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@jenniferhunter MRI cervical spine with and w/o contrast. Posterior disc bulge at C6-7 slightly flattens the ventral cord with moderate central canal stenosis. There is severe bilateral foraminal stenosis. Posterior disc bulge at C5-6 slightly flattens the ventral cord with mild central canal stenosis. Mild bilateral foraminal stenosis. Bulging disc at C3-4 without canal stenosis. Right-sided uncovertebral spurring and facet arthropathy results in severe right foraminal stenosis. Range of motion in my neck is not great. MRI Thoracic spine- Axial images show multilevel disc spur complexes in the lower cervical spine producing slight effacement of CSF along the ventral margin of the thoracic cord substance. X-rays Lumbosacral. Patient has advanced degenerative disc disease at L4-5 and minimally L5-S1. Mild lumbar curvature apex to the right L4. Bilateral facet arthrosis L5-S1. He said perhaps I have a slight spondylolisthesis. So the Neurosurgeon that I saw looked at my MRI cervical spine. He said no evidence of spinal canal stenosis that significant surgically. He calls what I say is pressure a sub occipital headache. I get pressure in the lower back of head, neck and front of neck. The pressure in the front of my neck was from one side to the other. It was the worst. The Orthopedist who did the X-rays wanted me to take Mobic. I declined. I have other things that have come up and I don’t need anything else right now. I understand that side effects don’t happen to everyone but I don’t feel good about taking Mobic. I spoke with the pharmacist. He put it this way: you won’t know till you take it. I already knew that but a side effect can be a hole in the intestine or stomach. The MRI of the thoracic spine will not be talked about till my appt in April. I was in England in October and I had a pain in the upper part of my right breast. It was just sitting there hurting. Not moving anywhere. When I went up to go to bed I dropped something on the floor and bent over to pick it up. Pain shot down my breast. Since I have been back I have felt like something was moving underneath my right arm. Just a little feeling. Since then I have felt little things around my chest and underarms. I was diagnosed with small nerve fiber idiopathic. I don’t know if that is related. My regular Dr. shoved it off to the neuro Dr. what is he gonna do about it? I am gonna tell my Dr I want an Order for a diagnostic mammogram with an ultrasound. When I go I ask questions about what is happening (symptoms). I asked my new neurologist if he had any patients who woke up with full onset of pinpricks including eyes. He said that’s weird. He said maybe something similar. The first neurologist said none it’s rare. I am kinda fed up with this really. @rnlorena
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@rnlorena Thanks for the details from your imaging reports. There are a lot of significant findings there and anything flattening your spinal cord is not going to go away. The facet arthritis happens when discs start to collapse and it puts more pressure on those joints. The herniated discs cause inflammation that triggers bone spur growth. I would expect it to get worse for you, and it takes time to wait to see good surgeons. I agree that this doctor is brushing you off. There may be another reason he doesn't want to do surgery. I was refused surgery by 5 surgeons because they didn't understand how my symptoms were connected to the imaging and didn't want to risk their reputations on me. They want to keep their statistics of success and bragging rights higher and a potential poor outcome is a threat to that because they just didn't understand my case. I don't know if you have any other health issues that could affect a spine surgery outcome. They may want to cherry pick easy cases instead of multilevel involvement.
I came to Mayo with my imaging that had some mild cord compression at only one level, and no compression at the nerve roots (foramen), and that was a big enough problem that I was offered surgery right away. There were no games, and just an honest opinion about how surgery could help address my symptoms and at the time, I was loosing the coordination in may arms. When you have both spinal cord compression AND nerve root compression, you will get overlapping symptoms and they won't know specifically how to trace the pain. Spinal cord compression alone can cause pain all over the body anywhere below it that can seem to be random and changing. That is what I had that confused so many surgeons.
I would encourage you to find a better spine surgeon for another opinion. Coming to Mayo was the best choice I made for myself after striking out 5 times with local surgeons. The pain in your chest could also be spine related particularly if neck movement can generate it, and you are also right to ask for a diagnostic mammogram. Let the experts make the diagnosis because it's so easy to assume something and be wrong. If a spine surgeon isn't interested in you as a patient, move on for another opinion even it it means you have to travel to find the right specialist. It was worth it to me to drive 250 miles to Mayo, and many patients arrive there through the Rochester airport.
These doctors are just wasting your time, and you have the right to fire them. It took me 2 years jumping through hoops, but when I came to Mayo, only 2 days and I had an offer for surgery that was scheduled 5 weeks later. The wait to get into Mayo varies, and you need to have insurance they accept. I was expecting a 3 month wait, but there was a cancellation and I was at my first consultation 8 weeks after sending in my records and imaging.
Do you have another surgeon in mind for a second opinion? How do you want to proceed?
Jennifer