Major back problems - need advice!

[N&B'smom]

I'm actually asking this regarding my husband. He has had tremendous back pain for about 2-3 years. There are times when it is better then others but it never goes away.

He went to the Dr and found out he has a ruptured disc in his lower back and I believe another one in his neck. The surgeon basically told him he's not a candidate for surgery and will be in pain for the rest of his life. (worded exactly like that, GREAT bed side manner) Anyway, he just went a couple of weeks ago to try an injection.

He felt the injection and said it was the most pain he's ever felt. The back pain hasn't improved and it's actually worse now. He went for a follow up and was told that if there was a tear in the disc the medication could leak out and he could have pain because of that. The Dr then checked his chart and said, yep, you have a tear. (shouldn't they have known that PRIOR to the injection???)

Anyway, my husband is in constant pain, he's miserable and losing hope that he will ever have a day without pain. Does anyone have any experience with horrible back pain? What did you do?

I told him he needs to get a second opinion at a better hospital and go from there. I'm trying to convince him that he shouldn't lose hope but now I'm starting to wonder!!!

Any advice would be GREAT. I just don't know what to do, I can't help him.

Shelby

 

[Tiggeroo]

I see you are from Southern NJ. I would not put alot of faith in our local drs. I would suggest that your dh get several other consults. Head up to Marlton or Philadelphia or North Jersey. Don't be discouraged until your second and third opinions can't help. If all else fails he needs to go to a pain management center where controlling pain is their only job. DH has several blown discs and he has been told he could get surgery. He lost weight, began walking every day and then going to the gym and going to the chiropractor. This has helped him. I have another good friend who gets help from an acupuncturist. A good acupuncturist will tell you that you will know within three visits if this is going to help you. But again, you need to get away from South Jersey to find good drs.

 

[HsvTeacher]

I would definitely get a 2nd opinion! What kind of doctor is your DH seeing now? If it's not a neurologist, I would asked to be referred to one.

When I had a ruptured disc, the disc material leaked out into my spinal column. Once that happened, the pain got much, much worse. I had back surgery and have felt wonderful ever since.

Edited to add: Stay away from chiropractors! My neurologist told me that they usually do more harm than good, especially when it comes to ruptured discs.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I would get a second opinion, but being in the "surgery is not an option club", tell DH he is not alone and if surgery is not an option, there are others. PS, I will NEVER do the shots in my back and neck again.... There are better ways to control the pain.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Go to different doctors for the love of God.

My sister who just had her ankle reconstucted was told by several doctors to "live with the pain", nothing they can do, you are headed for a wheelchair her whole life.

Finally she came across some gurus of ankle surgery and she is better and not headed for the wheelchair anytime soon.

Some doctors are just plain stupid and suck.

 

[shortbun]

I would definitely get a 2nd opinion! What kind of doctor is your DH seeing now? If it's not a neurologist, I would asked to be referred to one.

When I had a ruptured disc, the disc material leaked out into my spinal column. Once that happened, the pain got much, much worse. I had back surgery and have felt wonderful ever since.

Edited to add: Stay away from chiropractors! My neurologist told me that they usually do more harm than good, especially when it comes to ruptured discs.

My Mom and my girlfriend both have ruptured and degenerative disc disease. Excersize much like yoga, streching-core stengthening and massage to keep the muscles healthy have worked wonders for both of them. I would also recommend that you begin to look into some pain management techniques. As far as chiropractors doing ill; AMA docs traditionally speak badly of chiropractors because they do not want to lose business to them. Wether or not a chiro would help the OP's husband isn't a sure thing but it's sure that AMA practitioners mostly fear chiros. My chiropractor is an excellent diagnostician and would not work on a area she might damage.

 

[mlynn]

I'm actually asking this regarding my husband. He has had tremendous back pain for about 2-3 years. There are times when it is better then others but it never goes away.

He went to the Dr and found out he has a ruptured disc in his lower back and I believe another one in his neck. The surgeon basically told him he's not a candidate for surgery and will be in pain for the rest of his life. (worded exactly like that, GREAT bed side manner) Anyway, he just went a couple of weeks ago to try an injection.

He felt the injection and said it was the most pain he's ever felt. The back pain hasn't improved and it's actually worse now. He went for a follow up and was told that if there was a tear in the disc the medication could leak out and he could have pain because of that. The Dr then checked his chart and said, yep, you have a tear. (shouldn't they have known that PRIOR to the injection???)

Anyway, my husband is in constant pain, he's miserable and losing hope that he will ever have a day without pain. Does anyone have any experience with horrible back pain? What did you do?

I told him he needs to get a second opinion at a better hospital and go from there. I'm trying to convince him that he shouldn't lose hope but now I'm starting to wonder!!!

Any advice would be GREAT. I just don't know what to do, I can't help him.

Shelby

My dad has really bad back pain. He see's a doctor Maryann Marcucci she is in Woodbury NJ she is a Ciropracter(sp?) but my dad was in so much pain. She has really helped him. He sees her about once a month. He now lives in MD and makes sure he comes up to see her.

