So long story short, I was in a high speed accident going on 7 years ago. I was severely injured top to bottom and quite frankly lucky to still be alive. Of those injuries I had multiple spinal injuries to my neck thoracic and low back.

The thing is my injuries are hiding what I believe to be a systemic disease as well. I have type II diabetes, it is intermittent and treated via diet and if I can, exercise.

I have bone spurring pretty much everywhere in my neck post surgery. I have it in my low back. I just had an MRI on my right shoulder and there is spurring (AC Joint) causing damage along with 3 tendons torn in my shoulder. They noted cystic like changes at the end of the bone associated it to degenerative changes.I tested positive for carpel tunnel in both hands (never had that prior to my last surgery, but that is another topic). I am chronically fatigued, and I go 2-3 days when I cannot get up off the couch and it doesn't matter if it is activity related or not. I can feel the weather usually 3 days before it gets here and I am NEVER wrong even when they say it isn't supposed to be so lol. Ice doesn't work, in fact it irritates it. I have just blown up another heating pad, makes number 14! I am positive for every trigger point associated with the fibro charts. My RF Factor came back high but not so high they said it is definitely that it was 17 btw. I have not been able to see a Rheumy due to insurance restrictions. These results are also with a extremely high dosage of NSAIDS.

IDK if it makes a difference but I am a 37 yo male. I would like to know what I should do at the doctors, what tests to suggest etc. I am seeing a neurologist, so maybe he can test for something my Primary Care Physcician cannot? Thoughts and opinions greatly appreciated!

Most often these are the results of osteoarthritis.

You'll probably be better served to use ICE on your back instead of heat. Heat draws blood to the heated area and causes more swelling & inflammation to the heated area, causing more pain. Ice reduces the swelling & inflammation and thus reduces pain. Use the ice for 20 minutes every 2 hours. Wrap the ice in a towel and place it over light clothing. It really DOES help.

I know you said that it irritates you, but perhaps you weren't using it properly. If it really DOES irritate things, then of course don't use it, but at least give it a try.

Have you had an MRI on your low back? It would be a good idea to have a look at that area too. You might ask him for that and make sure it's with and without contrast material.

I know what you mean about the weather -- I'm a walking barometer myself. I can pretty much determine the weather before it gets here too. It's quite handy actually.

God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee

Leesa Ice is a BIG no no for me! I will literally jump from the pain I get from it! I had xrays done on Monday of my pelvis and hips and lower back. Got the results back just now and it says DJD, and SJD but mild. So there is yet another part of the body that has degeration.
The thing is, I have total body pain. Some from spinal injuries. I feel like something has a hold of me and wont let go. I am tired all the time. If I am active on any level I am down for several days afterwards. I feel like if it were a depression I would be affected by it mentally, yet I want to do stuff and I plan it out, but my body will not let me execute.

So far I have facet changes in my cervical and lumbar spine. Spurring at both as well. I have spurring in my right shoulder, degeneration of the humeral head on my right arm( left has not been tested), carpal tunnel both wrists. SI joint changes bilaterally. It says they are without significant deformity with no AVN, fracture or dislocation.

I have been reading on the blood tests to ask the doctor to run. He did a panel before and my liver function tests came back abnormal, but it was the part that shows inflammation and it was pretty high. I have had a high RF factor before (17) but it wasn't high enough for them to be concerned with, and this past time it was 15 which is a high normal reading, but I am on a heavy dose of Ibuprofen and wonder if that affects the results. I am going to cease that treatment and ask for new labs and be more specific on the tests. I was also NEG on ANA results.

Hi Gator---I know the only thing since surgery and now with shoulder issues too that ever give me some relief is steroids. It it takes 4-6 weeks super high dose for me to even feel benefits. The problem is there short-lived and u have to taper down due to all side affects. Now i have to wait three months to go back on them again. I wish there was a drug that worked as well as predisone that someone can be on long term that reduces inflamation. I know what you mean you try to do something. I pay price for it in nastly flare ups that last longer then a feeling of good period of time. Your shoulder is he going to do surgery eventually?

They are talking Jan/Feb for shoulder surgery. Says it has been so long ago that it was injured that the surgeon would have to weigh the benefits vs the risks at this point.

So my PCP wanted new labs to rule out a few things but he did not run the one lab I wanted him too. I wanted the HLA-B27 lab done. I turened out high on my sed rate and c reactive protein again. My bottom two panels on the liver function test are still abnormally high. I am high negative on RF, and completely negative on the ANA panels.

I have been reading and studying and googling my tail off trying to get to the bottom of this the best I can as I know that I am afflicted with something other than the spinal injuries. I have all the positive trigger points for fibro and that has been mentioned, but the test results say there is something inflammatory going on, which would show negative in fibro. When you cross all of the symptoms and results together Ankylosing Spondylosis keeps popping up. My x-rays did show degradation of the SI Joint along with inflammation. According to everything I have read normally it will not show up on an xray due to the fact it take years to setup. I have been feeling this way for YEARS!

If anyone out there has this condition if you could please tell me how they ruled it out for you I would greatly be appreciative!