Are you referring to the light-shaded mushroom shape to the right of center? That's the lump we're talking about? The image is a bit small for my eyes to see much else, and I'm not proficient with MRIs. I don't know what that is/could be, but I agree it doesn't look right (from MRI imaging I've seen here in the past).

Doc

Yes, that's what I'm talking about, along with the increased blood vessels in the fat over that lump.

I've been to the GP to get results. They say they can't find anything. They don't even mention my previous bone grafts or the spondylolisthesis (that they diagnosed two and a half years ago). The only thing they were interested in was the "patchy bone marrow" which is in keeping with a haematological malignancy. Well, considering I've had chemo for a haematological cancer that doesn't take a genius to work that out, especially when it's in the clinical notes.

As I said to the GP, how can you have a visible and palpable lump that is symptomatic but not see it on a scan?

Anyway, I've been offered no further testing but just been told to take Morphine which I have refused. Starting to take narcotics for undiagnosed pain and pathology is on the slippery slope to oblivian and I'm not going there yet. I'm not going to allow my health care professionals to fob me off without a diagnosis! It's not as if they can say it's all in my head (I bet they're disappointed they can't use that old Furphy) because it quite obviously isn't!

I've rung the radiology company and asked them for my scans to be given to another radiologist for a second opinion but they have refused. They suggested I take them to another radiology company for that second opinion. So I've rung 3 other companies (we don't have much choice here) and they've all refused to look at them. It's a closed little community where they protect each other's back, it seems. I would have thought offering to pay a good amount for a second opinion would have worked but no, one radiologist won't undermine the findings of another.

When I first got sick I had an MRI which was reported as normal except for arthritic changes. 3 months later when I was having trouble walking I was sent for another. Same result....normal but for discs and arthritis. 3 months further I couldn't walk at all, for another MRI. This time the report stated that the lesion in my cervical spinal cord had extended into the thoracic cord as far as they could visualise and was worse than on previous scans!!! Worse than previous scans? THEY WERE REPORTED AS NORMAL!!!

I was livid. I went and complained about the incompetent radiologist who misread my first two MRIs. I never even received an apology. It was because of this incompetence and my moronic neurologists inaction that I became permanently disabled. If I had been treated earlier, the damage was reversible.

On its face that sounds actionable. Professionals seldom offer apologize because in many places an apology is tantamount to an admission of guilt/wrongdoing. It's not always the individual's choice; attorneys, insurance companies, ets. often issue edicts against such.

From the image, I don't see any hardware, and the disc spacing appears (to my untrained eye) to be unremarkable.

The... whatever it is—doesn't appear the same as bone. There appear to be three shapes above the object but none below it; I don't know what they are.

Narcotics are not offered lightly. They're acknowledging your physical pain, and that's something. I won't try to sway you on this, but pain is something I know a little about from personal experience and many years involvement in/with chronic pain support groups. What I know is that pain medications can make a huge difference in quality of life when taken/used responsibly, and bonafide pain patients seldom run into the problems abusers do.

Doc

I understand the reason why they don't apologise BUT, they (can't remember who) did some research and discovered that a vast majority of people who had been injured through medical negligence, incompetence or ignorance, would have been satisfied with an acknowledgment of their distress and an apology. It was when these weren't forthcoming that people became angry and started legal action.

I would never take legal action myself unless it was to prevent someone else suffering the same fate. I do believe in giving feedback when they've done something wrong or otherwise they might never learn.

Now, for the news.....I rang my physiotherapist and told him about my MRI report and he didn't believe that the report could be correct. He had seen the previous CT report which said I had a spondylolisthesis at L3/L4 and he said "they don't go away". The physio told me that when he felt the lump he thought I had a soft tissue tumour of muscle. He said he didn't want to say anything to me because he was sure the MRI would find it and my doctor would deal with it.

I didn't go into hospital last week like I was supposed to because my mother became sick with suspected internal bleeding. She has improved and I should be able to have treatment in early December, so I'll ask my Physician to refer me to a neurosurgeon while I'm in hospital. In the meantime I've been given Voltaren Rapid and I'll see if that helps the pain.

It may, but it can have some nasty adverse/side effects too. I wasn't familiar with it, so I just spent some time perusing posts about it here, and the Wiki page.

That's the problem with pain meds; they're either dependence-producing (opioids) or organ damaging (NSAIDs).

Doc

Dear Myelogirl,

I can understand your frustration with the readings of your tests. I fell and broke 5 ribs. I went to the ER and the x-ray tech told me, yep, you broke some ribs, the ER doc said I broke 5 ribs, and then the radiologist reading the x-rays said NORMAL, no fractures, in his report. I contacted him and asked for him to review them again. Again, he said NO fractures. Several weeks later, I had follow-up x-rays as my ribs were not healing. Different hospital. Radiologist reported 5 fractured ribs. A subsequent CT chest scan also showed 5 fractured ribs. The original radiologist would never concede that he was incorrect even with overwhelming evidence.

Sorry about the long story just to show that I do understand how frustrated you were with your report.

I've learnt to take most things a doctor tells me with a grain of salt. In the end you have to be responsible for your own health and treatment but......it can be like pushing .... up hill. I don't think the radiologist could even count, I have 6 lumbar vertebra instead of 5 but he didn't notice that either. Oh well, time to move on and do as much as I can for myself and forget about expecting any medical help.

Doc, I know the Voltaren Rapid is a bit nasty. I'm on the maximum of 50mgs three times a day too. I notice the information leaflet says to take for a maximum of one week. That might be why my GP wants to see me again on Monday. It seems to be working because that diffuse achey, muscle pain has diminished and I can now feel a specific painful spot which is on the right side and higher than the lump! Sore spot on right, lump and ache/pain on left?? The Voltaren is also helping with the pain from the torn cartilage in my hip so that's an unexpected bonus.

Surprisingly, my GP is keeping me on massive doses of Voltaren Rapid....50mgs three times a day and I'm also on Diazapam 2mgs three times a day and Alprazolam 0.5mgs two times a day.

I'm going to be completely stoned! It looks as if my Neuro disease is getting worse and my muscle spasms are getting more widespread and are now in my back constantly as well as my legs and I've always had intermittent problems in my hands too. It may be just a matter of time before it reaches the diaphragm......what to do then?

I think it's best not to dwell on the what ifs.

Hopefully it won't reach your diaphragm. At least it sounds like your GP is trying to keep on top of your pain, not that is any consolation. I really don't know what to say , it must be very difficult to be in your situation. I hope you have support.
Redcat

Thanks for that Redcat.

I'm booked to have surgery on the 16th December and today the surgeon says he wants me to stop the Voltaren and start having Morphine instead because it has fewer side effects on clotting and stomach ulcers, so it's back to the GP and agreeing to the Morphine which I refused last week....frustrating!