Degenerative Disc Disease

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64 SRT8 Dart

64 SRT8 Dart

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Mentioned this in my other post. Something I've been dealing with for several years now and found out exactly what it was in 2012.

Had an MRI yesterday morning and the Doc called a few minutes ago and confirmed what I already knew.

It's worsened and is now really pinching down on several nerves coming from my spinal cord....resulting in the sensitive teeth when I pop my neck and arms more prone to falling asleep. She gave me several options of direction to step in.

Num 1: steroid injections, which I don't want to do as the cortisol shots deteriorate bone tissue....so really it's feeling better but getting worse and deteriorating both bone and disc now.
Num 2: going through physical therapy again, but for what? I already know the stretches and I don't have a partially herniated disc this time around.
Num 3: Go talk to the Neurologist again and see what he recommends.

I opted for number 3 for now.

I hate doing pain killers and have managed without them for years now.
Anyone have any fusions done in their necks?
 
I have had Degenerative bone Disease for well over 15 years or more, they wanted to do back sergery and fuse 3 in my neck 10 years ago, I do my own therapy now and a pool is your best friend, to keep in shape with out making it worse faster, I have dun the injections and they last maybe 2 ta 5 weeks if the doctor hits the right location..
Now they have found I hav E.T, read these last couple pages here http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=222307&page=7
Fusion is a alternative and it is dun better t5hese days, less scaring..
I think before I move and do not let anything spook me and turn my neck fast..
My last three fingers go num, along with the top of my leg, wake up and I can not use my right arm till I get it moving .. Getting old is not easy...
 
is the pain real bad at this time? It sounds as tho it may be moderate, I'd ask if Gabapentin will help instead of the pain meds.....Its what I'm on for foot nerve pain, and sounds as tho you might benefit from it as well....I'm on it, and I know Doug "AKA" Inkjunkie just got on it,....just something to ponder, I know it works for me, and seems as tho it is working for Doug, but he may need to talk more to his Doc on it.

As for the rest, its not a bad drug, you just have to try it and see if it helps in the wee bit and then go from there, YES, it has side effects, BUT I found that for me, they don't kick in at all....really once in a while as I'm on 300 MG pills, and I take one in the AM and one at night, as need a 3rd at times if its real bad to equal 900MG a day. I have an uncle that's on it that's taking 3600 MGs a day! And after seeing him, it seems to have done him well too! He's on it for Diabetic Neuropathy nerve pain in his legs and feet. I myself, don't have the Diabetic Neuropathy, I merely have nerve damage in my feet.....
 
I have had a fusion done in 2005 worst damn thing i have ever done
 
...i get a really bad reaction when a doc suggests cutting on or near my spine...
 
Surgery or Pt. Avoid injections or pain meds. They are a bandaid and can make things much worse in the long run, not just for your neck..
 
I tried a cortisone shot and it was not a fun experience hearing that needle crunch it's way to your spine. I'll be 30 this month and I can't even imagine how debilitating the degenerative disks in my neck will l be in 5,10,20 years..
 
I've also got DDD in my lumbar spine. I had a lumbar laminectomy in 2007 to repair a herniated disc, and it has now herniated again in the same spot along with the L4-L5, and L5-S1 joints collapsing.

I am having an MRI on Thursday, and I am going to speak with a neurosurgeon at the end of the month. It has gotten me to the point of exhaustion after all these years of fighting it, and I don't want to be on pain meds for the rest of my life, so I'm going to listen to what the surgeon has to say, and make my decision from there.
 
Good luck you guys. I have had a lower disc problem for years and have been going to a Chiropractor since then. I usually need to go once a month and sometimes more often if I screw something up. My lower back problems caused siatica but has gotten better the past few years. I too have lots of tingling in my hands and fingers as well as grinding and popping in my neck with occasional headaches. Many people I know have had vertebrae fusion surgery and wish they hadn't. I'll continue seeing my Chiro and taking Ibuprofen as long as it doesn't get worse. tmm
 
I have 2 herniated discs in my low back. Been that way since my early 20's. Also have DDD.

Some things that helped me avoid surgery.
Excersise
Weight control
Temperpedic bed
GRavity boots
Chiro
Massage
Joint supplements
 
I've got 3 discs in my neck fused into 1 long bone. Limiting how far I can turn my head isn't such a big deal. Coming out of surgery with my left arm turned completely off was a big deal. Months of physical therapy did get the arm and hand working again but never will be a strong or as coordinated as before.
It's crap shoot really. Some come out of neck surgery good as new and some don't.
If the pain is bad enough and nothing else helps... Roll the dice like everyone else.
Best of luck to you.
By the way, Working on cars directly is no longer doable. You would only accelerate the problems in your lower back. Yes I've had surgeries down there too.
IVRs and rally instrument panels are my way of working on cars indirectly.
 
Check out Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty to see if either might be possible in your case.

My mother was in such bad pain she couldn't walk and the specialist did the Vertebroplasty. She was able to walk the next day. Had another friend that had it done by the same doctor and his pain was taken care of. Just had another 87 year old friend that had it done today.

The nice thing about this is there are no stitches, you only have the little round spot band-aids on each side of where the cement was put in, no recovery, no rehab and for younger people it is an outpatient procedure.
 
I have a couple bulging discs and a pinched nerve from from some degenerative closing of the passage where the nerve exits the spine. So the sciatic pain is constant and usually unbearable within 10-15 minutes of doing most things and even just standing.

It has been off and on for 8-10 years ( I am 45) for years I just dealt with it but about 4 years ago I could not take it anymore so started seeing a spine doctor and a chiropractor with little relief. I have had spinal and other type injections that did not help. I have had countless hours of PT with no help.

