Having a hard time dealing with the new DX.
 

I don't know if anyone read my updated chiropractor post but I now know what has been causing my pain and numbness. I have mild scoliosis of the lower back and my neck vertebras are being pulled apart (I don't remember the right term for this).

Anyway the scoliosis most likely is causing my leg numbness and the IBS.

The neck thing is causing my whole body nerve pain.

Now don't get me wrong I'm SO glad it's not MS but I'm really bummed to get this DX, it's pretty much means I'll be in pain forever. I might get a little better but it will be a painful.

Good news, it's NOT anxiety causing all this. :D

Julie

A very good friend of mine had the same dx as you. She had surgery which fixed the problem and has been paid free ever since. I hope you see a doctor for a second opinion about the scoliosis and get some relief.

She was practically crippled before the docs would do anything ... or believe her.

Did you go to a spine doctor to get a second opinion? Does your back look like this?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sco...194/DSECTION=2

Julie, be very careful...Chiropractors can and do cause permanant damage. Please get a second opinion before you start getting adjustments. If you indeed have scoliosis, you should be going to a spine doctor. Please trust me on this. We all want answers, I know, but a spine issue is very seriouse and you must consider going to a spine doc or a neurosurgeon FIRST! I have spine problems, and my spine doc says to NEVER go to a chiro...it can cause more damage!

Let me know what you decide.

Sorry Mom. I would sure follow Cheryl's advise and get a 2nd opinion.

Feel better..:hug:

I have not seen a spine Dr yet (I DO plan on it) and my curve is in my lower back so no my x-ray does not look like the pic.

Its usually real easy to get in to a spine doc. They have clinics...please look one up and go. They are the experts, and next would be the neurosurgeon. It looks like braces are the first rule of thumb here, but I have to go to PT right now, for my back :) so I'll see you later....

MxS

Glad you don't have MS. And it's not in your head either. :D You've gotten some good advice. Gather more info and make informed choices. Wishing you the best.

:hug:

((((julie))))

we have some great chiro's in our area. a few quacks too. :wink:

we used to have a clinic at the gym, so i know which are which. if you decide to go for a second opinion...pm me and i'll give you some names.

:hug:

Now that I have more time, I wanted to comment further on this statement. Chiropractors can and do help people. I am not against them. My DH has had great success for one issue, but another issue almost forced him into shoulder surgery (Accupunture resolved this along with oxycontin and flexeril).

I believe these doctors can help people in general. Its when you have seriouse issues, like me, that a Chiropractor may be a bad choice. It's up to the spine doctors to determine if you need adjustments, PT, bed rest or surgery.

So to be clear, they can and do help some people with back pain. However; They can really screw up people that have seriouse issues. Since it's the spine; caution is imparitive. Hope this clears up my position on this subject :D

((((Julie))))
 

You guys are great. :grouphug:
I feel bad that I so bummed over this DX, I should be happy. :confused:

It was/IS still a shock to hear I have scoliosis, I never would have thought this. I know it's not a awful thing to deal with but with it being in my lower back and causing pain and numbness and maybe the IBS makes it hard to deal with right now. :(
I felt like if it were MS I had the option of meds to help, the only meds that would help me know is pain meds and that's really not an option for me right now.

Hi Julie,
I second what everyone else is saying--do get that second opinion from a spine doctor.

I have mild scoliosis AND a small pinched nerve in my back, and guess what? After all the MRIs and everything else, the neuro and my other docs have confirmed that neither one of these is actually causing any problems for me at all! They confirmed that the problems I DO have are all caused by MS.

Scoliosis can exist and not cause problems. So can a small pinched nerve, even. I'm hoping for your sake that it IS the scoliosis that is causing your problems, of course--no one wants MS!-- but by the same token, I, like everyone else on this board, want to see you get the right DX.

So do follow up, sweetie, and keep us posted! :Wave-Hello:

I ditto the 2nd opinion from a Medical Doctor who specializes in the spine and nerves.

I have some mild scoliosis too. Missed by all those scoliosis tests they used to do at school. (we'd go once or twice a year and have to stand in a room while the school nurse or one of the teachers would look at our spines to see if they were straight)

They found the scoliosis when I had my spinal MRI that I had a week or two before getting diagnosed with MS.

:Sob:One more self pitty post and than I'll be OK.
I was thinking that just maybe this chiro was wrong and he just wanted my business (I didn't see the full size x-ray my self yet, I see them Sat.).
Anyway I was in the bathroom just now and you can easily see my shoulders are off, my left is way higher than the right so I looked at my back, and you can see the curve and my hips are off.

How did I miss this all theses years?:confused:

OK, no more whining. Thanks for letting me vent.

DH is waiting for me in the bedroom to watch a movie:popcom::pepsi:

I'm glad to know it's not MS but feel bad that you have to be experiencing the pain you are in. I hope you can get a second opinion and more information for what your options are.

