19 Year Old Male. Scoliosis Progressing.

[jrnyc]

hey John
i hope so, too!
i hope 2011 becomes your pain free year...
i believe it will!

just a little patience..
you have my sympathy with that one, as i am the last person to preach patience...
you know the expression..."please grant me patience, Lord, and make it QUICK!"

well, i hope PT works for you...
you'll get there...i just know it!

jess

[JDM555]

Hmmm...not feeling really good at the moment.

I did go to PT and started doing stretches 2 times a day. It helped a bit, but the pain wasn't gone for sure. I then did something stupid...I worked on my car .

I didn't lift with my back or do any weird bending. I laid on my back or on my butt most of the time. I wasn't in pain during the working of the car. But boy did I feel it the next day. My whole body was sore, but I got a new pain in my back.

It's weird, I can't really describe it. It has the pulled muscle feeling, but this doesn't hurt sitting or standing or whatever. I'm fine. But if I bend, walk, or stand up a certain way, and I hit the trigger point, WOW the pain is insane. It hurts so much for that split second I can't hold myself and have to change positions to get away from the pain.

This has been going on for a bit, but PT has kind of stopped because the stretches don't help pain wise at all. I'm scheduled for another appointment on the 20 something of this month with the physiatrist again. I might have to try doing the injections because this pain isn't getting better.

I'm also starting school and that isn't looking too good. I won't be able to walk on campus with the current pain and go up a flight of stairs or sit in a chair for hours. I hope this pain slowly fades over the next 2 weeks so I can go to school.

I just hate this situation. I'm over 1 year post op and instead of going to gym, running, and having no pain whatsoever, I feel like an old man and can't even lay on the floor to work on my car. I can barely walk, let alone run or move quickly. Doesn't look like I'm going to be having a pain free life anytime soon.

[titaniumed]

John

I’m so sorry about this. It looks like you will have to run this course for awhile, maybe the shots will help you out. It’s a step by step process, trying to find out what the problems are and of course running through the system. When do you see your surgeon again?

Be extra careful working on the car. The problems arise when you pull on wrenches. The forces are incredible when you do this, I don’t do it often but when I do, I move real slow, and use cheater bars if at all possible......

Try to take it easy till this injury subsides.
Ed

[jrnyc]

i am so sorry to hear of this set back, John!
i hope it is something, as Ed says, that can run it's course and be done...

in the meantime you have my thoughts, prayers and sympathy!

jess

[JDM555]

John

I’m so sorry about this. It looks like you will have to run this course for awhile, maybe the shots will help you out. It’s a step by step process, trying to find out what the problems are and of course running through the system. When do you see your surgeon again?

Be extra careful working on the car. The problems arise when you pull on wrenches. The forces are incredible when you do this, I don’t do it often but when I do, I move real slow, and use cheater bars if at all possible......

Try to take it easy till this injury subsides.
Ed

Hey Ed! Long time no see. Good to hear from you. Yes, I'm use to the bad luck. It's not just in this surgery, plenty of things happen and I already know it's coming from my beautiful luck. I knew I wasn't going to be 100% 1 year post-op, so I'm not surprised.

I didn't do anything for the past year and I still had pain, so idk. The car did make it a lot worse though. I did use cheater bars and impact guns to not put pressure on the spine. But I guess it was still too much for my back to handle. I did put a lot of hours in, I should of just had a shop to the work.

I hope the injection takes care of this pain I'm having. Or at least take care of it enough that I can walk or sit in a chair cause school starts again soon. The muscle relaxants at night don't do much for me either. No drowsiness, no relief, getting into bed I still feel the immense pain in my lower right back and I wake up at night from the pain and never get a good nights sleep.

I'll slowly try walking on treadmill and doing some cardio with the bike at the gym. Maybe some sort of movement will help.

As for seeing my spine surgeon, not for another year? I recently had my year post-op last month. He said everything looks fine and the pain is related to the muscle, which it feels like it is. My spine/left side is completely fine, no pain. It's the big lump of muscle that I had pre-op when I had my rib hump, same area/same pain that just won't go away. After this pain goes, my back will be feeling great again and no stiffness/soreness. It's all in that big chunk of muscle tissue on lower right side of my back.
John

[JDM555]

Well tomorrow at 9:15 AM, I have an appointment set-up for my injection. Hopefully this will release the tension built up in my lower back causing my pain. Hopefully I can return to walking and some cardio at the gym so I can get into better shape. Then maybe some swimming which helps a lot.

