Extra Lumbar Vertebrae

Even though I am short 5'4", I have a very long torso. I am taller sitting down next to much taller people. The disk between my 5th and 6th lumbar was removed in surgery (my doctor said it looked like black crab meat) and I had a fusion with carbon fiber spacers and rods. The surgery was sucessful in that I no longer have leg and hip pain that immobilizes me. I occasionally have some moderate hip pain and my back still bothers me often, but not to the degree it used to. Like I said my pregnancy was unremarkable, but I have trouble lifting my son. I also had a fall where I broke my ankle and landed hard on my butt. This was a little before my fusion surgery and it made things MUCH worse. The spondylolisthesis was worse than the extra vetrabrae as far as my pain. If you find out you have spondy, make sure you get an X-ray while you are standing up. It makes all the difference.

anonymous wrote:

Guest wrote:

Hi!!! first of all i have to apologize 'cause my english is not so good, i'm from mexico, i'm 22 years old... i have an extra lumbar vertebra too, i've discovered it when i was 14 because one day without a cause i had a lot of pain in my back, i couldn't walk, to stoop, to remain standing up, the only "confortable" position was in to bed (and believe me, not so much!). i went to the doctor and he told me about my extra vertebra, he injented me an analgesic and he said that i shouldn't be worry about it... two years later i had inconveniences again but i calm my pain with a simple medicine for back-pain named 'robaxisal' (metobarbamol & acetilsalisilic acid)... 1 year later i had pain again and i took another medicine strongest than robaxisal but i do not remember its name. I normally feel pain in my back when I use 'high shoes', when i'm gonna have my menstruation and when i load heavy things, also the doctor told me that i can to pacify the pain with regular exercises of 'column hygiene' like sleeping of side with a pillow between my legs and do some regular activities like sweeping and things like that in different and better ways.

First of all i thought i was something like a phenomenon but now it is just part of my life, i've never had legs pain or somethig extra than my extra vertebra! =) but i'm really worried about what willl happens when i get pregnant... bye!!!

I will tell you this....I've had 3 children and had no back problems while i was Pregnant. I'm now 34 and just found out 2 days ago that I have a 6th lumbar, too. I also have a bulging disk too. I'm like you in when I normally feel pain for the same reasons. Apparently, (from what my doctor said) it's usually people that are tall that can have a 6th lumbar. I'm 5ft 1 and my doctor is about 5ft 7. He just laughed and said he didnt' know what happened to us :) I've only been going for a couple of days, but i'm having a little bit of relief already. Don't worry about getting pregnant, but when you do, make sure your doctor knows that you have that. Hope this helps

I have 6 lumbar. I have ruptured the L6-S1 twice and had 3 surgeries. Had periodic events from age 28 to bout 35 that would require almost complete bedrest for a week or so to recover, but always seemed to reach a full recovery and felt fairly good. But at age 36 i totally blew out/ruptured the L6S1. Had surgery, returned to normal activities within 3 months, developed infection, had debridement and reclosure of old incision site but fully recovered and returned to normal activities. Then approximately 1 yr from the first L6S1 rupture, i "re ruptured" the same area, the L6S1. I also have the a negative blood type. None of the literature i have read indicates having the L6 is an issue or is indicative of back problems, or related to disc ruptures. But i honestly do not think anyone has legitimately researched the subject to have any actual quantitative type analysis on the subject.

I had surgury for the extra verterbrae in Jan 06 and it was a lifesaver. I could not stand for more than 5 minutes before. I occasionally get numbness in my right leg but the nerves were in bad shape before the operation.I know surgury doen't aslways work but it did for me.
The Doctor told me that this condition distributes your weight differently and puts more pressure on the disc in that area.My disc was in terrible shape. The Doc fused my verterbrae together and that fixed it.

No, there is not surgery for this. The vertebra is incredible difficult to operate on and only in life or death situations would a doctor even consider operating.even then, surgery would be very dangerous and IF successful the rehabilitation would be torturous.

I am 35, and I found out I had an extra vertebrae when I was 29. I was at a chiropractor for back pain due to scoliosis, and they thought this might be the root cause. Because of shortening of the muscles around my spine due to the scoliosis, the chiropractic treatments were uncomfortable to me. The quick actions just caused me to seize up. I started to take lessons in Alexander Technique which is a kind of re-education of the way you use your body. Over time, I was able to drastically reduce the curvature in my spine and greatly reduce the pain in my back with a treatment that I found interesting and enjoyable and without having to do something very intrusive like surgery. The way you use your body from day to day can be the cause of many problems, but it can be changed. It does take some time though. You can google "find an Alexander Technique teacher" and find sites that provide practitioners in your area.

