Degenerative Discs & Pain Management

goody2shuz · 03-21-2005, 10:25 AM

Hi, everyone

I'm a 45 yr old woman who has had DDD for the past 16 years. Past MRI's show DDD in L4-L5 & L5-S1. I have been folowed by a neurologist and my PMD. The neurologist said that surgical intervention should not be considered unless there is loss of bladder/bowel control, that it was too risky and not successful. I am on celebrex 200mg twice daily in which I found a regimen of keeping myself on it during chronic outbreaks until the pain is managable and for a week after and then switching to advil as needed. I manage with hot packs, TENS unit, and the above meds. Over the past 8 years I have developed osteoarthritis in both knees and feet. For the most part I always have back pain which is manageable off the celebrex if I am careful with my daily activitities.

However, last week I was reaching for a towel and felt the excruciating pain rip across my lower back. As the day went by it spread across my pelvis and into both thighs feeling as if a vice were crushing them together. I couldn't walk and the heating pad did nothing to alleviate the pain. I started the celebrex and had to take percocet that I had from abdominal sugery which made the pain tolerable. I found that ice packs worked better and incorporated the TENS 3 times a day. For the first 3-4 days I could barely walk.....it's been a week and I am still on the heating pad....the pain is manageable, however, when I get off the heat it feels as if I may get back to last week's pain. I'm still on the celebrex and heat as well as the TENS. I took myself off the percocet about 4 days ago because I felt i could manage the pain without it and it basically knocked me out.

I feel that this is the worst my back has ever been. For those who have this disease, I am wondering if you could think of anything else I should be doing to alleviate the pain and keep my back from getting any worse. I have researched spinal fusion and operative techniques and both my doctor & I feel that it is not a risk worth taking. I did see something recently on the news about artificial disc replacements just being approved by the FDA. Does anybody have any feelings in regard to that or any other treatments that have helped in the overall management of DDD??? Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks......Goody

flyonthewall · 03-21-2005, 10:44 AM

Can you get an opinion from an orthopedic spine specialist, one with a spine fellowship? A neurosurgeon without a spine fellowship is dangerous. I could hardly walk when I went to an OSS. He did a laminectomy and fused me with BMP from L3-S1. I'm doing great.
fly

goody2shuz · 03-21-2005, 10:49 AM

The neurosurgeon does have a spine specialty and I trust him but haven't been to him in years. He advised me long ago to follow up with my PMD unless I got to the point of losing bladder/bowel control but since it's been well over 10 years since I saw him.....perhaps I should look into seeing him again or an orthopedist as you suggest in order to get an update on the most recent treatment of this disease. From what I have read here there is none. Did you have the surgery specifically for DDD???......Goody

flyonthewall · 03-21-2005, 11:01 AM

I had severe spinal stenosis and grade 1-2 spondylolisthesis. My OSS did an off-label procedure, posterolateral fusion with BMP on sponges, and he didn't have to touch my hip. He was only two years off a fellowship and cutting-edge. And I was 63.
fly

Bionicwan · 03-21-2005, 11:38 AM

Goody,

Sorry your pain is so high and perhaps alternating the heat w/ice might help.

Have you had any recent studies? X-Ray..Mri?

IF not I think maybe you should just to see what if any changes have occurred.

Just like it's name DDD is degenerative - and things can get worse.

Keep us posted & I hope your feel better

BW