I just hope I can finally get some rest and return to being an active guy who can enjoy life. I will keep this thread updated.
John

[jrnyc]

fingers crossed that the shots work for you, John...

jess

[mgs]

ditto.

I'll be watching for (hopefully) good news!

[JDM555]

Hmmm...change of plans. Doctor changed his mind and said instead of just doing a minor temporary anesthetic shot that would only relieve the pain in the muscle for a few days, he wants to do a more aggressive course of treatment.

He said since I had this lower right back pain in my muscle before the hardware, it could of been pulled or injured long ago and just now the pain is coming back and the hardware isn't helping much either.

So he still wants to do the anesthetic shot in the muscle area, but he found the trigger point or area that hurts me most, is right above my L3 bolt. The right bolt sticks out a bit farther cause of the rib hump, and I have more muscle mass on that side, so he wants to do a cortisone shot right on top of the bolts head. So that area wouldn't get inflamed and wouldn't hurt regarding the shot, while also giving the muscle some anesthetic for temporary relief so the muscle can be forced to relax over time. He said it might work and if it doesn't, there is weekly shots that can help over time and then there is botox, which is another thing but since it isn't covered by insurance, he didn't talk much about it then.

Another thing if none of the injections work, he said to see what the options are with Ivan Cheng (Surgeon) to see if there is a way to remove the bolt, or use a small bolt, or whatever, basically a surgical approach.

I have no idea, but I just want to get rid of this damn pain. I know my mother told me the cortisone shot is very painful and has a burning type of pain, so that in my inflamed muscle...doesn't sound like a good mixture.

[jrnyc]

that is very strange about botox...
because my insurance DOES cover it...it is NOT cosmetic...it is medical...and not experimental...it is used for muscle spasms, migraines, etc...
it is covered by Aetna...i think also by Medicare, believe it or not!
so if Aetna covers it, i''d think other (better) insurance covers it too!

i have had many types of cortisone shots...the pain is quite tolerable, especially when they use novocaine first, or along with it....
i would say since you tolerated the pain from surgery, the shots should be a piece of cake for you!
i truly hope they help you!

jess

[JDM555]

that is very strange about botox...
because my insurance DOES cover it...it is NOT cosmetic...it is medical...and not experimental...it is used for muscle spasms, migraines, etc...
it is covered by Aetna...i think also by Medicare, believe it or not!
so if Aetna covers it, i''d think other (better) insurance covers it too!

i have had many types of cortisone shots...the pain is quite tolerable, especially when they use novocaine first, or along with it....
i would say since you tolerated the pain from surgery, the shots should be a piece of cake for you!
i truly hope they help you!

jess

Hmm that is interesting. I will talk to my dad as far as botox being insured or not. That is down the road if the other injections don't work and I'm still in pain.

I was just told my mom when she took the cortisone shot, it hurt. She didn't get any type of numbing shot to ease the pain before. Plus, the muscle in my back is SUPER sensitive, if I walk too quick or do a wrong bend, I'm in 10/10 pains and can't even stand properly. So thinking of what a needle would feel like in that sensitive spot, doesn't sound fun at all. I'm sure I'll get some sort of shot before to help with the pain.

It's tomorrow morning, so I'll keep you updated by afternoon I guess.
John

[jrnyc]

good luck, John...
i'd ask about the novocaine...

jess

[JDM555]

good luck, John...
i'd ask about the novocaine...

jess

Yes. I will ask my dad about it and also the doctor tomorrow as well. I don't need additional pain in my lower back with these injections.

I did get a message from the hospital saying I am not suppose to eat after 12 AM? I'm not going in for surgery lol, I'm wondering why I can't eat after 12 AM and have to arrive 1 hour before the injection for a bunch of tests and going into the room, and blah blah. Making a big deal out of injections, I thought they were just simple shots you can take in your lower back.

I heard right after the shot, it's painful, then it goes away. But a few hours later it becomes very stiff, and painful for a day or two, then you start feeling relief. I can afford for be in bed for this weekend, but I need to be in walking/decent condition next week as I start school. I hope I get some sort of relief so I can stand sitting in those crappy seats for hours M-F.
John

[jrnyc]

i did not have any of that stuff happen after shots or hours later, etc...

i only had to show at the hospital for the first injection i ever had...an epidural that i had at Columbia Pres. Hospital, in Manhattan...they had an IV in me, but never needed it...no anesthesia...just a precaution...
all other procedures were done in doctor offices...one doctor was an anesthesiologist/ pain doc, another was a neurologist/pain doc...i had sacroiliac joint injections, facet blocks, nerve ablation, 2 epidural injections (one in hospital, one in doctor office "procedure room"), botox injections in thoracic area, and a few other injections in lumbar area (types i've forgotten names of)...

