Hi needsomeluck ~

I'm so very sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you! I've had some major computer problems and today is the first day I've actually been able to get here.

I do hope you are still checking in!

Degenerative disc disease is the discs losing sponginess? is guess is the word I am looking for. They get hard and wear down ~ I think that is what it is anyway! As far as your age ~ you are young to have advanced disc disease ~ but some people (like me!) are more prone to it. Everyone's discs degenerate as we age, but to some people it happens to sooner rather than later. I'm not really sure why.

As far as what happened to me ~ well that is a long story! I first hurt my back by bending down to get some paper towels off of a store shelf. When I bent down, I got a stabbing pain in my back and my left leg went numb. I had no idea what had happened. I ended up going to the Doctor who immediately sent me to a Neurosurgeon. I had an MRI which said that I had ruptured my disc at L-5, S-1.

I had my first surgery for that in 1990 at the age of 30. I was fine after that first surgery for five years.

At that time, I was at work one day when I lifted a box of mail off of a high counter and turned with it. Same stabbing pain and numbness down my left leg. Went to the Doctor he said I had to have surgery immediately so I did ~ that was my second surgery.

The Doctor sent me back to work (this was a work comp case this time) two weeks after the surgery for "light duty" work. I worked in a Hospital at the time and their idea of "light duty" was to put me to work in the Radiology Department. This included lifting and carrying those big envelopes that x-rays come in and bending down to the floor doing filing. Well, I ended up herniating another disc ~ this time from L-4 through S-1.

So, my third surgery was done. I was OK for about two months after that ~ then the pain came back. The work comp company thought I was just lying ~ so they sent me to the best Orthopedic Surgeon in the area.

He took one look at my films and said he couldn't even believe I was able to walk at all. So, once again they decided on surgery ~ I was fused from L-4 through S-1. That was my fourth surgery.

Once again, I was Kay for a couple of months, then the pain came back again. The numbness was worse and it was now affecting my right leg as well as my left. So the Surgeon decided to do surgery again ~ this was after another myelogram ~ and other tests ~ and I ended up being fused through L-2 through S-1.

During this time my neck went out. I had one surgery to fuse C-5 through C-7. That fusion didn't take and I had to have the surgery redone, this time with a plate and screws.

Now, I know this is long ~ but this is really just the bare bones story! LOL There were lots of tests ~ I don't know how many CT scans, MRI's and myelograms I had done.

But here I am today ~ fused through C-5 through C-7 and L-2 through S-1. One Doctor commented that I should have a zipper put in my back! LOL I say they should just stick a rod up my rear end all the way to my neck and be done with it! LOLOL

Oh, and you asked about the Arachnoiditis. That is where the lining of the Arachnoid space in your spine is inflamed. They are not sure what causes it, but they think it could be from the many myelograms and surgeries I've had. It is very painful and there is no cure for it.

I hope this answered some of your questions ~ if I can help you in any other way, please let me know ~

Have you had an appointment with any kind of surgeon yet? Are you in Pain Management? Please let me know how you are doing ~

Love,
Sue (dadsgirl)