Hi Julie,

I'm so glad it's not MS - but I'm sorry that you're experiencing pain and numbness. I agree with GJ who suggested that you see a spine specialist. And I agree that this chiropractor might just have wanted your business. When it comes to your spine you need to seek the most qualified and experienced medical professionals. Your spine is nothing to play around with - especially if it's causing the problems you're experiencing.

Good luck to you. I'm sure it's a relief to at least know what's causing the symptoms. :hug:

Hi Julie! I'm very glad you don't have MS! Please find an orthopedic doc who specializes in the spine as soon as you can. Don't be discouraged, there are a lot of treatmebt options for spinal conditions. I have spinal stenosis along with a long family history of severe back problems. I just happen to have MS too. As for not seeing how misaligned you are, well, I think most of us wouldn't see this in the mirror either. Sometimes we don't see things until someone else points us in the right direction. I'm sooo sorry you're feeling so crappy. I'm sure you'll find the right doc to help you. ((Julie))

Hi Julie.

I'm going to echo what everyone else said. Glad it's not MS and hope you find a good spine doc that can help you out. :hug:

Thank you everyone, I'm feeling better today. It was like a slap in the face to get this DX and it just toke a little time to sink in.
This isn't awful and I'm not dyeing from it. :)

I just need to work on getting my back and neck a little better so I don't have the nerve pain 24/7 and the leg numbness.

Oh I wasn't crazy, the L'Hermitte's that I had been having is being caused by my neck problem.

Julie - Congratulations! I am happy for you that it is not MS.

I agree with the others about getting a 2nd opinion. One of my sisters had it and she checked out different options for treatment. While she did go to a chiro he also does preventative and sports medicine. Her treatment was a combination of things including PT to retrain the muscles. It took a few years but she is doing so much better now. She even grew an inch. LOL.

As with all things, different therapies work differently for each person. Do your homework on different doctors and on treatment options. Even if you have to go to 10 different places/doctors to get an opinion. Keep in mind that you do have fibro and look for someone who is knowledgeable about that as well. They can incorporate that in to your therapy. For me, a more holistic doctor/facility is important as they treat the whole person not just the symptom.

Keep us posted on how you are doing.

This is great news, I think, Julie. :Excited: I give you full credit for not giving up on finding the source of your problems too . . . :hug:

My sister had back issues as well, and eventually required emergency surgery. After that, she experienced a series of symptoms like MS, and of course they were leaning towards that "option" because of my dx. Eventually they ALSO (besides what she got surgery for) dx her with Fb and Syringomyelia, which is an alternate spinal disease.

I don't know if MRI's would pick up on this new dx you have, but I guess I am somewhat surprised that it didn't when the neuro was checking for spinal issues. :confused: Perhaps it requires a CT scan instead of a MRI . . . but I would definitely be asking my doctor or neuro about this "miss".

I agree with everyone else that you should get a 2nd opinion. Chiropractors can be good/bad and everything in between . . . and one opinion (whether that be chiro's or neuro's) would not be satisfactory for me.

Good luck. I pray this is your answer, and nothing more serious. :hug:

Cherie

Sorry you are going through such a tough decision but at least its NOT anxiety..hey?

The kind of chiros that manipulate the vertebrae (crunching kind) I personally would not go to...BUT.. the ones who do B.E.S.T technique which uses a finger at dfferent pressure points over the nerve bundles. They RELIEVE the pinched up nerves so that the electrical energy from the brain can pass through and correct sublaxations. Eventually your own body will MOVE itself into the best place it possible can.

Now thats MY version of how BEST tx saved my life and career after 20 years of being a mess. Chiro's have MORE training as they specialize in the spine and nerves. A "GOOD" one will be very very careful and NOT even promote their txs if you have nerve damage. OFten they CAN make you more mobile and get the muscles to stop spasms. BUT it takes a lot of treatments and YOU doing your part in not cancelling their treatment by returning to bad mattresses, poor posture, eating poorly, not reducing stressors. ITs a partnership for sure.

My chiro saved me, got me mobile after 20 years of problems. AND he'll say he's reached his limit or cannot help a person, therefore referring to other specialists. By the time my MIL went it was already "too late" as she had nerve damage, so she ended up having surgery after all.

Good luck in finding help, we love you and want you to find the best help out there.

Jan

Julie I too have mild scoliosis....

please do get a MD to check this out....

and hopefully it is something you can fix with PT! And not carry little ones on your hip!!

Good Luck!

Julie,

I'm happy you're not looking at MS (we think?). And that the problems can be managed. I agree, a second opinion with a medical doctor is warranted, although it might be determined that the chiropractor can manage the problem.

Take some time to get used to the idea of the new diagnosis.

First of all, I want to say "Hi Julie"! I haven't been around for some time so never had the opportunity before. And I'm REALLY glad you don't seem to have MS, at least for the present time. I too have fibromyalgia, along with the MS, and have to give you lots of credit for dealing with seven little ones at the same time!!!! God Bless You!

