People with Spinal Disk Degeneration....

[eits]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: Chrono
I'm shrinking as we speak. I used to be 6'1". Now I'm 4'2"

I was once a 6 footer - that is when I became "full grown" and early in the morning. Even then, by evening I was 5' 11.75". Now, I doubt I ever ever make 5' 11".

My brother tells me that by the time you are 50 years old or so you are virtually certain to have spinal degeneration. He's a doctor and knows his stuff. Thus, when I told him that I had a ruptured disk (boy, that sounds serious, doesn't it?), he just said everyone my age has that. Many people have those things and no symptoms at all. It all depends on things like whether or not a nerve is being pinched.

A tumor, obviously, depends on what kind of tumor, where it is, whether it's benign or malignant, whether it's growing, a host of things.

Sounds to me like the OP needs good doctors who know what they are doing, and undoubtedly some tests. Everybody is different. A correct diagnosis would be helpful. Of course, it may be a combination of things.

i was just wondering to those that have just disk degeneration what it felt like. unfortunately i have a host of issue and was curious as to how much pain the disk degeneration was accounting for.

as far as testing, i have another mri tomorrow and then my neurosurgeon will decide if/when i go in for surger for the tumor, which is inside the spinal canal at L3.

unfortunately i am on a decent amount of pain medications for other ailments and still have issues, but unfortunately the pain medications probably masked it when it was in its infancy and allowed me to keep going until it became much worse. then i started having lower back pain and numbness and pain in my quads, started to have issues walking or standing for any length of time - and this all happend in about 6mos...

get the spinal canal stenosis taken care of. hopefully, he won't have to cut into your disc. don't let the surgeon cut into your disc unless it's 100% absolutely necessary. once the integrity of the disc is compromised, the discs above and below will become compromised.

if you don't get your back fixed and correct your disc angles, you're going to end up with degenerative disc disease earlier than you'd like and you'll be regretting why you didn't see a chiropractor sooner whenever you can't pick your kids up to hold them.

would the surgeon cut the vertebrae to get the tumor out? i have had chiropractic care in the past, but it was for a neuromuscular disorder i have in my upper neck/back and shoulders.

as far as kids, my wife and i are not planning on having any due to my health....

is it common for the symptoms to jump up like they did within the last 6mos? for years there were no issues i could feel, the all of a sudden i can't walk far, etc

it's possible. do you know where the tumor is inside the canal?

you're not gonna have any kids ever just because you've got a bad back? lame, yo.

yes. it only takes a little extra pressure on a nerve to make it tell your brain tell your body to do something you don't want it to.

i can see it on the mri.

and the kids issue isn't because of the back, this decision was made long ago due to other ailments i have that are all genetically transferred.

thank God for adoption, though, right?

is there a way you can post a picture of the mri scans?

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432
the reason i am asking is because i have 3-4 discs that are f*cked up and a spinal tumor, trying to figure out what is causing the pain. i will add this to my op...

the pain is coming from the firing a-delta and c fiber nociceptors. the screwed up discs cause a change in the biomechanics of your back, so your body's trying to tell you, "hey, dude... get me fixed... i'm messed up right now."

where's your tumor?

inside the spinal canal at L3

do you ever get weakness in your thighs/quads? do you ever feel any shooting pain along your leg from your back?

yes, the pain the lower back and the weakness/numbers in my quads led my doc to order the mri, then we found all this. as far as shooting pains, no.

so you didn't find any major disc nerniations i take it...

cliff notes of mri report:
brightly enhancing mass posterior to the L3 vertebral body in the cauda equina
L3-5 - multlevel facet degenerative disease with fluid in the facet joints, most present at L4-5 but also present at L3-4
L4-5 - abnormal disc space with central disc protrusion and broad based bulging with associated compression fo the sbarachnoid sac, tearing is also noted

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: Chrono
I'm shrinking as we speak. I used to be 6'1". Now I'm 4'2"

I was once a 6 footer - that is when I became "full grown" and early in the morning. Even then, by evening I was 5' 11.75". Now, I doubt I ever ever make 5' 11".

My brother tells me that by the time you are 50 years old or so you are virtually certain to have spinal degeneration. He's a doctor and knows his stuff. Thus, when I told him that I had a ruptured disk (boy, that sounds serious, doesn't it?), he just said everyone my age has that. Many people have those things and no symptoms at all. It all depends on things like whether or not a nerve is being pinched.

A tumor, obviously, depends on what kind of tumor, where it is, whether it's benign or malignant, whether it's growing, a host of things.

