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Living w/chronic pain that's worsening, waiting on specialist
Hi, please see my MRI results from 2 years ago, I am currently on waiting list for neurology and spinal team however I feel like my condition is getting worse. Problem is until it is a medical emergency no one will intervene. Can I have some advice please .
At C3/C4, there is diffuse disc bulge and prominent left paracentral bulge indenting the thecal sac with mild narrowing of the left exit foramen.
At C4/C5, disc osteophyte complex indenting the spinal cord, compromising the central canal, AP diametre of the thecal sac is 8mm. There is bilateral moderate to severe narrowing of the exit foramina.
At C5/C6, there is mild loss of disc height with disc osteophyte complex indenting the thecal sac and compromising the central canal, the AP diametre of the thecal sac is 7.8 mm. There is severe narrowing of both exit foramina.
At C6/C7, disc osteophyte complex is seen indenting the thecal sac with evidence of severe narrowing of the left exit foramen and moderate in the right.
Thoracic spine:
There are multi level posterior disc bulge from T5/T6 to T7/T8 and at C6/C7 levels with no evidence of significant central canal stenosis. However, the assessment is limited due to the absence of axial images.
Lumbar spine:
At L3/L4, there is diffuse disc bulge indenting the descending L4 nerve root.
At L4/L5, there is diffuse asymmetrical disc bulge with annular fissure, indenting the descending L5 nerve roots, together with facet joint degenerative changes causing narrowing of both exit foramina and irritating the exiting L4 nerve roots.
At L5/S1, there is mild loss of height with annular fissure and broad-based posterior disc protrusion, indenting the descending S1 nerve roots.
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andrea44,
you have a lot going on with your discs which means there are many procedures that will help your pain.
It could be helpful to see a minimally invasive spine surgeon. Micro discectomy might be a good option to consider in some areas.
Osteophyte complexes can be removed. They often form when the spine is unstable and sometimes fusion is recommended at those levels where the spine is unstable. They remove the disc and fuse the vertebra together. Artificial discs are sometimes an alternative.
While you are waiting for your spine team, your primary could order cervical, thoracic, and lumbar MRIs. It could also be advantageous to have a dexa to know if your bones are strong enough to hold some of the hardware that might be recommended.
While I hope someone cancels soon, I'd call the office myself every morning in case you aren't first on the cancellation list.
I'm sorry that you have to wait in pain.
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1 Reaction@gently thank you so much for your reply. I rang today but unfortunately they are not in position to offer me an appointment yet, I have sent an email requesting my file to be pulled and re triaged just incase it hasn’t been properly looked at. ICATS is querying myelopathy however another MRI would need to confirm this. I’m worried that at this rate it will be a medical emergency before something is done. I’m not even sure about surgery as obviously I haven’t had any discussions yet about it or the risks but I do know I’m at my Witts end with the chronic pain. Thanks for offering your guidance and support.
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3 ReactionsHow do these issues affect you? Make a list of what hurts, where, when, under what circumstances. That might get results faster than a list of physical anomalies. It is how those results affect you that is important.. Good luck!
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3 ReactionsHi, thank you for your reply. The referrals made has all made reference to the issues and symptoms I have to the point my GP said the referral was urgent however given the waiting lists here in NI I have to just wait unless I lose feeling or a medical emergency happens. I have sent a complaint and have asked that my referral is pulled and re triaged given the lose of power and the struggle I am having with fine motor skills alongside the chronic pain. I’m hoping that someone will see me soon.
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1 Reaction@andrea44 It has been my experience that they don't really care how much pain you are in; the only way to get higher up on the list is to complain to your primary caregiver about loss of function. What is it that you can no longer do because of these degenerative changes…
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1 Reactionpowerboat2405 good advice to complain about loss of function.
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1 ReactionAndrea44, how expensive would it be to private pay for the three MRI ? It's impressive how clear your thinking with the pain alone and the panic. Is ICATs usually successful.