Thoracic Spine Problems 3yrs Post ADR L5/S1

[Texas-T]

I had ADR in May 2006 (when I was 26) after a host of injuries left me walking with a cane because my L5-S1 disc was torn. The surgery truly gave me my life back; however I still have pain and have to be cautious. (I would do it again in a heart beat)

I had full MRI’s of my upper and lower spine a year ago, 3 weeks after I tripped and fell down our back stairs. Nothing interesting showed up…In addition to my fake disc I had one other issue, my T-11/T-12 disc had a small protrusion which was there prior to my surgery.

I’ve been experiencing a tremendous amount of pain in my upper back which wakes me in the mornings for the past 8 – 9 months; it’s hard to twist at all to look behind me. As it’s been a year since my last MRI I had another full MRI of my upper and lower back. This time it showed “several” protrusion’s in the thoracic spine and DDD in that area in addition to the T-11/T-12 bulge.

I sweet talked the nurse into faxing me the MRI report prior to seeing my doctor, so I haven’t spoken to her yet, but I’m worried. I know thoracic disc problems are rare and it seems very strange that so much changed in such a short period of time. (The radiologist had the PY MRI for comparison while reading my new scan) I don’t know if this is from the fall or just a gradual (however fast) degeneration caused by the stress of the new disc.

Has anyone else experienced issues with their thoracic discs post ADR? How is this treated?

[phylly]

Texas-T
I also had a small protrusion at T7-8 prior to my ADR's with pain that would go away if lay down. I have had more continuous pain since my ADR and removal surgery. I had a recent myelogram and CT scan and will be finding out if that area has also had more degenerative changes but I do not know yet. I feel like when the spine is distracted it must cause some impact on other areas. I was also told that Thoracic problems are rare and it's not an area that Drs. like to do surgery on so I am trying to live with it for now or occasionally have an epidural when the pain gets to be more than I can handle. Celebrex (antinflammatory) also helped a lot but I cannot take that yet. Perhaps that is something you can try? Sorry about the pain you are having and let us know how you are doing.
Phylly

[CharlesinCharge]

Texas-T,

As Phylly said, thoracic spine issues are rare but do occur. When I went to Germany to have my lumbar ADR done (L4-L5 and L5-S1), there was a woman in our group that had two levels in her thoracic spine that were degenerated and causing pain. They cannot do ADR in that area because there is no open anterior approach (they would have to push aside the heart, lungs, etc. and that is not possible), so she had a fusion done from the back (PLIF) on the two bad thoracic discs. When I spoke to her several months later, she was pain free.

Hope this helps,

[Texas-T]

Thanks for the fast responses…. You both confirmed what I’ve been afraid of…. More shots, PT and drugs… not that I want to have surgery again!

I’m already taking Naproxen, Norco, Lyrica, Lexapro and Valium and it’s not helping much. I’ve been in and out of PT for the past 3 years trying to stay strong and in shape and had wanted to wean off it all soon (much to my husbands horror my biological clock is ticking, I’m almost 29 now). It’s hard not to let these set-backs wear you down; I am tired of the constant struggle… but I’ve already come this far and I’m not giving up now! I’m already calling the chiropractor, acupuncturist, and my trigger point massage guy… and so it begins again…

If the shots etc. don’t work, is microdisctomy an option?

Have there been any studies of thoracic disc pain post ADR?

I love this board, you guys are the best.

Tricia

[CharlesinCharge]

Texas-T,

A Microdiscectomy (where they go in with an endoscope and remove the portion of the disc that is bulging) is ONLY useful if you have pain from the nerve being compressed by a disc bulge. This pain will almost always manifest itself as leg and foot pain (Sciatica), as the nerve runs all the way down your leg to your foot. If you have DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease) and the pain is in your back, a Microdiscectomy is useless (sorry). The ONLY thing that will stop your pain is to remove the degenerated disc(s) and fuse the vertebra.

I can't tell you what to do, but personally I would rather go through surgery and a few months of post-op pain and then be pain free than try to "manage" the pain and have to deal with it for years. But, that is just me.

Good luck,

[Harrison]

Long time not talk. Sorry you are back, but I hope we can help! Let's pick up where we left off...
...you can just call my cell later this week.

[rhatzy]

Charles,

I had a discectomy in 1996 for really bad low back pain from a protruding disc at L4-5. The result was being pain free for 11 years until that disc and another bulged again.

Mark

[Harrison]

Mark,

Most micro-D patients aren't so lucky -- I am glad you were -- that's awesome. But I think Charles' comment is right on, as usual.

Tricia, what do you think is going on with your thoracic spine? Any conjecture at this point?

[Texas-T]

I have a lot of sharp pain in my upper left side in the mornings and late afternoon. It feels like muscle spasms and my upper back is very tender to touch. I feel like the tin man in the mornings and am tripping and falling a lot more than usual (I’m a klutz).

In the past 4 months I’ve experienced new numbness/tingling down the sides of my upper thighs when I walk a lot or try to exercise. It’s very uncomfortable and on both legs, like when your feet “fall asleep”. I have some nerve damage in my right leg from the L5/S1 issue, but this is new. Sometimes I don’t pick up my right foot enough when I’m walking and trip a little. (My right leg is the one which wouldn’t support my weight per-ADR).

I see my Doctor here in Chicago soon and will know more then... but reading the report and the new symptoms really freaked me out!

If I had hurt myself when I fell down the stairs, wouldn't that have shown up on the MRI 3 weeks later????