This “lower back fatigue”, as I referred to it was the best description I could come up with, came on rather suddenly while out on a daily walk of about 3 miles. We were a group of employees who walked during lunch. Nearing the end of the walk I suddenly felt the need to sit on a big rock to “recover”. I was 62 at the time. This was the beginning of a 15 year journey that wound through numerous medical specialists and tests: epidurals, facet blocks, neurostimulator implant(4 years, then removed), laminectomy, chiropractors, acupuncturist, neurosurgeon, neurologists, Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville, FL, X-ray, MRI, CScans, numerous blood tests. The one common opinion shared by just about all was: “You have signs of arthritis in your back but not more than someone your age should have”. I was at the point where I felt like I had tried every avenue and just accepted it. My 4 year older sister had been walking bent over for at least 4 years before me. She never seriously investigated the symptoms and refused to go in public with a walker, choosing to move from handhold to handhold. Now when she is in the kitchen the breakfast bar prevents seeking her. Point is: don’t let pride interfere in your lifestyle. I was finally referred to a neurologist in Savannah, GA Dr. Victor Rosenfeld (912)691-4100, 1326 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, Georgia 31406, and on August 3, 2017 I had an appointment, meeting first with the nurse who performed a few neurological tests and asked for my symptoms. I have found the best analogy is to say that it is like carrying a food tray with arms fully extended and a light weight and walking. After a number of yards you feel fatigue (not real pain) in your lower back causing you to feel the need to sit down and rest before continuing. After her exam, Dr. Rosenfeld came in and also asked for my symptoms. Again I described it as before. He said that I had Camptocormia. This took all of 1 1/2 minutes, and 15 previous years of failures. He printed out a computer search for Camptocormia and it fully describes my conditions. He said that I would find that 99% of doctors, nurses and clinics would have never heard of it. So true. I have been checked for Parkinson’s and I don’t have that, thank God, nor does my sister. There are some indications that it can be inherited in some (I think my father showed some symptoms, much less than my sister and me). Please explore the back brace with Hangar. I have a great walker called The Drive, available through Walmart and Amazon and they make a model that has raised handles that are designed for walking with your forearms resting in arm brackets. Look it up on Google. Keep on looking, there’s too much life left, and things for us to do.
Bob