 

[hiwaygal]

Definitely get a second opinion and see a neurologist!

I have degenerative disc disease and dealt with two ruptured discs for about 5 years before finally having surgery...best move I ever made!! The pain I have now is manageable with no medication.

Any doctor that tells you that you just have to learn to live with the pain is an idiot. These things can be fixed!

Exercises to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles will help in the long run, but being in pain limits your mobility and you can do more damage trying to exercise in pain.

I had the cortisone injection once and it didn't work...some docs will tell you it can take up to three before you get any relief...and there is a limit to how many they will do.

Good luck!

 

[Jenvenza]

I feel your husband's pain - literally. I have a ruptured disc and and a tear in it as well at the moment. I went two weeks ago to have an injection done - but they put me almost completely out for it, so I dont remember the pain at all. It hasnt seemed to do too much for me at the moment. I know they said it could take 2-3 weeks to start to help. I, too, am in constant pain. But the spine specializt I went to told me my disc would not heal on its own and I would more than likely have to have surgery to repair it, or I would be in pain for the rest of my life. I would seek a second opinion if I were you. Surgery is not the thing I wanted to hear, but if it will help, I am up for just about anything - as I am sure your husband is.

 

[Barb D]

Has he seen a pain management doctor? (Is that who gave him the injection?)

I have a neurostimulator in my head for migraines, but they're usually used for back pain. It uses electrical impulses to block the pain signals to the brain. I can feel a constant (pleasant) tingling in my head. Maybe he could ask his doc if something like that would work for him.

http://www.medtronic.com/your-health/chronic-back-and-leg-pain/getting-a-device/

 

[koolaidmoms]

I agree with all the PPs - GET A SECOND OPINION if you havent' already. Try to get to a major teaching hospital near you if you can. As a previous poster said also try to get someone who does pain managment.

My DF has degenerative disks and needs surgery to take out 2 disks and shard plus place three rods in. There are space where you can insert your finger between the discs in his back. He has been in pain constantly for about 6 years now. They got him on Paxil this year to help his depression - being in that much pain for too long constantly wears at you not only physically but psychologically. He is also realizing that he needs to take the Vicodan they give him. He is not weak if he does.

I wish you well. I have seen how this has not only affected my DF's life but my DM's and the rest of the family.

 

[HsvTeacher]

My Mom and my girlfriend both have ruptured and degenerative disc disease. Excersize much like yoga, streching-core stengthening and massage to keep the muscles healthy have worked wonders for both of them. I would also recommend that you begin to look into some pain management techniques. As far as chiropractors doing ill; AMA docs traditionally speak badly of chiropractors because they do not want to lose business to them. Wether or not a chiro would help the OP's husband isn't a sure thing but it's sure that AMA practitioners mostly fear chiros. My chiropractor is an excellent diagnostician and would not work on a area she might damage.

Don't get me wrong, I tried chiropractors, massage, and rehab before I opted for surgery. I also have degenerative disc disease, and had I gone earlier before the disc ruptured, the chiropractors may have been able to help me.

However, once a disc is ruptured, it can rarely be "put back" into place by a chiropractor. Going to one after a rupture can do more harm than good, not to mention all the time that is wasted trying to fix the problem. For me, surgery and a lot of rehab worked the best.

 

[Jenvenza]

Don't get me wrong, I tried chiropractors, massage, and rehab before I opted for surgery. I also have degenerative disc disease, and had I gone earlier before the disc ruptured, the chiropractors may have been able to help me.

However, once a disc is ruptured, it can rarely be "put back" into place by a chiropractor. Going to one after a rupture can do more harm than good, not to mention all the time that is wasted trying to fix the problem. For me, surgery and a lot of rehab worked the best.

This is very true. Once the disc is ruptured, exercise isnt going to do much good. It isnt going to heal it or "pop" it back into place. I also let mine go too long and will have to have surgery to fix it now. I wish it was as easy as going and doing yoga, but I am past that point.

 

[Magic Mom]

YOu will get lots of differing advice about this. Please remember what works for some might not work for others and vice versa. Your Dh should get a second opinon, start pain management, and then look into his options. The chiro didn't really help me, but my physical therapist worked wonders. It took several months though, to get things to where I could tolerate the level of pain. I have heard good and bad things about surgery, it would be on the bottom of my list but I would still consider it insted of living in debilitating pain. Also, I have a friend of mine gets injections, and he says it takes all three injections to make any differnece.

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

I'm so sorry for you and your husband. My husband ruptured 2 discs in his back...L4 and L5..and one of them was significantly torn. He was in incredible pain that radiated all the way down his his leg to his foot (to the point the he walked like Igor). Anyway, we went to a neurologist who specialized in back problems. We were lucky because one of the tears was very easy to spot...though we were told that many times the tears are very hard to see. Anyway, because of the tear and the fact that the ruptured disc was pressing on a nerve, my DH had to have surgery. It was upsetting to hear, but we went ahead with it.

