Previous Surgery maybe another? - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

CzechSamantha · 12-03-2006, 10:13 PM

Hello all. Im new to the site and I would love some feedback on my issue.

Im a 19yo female... had a wreck in october 05 didnt feel any pain till Jan of this year and went to numerous hospital ERS in severe arm pain (5 different hospitals, total visits 12) Was told i had everything from Tendonitis to Swollen lymph nodes.

My final ER visit finally did an MRI and found a completely herniated disk in c6-7 and a week later I had an anterior discectomy and fusion. 2 weeks later bounced right back to work.

Then in September i started feeling the arm and neck pain again and was giving medrol dose pack and was told it was due to inflammation.

Well the Medrol dose pack made my crohns flare up and i had to switch to a safer steriod for my crohns (predisone)

Well i got off of that and now a month later the pain is WORSE than ever , even after surgery. Its now into my legs and i forgot to add that since surgery in january ive been having tingling feet.

Well on friday my legs got SOOOOOOOO bad that the pain of my neck (which felt like someone was standing on my shoulders) got bad too. So i went to the er and the dr there was highly trained and AMAZING. He said that to him it sounded like something was going on and i needed to see a neurologist ASAP, i had only been seeing my neurosurgeon. He did all these tests on my to rule out other stuff such as blood clots and any other blood disorders. He xrays of my legs. They didnt have a MRI machine there for ER patients and so he said ASAP monday morning go to your dr and get a fast refferal to a neurologist.

Im only 19 and I feel like my body is falling apart. I dont have degenerative disk disease I dont have any abnormalities other then im hurting BAD. For those of you who have the surgery i had, remember that feeling when you woke up non mediciated from surgery and had the HORRIBLE pain. Thats what my shoulders and neck feel like and my legs are all tingly and spasmy and they HURT in my knee caps and thighs. I want this nightmare to be over. I need to go back to work and stop having all this crap come up. I need my life back. I cant get disability cause im SO young and really have nothing else wrong with me besides this and crohns. My husband has been doing an awesome job letting me stay home to go to these dr appts and to rest my back. Hes 26 and has just started a REALLY good job (well actually tomorrow) . So i dont know what to do. I know i need to go to the dr tomorrow and demand the refferal and get in asap to the neurologist. but it seems these drs dont believe me (except the er dr).

Help
Sorry for the long story but i wanted to fill you all in

Thanks
Samantha

huffnpuff · 12-03-2006, 10:31 PM

Get a copy of your ER report, or have it fax'd to your doctor for your appt. He will believe you if he can see it in writing. ER doctor sounds like he was really on the ball. Plus with the numbness, etc., there is something going on there pinching off a nerve. Good luck to you.

Tucsonlady40 · 12-03-2006, 10:34 PM

Samantha,

Welcome to the board. Sorry that your having so much pain at your age.

I'm not a Doc or even in the medical field, but just a thought, but when you see the neuro tomorrow, see if he will refer you for a lumbar mri as well. Some of your symptoms seem like seem like a possible bulge or herniation w/ nerve impingement.

As far as your neck, maybe it is imflammation or maybe it's another disk gone bad. When you have a fusion it stablizes(sp) that disk area, however it also puts added stress on the disc's above and below it. My Doc says it's like a domino affect.

Good luck at your appointment tomorrow. It's great that you were persistant the first round in finding out what was wrong, do the same again this time. Please post and let us know how it went.

Bernie

CzechSamantha · 12-04-2006, 04:43 PM

Well, I went to the Dr and go to my new neurologist tomorrow. And well i also went back to the ER today and they sent me away within and hour said there was nothing they can do for me. No MRI no evaluation. No nothing. Im very disappointed and in alot of pain. This is not supposed to happen to me. Im 19 not 90 . I hurt so bad in my back of my neck where my shoulders are.

My feet are tingling and i still have the leg pain. I want this horrid nightmare to be over. Anyone EVER experienced this and what kind of tests did they do on you?

Thanks

CzechSamantha · 12-05-2006, 01:28 PM

Well I went to the Neurologist.Well it looks like it is my Spherinx(sp?) i have this thing in my spinal cord that is causing the massive pain He gave me Lyrica and zanaflex for it and hes going to review previous history on me and i will go back in a week. Finally some answers.

He did say that Im gonna have to be in physical theraphy the rest of my life and I am DISABLED and he would give disability to me in a heartbeat. Im sad because im 19. I can still walk and do stuff but not to the extent of a complete life. He suggested i keep working and go on with my life because it will keep me occupied and busy.

Anyone ever taken these medicines?

Thanks