My Health

[Elisabetta]

Congratulations on the weight loss. I do keep thinking of you and hoping it's going well.

Like most have said, it's nearly always the bad outcomes that get spread around. Wait for the diagnosis and then choose the best plan for you.

Best wishes to you both.

Barry

Thanks my friend. Appreciate it.

That's what I'm planning to do. See what the Gane plan is on Wednesday and go from there. I'm hoping they'll have a good solution that will fox it all.

[Mouse]

My father had back problems with a trapped sciatic nerve which gave pain down his leg. He was given various diagnoses including slipped disk. In the end the solution was physiotherapist work with my mother giving him hot and cold treatment to his lower back and leg. He was off work for 13 weeks but made a recovery. I was a kid at the time so the details are sketchy, but it was long summer for my family. I hope you find the correct diagnosis for your condition and hence the correct repair.

Best wishes and well done for the weight loss. Mouse

[Elisabetta]

Thank you all.

[Elisabetta]

We're looking at possible back surgery to fix a bulging disc. I'll update once the X-rays are in.

[Uncle Al]

My disc problems didn't show up with a 'regular' X-Ray. Only showed up with a CT scan.
Then my D.O. contacted a surgeon for me. He had to speak to the surgeon directly as
'The Scheduler' wouldn't book a consultation appointment for 6 weeks. My D. O. got me in
to see the surgeon w/in 3 days after his call. In January 1988, my 'problem' was repaired,
and I don't regret any of the 'rehab/re-learning' I went through.

Best wishes for you to have a PAIN FREE outcome

Uncle Al

[Elisabetta]

My disc problems didn't show up with a 'regular' X-Ray. Only showed up with a CT scan.
Then my D.O. contacted a surgeon for me. He had to speak to the surgeon directly as
'The Scheduler' wouldn't book a consultation appointment for 6 weeks. My D. O. got me in
to see the surgeon w/in 3 days after his call. In January 1988, my 'problem' was repaired,
and I don't regret any of the 'rehab/re-learning' I went through.

Best wishes for you to have a PAIN FREE outcome

Uncle Al

Thanks UA they did mention a CT and possibly a MRI if they can't find or see it on the X-Ray.

[Elisabetta]

The results of my X-rays are in and as followed below:


Bones: 5 non-rib-bearing vertebrae are
present. Mild dextrocurvature centered at
the L3-L4 level. Loss of lordosis which
could be related to muscle spasm, rigidity
or simply positional. Moderate to severe
disc height loss at the L5-$1 level;
otherwise mild disc height loss with
endplate sclerosis and spurring. Mild facet
joint arthropathy L4-L5 and L5-S1 where
there is mild neural foraminal narrowing
No vertebral body compression fractures.
No suspicious bony lesions


Soft tissues: Overlying bowel gas pattern
is normal. No suspicious soft tissue
calcifications.


IMPRESSION:


Multilevel lumbar spine spondylosis, most
notably L5-S1

[Elisabetta]

Doctors working late and just messaged me. This is what he said:

Elizabeth,


X-ray does show degenerative
changes in your spine, mild scoliosis
of your spine including severe disc
space narrowing at the bottom of
your lumbar spine and neural
foraminal stenosis (narrowing where
nerves exit spinal cord) which may be
causing nerve root compression
Proceed with CT lumbar spine as
ordered. Imaging should be
contacting you in the next couple
days to schedule


hope you get some relief with
prescribed medications


Zack


I'm not sure if they'll be aiming for surgery but in my opinion it sounds like it's heading that way.

[Modoc]

I hope that they get the best treatment for you, surgery or otherwise.

[Elisabetta]

I hope that they get the best treatment for you, surgery or otherwise.

Thank you

[Elisabetta]

Doctor wants to try and do physical therapy to see if they can strengthen my back. The CT scan showed bulges of discs and multilevel degenerative disc disease. If physical therapy can't fix my issues then they'll have me come in for a consultation on surgery

[crfriend]

Doctor wants to try and do physical therapy to see if they can strengthen my back. The CT scan showed bulges of discs and multilevel degenerative disc disease. If physical therapy can't fix my issues then they'll have me come in for a consultation on surgery

This is beginning to rather eerily resemble my dealing with back problems in the early 2000s when I blew out two disks when I tripped over one of our cats (who seemed to have it in for me). I wasn't able to walk much for most of a week, and was having neurological issues with footfall and pinched nerves.

The initial response of my doctor upon reading the interpretation of the MRIs was, I don't know how you're moving around on your own, but we'll likely have to do surgery on you. Understanding the risks of that, I wasn't all that happy and suggested PT -- at least at the outset to get some strength and function back.

Well, PT worked surprisingly well, and the staff taught me how to properly hold myself and how important proper posture is. The end of the story is that I avoided surgery altogether, still have occasional soreness and pain when I don't take care to sit and walk properly, but am cured of the footfall problems and all the other neurological bits. I still have the two blown disks (my doctor couldn't read and interpret the MRIs, but I could certainly discern the damage, and it wasn't pretty). I imagine it's gotten worse -- just with general decay and wear/tear -- over the years, but I'd not discount it.

Even the interpretation of the imagery between you and I was very, very similar. I hope you do as well as I did! (I still have the original films.)

[Grok]

Doctor wants to try and do physical therapy to see if they can strengthen my back. The CT scan showed bulges of discs and multilevel degenerative disc disease. If physical therapy can't fix my issues then they'll have me come in for a consultation on surgery

Good luck

[Elisabetta]

I'm starting Physical therapy on March 10th. I'm keeping positive that this will help. I'm not sure if it's going to fix the issue with the sciatic nerve but they're hoping it will strengthen the core muscles and my back.