Any Ideas ? Have posted on other boards ..Some thoughts - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

Roadworker · 05-25-2008, 05:34 PM

I will try to explain this as brief as possible.

Jan 08 herniated L5 S1 disc, March did EMG test showed mild radiculopathy. About a week after disc herniated started to get extrem pain and weaklness in right leg. ( which i still have )

May went to neuro to have emg test read to me, during exam she found i had " Hyperreflexia" with DTR 3+ and advise me to another neuro doc ( sh was handling my comp ).

New neuro confirmed " hyperflexia" and lower right weakness with muscle atrophy. He orded MRI Brain, neck, and a brain wave test . And like 100 blood test. ( guess looking for MS are something )
All the test came out Good.
He wants to re-do mri of lower back and alo middle back to see if something was missed.

Now i have not got the new mri done yet, but see my spine doctor before the holiday and brought the original MRI film for hi to see and when he looked at the film he could not believe how small the herniation was , he said it was boarder line a bulge. And he stated NO WAY this herniated disc should be causing this kind of problem.

Still have pain in back when i do anything and also tried to return to work lasted 2 days just from the moving inside work truck pain was unreal.

Does anyone have any insight as to what could be going on, I am really losing my patience . I do not know what is worse Not knowing are getting bad news.

Thanks mIke

lauraruff19 · 06-03-2008, 10:25 AM

I am going thru a similar problem. I am a healthly, normal weight, active 36 year old.

2 years ago had severe pain and did MRI to find annular tears in both L4 and L5. Fast forward 2 years and in April I bent over and picked up a laundry basket and ended up with a mild herniation of the L5 and now the L4 is bulging too. Extreme pain, weakness of left leg, issues with bowels and bladder (couldn't 'go').

Went to Neurosurgeon and he seemed ticked off at me that I was even there. Told me there was nothing wrong with me and pretty much told me to get out of his office. I have seen 5 doctors total now and finally found a couple of doctors that are acknowledging the problem.

Herniation for me is right at the nerve and between both discs I have pressure on the nerve still. Weakness in leg has improved since the first couple of weeks of this happening but I find my foot slapping after much time up and on my back. Surgeon and pain specialist agree that if my next cortisone injection doesn't help the numbness and weakness that they will have to do surgery to take the pressure off the nerve.

My surgeon said the 2 months ago if I had come in and told him all of this he would have just dismissed my claims and sent me on my way but he just had a similar case where an older woman presented the exact same way that I did.

My point is that sometimes small things can cause big problems and I would push to find a doctor that is willing to sit down and look at all of the information and take your own explanation in to consideration.