Hi I am new to this forum: I am in need of help I am desperate. I am having excruciating pain. Besides having L5S1 fully ruptured, I was diagnosed with L3 & L4 having tears with the disc material going up into my canal confirmed with a disco-gram. A few weeks ago I felt totally locked up in my thoracic area. The next morning the pain was so severe, it wrapped around all the way to the front of my chest and I could not move or hardly breath. My daughter had to call an ambulance. I was in hospital with lots of pain meds and I.V. Steroids. My MRI showed a herniation at T8 and bulge at T9. Between the lombard issues and everyone saying I need surgery for the L5S1 & L3 & L4 three level fusion, I am afraid to death about what will happen with the rest of my spine. The original injury was a car accident. Dr.'s can't tell me if the L3 & 4 and the thoracic problems are due to the stress. They do say I have severe degenerative disc disease. Can anyone give me some advise or help. I have had several opinions from different doctors. One said absolute surgery for the lumbard and another said he would not touch me because of DDD. I am on 300 mg of Lyrica for the nerve pain down the leg, but it does not seem to help and baclefen for spasms. Morphine doesn't either, so I basically am not taking anything because I am afraid of getting addicted to the pain meds. I am loosing feeling in my foot and have allot of tingling and basically my left leg is getting weaker. I have still been having episodes of major spasms in my thoracic area and sometimes it gets to the point I can't breath and still radiates all the way around my chest. Has anyone had a combination of lombard and thoracic disc problems? I could really use some input and help. Thanks allot Sharon

Hi Sharon and welcome to NeuroTalk. Here is the link to our Spinal Disorders Forum..http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum22.html

I'm so sorry for the terrible pain you are in.

Hi, Sharon! Welcome to NeuroTalk!

Sounds like a lot to handle, I'm sorry for all you're experiencing.

You might want to visit our spinal disorders forum here:http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum22.html

Feel free to join in anywhere!

Hello Sharon!! Welcome to Neurotalk!!

One big, warm, tight, hug, handshake and howdy, moose-size official type welcome. This place is amazing!

I'm not familiar with your problems, but other members here are. I'm so sorry you're in this predicament. Just remember:

You are not alone.
You are one of us.
And we are here to help.

Sharon,

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Great to see you have come to be with us. You will find a great number of caring, supporting members here willing to help each other as they can.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene