Very interesting reading your experience. I was in physical therapy for the past year for 2 problems: Degenerative discs in lumbar (bothersome and limiting and I walk slightly bent over leaning right). Having been athletic all my life (I am 80 - but I do not look, act, think or feel like it - I am not in serious pain (but I never seem to feel pain much anyway). But walking is difficult for more than 5 or 10 minutes - NOT due to pain, but due to back muscles sort of having a "spasm" and my back feels WEAK. If I sit all day I feel great. Re my neck which acted up same time as back, well that was VERY PAINFUL. After 9 months of PT and excercises, my neck is 85% improved so I am OK with that. But my back prevents sports and even walking is 10 to 20 minutes at a time, depending on each day. I have been told for a long time I have scoliosis, but it never had meaning until now. I have heard from you now and others that back surgery is a real problem. What can a person do? Should I spend all day - every day - exercising? Is this not going to ever change?

These issues have been present mildly for several years. However, I recently moved to a new state to be nearer my children and grandchildren. I have moved many times, but this time was FULL OF MAJOR STRESS for 2 years due to MANY circumstances. I have a life; I drive; go to library and movies and events and work out at the YMCA. So that is good. But i must do something about my back. I am thinking of going to Cleveland Clinic since I live now near Pittsburgh (2 hours away). I do not feel my local doctors will have the experience, background, support and perhaps state-of-the-art medical training as Cleveland Clinic. I need a good MRI. I have not done a closed MRI which I know presents
best results (mild claustrophobia). I did an old-fashioned sitting MRI which felt great - but I guess the results were not the best. I like Open MRI's but that is not as revealing as closed - so I am committed to now do the best MRI I can find.

My mother lived until 91 but her last years were absolutely awful Her body sort of gave up. She was tallish and slender; had a busy life; but she was an artist, a sewer and reader - so her activities were not body-building like mine. I do not want to live that kind of life where the body "caves in" for lack of a better term.
Back to STRESS -
as soon as I have a stressful situation, immediately my neck starts hurting (but not my back).
I am happy and content enough with life EXCEPT FOR THIS DETERIORATION OF BODY AND PEOPLE WONDERING WHAT IS WRONG. This all became worse during the 2 years of high stress. I am waiting to see if I get any better as I have less stress over time.
So, generally, would you all say the prognosis is not good for my condition.?

One nore item. I have a VASCULAR condition in my legs. Veins are having difficulty
returning blood to my heart. Veins in my ankle would suddenly burst and a steady stream
of blood would shoot out. But now I wear compression socks most of the time - so vascular
seems to be under control. I have also had 2 TKR's in 2015 and 2019 (due to 30 yrs of tennis which I LOVED - but they were NOT painful and my recovery was quick. That was nothing compared to present day. The only med I take for back is one Meloxicam a day (or sometimes Tylenol). It does not help much and i am worried about how it can affect liver/kidney. Should I take more of that??

Again, apologies for anyone who may read this rambling. All thoughts welcome - and I thank you.

I wouldn't even allow myself to write to Mayo Clinic until I was able to control some things and until my live upheaval was more under control.
Sorry for this long narrative.