Sounds to me like the OP needs good doctors who know what they are doing, and undoubtedly some tests. Everybody is different. A correct diagnosis would be helpful. Of course, it may be a combination of things.

i was just wondering to those that have just disk degeneration what it felt like. unfortunately i have a host of issue and was curious as to how much pain the disk degeneration was accounting for.

as far as testing, i have another mri tomorrow and then my neurosurgeon will decide if/when i go in for surger for the tumor, which is inside the spinal canal at L3.

unfortunately i am on a decent amount of pain medications for other ailments and still have issues, but unfortunately the pain medications probably masked it when it was in its infancy and allowed me to keep going until it became much worse. then i started having lower back pain and numbness and pain in my quads, started to have issues walking or standing for any length of time - and this all happend in about 6mos...

get the spinal canal stenosis taken care of. hopefully, he won't have to cut into your disc. don't let the surgeon cut into your disc unless it's 100% absolutely necessary. once the integrity of the disc is compromised, the discs above and below will become compromised.

if you don't get your back fixed and correct your disc angles, you're going to end up with degenerative disc disease earlier than you'd like and you'll be regretting why you didn't see a chiropractor sooner whenever you can't pick your kids up to hold them.

would the surgeon cut the vertebrae to get the tumor out? i have had chiropractic care in the past, but it was for a neuromuscular disorder i have in my upper neck/back and shoulders.

as far as kids, my wife and i are not planning on having any due to my health....

is it common for the symptoms to jump up like they did within the last 6mos? for years there were no issues i could feel, the all of a sudden i can't walk far, etc

it's possible. do you know where the tumor is inside the canal?

you're not gonna have any kids ever just because you've got a bad back? lame, yo.

yes. it only takes a little extra pressure on a nerve to make it tell your brain tell your body to do something you don't want it to.

i can see it on the mri.

and the kids issue isn't because of the back, this decision was made long ago due to other ailments i have that are all genetically transferred.

thank God for adoption, though, right?

is there a way you can post a picture of the mri scans?

i have tried to scan them but they don't come out good at all. also there are hundreds of images....all i got were the films, not a cd (which is probably what i will ask for tomorrow in addition to the films)

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: Chrono
I'm shrinking as we speak. I used to be 6'1". Now I'm 4'2"

I was once a 6 footer - that is when I became "full grown" and early in the morning. Even then, by evening I was 5' 11.75". Now, I doubt I ever ever make 5' 11".

My brother tells me that by the time you are 50 years old or so you are virtually certain to have spinal degeneration. He's a doctor and knows his stuff. Thus, when I told him that I had a ruptured disk (boy, that sounds serious, doesn't it?), he just said everyone my age has that. Many people have those things and no symptoms at all. It all depends on things like whether or not a nerve is being pinched.

A tumor, obviously, depends on what kind of tumor, where it is, whether it's benign or malignant, whether it's growing, a host of things.

Sounds to me like the OP needs good doctors who know what they are doing, and undoubtedly some tests. Everybody is different. A correct diagnosis would be helpful. Of course, it may be a combination of things.

i was just wondering to those that have just disk degeneration what it felt like. unfortunately i have a host of issue and was curious as to how much pain the disk degeneration was accounting for.

as far as testing, i have another mri tomorrow and then my neurosurgeon will decide if/when i go in for surger for the tumor, which is inside the spinal canal at L3.

unfortunately i am on a decent amount of pain medications for other ailments and still have issues, but unfortunately the pain medications probably masked it when it was in its infancy and allowed me to keep going until it became much worse. then i started having lower back pain and numbness and pain in my quads, started to have issues walking or standing for any length of time - and this all happend in about 6mos...

get the spinal canal stenosis taken care of. hopefully, he won't have to cut into your disc. don't let the surgeon cut into your disc unless it's 100% absolutely necessary. once the integrity of the disc is compromised, the discs above and below will become compromised.

if you don't get your back fixed and correct your disc angles, you're going to end up with degenerative disc disease earlier than you'd like and you'll be regretting why you didn't see a chiropractor sooner whenever you can't pick your kids up to hold them.

would the surgeon cut the vertebrae to get the tumor out? i have had chiropractic care in the past, but it was for a neuromuscular disorder i have in my upper neck/back and shoulders.

as far as kids, my wife and i are not planning on having any due to my health....

is it common for the symptoms to jump up like they did within the last 6mos? for years there were no issues i could feel, the all of a sudden i can't walk far, etc

it's possible. do you know where the tumor is inside the canal?

you're not gonna have any kids ever just because you've got a bad back? lame, yo.

yes. it only takes a little extra pressure on a nerve to make it tell your brain tell your body to do something you don't want it to.

i can see it on the mri.

and the kids issue isn't because of the back, this decision was made long ago due to other ailments i have that are all genetically transferred.

thank God for adoption, though, right?

is there a way you can post a picture of the mri scans?

adoption is an option but it really depends on how things go with my health. i don't want to adopt and not be a good parent or unable to do a lot of activities and put it all on my wife.....