i hope your procedure goes the way mine did...the first epidural i had just felt like a Mac truck was on my back...pressure, but no pain whatsoever...
the next hurt somewhat, but only in that it felt like liquid going into my kidneys
(it was no where near my kidneys...it just felt like it)
another pain doc told me (very indignantly) that "no injection should hurt, someone must have done it wrong, you should have come to me"...

i am not sure exactly what kind of injection they are giving you....though i understand the reason, the physical area on your spine, and the hope for it to be effective!
i do know for some procedures, the doc waits to see if the injections helped...to see if he got the right area...but i don't know if that will be involved in your case...
i hope and pray what they do is effective...i really think you need a break!
i know what chronic pain can do, how demoralizing the pain can get to be...
and it just seems so unfair...after surgery...this stuff shouldn't be happening, it seems!

i swear to you, John...you went thru major spinal surgery...
i just cannot believe the injections will cause you anything close to that kind of pain!
and i've had soreness afterwards...but nothing near surgical level pain!

also...what kinds of modifications do they have at your college for "people with disabilities," particularly "physical disabilities"...after all, this is temporary...but if you need some kind of help getting around campus, however temporary...why not?
why let this stuff interfere with getting your degree...unless the pain is to the point that you can't get anything in the way of academics done...
in that case, worst case scenario, i'd consider a semester off...not to bum you out...
just to not let anything mess up your grade point stuff and to give yourself time to heal...?

just a suggestion...

jess

[JDM555]

i did not have any of that stuff happen after shots or hours later, etc...

i only had to show at the hospital for the first injection i ever had...an epidural that i had at Columbia Pres. Hospital, in Manhattan...they had an IV in me, but never needed it...no anesthesia...just a precaution...
all other procedures were done in doctor offices...one doctor was an anesthesiologist/ pain doc, another was a neurologist/pain doc...i had sacroiliac joint injections, facet blocks, nerve ablation, 2 epidural injections (one in hospital, one in doctor office "procedure room"), botox injections in thoracic area, and a few other injections in lumbar area (types i've forgotten names of)...

i hope your procedure goes the way mine did...the first epidural i had just felt like a Mac truck was on my back...pressure, but no pain whatsoever...
the next hurt somewhat, but only in that it felt like liquid going into my kidneys
(it was no where near my kidneys...it just felt like it)
another pain doc told me (very indignantly) that "no injection should hurt, someone must have done it wrong, you should have come to me"...

i am not sure exactly what kind of injection they are giving you....though i understand the reason, the physical area on your spine, and the hope for it to be effective!
i do know for some procedures, the doc waits to see if the injections helped...to see if he got the right area...but i don't know if that will be involved in your case...
i hope and pray what they do is effective...i really think you need a break!
i know what chronic pain can do, how demoralizing the pain can get to be...
and it just seems so unfair...after surgery...this stuff shouldn't be happening, it seems!

i swear to you, John...you went thru major spinal surgery...
i just cannot believe the injections will cause you anything close to that kind of pain!
and i've had soreness afterwards...but nothing near surgical level pain!

also...what kinds of modifications do they have at your college for "people with disabilities," particularly "physical disabilities"...after all, this is temporary...but if you need some kind of help getting around campus, however temporary...why not?
why let this stuff interfere with getting your degree...unless the pain is to the point that you can't get anything in the way of academics done...
in that case, worst case scenario, i'd consider a semester off...not to bum you out...
just to not let anything mess up your grade point stuff and to give yourself time to heal...?

just a suggestion...

jess

Wow, thanks for the detailed explanation. I am glad that it won't be as painful. I talked to my dad and he said the anesthetic is lidocaine, which would act similar to novocaine? I'll still talk to my doctor/father tomorrow morning about novocaine. I don't want to feel any pain whatsoever, I think the past few years has been enough.

I might need a way to get around campus. If this pain doesn't help close to 90%, I won't be able to walk in crowded areas with people bumping into me or sit for hours in a chair. I'll email all my teachers and let them know of my "condition". I'll see what the school has to offer for disability students as far as getting around campus.

A personal golf cart will suffice. Haha

Anyways, I'm a little at ease after talking with my father and reading your comments about it. This is a new type of pain in my back, so I'm pretty sure it's just temporary and these injections will help a great deal. I will keep you updated tomorrow.

Thanks again for everything Jess! Keep me in your prayers.