Hi

firstly the symptoms-

3 years ago - apparent slipped L5 disc causing severe pain for a Month ( not confirmed by MRI ) pain now gone.

Bladder - appears nueorgenic ( urgency )

Bowel sphincter seems weaker ( difficulty controlling gas )

left leg - Sciatica pain - six weeks ago ( pain has gone now ) but has left leg with weakness and atrophy , reduced reflexes.

Right foot - periods of numbness and sciatica pain in right butt.

Erectile dysfunction - started 3 years ago when i had 1st attack of pain.

vibrations in rectal area

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I went to the Emergency room out of inspiration / desperation due to utter despair and was there for 5 hours and was seen by their assessor who then called for the Orthopaedic Consultant.

The bladder problem is not retention. They did a bladder scan which showed empty when my brain is saying full. It is probably linked to the nervous system, ie messages being sent from the brain / spinal cord so I get the constant urge to urinate.

However they found things that the GP'S overlooked, ie, loss of important reflexes on left side leg and wasting of muscle tone in leg ( even I didn’t notice that ). The other symptoms I have are erectile dysfunction ( 3 years ) and some difficulty keeping gas in and some pain and strange vibrations in rectal area.

I have some tingling in both legs and although I can feel the saddle area, the pin tests showed that the right side more sensitive than left. The left leg is weaker and has lost a lot of reflexes and the consultant noticed muscle atrophy which I didn’t realise.

The upshot is that the consultant was concerned but not overy concerned and has ordered an MRI scan which I will hopefull get shortly, followed by consultancy.

The referral ltter has to come from my GP, he wanted to send my for physio but i insisted on specialist appointment. A week after the ER trip, the secretary of my GP has just finished typing a letter of referal to the hospital, a slight delay because she had a day off to do some shopping. This letter has to go to the hospital and then they will write to me with an appointment ( all further delays,) I have been told that MRI scans are 6 weeks behind at the moment.

The consultant said that he wouldn’t get the knives out just yet because he thought that surgery isn’t critical at this point, an option based on MRI findings. Of course, I have assumed it to be a slipped disc but the MRI may or may not clarify whats going on. He things that a disc may have shunted just off -centre against the spinal cord roots at the lower end This can happen but it is unusual to be central shunt. I am concerned about further damage. Bearing in mind this started nearly three years ago and has been left until now / not taken seriously until I went to the emergency room who in their oppinion did not jump up and down.

Tony based in UK