It all took a back seat to some knee issues that I had been having for quite a few years that ended up with a total knee replacement in September of last year.

Now I'm seeing a spine institute at Dartmouth Hitchcock medical center in New Hampshire and they had me gabepentin or whatever it is called and that has not touched it ether but we did not up the dosage past 3 per day because I dont want that much meds.

So between the knee and the pinched nerve/back (and of course some bad eating choices) I have gained a like of weight in the last 4-5 years. And I can't hardly walk at the end of the day and have to lift my leg in the car and kick it out and she changes my socks for me much of the time.


It is frustrating because I have worked road construction most of my life and kept in pretty good shape. Ten years ago I ran ten miles a day and now I can't walk across the parking lot without using a cart for a walker. I just had another MRI and go back Friday to see the doc.

I hope something breaks soon but I hear so many stories of surgery and more are bad than good
 
Mine was a case of the discs had gotten that bad they had dessicated and allowed the bones of the spine to rub on each other, the neurosurgeon offered a 90 to 95% decrease in pain and return to near normal function, typically for me it did not do well and now i have constant pain as well as the stabbing sharp pains that come and go, ne of the side effects that i have had has been to have formed a weakness in my right arm (from the 8 hours of having my arm out and head twisted to the right during the surgery) i also developed a shake that is almost parkinsonian in nature that comes and goes,this makes using screw drivers and things very difficult at times
 
Wow, some of the stories you guys have kinda make me want to just deal with the pain, lol. Might be less painful in the longrun, lol.

Maybe some sort of traction device for my neck might be more feasible?

There are 2 people at church that have had the fusions done all in the last 6 months.
1. the pastor's wife says to get it done, that it was the best thing for her.
2. one of the associates had a bad experience, not with the fusion itself, but when one of the nurses removed his breathing tube they carelessly yanked it out and knocked all of his front teeth loose!! When he woke up, he had more pain in his mouth and when felt with his tongue, 4 or 5 teeth were pointed nearly straight out!! The hospital made good on it and is paying for all dental procedures and for the braces he needs now. He's pushing 50yrs old too.

They both had the same surgeon and all 3 of us share the same family practitioner. I hear the surgeon is one of the best in the state. Hmmm decisions, decisions.
 
Severe damage (and now degenerating) to my upper (c's) and lower (l's) spine. I am in chronic pain and have moderate to severe pitting edema which the docs have no idea what is causing it. I have also developed massive scaring tissue around my lower sciatic nerves..the docs want to cut that out..
 
I had laminectomy in 1992 l4-l5 and got relief from it. Doc said I had 50/50 shot to return to work as a tech for ma bell. I did return to work for another 20 years. In 2001 I had a fusion s4-s5 as I had a lot of pain down right arm and hand and it was a success. The doc failed to mention that fusion puts a lot of stress on disc above and below. In 2010 had fusion s2-s3 for severe neck pain and didn't go as well as still have a lot of pain and had to retire on disability with 32 years of service with ATT. I am now 60 and seeing a pain management doc as neck is full of arthritis and want to go in from back of neck and fuse everything head to shoulders, no thanks. I don't know how old you are so roll the dice and take your chances. Good luck Bill
 
..the operation they suggested for me..when I looked it up..i would not be able to unload the dishwasher for over 6 months..I will be the double nickle this year...I am a diabetic so the risk doubles.. it is easier to deal with pain than a operation that doesn't take..
 
my doctor told me that so many people think that even if they felt 50% better they would be happy but on the other side of surgery if you are not pain free you wout be happy.

i dont have a lot of actual back pain so the doc said because of the sheer nature of the surgery it could maybe give me some relief but also might create back problem as well

i know i cant go on much longer with this pain. i know taking off some of the weight i gained would help but cant stand longer than10 minutes at a time and less if im doing something and the knee will be longer before it totally heals.

i start meeting with the dietitian at my docs office next week to work on better eating habits to try and take some off
 
I've been dealing with DDD for about 12 yrs. also. Had C6-C7 fused nearly 3 yrs. ago and it helped tremendously. Before I had it done my left arm hurt so unbelievably bad most of the time. All Vicodin was knock the edge off. My neck was the worst but I pretty much have it all the way down my spine. 2 yrs. ago I had low back surgery, not fusion though. He went in and cut off numerous bone spurs and shaved the L5 disc. It helped a fair amount because before my left leg was numb all the way down to my toes after just a few minutes on my feet. A lot of days I had to use a cane. Now I never have to use a cane. I still have low back pain though, just not as bad. I also have a lot of migraines, (not to mention diabetes and high BP). The doc was hoping the neck surgery would remedy the migraines, or at least help some but it didn't do anything for them. I lost my job of 12 yrs. due to missing so much work from migraines. Luckily I had a disability plan through work that gets me by.

BTW: The gabapentin someone mentioned earlier helps my migraines so I only have 3 or 4 a month but it doesn't seem to do anything for back pain. I have a buddy it helps so it's worth a shot IMO

If you decide on surgery check the Dr out real good. All it takes is a Google search to find out the skinny on a lot of things
 
I feel bad for you that go through that.My wife has had 6 surgeries since 1984 and even has a spinal cord stimulator implanted in her abdomen with wires to her lower back.She says it takes the edge off is about all.Pain meds make her severely sick to her stomach so she only uses them when it gets really bad.Has so much scar tissue in her back now has been told the newer procedures are not an option for her. I don't know how you all tolerate it.
 
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