away.
At the beginning of December he ordered an MRI and the results were that now, the level above, L3 has gone hinky. I've done the epidurals (none helped). I've done PT (made it worse). I take Lorcet (helps a little but nothing totally stops the pain). I've also been told they see Arthritis in my back and the PT said I have Neuropathic Radiculopathy (I hope I said that right). Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else has this same diagnosis and what treatment regimens (successes and failures) you have endured. I thank you for your time and for all inputs.
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Kiki9
04-25-2005, 07:28 PM
Hi acl828, sorry to hear about all the pain. Neuro pain is hard to treat, I've had neuropathy for 26 years, plus 7 herniated disks & spinal narrowing w/arthiritis. The only thing that ever helped me was ultram & clonapin for the pain & spascitiy. Yoga & gentle stretching help sometimes. Good luck with any treatment course you pursue. -Kiki
acl828
04-25-2005, 10:24 PM
Thank you Kiki. I pray I don't have 22 more years of this ahead of me. Seven herniated discs? If you don't mind me asking, have you had any surgeries? Surely you don't manage that with only meds and stretching.
Neuro pain is a booger bear. I have wished many a day I could go back to the day in January '01 when I fell and caused all this. Thanks again for your reply.
Neuro pain is a booger bear. I have wished many a day I could go back to the day in January '01 when I fell and caused all this. Thanks again for your reply.
Kiki9
04-26-2005, 06:55 PM
Hi acl828. I've never had any spinal surgery - it took several years of 'begging' to get pain meds from my doctor (I threatened to go to alternative 'smokable' sources for relief before he would prescribe anything). I'm not a good surgical canidate because the CIDP has effected my capcity to maintain my blood pressure & respriatory functions (especially when I'm stressed or ill). The spinal surgery may have helped if it had been done before my vertebra began to fuse - so the only treatment is pain meds & stretching. I pray that you don't have another 22 years of neuro pain - rather I pray that we all have a cure - or at least adequate treatment- for our our ailments. -Kiki