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  • Help!!! =^_^=

    Hello everyone. My name is Shelley. I'm currently 22 yrs old and at my wits end!!!!! I have two curves in my back. numbers are in the signature below. I've tried just about everything and don't know what to do. So far, the meds that I've been on include the following: tylenol, motrin, ibuprofin, celebrex, ultram, naprosyn, vioxx, bextra, valium, morphine, dyseral, tylenol3, percocet, double stacked percocet (been on celebrex and ultram at the same time, and tried valium and bextra at the same time, directed by a doctor of course). None of those have helped! I've also been to a physical therapist for two different approaches at pain relief. Did the TENS thing, heat packs, stretches, chiropractic care (only helps for 20 mins then the pain comes back), accupuncture, myofacial massage therapy, I've done the pain clinic thing, worn a brace, you name it! My husband is not in the least sympathetic to how I feel on a day to day basis, and when I ask him to rub my back, he exerts too much pressure on my spine which leaves me in tears and in more pain than I was before. (I tell him this and he still doesn't listen to me) I can't sleep at night, and I can never find a comfortable position to begin with anyway unless I am contorted like a pretzel. I hate the way I look in the mirror, as I stand crooked. (shoulders are uneven and I have a fold of skin one side of my waist. Blech) I hate looking at my wedding pictures for the sheer fact that my curve is really noticable and they all look like I'm leaning to one side. It bothers me that people at work notice it now more than ever, and some often make snide comments. I can't wear form fitting shirts without the fear of someone seeing how jacked-up my back is and I don't even want to think about the summer, no spaghetti strapped shirts for me anymore. (one shoulder blade sticks out more than the other) And don't even get me started on how my back looks when I bend over. Eventhough the kyphosis is not too bad to me I know that it's there and I hate the fact that someone will notice it. (luckily I don't think anyone has yet, other than my husband) Now with the pain let's see.... I can't lower my chin to my chest that the pain is excruciatingly painful in my mid back on the right side of my spine, I often get the 'pins and needles' feeling in my fingers and at the bottoms of my feet. when I move to the side it hurts and the pain often radiates into my ribcage when i breath which is often uncomfortable. My quality of life in my eyes sucks right now to put it bluntly. I can't play with my daughter that my back hurts. I can't hold her, or carry her around that it hurts, and even my personal life is becoming affected now because of the pain in my back. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do??? Would surgery be an option to help alleviate the pain???

    Thank you all and have a nice day. =^_^=
    25 yr old female =^_^=
    Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
    Lumbar curve 23 degrees
    surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
    Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

  • #2
    Shelley, I'm so sorry you are in so much pain but I've been there and completely understand everything you have said; but there is hope....you must go see a scoliosis surgeon as s/he is the one that can tell you about your options. The doctor that was prescribing all those meds, was that your general doctor or a specialist? If it was a general doctor, they just don't understand, you must see a scoliosis specialist. Where do you live as the folks on this site can offer their suggestions for a good specialist if they live in your area. You are too young to suffer this much, plus you have a child to take care of. Let this site know where you live and you must start to improve on your life. Yes, surgery in my case, as well as so many others, has helped get our life back. Chronic pain is a terrible thing and unless you get the right treatment, it will overtake your life, as I sense from your message it is. Hope to hear back from you.
    1981 Surgery with Harrington Rod; fused from T2 to L3 - Dr.Keim (at 26 years old)
    2000 Partial Rod Removal
    2001 Right Scapular Resection
    12/07/2010 Surgical stabilization L3 through sacrum with revision harrington rod instrumentation, interbody fusion and pre-sacral fusion L5-S1 - Dr. Boachie (at 56 years old)
    06/11/14 - Posterior cervical fusion C3 - T3 (Mountaineer System) due to severely arthritic joints - Dr. Patrick O'Leary (at age 59)

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    • #3
      Thank you. It's good to hear that I'm not the only one out there who suffers. (as morbid at that may sound) The doctor(s) have been anyone from my General Practitioner, to Neurosurgeons, Ortho-Spine docs, Pain Management doctors who prescribed the meds. I may as well be a walking pharmacy. I just got the results back from a couple of x-rays that were taken at the end of last month and here are there findings: (with all the tests that they are doing, I'm pretty sure I'm going to start glowing)

      Moderate dextro scoliosis in the thoracic spine measured between 46 and 48 degrees from t6 throuh t11. Levoscoliosis in the lumbar spine. measured from t11 through l4 at 23.9 degrees. (I guess the other lumbar measurements were way off) I currently have a doctors appt this afternoon and I will be sure to bring up the spinal fusion as a form of relief from this pain.

      I appreciate your input. Oh, and for anyone out there. I currently live in Maryland (Andrews AFB) I'd like to keep my career of being in the AirForce, any advice and input is greatly appreciated if you guys know any good doctors!

      ~Shelley
      25 yr old female =^_^=
      Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
      Lumbar curve 23 degrees
      surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
      Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Shelley,

        I'm so sorry to hear about your pain! We have very similar numbers in our curves, but I don't have the kyphosis. I just began really to be able to see my curve visually in everyday clothes when it reached its current magnitude, so I can imagine you might be suffering from noticing it yourself, not to mention the pain.

        First of all I wanted to encourage you to keep trying to find a good doc who can help you with your pain and the situation in general. I had over a year of chronic pain and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I couldn't have gotten through it without people telling me that one day I would find an answer, something to help me manage my pain, and although I never believed it it did actually come true. Don't give up! You WILL find somebody to help you.

        Are you in a position to see a different orthorpedic surgeon? From reading on this site you will read about some good docs, depending on your area... maybe you could travel to Baltimore/Philadelphia/New York? If it were me I would want to try and pin down exactly what was causing the pain (e.g. trapped nerves / degenerated disks / progression of the curve etc). This can be very tricky with back pain, but from what I've read with scoliosis surgery you don't want to go into it unless you're pretty darn sure the pain is coming from the scoliosis and not something else... from what I've read, curves of your size "shouldn't" be causing pain (although we all know those sorts of rules have all sorts of holes in them)

        The other thing I wanted to mention is that I don't _think_ your list of painkillers included Elavil (low-dose antidepressants). If you haven't tried it - maybe you just forgot to list it! - it might be worth a try... it was the only thing that helped me control my pain.

        Let us know how you are doing! and which doctor you try next.
        Take care. ~Laura
        30y/o
        Upper curve around 55
        Lower curve around 35

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