Lumbar back pain

[SIsForSarah]

Hi Nutty,

Wow, that's awful that you can only get 4 hours of sleep at a time! I'm lucky in that lying down feels good for me right now.

I had some muscle spasms right below my fusion for a while that I think happened because that disc was acting up. Since I've started a physical therapy program working on core strengh exercises that problems has gone away. Unfortunately, the physical therapy is doing nothing for my herniated disc. Heat doesn't help me - it just inflames my sciatic nerve.

You mentioned getting an MRI - have you ever had one? I've been told by some I can't get one because of the rod, but I only need it done below my fusion so maybe they could still do it somehow.

Hope you're starting to get more relief from your pain!

- Sarah

[Nutty]

MRI Scans and Rods

Hola Sarah

I had 6 hours sleep last night after my therapy and I was so chuffed!

I have had many MRI scans and they have come out OK, enough for the Dr to see what was going on anyway. I am fused to L1 and fortunately my problems are below the rod, the MRI scans do give me the same symptoms as the nips and my hands and feet move on their own, very strange feeling hehehe

Thanks for the well wishes and here is to another good night's sleep tonight

[SIsForSarah]

Hi Nutty,

Thanks for your reply, hope you're getting more sleep!

Just another MRI question: Is the hands and feet moving on their own that you described something that happens to you during the MRI or in general? I'm wondering if this is why people keep telling me I can't have an MRI with metal in my back, but I'm noticing a lot of people with hardware on this site have had MRIs. Can you feel it in your rod when you have the MRI? I've now had a CT scan, but I think I'm in need of an X-ray (haven't had one in 10 years) and an MRI to get to the bottom of the problem behind my lower back problems. Thanks for all your help!

- Sarah

[Nutty]

MRI and Metal

Hola

The movement of the hands and feet is only when I have an MRI scan.

The reason that majority of people with implants cannot have an MRI is because an MRI is done using a very strong magnetic field to create the images. Some metal implants could cause problems if subjected to these incredibly high magnetic forces. Always check with your doctor to ensure that your implant is safe for MRIs.

The implants that are most prone to causing problems for patients with MRIs are the following:

* Pacemakers or heart valves
* Metal implants in a patient's brain
* Metal implants in a patient's eye or ears
* Infusion catheters

Most patients with these types of metal implants cannot have a MRI done.

In addition, patients who have been injured by bullets or shrapnel, or patients who work with metals, should be specifically questioned to determine if a MRI is possible.

Some metal implants typically do not cause problems. Most orthopedic and dental implants are not magnetic. These include hip and knee replacements; plates, screws, and rods used to treat fractures; and cavity fillings. All of these metal implants can distort the MRI image if near the part of the body being scanned, but they will usually not cause problems. Even if you think the metal implant is compatible with the MRI machine, you must let the MRI personnel know in order to ensure this metal is compatible.

The MRI scanning on me has always been done on my lower back, my rod finishes at L1 so perhaps this is why they have been able to MRI the lower back as the metal does not interfere with the MRI too much, this scenario could be different for you.

I have an x-ray probably every 2 years, depends if I can get in to see someone.

I slept last night from 1am - 9am this morning - WOOOO HOOOOO I was so pleased when I got up this morning, that has not happened for a good few months now, however, it is not all good The lumbar pain woke me as it usually does after 3 hours but I decided to try and ride out the pain and keep shifting in my bed, when I finally got out of bed I could hardly walk and the pain was immense when leaning forward. Now that I am up and about again I am ok.

I had my therapy again this morning and it was painful, the sciatic nerve and the sacral area are extremely tender and it made me shout out when she touched me there. She gave me a telling off for over-doing it during the last week, my husband and I attempted sex (doesn't happen often because of the pelvic tilt and pain), I spent a day with my god son (running around and in the pool), I was up a ladder last week scrubbing off damp spores from the wall and then I painted it, I cleaned the house the next day after therapy. And then just general life, making dinner, washing, ironing - you know the drill.

This week I have been told to have some me time and stop overcompensating with everything that I do!

That's me told

Have a great day babe

Simone

[SIsForSarah]

Hi Simone,

Thanks so much for all that MRI information. I'm going to try to get my records from the Children's Hospital where I had my surgery so I can at least figure out what material my rods are made from (I'm thinking this is what the MRI people will probably ask me).

Glad to hear you got some sleep! You know, your sciatic nerve and sacral symptoms, plus the fact that it hurts when you lean forward, sound a lot like mine - have they checked to see if you have a herniated disc (those don't always show up on X-Rays - you usually need a CT scan or an MRI)? Not that it will change a lot knowing what it is, but it may give you new options for treatments. Hope you get another good night's sleep!

- Sarah

[Nutty]

Hola

You are most welcome

I too think the lower back issue is a disc also, not sure if it is herniated or just degenerating. I am in the process of doing the Bowen as you know and I have also been put in contact with a surgeon here in Spain but I just need my life to stop being so crazy so I can find the time to go and see him, I will not be leaving it long

My Dr in 2004 suggested that I had DDD in my disc below my rod at L2/L3 and said that it will run out eventually but doesn't know when and it will just fuse to the vertebrae above, providing it fuses well I should be pain free - if that is the case I wish it would just hurry up and do just that!

Hope you get answers soon and be well

[Karen Ocker]

Nutty:

The best suggestion I have is to try to find someone in Spain/Europe who has experience with adults with prior fusions. Treating the disc problem, without taking the whole spinal balance into account, can be a waste of time and not really solve the underlying cause. Most ortho's without this experience just throw up their hands and prescribe narcotics and sent you to PT.
I had terrible night pains below my fusion; the nerves were becoming compressed between the vertebrae. I used to put a tiney pillow under that hip to open my back. Nothing else worked. I am now pain free after my revision.

[SIsForSarah]

Hi Nutty,

Don't know if you are still out there. Just wanted to share with you the latest piece of information my physiotherapist shared with me. I was kind of hoping maybe my L5/S1 was starting to autofuse because it would relieve me of the herniation and the pain (I know you feel the same about the level below your rod), but my physio said that particularly with a pre-existing scoliosis condition, this isn't always great because the fusion could happen on an angle. She also commented that with very few unfused levels, I need to maintain the ones I can as well as possible or I'll have no mobility (that woke me up!). She did some movement tests on me, and I do indeed have some of my L5/S1 left, but it does seem to be disappearing as the curve in my back is disappearing at that level.

I've been doing more reading on the revision forum of this board, because I think that may be in my future if the other levels start to go - I'm thinking it's probably better to keep the disc space through revision surgery, then to lose it all through autofusion.

Just my rambling thoughts for now. I'm getting an X-ray in a week which will give me a better sense of what is going on. Hope you're doing O.K.

- Sarah