Degenerative disc disease

[Littleblue]

Im awaiting an MRi scan..but thats the diagnosis..anyone know what could help?

i have that too...how old are you if its not a rude question?

You need to wait for the MRI results, as it depends how many discs/ how bad it is. If your disc isn't too badly degenerated they might try some deep seated injections to calm inflammation down, so help the back re-aline. Equally they might refer you to physio to help strengthen core muscles and support the spine.

Don't despair though as even if it's bad there's hope. I had a badly degenerated disc - so bad it was non existent. I was in a huge amount of pain, as the vertebrae were knocking on nerves, so some days I could barely walk. With me, they removed what was left of the disc, then fused the vertebrae round a pin. Had op just before Christmas last year, and within 3 months it was honestly so much better. Feel almost normal now and go whole days with no pain.

my sics between L4 /L5 and S1/S2 are knackered but i still play badminton. Try and stay as mobile as you can

DS2 is ony 17 and he has got it too. It was only noticed when he went for a spinal xray after a badminton injury. The doc said that alot of teenagers probably have ddg but dont know because they havent had an xray.

Im 41..
My 18 year old niece just had two discs out..as an aside,
The pills doc gave me have made me ill,the other gp i saw said to lose weight,but its hard when your feeling so slow,so i swim..twice a week..30- 50 lengths each time depending..They have referred me for physio assessment,this doc's been really good.
I'm getting numbness and pins and needles in my feet,legs on occasion..and weakness..surgerys the likely outcome i suspect..given that ive had disc problems for about 20 years..thanks folks :-)

Little Blue, all I'd say is keep on it. Forensically analyse your MRI results with your consultant and also any proposed treatment plan. I had wonderful care, but it all took an age as they decided to try absolutely everything before they operated. Wise in many ways and I think they're right to say that approach works for most people, but in my case the disc was so badly decayed that it was pretty obvious no amount of physio was going to fix things.

Net result was it took me 3 years to get to operation stage from first MRI and that was mostly because they try something, then refer you onto next raft of things, so firstly physio - say a 3 month go at that. Then wait to go back to Consultant of say another few weeks, then they refer you on to a chronic pain clinic, so you wait for another few weeks. Then you see that person, who recommends injections, so you wait another few weeks for first one. Then once on injections you have to wait a good 3 months (from memory) before the drugs leave your system, so they don't see you until after that, and then if it's failed they'll suggest trying another type. So that's another few months. In other words, if you're unlucky and the treatment's not working, it's incredibly easy for years to slip by. Key thing is to really understand your scans and how likely it is that any treatment is going to help. Good luck!

Thanks smee..sounds like you had a really rough ride with it,the problems ive lived with for so long had become part of 'normal' life..so many folk have back problems and the doctors always gave me duclofenac etc and told me to keep mobile and 'avoid heavy lifting' yadda yadda..i had a friend staying with me for a while who has already gone the mri route etc and has been put on tramadol and valium and has basically been written off by his doc as its now showing as arthritis in the bone around the disc thats worn down..he said to get a second opinion as im now getting the neurological symptoms..and the gp as i said was great.
I'm not expecting miracles from the nhs..ive had alot of osteopathic treatment over the years as its always pills from the docs..but its hard to afford private treatment,im on my own with a big family and my job is causing me problems as its very demanding physically..

Littleblue, the key is really the MRI as that should tell them exactly what's wrong. Only then can you nail them down to a hopefully working treatment plan. I found the NHS completely brilliant, but also ridiculously slow. All I can say with hindsight is keep on it and use each appointment to forensically explore what they're going to do/ how long it's going to take/ what happens if that doesn't work, etc. Really hope you get some progress soon.

Thanks smee..not good atm,ive come off all the painkillers etc so i can feel whats actually going on..had a bad reaction over the weekend to some meds and felt i needed to..
Im still waiting for the xray appt,never mind the MRI....its hard eh..thank you..

ha mri results , 3 discs are fucked..ones ''bulging''..very depressed and in constant pain.

Ach poor you, that's not what you wanted to hear. What have they said is next? Honestly though, try and stay positive. I had 3 in trouble too - the op I had has mostly sorted me, so I found the bottom disc was the one causing the pain. Now that's sorted, I have whole days with no pain. In other words don't give up - keep pushing for answers/ solutions. Now they have a clear picture they should have a clearer treatment plan for you.

Thank you!!..i just twinged something again and im finding it really depressing..im waiting for an appt with the specialist..you have really helped and given me some hope
Gp reckoned injection's..im not keen tbh.

The thing with the NHS is that they have a list of things to 'try' and injections are one of them. Fair enough in some ways, as an operation is more risky and costly and for some people the injections do the trick. They didn't for me sadly, but they are worth a go.

If injections are what they're going for, then make I'd say ask lots of questions in terms of why they think it might work and what type of injection they'll be giving you - I think from memory there are 3 different types. I went through all of them. Also I'd ask what happens if the injection doesn't work. ie how long they give it to work, and then how soon you get a follow up appointment/ what will happen next if it doesn't work, etc.