Hi I am 48 and have had problems with my back for many years, when I was younger it used to lock and I would experience spasms. Later in life I done quite a physical job and my back just got worse, so eventually I went to the doctors and I was referred to the physio department at hospital, It was there where I was diagnosed with an extra Vertebrae. I had two areas of pain, one at the base of my spine and one at the mid back, that is the one that went into spasm, eventually I saw a consultant and had two procedues one was at the mid back where I had pain killers and sterioids injected into the facet joints and the second was on the lower spine where I had pain killers injected and the affending nerve burnt away. I had this proceedure approx. 13 years ago and the base of my spine has be pretty much ok but in the last year the spasm in my centre back has started to return, So I presume certain treatments are only temporary, but I would much rather that that have open surgery, and 13 years was a really good running.

I have hurt in my lower back since I was about 5 years old,I am 31 now but I only found out about the 6th lumbar last year at the chiropractors office,I had a bad wreck and only through the x-rays he took it was found. Also due to the 6th lumbar my hip bone where my spine joins is wore down to the point that I need a hip replacement..He told me I have about 10-15 years of being able to walk left.This was very disappointing to me.I can sleep on my stomach but I saw where alot of us can't.He also told me the only way to repair it is if I was to crush only the vertbreas that connect to it.Mine is acually the 4th lumbar that is extra, and the tissue between it and the 3rd and 5th is paper thin,,this causes alot of problems for me too. He told me no heavy lifting for the rest of my life and sweeping and mopping will only speed it up..My 3rd,4th,5th,&6th lumbars have begun to shift and twist eventually they will all twist together and thats why I won't be able to walk anymore.this is a terrible thing to be born with...If you are born with this mutation and you have no pain and no twisting of the lumbars you are lucky,Some Dr's say it causes no pain but until they exsperiance it they don't know,,.. some it does and some it don't.I am one that it hurt severely,I take no pain killers because I am allergic to most of them,.I have learned to cope and deal with the pain.My biggest problem is that I have 3 kids and they don't understand why I can get out in the yard and play like other parents do.that hurts me the most watching them and not being able to play with them like I want to..I hope this helps someone

I have lower back pain and was in a car wreck in 1991. That has been 10 years ago and I had a compression fracture of my L-3 vertebrea, there was approximately 10-15% of vertebral body loss. I was told that it had completely healed, however I am having pains 10 years from now and I do believe it was from this.

hi
Last year my son (12) was diagnosed with an extra L6 (partially formed) which is trying to fuse to his S1. he also has a bulging disk and narrowing nerve channel of the L5. He also experiences sciatica and wry neck problems as well. It all started out with him saying that his back was sore - we thought he was just having growing pains. It progressively got worse where he was unable to bend to pick something off the floor. After many xrays, MRI, Bone scans and CT scan it was discovered that he had this problem. He has terrible pain all the time and finds laying down helps. he can only stand for 5 mins and sit for 30 before having to move positions. He cannot walk long distances at all and we have recently bought him a mobility scooter. He has trouble sleeping. he is on pain relief but it only takes a little pain away. he had an epidural in january but it didnt work.

I was hoping maybe someone out there would be able to suggest pain relief solutions. He has been to a chiropractor but finds it too aggressive and hurts too much. has anyone tried an inversion table?

thanks
Anitra

I have an extra vertebrae also.  I have lower back pain and this runs down into my legs.  I cannot sleep on my stomach or back.  I sleep on my sides with a pillow between my legs.  I have found that streching out those muscles seem to help with the pain.  I found out about my extra vertebrae when I was 38.  I went thru about 3 months of pain then had a MRI.  Went to physical therapy for a few months.  I didn't hear about the weight thing though.  Amazing that there are others out there with the same symptoms.  My doctor said it was no big deal.... she wasn't the one who couldn't sleep at night.  Ha.

 

I found out i had an extra vertebra when i was 14 years old, im now 23. It took over 6 months for the doctor to refer me for an xray. When the results came back the doctor said there is nothing he could do about it , just rest and take pain killers when the pain comes on. Recently the pain has got worse and it is effecting my day to day life , i don't want to rely on taking pain killers all the time. Does any one know what else i can do ?

