Hey,
This is going to be long... My husband is very depressed as am I over his medical problems. He is 32 yr old white male with chronic pain (mainly back pain but seems to be worsening and spreading to other areas.) The doctors have taken numerous MRI's and have come up with Spondylothesis, Degenerative Disk Disease, arthritis of the spine, and some other spondylosynthesis(sp??) Anyway, his MRI's show a really bad disk in the middle of his back. To us it looks like it is protruding into about half of his spinal cord...however the doctors say its not as bad as it looks. They also say he has nothing surgery can fix and shouldn't be in as much pain as he is. However, I think there is more going on than meets the eye. His fingers for one have begun to deform and he is almost unable to move them upon waking. In fact upon waking he is in so much pain he can't roll over. He has to take his pain meds before he can even get out of bed. OK and here is some back ground *which is why I am posting in the autoimmune area* at ages 2-5 or 6 he had to have gammaglobin injections for immune system. Don't know the details, just got that info from his mother. She can't remember the exact immune deficiency he had. But knowing that makes me wonder if his current conditions aren't related. He recently had a blood test come back saying his kidney function was low, he went back to retake the test and the kidney test came back normal but his blood glucose level was low (as in diabetes...however he is suppose to go back and retake the test again this week.) He has been taking 5mg percocets for like 8 years now. So I'm worried about his liver and kidney function anyway. His urine is very very dark in color. Oh and he get recurrent kidney stones. Also whenever I get sick he catches it immediately and it is always like 10times worse than my case of "whatever". Whatelse... umm.. the most dominating complaint is his back and neck of course. He has herniated disk and nerve pain up and down his entire back. Its just very aggravating to him and me that the doctors don't seem to think his problems are that bad. Nor do they have any suggestions for a fix. It's almost like they don't believe him! When I witness his debilitating pain on a daily bases. He is slowly loosing all hope. He constantly talks about just wanting to die.... I don't know what to do for him or where else to turn!? Any advice or suggestions?
sidenote: The doctors refuse to do anything about his current pain medicine supply. They don't want him to become addicted.. however after 8 years that's already happened. And over the past 8 years they haven't upped his dosage once. That leaves him running out 2 weeks before his next refill. Two weeks of complete hell for both of us! I'm sure the pain is multiplied by withdrawls as well.
This is going to be long... My husband is very depressed as am I over his medical problems. He is 32 yr old white male with chronic pain (mainly back pain but seems to be worsening and spreading to other areas.) The doctors have taken numerous MRI's and have come up with Spondylothesis, Degenerative Disk Disease, arthritis of the spine, and some other spondylosynthesis(sp??) Anyway, his MRI's show a really bad disk in the middle of his back. To us it looks like it is protruding into about half of his spinal cord...however the doctors say its not as bad as it looks. They also say he has nothing surgery can fix and shouldn't be in as much pain as he is. However, I think there is more going on than meets the eye. His fingers for one have begun to deform and he is almost unable to move them upon waking. In fact upon waking he is in so much pain he can't roll over. He has to take his pain meds before he can even get out of bed. OK and here is some back ground *which is why I am posting in the autoimmune area* at ages 2-5 or 6 he had to have gammaglobin injections for immune system. Don't know the details, just got that info from his mother. She can't remember the exact immune deficiency he had. But knowing that makes me wonder if his current conditions aren't related. He recently had a blood test come back saying his kidney function was low, he went back to retake the test and the kidney test came back normal but his blood glucose level was low (as in diabetes...however he is suppose to go back and retake the test again this week.) He has been taking 5mg percocets for like 8 years now. So I'm worried about his liver and kidney function anyway. His urine is very very dark in color. Oh and he get recurrent kidney stones. Also whenever I get sick he catches it immediately and it is always like 10times worse than my case of "whatever". Whatelse... umm.. the most dominating complaint is his back and neck of course. He has herniated disk and nerve pain up and down his entire back. Its just very aggravating to him and me that the doctors don't seem to think his problems are that bad. Nor do they have any suggestions for a fix. It's almost like they don't believe him! When I witness his debilitating pain on a daily bases. He is slowly loosing all hope. He constantly talks about just wanting to die.... I don't know what to do for him or where else to turn!? Any advice or suggestions?
sidenote: The doctors refuse to do anything about his current pain medicine supply. They don't want him to become addicted.. however after 8 years that's already happened. And over the past 8 years they haven't upped his dosage once. That leaves him running out 2 weeks before his next refill. Two weeks of complete hell for both of us! I'm sure the pain is multiplied by withdrawls as well.
You don't specify what type of doctors your husband has went to. From the sound of your post I would guess he has been seeing a neurologist.
Have him try to a reumotologist.
My story is similiar but the pain is in different places than your husbands.
I have had neck surgery, all sorts of MRI's, EMG's, lumbar puncture the list goes on and on.
After awhile you are correct doctors look at you like you are a nut case when they cannot find a reason for your pain.
That's why I am suggesting a reumotologist. That is where I found a diagnosis even though I still ive in misery every day.
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Pain Syndrome.
I also have suffered from an auti-immune disease (thyroid) for almost 20 yrs and seriously have to wonder if this isn't playing a big part in my health but nothing (blood test, etc) is pointing to that.
