Mumsnet Talk

MRI results are back, got Copy of letter sent to go from senior clinical physiotherapist who assessed me at spinal pathway appt. he said MRI showed posterior left lateral disc bulge and examination showed weakness of left plantar flexors and blunting of S1 so MRI confirms examination concerns and symptoms presented. He and neurosurgeon have discussed my case, neurosurgeon is going to see me to discuss further.

Fucking Hell. Only taken 1 year almost to the day to get this far!

For all those who know my back story, thought you might be interested.

For all those that don't, just ignore me!

Wow great news. Have they indicated the treatment required ?

It does seem to have taken a very long time.

PC discectomy (sp) or spinal fusion, or both if discectomy is decided as the best route but doesn't work. But, I have some other things to discuss too and have just started a new pain management treatment plan so will probably stall it a little to see how this new plan goes.

And I am not 100% sure the diagnosis is the full diagnosis.

I had an MRI in May I think it was, showed central disc bulge, severe dehydration and few other things, but they did not think it was, at that time affecting the nerves and I saw this senior clinici physio then, who ruled out surgery as the 'end game' option. However, he gave me some quite intense exercises to do to get my upright, and pretty much as soon as I went upright, the pain shifted from right, to left, and severity increased 10 fold. From then on my back has 'gone' regularly very few weeks with horrendous leg pain since, so I am not surprised the MRI now shows different results. It took me 4 months to get referred back even though I was promised a review in 2 months.

I have not seen the MRI report myself yet and so the above is only a snippet of the letter, I expect the other things shown in previous MRI are still present, cant imagine the dehydrated disc has miraculously repaired itself, and so I think, due to type of pain going on, facet joints are affected now too as pain has changed/increased since even seeing the spinal pathway team at the beginning of December.

I am also armed with so much more knowledge, questions and a clue about what is going on inside my spine now, when well and when sick so I am not just a nodding dog not knowing what to expect or treatment. Before, I was willing to just --unhappily- leave with a bundle of pills as presumed the docs would only give me the 'best' option. Not the easiest.

Ooh, well done Pavlov. Go armed with forensic list of questions. Hope you have a good consult.

spinal pathway said that it is very likely that I have unstable spine now, which he said might be facet joint related, but might not be, however having extensively researched this, I know now it is pretty likely, and the facet joint damage is as a result of the long-term effects of my disc degenerating (quite quickly).

smee oh I have lots of questions! They are so gonna be sick of me!

Sounds like a very positive step in getting you sorted.

Get writing a list of questions!

Brilliant news

As you say, after the year of hell that you have been through, at least you now know the right questions to ask the surgeon. It actually makes me very annoyed that you have had to put up with so much crap especially the osteopath your GP referred you to that didn't do osteopathy and was less use than a chocolate teapot.

Hopefully this will be the start of the new you.

Oh great stuff Pavlov! Hope they can get together a plan of action soon.
To a pain free future! bbxx

mads yes, that osteo was really the one who slowed it all down I think. And, now when people say 'osteo' to me, I just laugh (internally) which is very unfair as apparantly most of them actually are hands on and Do Stuff. I think my GP seriously regrets that decision as he has never suggested I go back to him, nor has his partner GP who I also see. She just raises her eyebrows!

BB thank you, I don't know what it's all going to mean, but it is good that I am actually being taken seriously now and not just fobbed off as Yet Another Person with a little bit of back pain.

And it is not going to stop it fucking up in the meantime, as I just found out by sneezing while leaning forward <reaches for diazepam

My dh had fusion and discectomy and they were very successful.

I've met several people dealing with this issue - I spend 2 days a month in neurology and people are often in for neurosurgical tests as here it's all one big Institute of Neuroscience. One friend had great results from decompression, and another can now walk again after fusion.

Hoping it all goes well for you!

weegie oh where is 'here'? pm me if you don't want it advertised! I am interested because, even if they decide to do a discectomy etc I want to explore locations/surgeons, started this already and once I have seen my consultant will get a copy of my MRI, investigation results and talk to some other recommended consultants, mainly as I want to know that the person doing it is the right person, not the surgeon who happens to be closest to where I live. It may be that I am happy with this surgeon, but I want to compare against others and am willing to go wherever I need to so as to ensure the best possible outcome.

Good to hear some success stories. I don't think I need compression as that is for stenonis isn't it? (sp) and my femoral whatsits are fine I think (well they were in May, ca't imagine it would change that quickly? who knows though).

I am now feeling all sorts of things, anxiety that it is not the right thing if offered, wanting it to be offered as this morning i woke to yet another day of pins and needles and bum/hip/leg pain that is just wearing me down, to having my 3 yr old jumping all over me and not understanding how much it hurts and thinking how on earth can I have surgery if I can't stop my son jumping on me, I am never going to have the opportunity to recover.