Hello everyone I hope someone can help. Fist thing first, sorry that this is so long and the spelling.

I have had 3 lower back surgeries and the last one was done in 95. However, I started to get some symtoms about 3 years ago. Chest pains (like a heart attack), numbness in arms and hands and sever headaches and also with increase numbness in legs and feet. I also have sever weakness in my legs with numbness in my groin area.

Had a MRI done from head to toe and this is what they found: I will just give you the findings report not the whole MRI.

Cervical Impression: Mild to moderat degenerative disk and facet joint changes at multiple levels.

Small central disk protrusion at C2-C3, with minimal flattening of midline ventral aspect of the thecal sac.

Small to moderate central disk protrusion or subligamentous disk herniation at C3-C4, although the effect on the thecal sac is minimal.

Mild diffuse disk bulges at C4-C5, C5-C6, and C6-C7 remain evident

Mild narrowing of the bilateral C3-C4, C4-C5, and C6-C7 neural foramina and mild narrowing of the left neural foramen at C5-C6.

Thoracic Impressions:
Multilevel degenerative changes. There is a signifivant disk herniation at T7-T8 which results in focal mass effect and deformation of the thoracic spinal cord. There is associated thin linear T2 signal abnormality within the central aspect of the spinal cord caudal to this at T8 vertebral body level which is supicious for a small focal syrinx.

Multifocal disk hernations within the upper thoracic spinal cord described in deatail above, with multiple levels of possible mass effect on exiting forminal nerve roots.

Lumbar Impression:
Decompression laminotomy change at L4 to S1.

Congenitally small spinal canal; and as a result, when there are abnormalities of posterior disk protrusion, along with hypertrophic degenerative change of posterior elements, the significance of these changes are increased because of the congenitally small canal. I am most concern about possible compression of bilateral nerve roots at L2-L3 from central canal stenosis, but there is also some central canal stenosis at L1-L2 and L3-L4 that could possibly affect nerves. There are midline disk protrusions at L4-L5 and L5-S1 that may not affect the exiting nerves in the central canal, and there is some multilevel neural foraminal narrowing from disl material discussed in the body of the report at each level.

I'm sorry this is so long. I'm 42 was very active riding my bike However right now nothing since eveything hurts. The longer I sit are stand all symtoms from above get worst. I went to a neurosurgen and he said symtoms where in my head.

Please help.

Hi, sorry to hear you are having so much pain. I would suggest getting another opinion. Your pain I am sure is real and you need answers.

Best wishes,

Marianne

I agree with Marianne. You need to get a second opinion or even a third opinion. If you know someone who has had spinal problems, find out who their doctor was/is and whether they'd go back to that person. Another possible source of referral is a physical therapist who knows your situation. They know which doctors are easy to talk to and listen to patients.

The T7 looks particularly worrisome to me but I'm not a doctor. Anything causing deformation of the spinal cord or sac around the cord can be problem.

Hi ~ Is there a TEACHING HOSPITAL anywhere near you? if there is, i'd try to get an appointment in their Neurosurgery department. You need to be seen by a really GOOD specialist. You definitely have some things that need to be looked at. I'm not sure i'd recommend your going back to your previous surgeon.

Or if you can get into the HEAD of a large hospital's neurosurgery's dept. that would be ok too, but you need to be seen by someone who has done alot of surgical cases. I'm not saying you need more surgery, but you need to be seen by a surgeon because they have more expertise in this kind of thing. You'd get a better opinion by someone who has done alot of these surgeries. If your doc can find a surgeon at a large hospital who would see you, it would be great.

Best of luck and please let us know what happens, ok? God bless!! Hugs, Lee

Thanks everyone for your messages and support. I have been lucky enough to get a appt into the Swedish medical center in Denver. They house the Colorado Brain and Spine institute.

The Doctors there read my MRI report and have managed to get me in next week June 23. The Doctor called me personally and was mad as hell towards the other doctor who said everything was in my head. The doctor at CBSI said I have some major problems that need to be addressed and fixed before the damage becomes permanent.

I am not scared off about surgery if it helps then I am all for it but I hate doctors who blow people off and say nothing is wrong while your in pain and are in need of help. I thought doctors take a oath?

Any way crossing my fingers and hoping that I will not have anything that will result in a permanent disability.

Glad to hear you got an appointment at Swedish in Colorado. It's always a good sign when doctors personally call you.

The other doctor may not have had the right experience to be guiding you through the process. From my experience, it seems that they tend to look for specific things when they look at MRI reports or films but not catch the rest.

I am so glad your getting help. I have very similar problems with my spine. I have been trying to get help here in alaska for over 4 years now and with no insurance and not enough $ to self pay all i am able to get are pills my doc gives me for pain,lnflamation.depression,arthritis,nerve pain. I has helped me deal with all this better but its not getting to the root of the problem.

I have applied for SSDI insurance been denied once and am now waiting for a hearing date.

I have peripheral neuropathy due to the extended time my nerves have been pinched or pressed on. I cant use my hands well i drop everything and i can no longer walk more than 20 feet without my feet and legs going numb. I use a cane when i have to walk very far at all.
you dont want to end up like me so if they are offering you help GET IT!

my prayers and thoughts are with you, Ladysheets

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I know how hard it is when your not able to function as a person and taking drugs is so hard on your mind as well as your body. I try not to take any drugs since I much rather feel the pain instead of being goofed up and not being able to relate to my daughter or wife. I too use a cane right now and have a hard time walking I need a FPO for my foot drop and have a hard time typing with my hands since I can't feel my fingers most of the time. I'm hoping for the surgery to give me something of a normal life back. I am lucky since I'm a veteran and this is all from a service connect disability. I would say I'm lucky but much rather have a normal back instead of the money.

I will be thinking about you and good luck. Kevin

I thought it couldn't get any worst then my first neurosurgeon who said everything was in my head, I was wrong. The first neurosurgeon sent me to a spine specialist who told me today that he would like to work on my neck and thoracic spine but would not touch my lumbar, even though he feels that my lumbar is causing most of my legs and bladder and ED problems. I asked why would you not want to operate on my lumbar if that is where you think most of my symptoms are coming from: Heres the good part: He said because he doesn't get to many opportunities to operate on a thoracic spine and it would be a personal challenge to him.

I told him to go to hell and practice on himself. Looks like I need to go through my own research and find the best neurosurgeon in colorado and go to him. It seems like there are to many quakes out there who want the insurance money.

Wishing that someone could help me and get better, not perfect just better. It's hard enough feeling this much pain but with the threat of losing a job and going to quakes it sure can make you hate life and get depressed.

I'd definitely run. His reason isn't good enough to justify approaching a t-spine surgery. You need a very experienced, specialized surgeon not someone interested in expanding his skills.

Was this the doctor at the Swedish medical center in Denver?

Can you go outside of Colorado if you can't the right doctor there? I know the orthopedic physicians I see, consult with patients over several states before even arranging a visit. I overhead the receptionist last week calling another surgeon's office to arrange an MRI be sent to them as the doctor who looked at the patient's MRI felt this other surgeon had better experience for the problem. The patient was from Alaska and hadn't been seen by either surgeon yet. This impressed me.