Hi, everyone.

I'm really fed up today. The reason being I have seen yet another (yeah, all I seem to be seeing is physios) and she tells me from my MRI I've got nothing wrong with my back, just muscle wastage. She had the MRI right in front of her and it had one disc that was black (no fluid in it apparently, degenerated) in the MRI and the rest were ok (on MRIs they should be white in the middle). How can this be muscle wastage? I have conflicting information as I've seen other physios too and they say different things. I haven't seen the consultant. He couldn't be bothered to see me which I think is extremely rude and unprofessional.

I'm totally dissapointed. I've been told by my physio there is nothing they can do. I've got to live with it and that's it. Is this a valid information or are they totally off the hook? I'm only young and they can't fix it! So much for the so-called health professionals. I'm sick and tired of this unsatisfactory health service that I have been constantly getting.

I would be extremely grateful if any of you could give me a little advcie on this.

P.s: I'm in the UK.

Pabloh,
So sorry the physio couldn't help you. Any chance you can get your MRI films and take them to another place to look at? In the US there are places you can pay to send your films to get get a diagnosis....don't know if there are such places in the UK. There are some pretty well known spinal surgeons in Europe that you may be able to go to, or at least get a consult with. Here's a link to a consultant that helps US citizens have disk replacement surgery in Europe (http://globalpatientnetwork.com/)

Take care,

Kay

Thanks for your help and advice, supernova_krose. I have found you and many others on this forum to be extremely helpful and very informative in these confusing times that I have been having with my spine.

I have asked the hospital for copies of my MRI and x-ray results reports and will also ask them for copies of the MRI and x-rays. I am just waiting to hear if they'll let me have them. I'll let you know if they do let me have them and tell you what the results reports say. I haven't thought of that - where you can send the MRIs and x-rays to be looked at.

I found the website that you gave a link to helpful and informative. Thank you very much.

I would also be grateful if anyone could recommend any hospitals or spine surgeons that are in the UK as I am certainly thinking of going to a different hospital to the one that keeps putting me onto physiotherapists all the time as I think it's time I saw a spine surgeon now.

... just want to say that I'm sorry for what you're going through.

Thanks, Bobbi

I found for me it helped to get my neurologist to call the surgeon. The first surgeon I went to with MRI in hand said I had the normal wear and tear on the back of a 50 year old woman, I told my neurologist that and it ticked him off so bad he called that surgeon to discuss the effect area's in the lumbar region and referred me to another surgeon who did a fusion within two weeks on L5/S1 and I feel like a new person. My neuro says there's alot of buck passing on back surgeries when a major surgery is involved sometimes and it helps to have a professional on your side to help be your voice, I know it did in my case.

Cathy