Shoreline or someone please help...... - Pain Management Message Board

LOVEQ · 10-29-2004, 11:05 AM

Really did not know where to go for help on this one.............

I am really confused scared and mad all at the same time and that is not a good thing....

Ok Here we go , First thank you for your response to my post at the beginning of the week. I did read it but I have not had a chance until now to answer. My computer at home is not working right now, so I have to wait until I am at work, which has not been much lately.....

Ok first let me start off what has been happening....

Ok a month ago I had a discogram done as per my PM request to see how much of my pain was coming from my back and how much was coming from my IC. I wrote about it here.... so I had that done and just like I told the doctor none of my IC pain is coming from my back. Now I must say I do have a Herniated disk in L5 and Back Degenerative Disk Disease also a Neuro told me I also have some nerve damage due to narrowing of the spinal space or something like that. Ok so after the discogram when I was in recovery I was screaming in pain, they could not give me enough drugs I was hurting so bad, but when I had the discogram done no pain, well not like that anyways. He told me before I was leaving that I would be fine by tomorrow. Well 3 days in bed after that crying and in so much pain. Went back after 3rd day he told me he does not understand why that happened, but by this point the pain was at a level I could tolerate. a day after that I got a cold. Nothing bad just a really stuffy head and a bad cough. I had that for 2 days then I got a bad fever and I was sweating and cold and chills and achy everything that comes with a flu. I had this real bad for over a week. Then as soon as I started feeling some what better I was sitting and went to get up and I could not move my pack was killing me. I was screaming in pain... the only thing I could do was lye in bed. The pain was exactly what I had right after the discogram.... I also felt some pain in my hips as well..... Then after this happened with my back my cold started getting much worse and my cough was much worse then I started throwing up and had a slight fever... Kind of hard to tell what it would have been without all of those meds in me....

So all a long I was calling my PM doctor but he was out of town.... I also went to see my regular doctor and she checked me out and it turns out I have pneumonia. She also tried to get me to lift my legs to check my back and I could not. Also she also said my back was swollen. told me to go back to him to get a MRI. So the next day I called my PM office again and the doctor wanted a MRI done ASAP cause he though it could maybe be a Spinal Infection.

So yesterday I got the MRI done with contrast. So today I get a phone call from the nurse telling me that there is no infection and everything is ok...... I asked some questions from her and did not feel real good about her answers, but figured I will just talk to the doctor on Monday anyways.

OK so I need some advice here...... How is it possible I was fine before this test and now my back is out of control .... this was not the reason am seeing him. My IC is why I am seeing him.. that is more then enough and now this on top of that has me going crazy......

Please give me your insight on this PLEASE........... I need help before my appointment....

Thanks
LOVEQ

Shoreline · 10-30-2004, 02:58 PM

Were you sedated for the insertion of the caths and needles into your discs. ? If you were and he wennt througha nerve root that would explain all the increased pain. When I had my last disco I had no pre op meds or sedation, they did 5 levels and they went right throuh 2 nerve roots which took about a month to heal and lit my hips to my toes up..

Narrowing of the nerve outlets in your lumbar spine along with the increased pressure could be th simple explanation. If you were sedated for inserrtion if a mishap with the needle or alot of dye leakage from torn discs occcured can cause increased pressure in the sourounding area and laying on your back is usually the least comfortable position for patinets with stenosis Or increased pressure from ESI, Meylograms and discos, although they tell you to lie flat initially to ensure you don't have a nicked dura or a flid leak. I'm not sure how an MRI would detect all infections, an MRI of the back would not detect any form of mennegitis, whether it's bacterial or viral. You would need a spinal tap and the fluid tested to DX that. If you have severe neck pain when you put your chin on your chest, go to the ER.

I can't imagine doing a disco before an MRI, but docs have the choice unless you want to confront them about the sequence of testing.

IF you were sedated for insertion a lot of stuff could have occured you are unaware of.

When it comes to DXing spinal problems a neuro surgeon or ortho surgeon would who I would want tolook at things. I have never even had a surgeon read a radiologist report and have had radoiologist flat miss broken hardware and other problems on 3 occaisions.

Have you talked to any true spine specialist or are your docs relying on the radiaologist to find a problem. Which is what docs that are no more familiar with spinal structure than the radiologist do. Ask for a neuro consult about the stenosis and the DDD although everyone over the age of 30 has some degree of DDD. Disc deghydrate as you get older, it's just part of life, Some people it causes problems for and some will never complain even with severe DDD if there is no nerve involvement.
Good luck, Dave