my intro
 

Hi, my name is Drew, I am a 42 year old male and found this site while searching out information on one of my conditions. Below are screen caps of my conditions (physically and not including Anxiety and depression) I have been fighting SSDI since Oct 2010. I used to do commercial/industrial HVAC for 12 years and even went to college for a few years (part time and was unable to receive a degree) until I was unable to sit (2009 ) so that I could change careers (sedentary work) only to find I should not have been there as it made me worse and my doctor stated the same thing saying I shouldn't have been there in the first place. I have chronic moderate to severe pain daily along with taking MS Contin 100mg 2x's daily, 10/325 Norco for breakthrough, 6mg tizanidine 2 x's, 400mg neurontin (greatly increases the MS Contin effects and pretty much knocks me out when I take it. Must ambulate with a cane. I can't sit (haven't sat at a family dinner in at least 4 years now). Surgery isn't an option unless it becomes an emergency issue (facing potential quadraplegia having my spinal cord deformed @ C3-4, C4-5, C5-6, and C6-7, worst at C5-6, C6-7) as I have multi-level conditions compounded with osteoarthritis.
Hope to get to know some people on here and help some as well.

Hello Drew,

Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.

I'll post a few links to some of our forums where you might like to read or repost that may be of help to you.

Spinal Disorders & Back Pain Forum

( There is a link in the Sticky threads at the top of the Spinal forum that may help decipher your results.
Medical Dictionary & MRI/CT Terminology )

Social Security Disability Forum

There are also separate forums for Anxiety and Depression in the link below if you need them.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum84.html

I'm sure you'll find information and support from the members here.
take care.

Hi Drew,

I feel your pain! I have just had a bad fall which aggravated my neck (crushed vertebrae/3 whiplash/arthritis) and put me in Hospital for an emergency Cervical MRI. My one Spinal Cord Compression has now become 3. I have numbness in my Left Ring and Pinky fingers and extreme, excruciating referred pain in my right arm, with numbness down forearm and Thumb, Index and Middle fingers. I also have issues with my lower spine, pain, numbness and Neuropathy which causes the falls in the first place.

Like you, I am dragged deep into the Well of Depression and suffer with Depressive Personality Disorder for my Sins. We also have Anxiety in common.

9 months ago I was a virtual recluse due to my multiple issues, the above is only half of it. Now, having found this Community full of caring peers my whole World has opened up, I participate in life in a meaningful way again by being able to communicate and share.

Whatever your worries, whatever you would like to talk about, myself and my fellow Members are here to listen.

Dave.

Thank you. I have done tons of research since I am in my recliner most of the time and reading, from my phone since I can't sit at a computer or hold my arm up to a keyboard without sharp spasms and pain. I use my speech to text from my phone for most of my typing etc. Even holding my phone for 5 or 10 mins I get tingly and numb in my hands so I have to straighten them out for a few minutes and shake it off lol.
Thank you for the links to specific categories, that helps.

The most serious thing that jumps out to me on the MRI , is the L 3-4 where it states the disk is contacting the nerve root on the right.
Are the lower body symptoms more bothersome on the right side?

For the cervical spine- the lordosis is something that PT can help with, many with desk jobs, poor upper body postures, or repetitive work have this problem.
minor disk bulges may be helped with expert PT also.
Degenerative issues are less likely to be improved..

Did you do a desk job or have any neck/shoulder injuries in the past that may have caused the arm & neck symptoms?
Some of the arm pain & problems might be a chronic RSI thing called thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) for more info on it here is our useful sticky link about it-
post #1 is a crash course of info -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html

I'm guessing the HVAC was a lot of lifting/reaching overhead & tool use, etc? and then a desk job?? Make me think TOS even more...
Your C spine doesn't read as being a major factor in your symptoms compared to many I have seen..

Have you seen a chart like this before - which nerves relate to parts of body -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/al...pictureid=5102

I'll post an image of my cervical region. I haven't been able to work due to pain since the desk job July 2011 and began requiring a cane January 2011 from the sitting. (I had to stand up, squat, sit like every 15 mins, but I stuck it out. The pain seriously affected my focus.
All the doctors / specialists are deeply concerned about the cervical region due to 4 levels deformity my spinal cord and 2 that are compressing / pinching my nerve roots causing radiculopathy in both arms.... (had an EMG, NCS although wad botched due to a spontaneous approval, I had 2 energy drinks and cup of coffee just before the emg/ncs.
The neurologists and neurosurgeons are concerned due to potential quadraplegia. (Informed that a fall or accident would set me up being paralyzed from the neck down.)
The image attached shows the cervical spinal stenosis. I get severe cervico-genic headaches 3 to 4 times a week and nothing alleviates the pain. They even wake me up from a dead sleep.

Odd you happen to mention about my thoracic. I have never had any images of my thoracic. Since I was 14 I have had pain there just from standing in one spot more than 20 mins at a time. I have had NO TRAUMA in my life and this is all genetics. Sad I didn't inherit money, lol, instead it's these problems lol. I have had 3 images of my lumbar and one image of my cervical. (Both MRI'S) I stuck out the desk job for 8 months with the intense pain.
I was a body builder since I was in high school and wonder if perhaps this have had some contribution. Family history of most of the DX'S but no trauma. Have seen 2 neurosurgeons, 2 pt's and 2 neurologists, chiropractic and 2 MD's, one was my PCP for 12 years and my new MD now for 3 years.

Oops, I forgot to mention that I did fall on my back when I was 7 years of age on the edge of some bricks. Although no medical doctors got involved for checking the issue over, I did get a nasty huge bruise then. Other than that I have speculated perhaps my body building, (barbell arms curls) could have either progressed, irritated, or caused the lumbar bulges but it is not difinitive.