Pain is a very debilitating thing to have on a daily basis, I know. It would definitely be worth an office visit to see what a reumotologist has to offer.
Have him try to a reumotologist.
My story is similiar but the pain is in different places than your husbands.
I have had neck surgery, all sorts of MRI's, EMG's, lumbar puncture the list goes on and on.
After awhile you are correct doctors look at you like you are a nut case when they cannot find a reason for your pain.
That's why I am suggesting a reumotologist. That is where I found a diagnosis even though I still ive in misery every day.
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Pain Syndrome.
I also have suffered from an auti-immune disease (thyroid) for almost 20 yrs and seriously have to wonder if this isn't playing a big part in my health but nothing (blood test, etc) is pointing to that.
Pain is a very debilitating thing to have on a daily basis, I know. It would definitely be worth an office visit to see what a reumotologist has to offer.
Yes he has seen numerous neurologist at the Va hospitals. That has been were a lot of the aggravation has streamed from. One doctor says "yes" we need to do a fusion... also set him up with a discograph of the cervical disk (which was very tramatic for him.) Then we make an appointment and end up seeing a completely different neurosurgeon that said he doesn't need surgery and seeing nothing major and to take Advil for the pain. Who knows what happened to the first neurosurgeon we saw! He's has about 3 tens units, an enormous robocop back brace, some medieval looking traction device that you strap around your neck, hang from a door with a bag of water on a pully! He's had physical therapy, acupuncture...and nothing helps. Finally after getting health insurance we have escaped the VA to only run into more shrugged shoulders. And basically they are having to start over at square one... redoing all MRi's and starting him on steriod injections (which he has had about 20 of over the past 8 years). Thursday they are suppose to do some sort of rheumatory arthritis blood test. Don't know where all this will end up...but i hope there is some hope for him or i fear the pain might end up getting the best of him sooner than later.
How do you deal with being in pain each day? I mean do you rely on pain meds, have some sort of pain therapy, antidepressants? I really fear for my husbands mental health. I hear some comment about suicide almost daily!
How do you deal with being in pain each day? I mean do you rely on pain meds, have some sort of pain therapy, antidepressants? I really fear for my husbands mental health. I hear some comment about suicide almost daily!
Yes I take an anti depressent (Paxil CR) and I take pain meds (Fioricet w/cod).
I've tried physical therapy ( 4 times) and deep tissue massages. They only seem to aggravate my body more leaving me in more pain.
I went through something similiar to what your husband is going through before my neck surgery. The surgeon said he didn't think the cervicle disc was the root of all of my pain. He just couldn't say for sure. Being desperate to be free of pain I told him to just do it. Actually the surgery made my condition worsen instead of help.
Depression, unfortunately, seems to be part of the pain process. There are many days when my pain is extreme and I have to wonder if it is worth it. Then, thank heavens, the pain calms down somewhat and I have a better outlook on life.
My husband has a hard time understanding the pain I live with as I'm sure it is for you to understand your husbands. It's one of those things you don't understand until you been there. I try to explain to my husband who rarely has pain that it's like having a severe toothache that never goes away. Can you imagine what it would be like to have a toothache everyday of your life? After awhile it actually "get on your nerves"!
I had one doctor recomend mental therapy for my depression. Good idea, I guess, but I feel I know what has to be done to keep me out of this slump. Be with family and "try" to do the things I love most.
I hope I've helped you. If you have any other questions please feel free to blog back. I'll try my best to answer.
I've tried physical therapy ( 4 times) and deep tissue massages. They only seem to aggravate my body more leaving me in more pain.
I went through something similiar to what your husband is going through before my neck surgery. The surgeon said he didn't think the cervicle disc was the root of all of my pain. He just couldn't say for sure. Being desperate to be free of pain I told him to just do it. Actually the surgery made my condition worsen instead of help.
Depression, unfortunately, seems to be part of the pain process. There are many days when my pain is extreme and I have to wonder if it is worth it. Then, thank heavens, the pain calms down somewhat and I have a better outlook on life.
My husband has a hard time understanding the pain I live with as I'm sure it is for you to understand your husbands. It's one of those things you don't understand until you been there. I try to explain to my husband who rarely has pain that it's like having a severe toothache that never goes away. Can you imagine what it would be like to have a toothache everyday of your life? After awhile it actually "get on your nerves"!
I had one doctor recomend mental therapy for my depression. Good idea, I guess, but I feel I know what has to be done to keep me out of this slump. Be with family and "try" to do the things I love most.
I hope I've helped you. If you have any other questions please feel free to blog back. I'll try my best to answer.
Sounds like cervical cord compression. I had very similar symptoms. His mother needs to find out the deficiency when he was young I think It was immunoglobulins possibly IgA. IgA would cause him to be susceptible to anything and everything that comes down the pike. My daughter is IgA deficient and those people must be careful with blood transfusions due to severe allergic reaction. I know the whole deal about doctors thinking your depressed, your anxious, your this, your that. I could no longer write and had numbness in my right hand I had (if I may say) gorgeous, unique handwriting. But not anymore. Once the nerve damage is done it is done and will never come back. They are cheaping his treatment. My compression was so bad that they did not even bother trying the whole contraption thing. How is his Babinski Sign? Ask a doctor that question? Does he have medicare or medicaid as insurance that may be the reason because if you have a doctor that is loyal to saving money for the gov. there goes the treatment and surgery if it is needed. Good Luck let my know please if you can. It has been a while since you posted maybe you won't receive this but I hope so.
