[anniemack]

So I have been lucky enough to have 3 back surgeries related to scoliosis. Had a 33 degree curve at the top of my spine and a 44 degree curve at the bottom creating a beautiful "s" curve. Two days after my first X-rays-- on I went into surgery. I was 14 at the time and had 2 growth plates left so I would have been paralyzed had I not reduced and stopped the curve. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1435527448.164414.jpg

They ended up putting 2 rods in (obviously ) fusing me from T-7 (estimate) to L4(not an estimate). They left L5 and S1 unfused as they were not damaged and could leave me with more flexibility. Yay, great! Surgery was a success... Went on to still golf, bowl, fish... Play D2 softball thru college. Again, great!!!!

July 1212 all that changed. Took a while to get the diagnosis correct... But after going to Duke, Hopkins, Cleveland clinic and Pittsburgh UPMC I finally found out what was causing me to suddenly be in so much pain.

I had 2 pedicel fractures at L5 and S1, plus other minor fractures on them that were stress induced, hairline fractures. So onto the fix. Two surgeries (yay me!) they cut me belly up the first time and thru my back the second day to get a successful fix. Essentially they put cages around the broken vertebrae, fused them, then put what they call "pins" to fuse my hips to my spine... These look like giant screws to me but hey, I'm no doc

SO HERES WHERE I NEED ADVICE!!!

Since I'm now fused from the top 1/3 of my back to my hips.... My pain is wrenching in my shoulders and neck. when I breathe I have pin pointed pressure on my back where the top of my rods are. When I lay without lifting my shoulders up off the bed with pillows, I feel 50 lbs of pressure on my chest. My arms are also weak. I can barely put any pressure when trying to press my hands together. My breathing is labored and it is PAINFUL. (I have sciatic pain in both legs and a nerve cluster the size of a baseball at the end of my spine... Just trying to communicate that I can take pain. Like, a lot of it) I have knots all down my neck to my mid back that are hard, lumpy and just can't be soothed. I did a few steroid muscle injections last month to see if that would help loosen them up. It did, but now a month later it's back to the same.

Am I crazy to think that since I am fused from my hips to mid spine.... That the pressure is enough to now fracture my C spine? It fractured my lumbar spine...???

Everything I pick up or handle hurts my neck and shoulders. Ugh. Just don't know if I'm scaring myself with a stupid thought or if I should ask for a CT mylegram of my C spine, something I've never had, done? Thoughts?! Seriously looking for some advice here. I am miserable.

-anniemack

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1435527998.395710.jpg



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[CANDC]

Welcome to Psych Central. Sorry you are experiencing pain and discomfort.

This kind of advice you request should only be provided by a specialist in this area.

Please feel free to participate in the forums. forums.psychcentral.com

[anniemack]

I want to find someone else who has been thru something similar. I don't know anyone else with this ...

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Don't know what to say except I hope u can find someone, professional or with similar experience, to talk with. I had a doc who would take the time to answer any & all my questions. I always left feeling better. Good luck. Please keep us updated.