Long and short of it is that my DH had surgery...a laminectomy (where the essentially "trim" the disc back) and doing very, very well. It was a small surgery (with a 1 to 2 inch incision) and it was same day surgery (i.e., he went home that night). He was off work for 8 weeks and was not allowed to ride in a car for six weeks. After 6 weeks (where he was told to walk every day and slowly increase his walking to 3 to 5 miles per day) he went to physical therapy for 6 months.

While I'm not saying that surgery is for everyone, we were very pleased with the outcome...and thought you should hear that it may not be as bad as what you are thinking.

With that said though, if you are uncomfortable with the doc for any reason, find another! Also, ask for details about what all of the treatments (surgical and non surgical) entail. Make sure you are as fully informed as possible, understanding all of the risks and side effects, and then make your decision.

Let me phrase it another way....when I was pregnant every woman I encountered told me how bad their labor and delivery was. I heard everything from it was 76 hours of pure torture, to I almost died, to my child was breach and they didn't even know it until the foot came out first. If I believed (or if every woman believed) every story they had ever heard about labor and delivery, I doubt many of us would be mothers!!!!

Stories about back pain and back surgery (and many other health issues) are the same. Here's the thing that I found though...my labor and delivery experience was just that...MINE! It wasn't like anyone elses and I'm sure your husband's treatment and experiences with back pain won't be like anyone else's either. Lord knows if we had listened to everyone who talked about their back surgery being botched or whatever, we would have been scared to death. The key is being comfortable with your doctor, getting the best medical advice possible and making your decision.

Hope this helps.

Karen

 

[N&B'smom]

Thank you all so much for your responses! I called my Dr today to get info for a specialist in Philadelphia. I was given two names, at two different hospitals. We will be calling to set up an appointment.

Just to clarify, he has Degenerative Disc Disease as well. He also saw a Chiropractor for a VERY long time. It didn't help. He's tried physical therapy, that made it worse.

He is freaking out about possible surgery because he has his own architectural firm and is panicking about the necessary time off afterwards. I understand his fear because I'm a SAHM and he doesn't know what we would do. If he's not there working, his business would basically be shut down for however long it takes to recuperate!

We're still going to see someone and that way we can figure out what is what and go from there. Thanks so much for sharing your stories.

Shelby

 

[HsvTeacher]

I started rehab less than two weeks after my surgery and had a minimum of restrictions after that. The first couple of days after surgery were the worst, then I got started doing the required daily walking which really helped the healing process.

It is amazing how far they have come with surgical techniques. My mom had the same surgery twice in the 80s, and she has huge scars. My doctor made a tiny incision and now I have no scar whatsoever.

 

[Bay Hill]

I have degenerative disc disease on my L-4 disc. After years of lifting heavy objects for my civilian and military job (which I had a medical discharge, now retired), plus golf, put a strain on my back that I did not know what was going on until it was too late. I have gotten a few steroid pressure point 1/2 day surgical shots. Then my Dr. was talking about seeing the fusion Doctor.

My wife got a flyer from a chiropractor that has a machine from Axiom that has the non-surgical spinal decompression system, The DRX 9000....http://axiomworldwide.com/drx9000.aspx

I have been on this for 3+ years and have felt great. I only go one time a month and do careful exercises on my back.

 

[#1MMFan]

I'm glad your husband is getting a second opinion, if nothing else for both of you to have peace of mind and some sort of management plan. I would re-iterate that what works for one person does not necessarily work for another. It sounds to me that the surgeon's manner was not very helpful. Although in some cases "learning to live with pain" is inevitable, there are usually various options to helping to lessen this - even when the problem is not "curable". Over here we have a similar setup - your husband would probably be seen both by the surgeon (was he an orthopaedic surgeon, or a neurosurgeon) and probably a neurologist. An anaesthetist (our term for your anesthesiologists) is often a good bet via a pain clinic. Some of our local anaesthetists will do various treatments at our local pain clinic (I refer patients there, so I know). Things like acupuncture, medication adjustments/suggestions for using some medications for unlicensed indications and spinal injections. The latter are often local nerve blocks (not a cortisone injection) and some people have great relief.
I'm no expert on this particular area but ultimately your husband needs to be able to feel a rapport with the main doctor dealing with his problem (and it is probably sensible to have one doctor co-ordinating all the care with the others) so that he can feel "informed" and at least empathised with, which it sounds was sadly lacking in your surgeon's manner (though I appreciate everyone can have an off-day).

 

[hiwaygal]

He is freaking out about possible surgery because he has his own architectural firm and is panicking about the necessary time off afterwards. I understand his fear because I'm a SAHM and he doesn't know what we would do. If he's not there working, his business would basically be shut down for however long it takes to recuperate!

I freaked out about the surgery too. I would never get a spinal "fusion" done...the last research I did (admittedly a few years ago) folks were having problems again within a few years.

However, I had a "discectomy" and a "laminectomy" done and was back at work within 2 weeks. I am in a similar profession as your husband and I'll bet he could return to work fairly quickly but he will have to be careful.