You've received some good advice here and I agree a second opinion is in order. Your spine is nothing to fool around with. Even though lots of people have had great success with a chiro, when I was first diagnosed with MS 18 years ago, I was advised NEVER to use chiros as they can do more damage than good. To each his own of course. Are you sure the fibro isn't causing some of your pain and numbness? It can be as debilitating as the MS. :( Anyway, I hope you're feeling somewhat better and will keep going until you feel satisfied with your diagnosis.
Take care......:)

I agree. No crunchy chiropractors! The one I went to after my car accident was a cruncher. Some of it wasnt bad, but I hated it whenever he wanted to "adjust" my neck. First time he did that, there was no warning, he just grabbed my head, and pulled and did whatever he did to "adjust" my neck. It was after that I started having pain in my neck. Probably because when he didnt warn me what he was doing, I probably tensed up and ended up getting something damaged.

Kind of makes me wonder sometimes if the lesion at C4 is a result of some sort of damage from the chiro and not an actual MS lesion. I dont know if that's possible tho.

i'm glad too, that it's not MS.
but you're trading problems for sure.

while you're at the chiro's grab your x-rays.
you paid for them, they're yours.

the other drs you see may want to view them.

Julie I'm so very pleased that you're starting to get some answers. The second opinion sounds like a good idea and may open some treatment avenues you didn't know existed.

You can be very proud of yourself for never giving up, and your strength should be a message of support to others in limbo - to keep the faith and believe in yourself at all times.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...essingsgif.gif

I'm sorry to hear of your DX, but I am very happy you do not have MS. I did a fast google and it looks like you may have several good options on treatment. From what I read you are DX off an X-ray and exam. It seems there of dif. kinds of this also. I assume he did not tell you what kind you have. 1st get a 2nd opinion from a good spine Dr and go from there. PT, a brace, and an operation all seem to be possible options. You have a lot more hope then you think.
Ok- I'm going to say it - I'm sorry it was not panic/anxity. I'm massive panic and anxity as you can prob tell from some posts. A few pills a day would have tken care of that.
Don't worry about the shock and other emotional things you are feeling. It's been almost 2 mos since my DX and I am no where near were my mind should be. It does take time.

Take Care ~Sheena~:hug:

I found a Neurosurgeon (well it's a group of 2 Neurosurgeon, 3 Physiatrist and a team of Physical therapist) at a spine clinic I'm going to call Monday to get an appointment with.
http://www.spineteamtexas.com/spine-team-texas.aspx

It's the only one around me my insurgent covers so I SO hope there good. They look pretty good to me, so far.

Oh Julie...PERFECT!!! Good-luck with that and do keep us updated!!

w00t!!

Glad to hear it's Not MS nor Anxiety related :D

Sorry to hear about your spine. I have a little scoliosis in my lower spine as well...it goes to the left. I'm fortunate to not be experiencing the pain you are feeling. I hope you get into a good specialist and get 'fixed' up. Thanks for the update :D

Hi Julie,

Just wanted to send some hugs your way :hug::hug::hug:. I am glad you finally got somewhere on your dx.

I have TOS which is realted to neck and nerve problems in the arms and hands.

But I also recently saw a spine doc because the neck pain persists. He also found what is called a subluxed disc in my neck. My cervical MRI did not show much but my EMG nerve test did. So he did special x-rays with my neck flexed in different positions. Thats when they were finally able to see how it moved and only in those positions would a vertebrae compress the disc.

So while you wnat to see the spine doc try to pay attention to positions and pain so you can tell them. And make sure to ask them to do some tests that show how your neck moves because sometimes laying flat in an MRI can be misleading.

Keep us posted. :hug:

That's great news, Julie! Keep us posted on your appointment and what they say. I'm so glad you're seeking another opinion and one of a spine specialist. :hug:

That sounds like a good idea. Different docs in the same place who can talk among themselves to come up with the best approach for you.

Look forward to hearing how things work out.

:cool:

Great news, Julie! Please keep us posted. :hug: Sheena

My scoliosis was diagnosed in 4th grade by one of those observant school nurses (after I went to her office with a stomachache).

It has never bothered me in any way, although my right shoulder is very prominently lower than my left.

Two years ago I saw a spine doctor (orthopedist) for the first time in 35 years, after I found out (from a bone scan) that my scoliosis is in my lower back, not my upper back as I'd always assumed. My curve is 35 degrees, I think.

The spine doctor ordered MRIs of my neck and lower back, because I told him about the neuro symptoms including the Lhermitte's. His verdict was that the spine problems were NOT the cause of my symptoms. But no spinal MS lesions were seen, either.

I am not entirely convinced that the bone spurs found in my neck (which the doctor did not mention to me--I only found out about them when I got the report later) aren't causing the Lhermitte's. Because I've been told I don't have MS, so what else could possibly be causing Lhermitte's if not something poking into the spinal cord?

It's all so confusing. I would be uncertain about the chiropractor being able to tell you definitively that the scoliosis is the cause of all your problems. Especially if it's mild scoliosis.

Hope your orthopedist will be able to shed more light. Good luck!

Nancy T.