 

[eits]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432
the reason i am asking is because i have 3-4 discs that are f*cked up and a spinal tumor, trying to figure out what is causing the pain. i will add this to my op...

the pain is coming from the firing a-delta and c fiber nociceptors. the screwed up discs cause a change in the biomechanics of your back, so your body's trying to tell you, "hey, dude... get me fixed... i'm messed up right now."

where's your tumor?

inside the spinal canal at L3

do you ever get weakness in your thighs/quads? do you ever feel any shooting pain along your leg from your back?

yes, the pain the lower back and the weakness/numbers in my quads led my doc to order the mri, then we found all this. as far as shooting pains, no.

so you didn't find any major disc nerniations i take it...

cliff notes of mri report:
L3-5 - multlevel facet degenerative disease with fluid in the facet joints, most present at L4-5 but also present at L3-4
L4-5 - abnormal disc space with central disc protrusion and broad based bulging with associated compression fo the sbarachnoid sac, tearing is also noted

ok, you know how your chiropractor would adjust your low back while you were on your side and you'd hear a pop or two? that instantly decreases fluid in the facet capsules. it happens because, some sources say, there's some sort of inflammatory response due to a significant change in pressure between the articular surfaces. basically, you just have excess synovial fluid because your body's trying to create less friction and more padding at the articular surface because your back's out of whack.

the central disc protrusion with broad based bulging is basically saying (in my mind) that your sacrum and l5 together are tilting/shifting too far anterior, thus compressing the disc at its posterior aspect. because of this big nodding forward of your sacrum, the dura of the thecal sac (the stuff that covers your central nervous system... brain and spinal cord) is losing it's integrity.

http://www.gcmradiology.com/tutorials.php?file=mrspine#stenosis i'd imagine your mri looks something like this, if not exactly.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: bob4432
the reason i am asking is because i have 3-4 discs that are f*cked up and a spinal tumor, trying to figure out what is causing the pain. i will add this to my op...

the pain is coming from the firing a-delta and c fiber nociceptors. the screwed up discs cause a change in the biomechanics of your back, so your body's trying to tell you, "hey, dude... get me fixed... i'm messed up right now."

where's your tumor?

is there any way to stop the firing since i know i have issues? or is the pain just designed to not allow me to do stuff since i would probably make it worse?

 

[eits]

gotta go... gf called. hit me up on pm or email. i'd like to hear more and keep tabs, if that's ok with you. i'm still a student, so i'd like to get as much experience and real-world learning as i can

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: eits
gotta go... gf called. hit me up on pm or email. i'd like to hear more and keep tabs, if that's ok with you. i'm still a student, so i'd like to get as much experience and real-world learning as i can

i will let you know what happens in the next couple of days - i see my neurosurgeon on the 11th, but don't hesitate to pm me as i do have memory issues due to the long term use of pain meds

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: eits

Originally posted by: Muse

do you ever get weakness in your thighs/quads? do you ever feel any shooting pain along your leg from your back?

I do (quads), but it's fairly stable.

There are some new procedures wherein they go in rather non-invasively and place a little object in the spine, that serves to keep the disks from collapsing. It sounds very promising. I read an article about it in the S.F. Chronicle Sunday paper around 6 months ago.

wow, if you can find that article, i'd like to check it out

I'm looking for it and when I find it I'll post it. The doctor was Zuckerman, a schoolmate of my sister (she told me about the article). It's quite interesting!

Edit: I found it:

The NeXt Stop: One small metal invention saves time and money while fixing a common back ailment of the elderly

First 4 paragraphs:

The X Stop titanium spreader makes an attractive fob on the key ring of Dr. James Zucherman, medical director of the Spine Center at St. Mary's in San Francisco.

But the more practical way to carry it, given its $5,500 cost, is implanted in the lower back as it enlarges the spinal canal. This is what Victoria von Colditz was waiting for at 7:45 the other morning as she lay awake in an operating room. At age 87, she was lucky to be there because the X Stop, which resembles a miniature bicycle part or rock-climbing tool, just got FDA approval in November, and she's having the work done by the man who invented it -- Zucherman, at the place it was pioneered -- St. Mary's Medical Center on the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park, just north of the Haight.

The device is patented by St. Francis Medical Technologies as a pleasant alternative to surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis, a degenerative disease that usually affects the elderly.

"The most common problem people over 50 have in their backs is that the hole in the spine gets too tight," Zucherman says. "The typical symptom is that people have trouble standing up and walking because as you stand up and walk, the hole gets smaller."

 

[eits]

wow, i can't wait to see clinical trials and some literature on this in the future. hopefully, it will save a LOT of people from unnecessary hardships.

it seems, according to the article, that there's no cutting into the disc at all... that's a good thing. you'd only be screwing the patient over in the long run if you actually did cut into the disc.

 

[BoomerD]

I was just talking to an older guy (in his late 60's) the other night about that procedure. He's going in for it in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, it won't do any thing for the damage in my back, but it shows promise for some people, especially those with serious stenosis.
eits, heres a bit more info on the neXt stop:
http://www.spine-dr.com/site/surgery/surgery_next_stop.html

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: eits
wow, i can't wait to see clinical trials and some literature on this in the future. hopefully, it will save a LOT of people from unnecessary hardships.

it seems, according to the article, that there's no cutting into the disc at all... that's a good thing. you'd only be screwing the patient over in the long run if you actually did cut into the disc.

It's evidently well past clinical trials - it's been approved by Medicare and back pain sufferers can get Medicare to finance the procedure. Read the article.

 

[bob4432]

just an update - i will be having spinal surgery by the end of the month....neurosurgeon said he wants it out....