I just turned 30 in March. I used to be very active when I was younger. I have ALWAYS had back pain. I have fallen down a flight of stairs when I was 16. I fell off of a swing when I was 8 or so. I was always told that it was because I was chesty. I started to work at Starbucks and I went in one day and helped but everything away. We had people come and spray for bugs and I had to clear out all the cabinets and take everything off the counters by myself. I went in on Monday morning before my normal shift and but everything away clocked out came hoe for a bit and then when back to start my shift. The next day I hurt so bad that I couldnt even get out of bed on my own. I did go to work that day and I told them about the pain I was in. A girl earlier that day dragged a banner across the floor and threw out her back and they rushed to her side and did an accident report. She knows goes to PT 3 times a week. They did nothing for me but yell at me. I also work on an Army base. After a month and half I finally saved up some extra cash and told my work that I needed the day off to go to the doctor. I have been through PT before and a Chiropractor and even acupuncture. Nothin has ever worked so I went to an Orthopedist who only sees people once a week and does spinal surgery the rest of the week. They took x-rays and he came in the room and asked me if my mom was still alive. I looked at him awkwardly and said yes. He told me to call her and tell her thank you. I said thank you for what...and he replied with for giving you an extra vertebrae. He told me that the mothers are responsible for the structure of babies. I have an L6 and I have no disc in between L5 and L6. He also doesnt seem to think that its fused either but until I can get some medical insurance he isnt going to keep racking up medical bills for me. He did tell me that there is nothing he can do for me. He also warned me that since the tubes that help you go to the bathroom are near my lower back that if I ever happen to go to the bathroom on myself to go to the ER immediately, because he only has 48 hours to get the tubes unhooked or I will never be able to use the bathroom on my own volition. I did do some research and yes 10% of the population has this wonderful condition. Also, Homo erectus the people   before Homo Sapiens  had an L6. So alot of people see us rare few as either being mutants or pre-evolution. I also know that alot of people says that it doesnt cause pain others not so much. I have been on muscle relaxers and steroids and neither one helps. I was also told to try and apply for disability or partial since I work part time. I do not sleep comfortably in any position sitting and standing still hurts the worst. I am scared and now do not know what to do. I do want to apply for full disability because im not ready to stop working I love what I do and I dont want to just throw in the towel. But I have days I cant even get out of bed. And if I cant get out of bed that creates a problem because I cant take care of my boys. If anyone in this new club has any words of wisdom they are greatly appreciated. And has anyone else tried for disability?

Just to add to the growing weight of people saying they have an extra vertebrae by x-ray and can't sleep on their front. Ditto. I'm 23 and haven't had any other back problems or injuries, but I've long since learnt that sleeping on my front will cause me plenty of pain the next day.

I recently found out that I have a 6th Lumbar vertebrae. I'm 27 years old.

I've been dealing with pain from this for 10 years and also investigating the problem for 10 years as well.  I had about given up on "treatments" for the problem...but over the last year now the pain has gotten significantly worse. So I pushed through and went back to the doctor to try again with finding out the solution to the problem. Going to doctors about this problem was rather frustrating due to the fact that they tried to classify me in their "text book" criteria rather than treating me as an individual case. Before now I've been put on 1600 mg of ibuprofen daily...with muscle relaxers (this was the first thing they did)...then Bextra, mobic and flexoril and other various RX pain meds to "control my pain". I've done acupuncture and chiropractic treatments. I've done epidural steroid shots as well as nerve blocks. Nothing has worked...I've tried 500mg of naproxen and icing my back and alternating it with heat to help the muscle spasms...you name it I've tried it. I've had 3 MRI's and every one of them had the problem staring my doctors in the face.

I guess they didn't watch sesame street as a child because it almost seems like none of them could count. The most frusterating part is that nothing that the doctors have done have worked...so I've spent a lot of time, money, and pain...to try and find out whats really wrong.
Now the only kind of pain med that is doing any kind of pain relief is Hydrocodone/APAP the 10mg/325 twice a day so I can even function. Having to go through this much pain for that amount of time is BS to me. And I've had to give up doing a lot of things I love due to the fact that I can't stand for long periods of time.

The solution to the problem that has been suggested to me now...is getting a spinal fusion of the two vertebrae that don't have the disk between them. Apparently when I was little my body purged the disk between the vertebrae where I'm currently having the problem, and didn't have enough time to properly fuse the vertebrae together into the sacrum part of my back. My 6th vertebrae is classified as fully functional...but to damage for a disk replacement according to my doctor. Soooo fusing them is what he considers my only option for potential pain relief.

Kaaren I know exactly how you feel. I have been through all the meds and I have no insurance so it has cost me alot of money as well. Two weeks ago I went into the hospital because I hurt really bad to the point where I could barely get up on my own. So they gave me a steroid shot that they said was supposed to last a few days and it lasted 5 hours. And they havent even given me the option of getting them infused. I was told that it might be a possibility some where down the line. So at the current moment they have me on Robaxin and Noproxin and besides the way they make me feel which i dont like they really dont do a whole lot for me. And well there is the whole mental part of this that I dont know how to deal with or where to even start. It has changed everything.