"MY MOTTO"

"MY MOTTO"
LIFE...AND THE THINGS IT BRINGS

Monday, June 13, 2016

HAVE A T8-T9 DISK PROTRUSION. WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT IT...LEAVE IT..OR HAVE SURGERY TO CORRECT IT?




Hello there!!! :D 
I've suffered back pain for 10 yrs or more and do well, when I get up in the morning, but then as  my day progress..so does the pain to where it is unbearable to stand or sit. The ONLY thing that helps is that I lean immediately to a wall or lay down flat on the floor. Don't know for sure of why that works, but when I lean against a wall..the pain eases. IS that a good sign or a bad one? Must say that laying in bed is STILL not a remedy because the pain still persists and never completely goes away. I lay on a mechanical vibrating bed and use a heating pad daily, to just DEAL with the PAIN!!! Not fun...and I want relief, so that I can stand without this agonizing pain interfering with my everyday life. :/ 

I see a NS(Neurosurgeon) in 3 days to assess my T8-T9 protrusion and see..if I should get SURGERY or NOT. 
I really NEED advice on what I should do. Tired of taking pain meds...strong ones too. They should take the pain away completely, but they don't. Without them..I'm screaming in pain and my back can't even be touched, so they do help. I can't say that they don't, BUT they don't take the pain completely away and with surgery...MAYBE, I won't need to take ANYTHING. :o
*(Sorry that I don't have my MRI's from the last MRI, but working on that and will add it to the post, when I receive them. IT was a 3 1/2 hour MRI w/without contrast) 

So, my question to you is...IF I'm in pain, while wearing a 50 mcg Fentanyl Patch(change it every 48 hours), take 800 mg of Gabapentin 4 times a day and take as needed a breakthrough pain med of Norco 10/325. 
Do you think surgery is warranted here? 
Oh..and I do take a 4 mg. Zanaflex at night to help me sleep. Sometimes if I have severe muscle spasms, I'll take a half a tablet during the day, but it makes me dizzy and don't like to have to take it. Usually, I'll just deal and use my heating pad and bed...to help me. 

Wouldn't you think that it IS time for surgery if ALL of that isn't taking it away? 
Would you advise me to do surgery or is there another way of correcting this problem?
Maybe, strengthening the core muscles would work? I personally have been trying to do that and get up and do all that I can to keep active. I do some Yoga, but dealing with other issues and it is making it difficult to follow through with it. It does work your whole body and not ready for that yet...I reckon. Can't do PT because I also have a knot in my shoulder(Trapezoid) that is killing me and it gets irritated, just moving my arm too much!! o.O 

Every layer of my back is affected with something, but believe that I do pretty well at getting up and get around, but when that pain hits...I'm down. I have been dx'd with Fibromyalgia, DDD, Spinal Stenois, Spondylosis, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, T3-T4 Compressed Fractures, 4 Herniations in a row(T8-T11) and the protrusion on my T8-T9 and also a tear of my L4-L5.

Couldn't they just repair the protrusion and ease some of my pain without putting in plates and screws?

I do feel that it is possible to have surgery without it being a major surgery, but I have NEVER had back surgery before and don't know what I'm facing. I have had an ACD & F spinal diskectomy of my C5-C6 and it wasn't bad, but it took me years to NOT think that it was a failed surgery, due to continued Neck pain. I had one Doc tell me that I had a screw on a nerve and something about my Brachial Plexus being involved and tried to get the NS that did my surgery to take a deeper look, but he never took me seriously and it was just left as it was. 

I'm dealing with other issues too...Lyme disease...another words..H***!! Also, Hyperthyroidism with 2 colloidal cysts, Adrenal insufficiency, a Chiari Malformation(due to a Car accident in '95) and an AVM in my left Cerebellar Hemisphere and allergies...BUT, I am dealing wit those with natural remedies and seem to be getting through them. I use essential oils(Young Living) and they DO help me a ton!!! Blessed that I discovered them because they have changed my life. I have become a distributor of the EO's because it saves me money that way. And..if, anyone is interested and needs essential oils from YL... I will supply my site address. :) 
                                    
 This is my BRAIN MRI of the AVM in my left Cerebellar Hemisphere. 

IT is just my BACK that IS keeping me down and NEED to know what you guys recommend I DO, especially if you have been there. I just need HONEST ADVICE and it is well-appreciated. Thank you in advance for any comment that could me to decide!!! ^_^  
Thank you...God Bless, Karen- back pain in Arkansas.







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