Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 7 Location: Oxon, England
Can Anybody Help Me With a Degenerative Disc Disease Questio Posted: 03-25-05 17:07pm
Dear all,
i have a question regarding 'ddd'. This
condition of mine has been progressing for
about 7 years. The pain has gradually got
worse and in fact I thought that I could
just keep exercising and maintain my
health.
But it got worse and early this year I had
to throw in the towel and go sick from my
manual job. My employers are talking
about discharging me on medical retirement
but here's where the problem lies.
I have terrible daily pain in my lower
back from l1 - l5 and s1. My doctor says
I also have athritis there too. He was
understanding and said that I was right to
try to get out and that he would support
me. But when I went to my works doctor
(the one who has to sign the discharge
papers) he said that he thought it would
improve and I could return to work someday
and maybe I should just ask my orthepedic
surgeon for a lamenectomy.
Now I am concerned, is my condition as bad
as I thought. He made me feel like a
fraud but my pain is for real. I have
been on the internet and there are all
sorts of opinions on 'ddd'. I struggle to
get by on a daily basis and cannot walk
for that long.
I would like to know if anyone else has
any feedback for me, I do not think I am
imagining this. Do you have any positive
storys about this condition and what can I
expect and of course am I right to get out
of my manual job??
This may sound a very obvious question but
I have been seen by 3 doctors and none of
them have told me the same thing.
Thanks
mark
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mickeymouse_724
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 7 Location: Franklin KY
Posted: 03-26-05 05:16am
You cannot recover from ddd there is no
medicine to stop it or slow it down I have
had ddd since I was 16 I am now 30 I have
had 5 surgeries and ruputerd l1 through 5
and that is where my ddd is. Last august
I have finally found relief I went to a
pain management doctor and started
rehabilitaion it is not therapy it is
different and is wonderful I would say
that this would be your only way for
comfort hope this helps
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Chunkyn
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 7 Location: Oxon, England
Degenerative Disk Problem Posted: 03-26-05 15:58pm
That is a great help and just glad to hear
that I am not underestimating this
condition. Has taken me about 3 years to
finally come clean with my employers and
tell them the truth.
After reading your reply I know that I am
making the right decision to go into less
of a demanding career field as far as its
effects on the body are concerned.
The doctors here say 'well the pain gets
better once its ruptured completely' but
i'm not sold on that idea. Think its easy
for them to say.
Thanks
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sandyallen
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 4580
Posted: 03-26-05 19:38pm
Hi there, I know several people that have
ddd. I am no Dr., but my opinion is to
try to avoid surgery at all costs, it
seems that if you have one surgery then
you have to have another and another &
so on, then, you end up with scar tissue.
To me, surgery is not always the answer,
even though it may help some. I know of
some people that have had an epidural
steroid injection and it helped them.
Pain management Dr. Is a good
suggestion.
Good luck
sandy
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Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Re: Degenerative Disk Problem Posted: 03-27-05 10:39am
chunkyn
wrote:
that is a great help and
just glad to hear that I am not
underestimating this condition. Has
taken me about 3 years to finally come
clean with my employers and tell them the
truth.
After reading your reply I know that I am
making the right decision to go into less
of a demanding career field as far as its
effects on the body are concerned.
The doctors here say 'well the pain gets
better once its ruptured completely' but
i'm not sold on that idea. Think its
easy for them to say.
Thanks
that makes no sense! You will be in more
excruciating pain because what cushion is
left, will be totally deteriorated! Bone
on bone. Not pleasent, and that is when
the facet joint bones can begin rubbing
severely on the nerve roots and do
permanant damage. If you have ddd t12/l1
through l5/s1 you need surgery! You need
fusion along with rods and you need to be
relieved from this pain.
Any doctor that tells you to remain in
pain is a quack in my opinion.
At the very minimum, you should think
about pain managment and possibly have an
analgesic pump implanted in your belly
that feeds the spinal cord directly and
will at least give you several years more
of pain free life, so you can be with your
family and have fun while you can still do
it. Otherwise have the surgery!!!!!!!!!
Its not just you that suffers when you are
in pain. :)
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Chunkyn
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 7 Location: Oxon, England
Can Anybody Help Me With a Degenerative Disc Disease Questio Posted: 03-30-05 07:20am
Cheers for all the replies and for the
most recent from sandyallen and
tamadrummer. The part about the analgesic
pump implanted in the belly sounds scary
but I guess the pain must be going to get
bad to consider that course of action.
Right now I am sorta going backwards
because am waiting to see another
orthopedic surgeon to discuss surgery but
haven't been given gotten an appt yet.
I got another question, is it true that I
could cause serious damage to my back by
lifting something heavy, like could it be
irrepearible. My doctor says to take it
easy but i've heard that others have been
banned from lifting heavy objects because
it can just go pop. I'm still trying to
do most things but sometimes when lifting
the baby car seat I think ohoh this could
be bad. Am I being too cautious?
If any of you guys have got any
alternative pain remedies that have worked
for you, i'd love to hear of them. Right
now the tylenol 3 and codeine pretty much
eases it.
To mickeymouse_724, i'm gonna try the pain
management thing in a couple of weeks too,
so cheers also.
Mark
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sandyallen
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 4580
Posted: 03-31-05 20:27pm
Use your legs when you lift, not your
back.
Sincerely,
sandy
