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Anyone have any experience with osteomyelitis?

Posted by winston137 @winston137, Jan 24, 2025

Going on a year and a half I’ve had this awful bone pain centered around my ribs, along with other general symptoms like nausea, sweating, chills, headaches, some nerve pain and general malaise, as well as painful lymph nodes. All blood work and screening has come back normal but I saw something that a bone infection can cause all of these symptoms. It also can go away with antibiotics then come back which is what has happened. Any thoughts or recommendations are appreciated

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hannelore49 | @hannelore49 | Apr 21, 2025

I was diagnosed with Vertebral Osteomyelitis one March. Blood work was ok, MRI with Contrast if what they used to diagnose it

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Cindy | @cmarsh | Apr 22, 2025

I have Chronic Osteomyelitis of the femur and pelvis for the past 3 years. I am on lifelong antibiotics to try to suppress the infection as mine cannot be completely cured. I am under the care of an Infectious Disease Dr for this. If you don't have an Infectious Disease Dr, I would suggest you consult with one. Two different types of Osteomyelitis are "Acute" and "Chronic". Wishing you the best.

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retirement75 | @retirement75 | May 1 8:37am

C reactive protein can tell levels of inflammation and help determine if you have this. I had hardware removed from lumbar spine because of this diagnosis. I had a wound vac to heal from the inside out, which was maybe a year. The infectious dr thought I still had a low grade infection after all treatment as wound didn’t entirely heal and he said it can reoccur.

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paulakl | @paulakl | May 2 11:37am

I had Osteomyelitis at L4-L5 in 2000. I had back pain for months and was told I pulled a muscle or something. I had abnormal blood tests, however I also have Lupus, so it was not recognized as anything unusual. Finally after 4 months, someone decided it might be time to do an MRI and I was in the Neurosurgeon's office within 3 hours and in surgery within 5 days. I had one surgery to debride and clean out my spine and was in the hospital on IV anti-biotics for 2 1/2 months. Then I had a 2nd surgery to reconstruct my spine and spent 1 1/2 yrs in a chair brace. The only issue since is in the last couple years, some long term neuro signs. Very scary and very lucky!

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