Excruciating chronic left side neck pain plus lumbar issues

@jenniferhunter @jm1

Hi Leigh,

how are you?

I am going trough a very rough time now.

It's been 10 days that I have been feeling more pain and anxiety and I am not anxious because I am thinking about but because it comes on automatically without thinking of it.

Last night the pain started again like the day when the ambulance came despite taking the same medication.
The Palexia and the Lyrica didn't help this time.

This morning I am feeling breathless, anxious, very sore and numb.

Both sides of my neck are excruciating especially my right side, I have severe pain and numbness in my right traps, right shoulder going down to the right arm. I feel like an electric current flowing from my right side of my neck going in to the right traps, shoulder and arm.

There is also pain spreading into the thoracic spine from T1 to T5 at least. I have 2 lumps on the right of my cervical spine and 1 lump of the right of T1 vertebra I believe.

I have contacted the reception of my doctor to advise them that the situation is getting critical but I am not receiving any responses yet.

The tablets are causing me nausea, I feel confused and highly stressed. I am finding hard to get relief from the pain and the stress.

I feel like someone lost at sea. I am having panic attacks.

Best regards

Alfred

I’ve been reading your story and sorry to read the amount of pain you must be in from your numerous health issues. I was surprised you are only taking 2 narcotic (presumed) pain pills in 24 hours to help you sleep. That is an insufficient quantity of pain medications from what your describe. I would expect at least 1 tab every 6 hours for pain, but not only 2. You said you receive psychotherapy remotely and not often enough. Are you doing meditation? I learned mindfulness meditation and it does wonders for helping me cope with pain. I like using it when I’m trying to get to sleep. I hope you find some relief.

Hi Jenatsky,

how are you?

Thank you for your reply.

My normal medication comprises of:

Amitriptyline 10mg
Pregabalin 75mg
Diclofenac 50mg
Targin 10mg/5mg
Clonidine 50mcg

I take this at dinner time around 7PM.

Sometimes the medication doesn't manage the pain because I have several nerves pressure and when I called the ambulance the other day they suggested to take another 75mg of Pregabalin and 1 50mg Tapentadol. Not sure if all these meds caused side effects. To me it looks like a lot.
Jenatsky what meds do you take?

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This is my cervical MRI report which doesn't look good:

Findings:
Approximately 2mm retrolisthesis of C4 on C5 and 1.5mm retrolisthesis of the C5 on C6vertebral body noted.
Multilevel loss of intervertebral disc space height in keeping with moderate-marked degenerative disc disease.The craniocervical junction appears within normal limits.
C2/3: No significant posterior disc protrusion, spinal canal or neural foraminal narrowing.
C3/4: Discophytic lipping associated with minor spinal canal and moderate right neural foraminal narrowing with contact of the exiting right C4 nerve root. Mild left neural foraminal narrowing without appreciable contact of the exiting left C4 nerve root noted.
C4/5: Pseudo disc protrusion along with discophytic lipping associated with moderate left and mild right neural foraminal narrowing contacting the exiting left and impinging the exiting right C5 nerve root.
C5/6: Spondylolisthesis and uncovering of the intervertebral disc in conjunction with discophytic lipping associated with mild spinal canal narrowing along with moderate left neural foraminal narrowing seen impinging the exiting left C6 nerve root. Mild right neural foraminal narrowing contacting the exiting right C6 nerve root also noted.
C6/7: Uncovertebral osteophytosis with associated moderate bilateral neural foraminal narrowing contacting the exiting C7 nerve roots. No significant spinal canal narrowing.
C7/T1: Discophytic lipping associated with minor spinal canal narrowing along with mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing contacting the exiting C8 nerve roots.
Conclusion: There is minor multilevel grade 1 spondylolisthesis along with spondylotic change characterised by moderate-marked multilevel degenerative disc disease.
There is discophytic lipping and pseudo disc protrusion associated with spinal canal and neural foraminal narrowing at a number of levels as above.
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It worked 2 days ago but not last night. Sometimes my gut takes longer to absorb the meds.

I have a psychologist but I can only get 1 session per month, not enough.

I tried mindfulness but when your pain levels are so extreme it is very hard to do because the pain is overwhelming.

Alfred

I read your MRI and your neck is a sorry state of affairs, I am sorry. Since you’re on Targiniq ER I suggest you speak with your pain doctor and see if you can switch to Buprenorphine (Butrans) Patch changed every 7 days, which provides 24/7 pain relief without you needing to to take a pill. I switched from Morphine Sulfate ER pills to buprenorphine and the effect is very noticeable. It is a similar composition to Targin but without the naloxone. Are you planning to have surgery or are they recommending it? I don’t know how old you are but I stopped working in 2016 due to my lumbar back ailments and generalized spinal problems. I developed leg problems and neck problems from sitting at a computer and using a laptop as a road warrior for too many years. With your neck issues I’m surprised you’re still computing at all.