Sincerely,
D
Sincerely,
D
I am very sorry to hear about your husband I my self have had back pain and these doctors do not know what they are doing they want to tell people how much pain they are in and they themselves arent feeling the pain after 2 years of slipping down some flight nof stairs after 8 doctors they are telling me my MRI looks fine and I should not be in so much pain I am at the point that I cannot walk being in my early thirties but I will not give up. I will be praying for your husband because there must be a smart enough doctor to tell him what is wrong with him tell him not to give up on life he has his whole life ahead of him.
Hi, I'm very sorry to hear about your husbands problem and was just looking over your message.
Firstly, I would definitely go and see a Rheumatologist. This is you best course of action.
Secondly, the autoimmune problem and the arthritis could be accounted for if your husband has Felty's syndrome, which is a disease characterized by arthritis, large spleen (splenomegaly) and low white blood cell count (neutropenia) leading to susceptibility to infections. Have any of the doctors you have been to said that your husband has a large spleen.
If it is Felty's syndrome, and your husband has been taking percocets for 8 years, then this could also explain liver failure and bone pain in the back. The Liver failure (which is what is turning your husbands urine dark) is a result of the percocets and is a serious side effect and you need to reverse this immediately by seeing a doctor! Also, the low white cell count is putting a strain on your husbands bone marrow and a biospy of the bone marrow may show that it is trying to overcompensate for the low white cell count by creating more. This is turn will lead to a reduction in the red blood cells (is your husband tired all the time?) leading to an anaemia. In this case, because here is a low red and white blood cell count, it can lead to what is called "hypercellular bone marrow". This can lead to bone deformaties (although the hand deformity is most likely down to the arthritis). With the bone marrow failing, it can lead to osteopenia (reduction in the bone density) therefore predisposing your husband to the slipped disc which has occured and causing him back pain. This can also explain the recurrent kidney stones as well as when bone is broken down, it releases a lot of calcium, which builds up and causes kidney stones. Also, if his kindey function is low, this can also contribute to the anaemia and subsequent decrease bone problems.
I could be wrong, this is all due to a lot of lateral thinking on my behalf and is not something a normal doctor would think of, only TV doctors like House may come to this conclusion, but seeing as nothing has been done about the case, you could try this as a last resort.
Firstly, I would definitely go and see a Rheumatologist. This is you best course of action.
Secondly, the autoimmune problem and the arthritis could be accounted for if your husband has Felty's syndrome, which is a disease characterized by arthritis, large spleen (splenomegaly) and low white blood cell count (neutropenia) leading to susceptibility to infections. Have any of the doctors you have been to said that your husband has a large spleen.
If it is Felty's syndrome, and your husband has been taking percocets for 8 years, then this could also explain liver failure and bone pain in the back. The Liver failure (which is what is turning your husbands urine dark) is a result of the percocets and is a serious side effect and you need to reverse this immediately by seeing a doctor! Also, the low white cell count is putting a strain on your husbands bone marrow and a biospy of the bone marrow may show that it is trying to overcompensate for the low white cell count by creating more. This is turn will lead to a reduction in the red blood cells (is your husband tired all the time?) leading to an anaemia. In this case, because here is a low red and white blood cell count, it can lead to what is called "hypercellular bone marrow". This can lead to bone deformaties (although the hand deformity is most likely down to the arthritis). With the bone marrow failing, it can lead to osteopenia (reduction in the bone density) therefore predisposing your husband to the slipped disc which has occured and causing him back pain. This can also explain the recurrent kidney stones as well as when bone is broken down, it releases a lot of calcium, which builds up and causes kidney stones. Also, if his kindey function is low, this can also contribute to the anaemia and subsequent decrease bone problems.
I could be wrong, this is all due to a lot of lateral thinking on my behalf and is not something a normal doctor would think of, only TV doctors like House may come to this conclusion, but seeing as nothing has been done about the case, you could try this as a last resort.
Hi there, not too sure if i can contact u here directly, but i came across this, my husband who is now turning 30 has been officially diagnosed with ankylosing spondilitis. diagnosed about a year ago but has been suffering with the symptoms u have mentioned for YEARS, and been to hundreds of doctors, homeopaths physiotherapist acupunturist chiropractors, u name it hes done it. they all thought that he was just nuts and no one could explain it.. he is about to now start on a drug that called anti-tnf.... google it. it basically kills the immune system so that ur body can stop attacking itself and its bones. its got insane risks, but when ur in pain all the time - its risks he's willing to take... he also has taht bump on his disk in the middle of his back, his neck has moved forward and he has limited movement and a new pain has developed in his leg.. wer hoping / waiting to see if this drug will help. not sure if this post is too late or if u will even get it but i hope u will.