Lumbar puncture - my next step in my journey

Correction: four *nerve studies*

never heard of the treatment. Please keep us posted! get well quickly!

Hi @mayoscout

I hope you are doing well, today. Hey, we are alive even we have “problems” & good stuff of families, friends, online friends, restaurants, and on.

+++ LUMBER Puncture +++
You wrote about, “LUMBAR Puncture”. My brain is limited of words like this. Is the example like “certain neurological disorders”? Some problems between us could be part of “affecting the BRAIN, spinal cord, nerves and muscle”. I’m doing or done these things - all of them!

+++ 2 YEARS AGO… +++
For spinal cord, nerves & muscles was a big problem 2 years ago, when I fell down on my rear-ends on my wood steps in my garage. The pain was worse & worse month-by-month. No more walking; no more cutting our grass; no more working outside our house - bushes, trees cut, clean&polish our vehicles, and in.

+++ MY SURGERY… +++
My surgery, a few mths ago, “fixed” most, but not all, problems from my lower body. That surgery knocked off my pain; All pain was gone! That surgery turned back away my cord & nerve - thankfully.

+++ HOW ABOUT “SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS’? +++
12 years ago, I had a bicycle accident one block from my house. I’m now a TBI (brain-injury) member. Do I have problems? Yes - no more driving; no more working; no more traveling; no more helping others - physically, but my emotional is good. I’ve lost my memory and words mean - I’ve lost 80% as a “normal” person needs.

I hope everything is good to you and your families. “Fixing” and “helping” your brain is better than before. For me, I has brothers & sisters at my church - some closer. Another good way using the FB “friends” for our musicians, our church, previous workers, and my family. Number one is my beautiful wife/friend, Karen,

Thx,
Greg D. @greg1956

Hello,
Well it's more of a procedure than a treatment. They stick a large needle between my L4-L5 and extract spinal fluid and test that for diseases. It's been pretty painful post procedure for me since I had it the other day. My body does not do well with needles in the area so needless to say this procedure caused some major nerve flares.

Thanks for the reply. I will update when we have results.

Hi @greg1956

I'm glad to hear you're doing well despite the challenges you've faced.

I understand your confusion about "lumbar puncture." It's a medical procedure used to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for testing. This is done to diagnose conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

Your experience with the spinal cord injury is inspiring. It's wonderful that surgery has helped alleviate much of your pain and restore some of your mobility.

I'm also impressed by your positive attitude toward your TBI. It's clear that you've found ways to adapt and thrive despite the limitations. Your connection with your church community and online friends is a testament to your resilience and ability to find support.

I hope you continue to find joy and fulfillment in your life and stay positive.

********************

I too suffer from TBI and many other issues. Most of my injuries are related to my military service back in the early 2000s. I'm in my 30s now and some of these problems have started to really take a toll on my life.

I haven't been able to work in multiple years and I'm struggling to find meaning in life again.

I'll get there eventually, I hope. My wife works hard to keep me positive but being that I'm stuck in bed most of the time when I was once active, and loved to travel, it is hard to be positive for me.

I'm not good with people so I do not have friends. I used to have a lot but I suppose due to my TBI, severe PTSD and such I'm not great at talking and connecting. Guys here in my age group get scared of me and stop talking after a few interactions. My wife has tried to help with that but I continue to struggle.

Hopefully soon we'll have some medical answers and one day maybe I'll figure out how to be good with people again. I want to feel better and I work really hard at it but things just continue to get harder no matter what I do.

Oh, I got the lumbar puncture results back yesterday and they didn't find anything. So I guess good news for that but also bad news because I continue to have no answers and my neurologist keeps getting it wrong.

Take care and thanks for your reply and your story.

Hi @loriesco

The results we negative. So good thing there but it still means than my neurologist has no idea what the underlying cause is after many tests.

I'm frustrated. This procedure caused a massive nerve flare up and I told my wife that with the pain this test had caused we better get an answer. I was sure after all the other tests this one was going to be the one to say "you have XYZ thing"...

I should be happy it was negative I suppose. My neurologist thought (after all the other wrong guesses of his) that I have CIDP and this test would confirm it. He was wrong again.

I'll just lay here in bed in pain all day just thinking about the test results.

The neuro wants to follow up in four months so I have to wait that long to discuss this with him. 🙁

Good morning @mayoscout! I have some thoughts -
do you go to the VA? (only?) if so, can you get referred out?
I just started seeing an amazing doctor and learned tons from him! He deals with spinal cord traumas and how muscles get rigid because the NERVES are damaged. this causes a lot of pain. This gets treated in a particular way with particular meds which work in particular ways on nerves/muscles coming out of the spine.
2) I believe there is HOPE for you. Just like for me! I had a miracle happen after 30 years with severe arthritis pain. turned out it is gouty arthritis which flares and doctors kept blandly telling me it is the Osteo arthritis for 30 years! Testing for RA (rheumatory) kept coming back negative. I, too, was always disappointed in the negative result because I HAVE something that keeps on flaring! 30 years! and I got the answer HERE from someone who mentioned tart cherry capsules. A dang supplement!
3) You seem like a great guy. I see/read you are not out of the fight. Some days are bad so have an interest - which is manageable. (sometimes its just breathing deep!). Just this morning I was reminiscing my spine surgery recovery when I'd get up and all I could do was have coffee, look out the window and read for a bit. I had something really absorbing to read.
4) recovery from a flare: wait. patience. breathe deep. wait. patience, breathe.
5) be kind to people. You do get a choice. Anger is a mask for pain and hurt. Look at your anger, frustration, hurt and PAIN. Breathe. Wait. Patience.
6) Try different things: acupuncture for the pain. DEEP MYOFASCIAL TISSUE RELEASE. Make them pay for it for you if you are VA.
7) Nerve pain is the worst. its phantom and its referred. You've got to find a doctor who gets to the source of the nerve pain. Period. A really great neurologist is probably what you need. I'm guessing at this here.
I'm happy to write with you on the side. I have tremendous empathy for my military family with complicated medical issues.
I had a wonderful husband with HMLA 169 who suffered with disability: TBI, PTSD and late onset schizophrenia who self medicated and became unsafe to be around. I always pray for his recovery. I helped as long as I could until he became unsafe to be around.
I am so glad you have a super supportive wife. It takes a village, you know? I am sorry the medical field can't help you right now but please continue to ask, learn and try different things. One day, you will help others!
Semper Fi,
Lori

Thank you for the reply. I'll take you up on writing on the side. I'll send you a pm and will reply to what you sent.

Sounds great!

xxx BLESS YOU… xxx
Bless you, man. Your memory and writing is fantastic! You are young; really young with a great future of you, your wife, and your family!

THANKS OF WHAT YOU WROTE…
Your writing, thanking, understand it… you knowledge is way more better than my little k owlege 🙂 I’m so glad of what you have of what happened. You are ALIVE!

Thanks,
Greg D. @greg1956