Sign Up Today!

Magustuff · 10-04-2012, 05:47 AM

A quick hello and a quick thank you to everyone for all of their support to everyone here on these boards.

My mother has suffered from Osteoarthritis for many many years, refused any sort of treatment for fear of adverse reactions. 6 years ago, she fell and broke her hip and wrist, after she healed from that she had a shoulder replacement. Her bones were brittle enough that the surgeon said the diseased bone crumbled away when he went in to the joint. This was the experience that soured her - her doctor was one of those 'I really hate giving pain meds - the pain is not THAT bad' - and after one PT session and her begging, he gave her 10 low dose pills and told her to tough it out - she gave up and refused to go back. I do not live near her, and was not aware of all of this at the time.
Fast forward three years: Pain clinic has ignored her complaints of new and worsening back pain. After listening to me and finally taking my advice, she went to a new doc who found she had old compression fracture in her entire L-spine and a very NEW fracture in T12.
After consulting with one of the Physician Assistants, who has proven to be far more invested and thorough than ANY of the docs, I was a bit fearful that they would NOT do Kyphoplasty due to the amount of older fractures and the condition of her bones.
To my surprise, they are doing it - today. I am hitting the road in about an hour so I can be there and finally talk to the doctor, but I am concerned about the condition of her bones and the possibility of further damage.

My husband had this procedure a few years ago so I am very familiar with it - but his was due to a fall.
1) Has anyone had experience with Kypho with this severity of OA?
2) What type of medication/Physical Therapy are they going to recommend after the procedure?
3) Will this 'straighten' her? She is complaining that she is so hunched over that her ribs are hurting - it was this final T12 that really did the most damage.
4) Are there anything else I need to discuss with the surgeon?
I apologize for any rambling: I am exhausted from a three month Bronchitis and an overload of work and haven't been reading my medical info - so I am very 'off' on a lot of this. A few years ago, I would have done all of the research beforehand and would be able to ANSWER these questions. I am very disappointed in myself.

Is there anything else I need to be worrying about? It has been like pulling teeth to get any decent pain medication for her - I am disgusted by that.

Again, thank you.

Lollypat · 10-06-2012, 11:55 AM

Wow, that's an awful lot for your mom to deal with, and for you, too.

I have the same condition, but at 60, mine is just beginning. In my case, it is an inherited disease. When I had discectomy a year ago, they told me my bones just crumbled away when they put in the cage and that it would be further issue for me as I grow older.

My paternal aunt had this problem so severely that she was bent nearly double. The doctors pretty much ignored her bone issues and the pain. I remember driving with her and hitting a small bump in the car would make her yelp. She was tough tho, she never mentioned the pain. Now many years later, I can appreciate how she felt and what she went through.

I take Vicodin for pain. I can't say it provides a great deal of relief but enough so I can function. I do get dizzy, though, and am prone to falling, so often I go without it, and just take it at night.

The PA told me (because my neurosurgeon is too busy, I guess) that to fix the T verts that are currently affected would mean going through my chest to get to the spine and that isn't something I am prepared to deal with at all. I hope to go to a new,doc who will perhaps prescribe laser surgery for my kyphosis and scoliosis and fuse the whole mess so I can stand reasonably straight.

I wish your mom the best of luck and will keep you in my thoughts.

Precious55 · 10-31-2012, 01:08 AM

Hello to you, and please don't beat yourself over the head. Whats past is past, and now we can move forward. I'm 62 years young, and live with pain on a daily basis. I fractured my T 12 in November, 2009 while working in a government job I loved. I've been on work comp. and now have been on social security disability & medicare. I had Kyphoplasty in Jan. 2010, and doing ok for awhile, but now have Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis. Eventually the Kyphoplasty in my T12 broke down and now my T10 and other vertebrae are suffering a compression fracture. Recently I began once a day injections of Forteo which helps to build new bone. I also take once a week self injections of Methotrexate through my Rheumatologist. When I had a double fusion back surgery a couple of years ago on my L 3/4 and L 4/5, the surgeon said my bones were very soft. My body wants to bend forward when I walk, but my husband constantly reminds me to straighten my back (reminds me of my mom) lol. I really can't tell you or your mom what to do, but I would say try to find a Dr. that really understands Osteoporosis and one who understands pain. I found a great Endocrine Dr. a few months back that thinks "out of the box" and really listens to me. I have a 39 year old daughter that still lives with us and I am so grateful for her. She has been a blessing in my life, and I'm sure your mom feels that way about you. Take one day at a time.

Sign Up Today!

Join Our Newsletter

Whoops,

Thank You