So it was said, so it is, so it shall be (back blogging)

[drwex]

Couple brief updates:

Diagnosis of degenerative arthritis is confirmed. The MRI also shows significant disc bulging into the T1-T2 range, which is depressing but unsurprising. The vertebrae themselves show spurring throughout. It's likely that imaging of other back regions would say the same thing, but unless there's a particular problem there doesn't seem to be a pressing need for more pictures. It wouldn't change what we do.

Lifestyle-wise, I need to avoid impact activities, which I generally don't do anyway. People with stressed discs are at much higher risk for ruptures under impact that wouldn't bother healthy spines. There are some things I don't do anymore that I wish I was doing more and maybe I shouldn't be doing. Sigh.

The Ortho and I discussed the prednisone effects I blogged about last time. He feels that the appropriate next step is to start working with a pain clinic that will help me treat the condition more holistically rather than reactively. So I'll continue the ibu-as-needed and get a referral to the pain clinic that'll take a couple weeks to set up. PT is a good plan in the interim.

Basically my back is fucked and it's going to be (more and more) fucked for the rest of my life. Go me.

Comments

Oh Boo!

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. Let me know what we need to shift. I'll help as much as I can.

[drwex]

I don't know, honestly. I'll think on it.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

Well, jeez. [sympathy]

[drwex]

Thanks.

[vibrantabyss.livejournal.com]

Eep! At least it is OA and not AS? And yeah, stay off of pred as long as you can manage. *hugs*

[drwex]

Not sure what you mean by OA and AS.

The pred was SUPER helpful. It really reset my baseline and did what it was supposed to do in terms of bringing down the inflammation.

[vibrantabyss.livejournal.com]

Osteoarthritis vs ankylosing spondylitis

[drwex]

never even heard of the latter.

[wotw]

I've had ankylosing spondylitis my whole life (first manifested in my early twenties), and I think (in this particular area) I am much better off than Dr_Wex seems to be.

[vibrantabyss.livejournal.com]

You are better off than anyone else I know who has had it manifesting for decades, unless you keep very quiet about long bones breaking and whatnot.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

::sigh::

Let us know how we can help and what won't. And what you're in the mood for.

[drwex]

As before I think "don't treat me with kid gloves" and "do ask before getting physical" sort of cover it.

[aelf.livejournal.com]

I am glad you have a path forward. I hope it's not as bleak as it seems right now.

[drwex]

Thanks. My mom had a really bad back and I'm looking at how she ended up. My sole hope is that the science has advanced a lot in the last couple decades.

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

I do think treatments have changed and improved somewhat over the years, so I suspect you'll won't be as badly off as your mom. I know that may sound like cold comfort, but as someone else w/osteoarthritis (my lower back; sounds as if yours is more mid-back?) who's been in a fair amount of pain lately, I can definitely empathize with your problem.

[unseelie.livejournal.com]

inversion?
one of those 'hang up side down things" to take pressure off?

I dunno, throwing out ideas.

More realistically.
"damn. that sucks. I wish it were otherwise. I wish there were something i could do or suggest"

[drwex]

If it was lower back I'd totally do inversion but for the neck there are a variety of silly-looking cervical traction devices. I plan to ask the PT whether any of them are really effective.

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

YMMV on those things... Though I wouldn't discount inversion, Aries found it helpful from time to time.

The traction device thing was never very helpful to him, yet this simple little thing would give him relief and reset his baseline for a few hours sometimes:
http://www.relaxtheback.com/neck-therapy/dr-riter-s-real-ease-neck-support.html

I would really recommend going into a Relax the Back store and trying a few things to get an idea of what might help. They used to have several demo pieces on the sales floor.

[drwex]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'd totally forgotten about those stores. Definitely worth checking out.

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

And they may have a chair that would actually work for you. That would be worth the investment.

[sariel-t.livejournal.com]

*hug* While my medical icks are completely different than yours, mine will also never go away and never really get better. If you need an ear, holler.

[drwex]

It'll be nice to see you in a couple weeks, but honestly I'd rather keep talking about your schooling and your girlfriend and the other stuff we talked about last time.

[sariel-t.livejournal.com]

No problem.

[pisicutsa.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, that sucks. If I can help/listen/anything, I am here. (And I empathize too - I'm good at that one!)

[drwex]

THanks. Pygment is kind of like a professional-grade empathizer so I'm pretty well covered on that front. I hope your health improves to the point where we get to see you guys too.

LAUGH

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

Can I put that on my resume or advertising? :)

Re: LAUGH

[drwex]

Sure.

[rednikki.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry.

My partner is going through pretty much exactly what you're going through but he's about 4 weeks behind you in the process. What you're writing has been helpful from the perspective of what to expect.

[drwex]

Feel free to share my email address if he'd like to talk with me directly/privately.

[eccentrific.livejournal.com]

sympathy. I hope that the outlook is not as bad as you fear. I hear that PT can do great things with backs these days.

[drwex]

Thanks. I'm working on it. We'll see what the PT can do.

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

Well that really sucks. I'm sorry, Hon. I really am.

When we could afford it regular massage and/or accupuncture really helped Aries.

[drwex]

Thanks. I'm seeing a new MT on Tuesday and if she's able to be effective I may try to see her more regularly. if not I'll keep looking.

[elfy.livejournal.com]

Meh :-/ *hugs*

[drwex]

Thanks.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

oy. that sucks. out of curiosity, what sort of things you don't do should you not do?

[drwex]

I'm sure that if you think about that kind of thing you will remember that kind of thing that might cause back impacts.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

d;oh. yeah, sorry.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Argh. That really sucks. I'm sorry to hear about it. I can imagine that the emotional effects of a degenerative diagnosis must be as bad in some ways as the pain itself. :(

[drwex]

*ding* Hit the nail on the head. The emotional stuff, particularly at this time of year, is a lot more than one would expect.

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear. I wish it were something curable instead of something manageable; curable is SO much better.

Best of luck finding the treatment that will give you the best life possible.

[drwex]

Thank you.

[tshuma]

Basically, what everyone else has said. I'm sorry, and I wish you weren't facing this situation. *sympathetic flailing*

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

Sympathies. :( Backs are crappy design, much like knees. I rather suspect I'll be hearing something like this about mine one day, and I'm not looking forward to it.

[mizarchivist]

::pebble::