If for example they suggest that an operation might be the next thing, then ask them how long that referral takes and see if they'd let you meet the Consultant for potential surgery alongside having the injections?

I really did find it vital to feel in control of it all - you can drift for months in the system if you're not. Getting direct phone numbers to clinics, calling through for cancellations, earlier appointments, etc - all of that can save you months of back ache. Good luck with it all - yell if you think I might be able to help and I'll try to - I do so remember how gnawing that pain is. If I can come through it though, so can you. Oh and a large glass of wine most definitely helps..

You have been a huge help already!..im really grateful smee and yeah..''gnawings'' one word for it,just driven 40 odd miles and found getting out of the car without yelling a challenge..i feel like such an old fart atm.
My job is exacerbating the problem too..but singledom with 4 kids..i can't afford to stop work..or find anything more suitable either atm.
No easy answers here.. x

Just wanted to send my sympathies. I have a 'bulging' disc at L5/S1, has been like that for 3 years now. Have had 2 epidsodes of prolapsed disc, am ok at the moment but it's always at the back of my mind. I swim every day, am convinced it keeps my disc from popping out although nothing in medicine backs this up. I live in fear of needing surgery, it completely freaks me out. Smee, glad you are ok, you are incredibly brave to have had surgery. Reading your success cheers me up!

Thank you.. swimming will help as it strengthens your core muscles..I'm freaked out at the thought of surgery too..but I shall cross that bridge when i come to it..have you tried osteopathy?

pacinofan, desperate not brave.

3 discs disintegrating can cause a great degree of desperation..im sick to bloody death of it .. my concern is if the bulge starts to impinge on nerves..then im in trouble..surgery for sure.

Hi all been reading this thread with interest sorry about all the trouble you have all had.

I had an mri on my back in feb last year, when i went back for the results 2 months later i saw the consultants 2nd in command. He told me that i had a lack of fluid between disk t1/2/3/4. The consultants number 2 sent me to physio for 2 montsh then back for a follow up.

When i had the follow up i saw the head man who agreed with his number 2 on the results and told me i was to young to have a back problem as im only 30 and to carry on taking the tramadol.

I don't want to spend the rest of my life on tramadol. But don't know what else to do if i go to see my gp and ask to be referred again im only going to end back up with the same onsultant at the hospital as he is the head back consultant in the area. It is really getting through to me i dont want to spend the rest of my life on tramadol.

I have lost my L5/S1 disc entirely, I lost it through rapid degeneration over the course of a week, about 13 years ago (I was about 25). I have had no treatment, just some physio at the time. I have a different medical condition which causes joint damage as a side effect, and this was one of the first to go. There was some talk of surgery to fuse vertebrae, but I have a friend who has had that done after falling from a horse and it has not been entirely sucessful, the problem just moved down to the next disc. I am aware I am a bit of a freak in the way I lost my disc, and although it was extremely painful at the time, I have learnt to deal with it, and gone on to have 3 beautful dc. I would just want to say don't lose hope, surgery may not be the only "cure" for you, physio really helped me, and now I get through most days without any pain relief at all.

Smee - fancy seeing you here!

Waving to Sparkle. Can't believe the number of things you've had to face though, poor you. I know what you mean about ops being a risk, but I was lucky to have a new procedure. Instead of pins round the spine (like scaffolding), they put the pin actually into the vertebrae. They drilled up through my coccyx and put a single screw up to join the two lowest vertebrae (literally drilled into them). The vertebrae then fuse round the screw, so it ends up being inside the bone, making it incredibly strong. Takes considerably less time to recover from too apparently. Not sure if it's got round the country yet, as I had it done by top Neurosurgeon at a London Teaching Hospital - was lucky as it was all NHS, but brilliant result.

tjackson, I'm pretty sure you have the right to a second opinion - ie to see a different consultant. They could use the MRI scan that's already been done, so you wouldn't need another of those. Tramadol's strong stuff - seems wrong that that's their only solution. Go back to the GP I reckon and say you want to see someone else.

DH had the op to remove 2 discs nearly 10 years ago after 4 years of absolute agony,he kept having falls and his legs gave way under him on a few occasions docs tried all sorts of meds and physio but to no avail. Hopefully things are better now with regard to waiting lists he had his op cancelled 5 times before losing it with the hospital and telling them his business was going down the tube [I just kept it going whilst looking after the kids and house] funnily enough he had the op within a fortnight and was back working 6 weeks later.
He was 41 when his condition was diagnosed, [cervical spondylosis] but thought he had a trapped nerve or frozen shoulder for a couple of years.

Id get a second opinion tj..tramadols not good long term..
I'm adjusting to new meds and very groggy,so a bit quiet atm..xx

should have refreshed the thread before posting....this is all helpful to the max..im 41 too..im having some problems with my legs,waiting for a callback from the physio re the next move..

When is your mri scan going to be? I would second the request for a second opinion too.

[sparkle waves back to smee]