Hi Jenatsky,

I am 66, I used to be super fit for 20 years riding the push bike and doing gym regularly.

In the last 10 years I was run over by 2 negligent drivers that caused injuries.

I tried the patch before but it didn't help much.

The tablets are taking long to act, My stomach is taking long to absorb them.

The last few days my neck has been burning bad on both sides. The left is more critical and feeling also numb and very painful. I can't manage the pain. Last night I was heavily sedated but still woke up this morning at 4 am and couldn't sleep anymore.

The numbness is spreading to the groin, leg and left foot and toes.

I had an appointment booked with another neurosurgeon on 22 March then they rang me the other day to tell me the doctor had family issues and won't be available till 17 of May, another 2 months to wait after having waited 2 months already.

All these events are affecting my mental health and don't know how to cope daily.

I am praying for something good to happen. I want to live mate, I don't want to deteriorate.

Alfred

When you tried the patch do you recall what dose you were begun on? I was taking 50mg MS ER and was switched to the patch on 15mcg which was not effective. We upped it to 20mcg and I’m in a happy place pain wise. They can even go higher if necessary and with your neck I would think it’s indicated. I don’t believe you reside in the US because you should be able to see one of the doctors associates considering the degree of suffering you’re going thru. Taking meds orally when you don’t have a completely normal functioning GI system is a problem. Sedating yourself like you did last night is not a healthy route. You could potentially fall due to over use due to pain and anxiety and break something else or worse your neck. Can’t you call your therapists on an emergent bases for assistance?

Yes, I live in Melbourne Australia.

I joined the Mayo Clinic Connect Forum because we do not have resources like this.

I was looking for answers because my doctors aren't really explaining how serious this is.

With my neck I am feeling a very sharp pain at T1 level spreading to the left the SCM muscle at the T1 level.

With all those issues shown by my MRI is there a solution to fix this problem?

I was trying to find anyone on this forum with similar issues.

I was given Norspan Buprenorphine Patch 10mg or mcg per hour.

My sedation is going down and I am starting to feel pain in my right deltoid, left groin and left foot now. Also the left side is waking up.
There is an electric current that comes on and off from my right neck going into my right shoulder arm. It is now painful but feels like a wave, a vibration, a flow of current.

Yesterday I was crying several time during the day like a child. The pain was unbearable.

I don't know how I am going to cope again today.

The pain doctor plan is only for night time, nothing for during the day.

Best regards

Alfred

As a long time pain sufferer due to a spine injury from a fall and aging process, I’m 70 and I’m a retired nurse. Your MRI report paints a very poor picture of your cervical spine, it’s almost scary. If I were you I’d be opting for fusion tomorrow. It’s no wonder you have so much pain. You have collapsing vertebral disk upon vertebral disk, bulging material from between disks, 3 or more disks are moving forward on top on the other and moving side ways (lateral) on another and you have nerve roots pinched as well. Your report states “ There is discophytic lipping and pseudo disc protrusion associated with spinal canal and neural foraminal narrowing at a number of levels.” You should be very concerned and I hope you wear neck protection or a collar?

Hi Jenatsky,

thank you for your input.

I can't get a fusion yet because they have to identify the nerves that are causing pain with the steroid injections before preparing a plan for a fusion.

I am shitting myself because I am living a terrible life at the moment.

I read that to qualify for any surgery I have to be a good candidate for it.

How do I know that?

My doctors haven't explained to me the seriousness of my cervical spine and I wish it were better.

All I know that since I saw the osteopath 2 weeks ago I started to have more pain and numbness. I can't understand why the pain in my neck is also felt all the way down to my left foot.

The fusion would have to be a multilevel one? I also read about laminoplasty by Dr. Brain Su. on YouTube. Not sure if this would apply in my case.

Every day I am under a massive amount of stress, anxiety and pain.
Best regards

Alfred

I reread your reply again and I wanted to point out that you have multiple vertebrae that need to be fused and you have multiple areas that are compressing on nerves in your neck causing you pain. If you also have pain in your legs too you may have damage lower down too. At 66 you’re at the age to begin feeling your body aging and I’m sure the trauma you endured did not help much. I wouldn’t be surprised if they fused 3 or 4 vertebrae in your neck. And I’m only guessing that sitting at a computer makes things worse?