I feel terribly sorry for you, and wish you best of luck in this. Don't lose hope, and stay as positive as possible! Take good care of yourself.

This sucks to hear, I hope the best of days for you ahead and stay strong!!!! *gives him a big squeaky wolf hug*

I feel your pain. Literally. I've been dealing with it for years. You are not condemned and life is far from over. Give yourself time to adjust and learn how best to handle it. That's what I did, and I'm doing okay.

I know.. I'm more afraid for my career and dreams. I'll get over it. I'm typically a fighter about these things. It's just..scary right now and most likely means art for now will just get slower fora while as I figure out the next step.

Your art shouldn't suffer too badly, unless sitting is very uncomfortable for you. Sitting is great for me. It's getting up again that can be a killer. I should move more to maintain flexibility, but too much stress makes it worse.

I'd take the "nothing can be done" with a grain of salt. There's probably nothing they can do to stop the degeneration from taking place, but that doesn't mean there are no options. Surgery can help, but back surgery has a bad track record and should be a last resort. My doctor said that it can take up to a year to recover from the surgery IF all goes well. So, unless I start having difficulty walking or lose bowel or bladder control, surgery isn't going to happen.

As for pain management, I get subdural injections occasionally, but they are limited to three sets a year. The drawback is, they kill the pain but don't solve the problem, so while you're feeling good from the shots and doing whatever you like, you can end up giving your back a beating that you'll feel later.

You doctor can prescribe medications that will probably be effective enough to get you by most of the time. Just be careful with the strong stuff. Hydrocodone makes me feel so good it's scary, but if I use it daily for a week or so and then stop, I'll go through a couple of days feeling really down. It's easy to see why people get hooked.

Anyway, I hope this helps. You're not alone by any means.

Really most things hurt..Anything i do for any period of time hurts. Sitting and laying down tend to be the worst truthfully. which is exactly why art has stopped dramatically over the last year or so.

Really I dont want to do pain management through pills if I can help it. Right now I've got some non-narcotic medications, though it doesnt help my lower back hardly at all. I'm trying to excersize more and get my back to in-general become stronger. I'm even considering more holstic stuff like acupuncture and theraputic yoga. Surgery will definitely be a last option unless the chances for getting rid of the back pain are substantially high. Narcotics terrify me almost more then surgery.

It's definitely been helpful to hear other people have this and have found ways to manage it. I can only hope that I can be one of those people as well. I'm still scared, but until I run out of options I gotta keep going. :)

Don't let this freak you out too much. Doctors have a way of stating things in some of the most frightening ways possible.

Turhtfully I wasn't freaking out until I asked her what I should do next..and she said there is nothing I can do. The fighter in me just wants to scream at them and do something to make it better. I know though I feel shitty right now I'll get back up.

Good for you, that is all any of us can really do anyway!

Keep screaming at them. It's great you're not going to lie down and give up. I wish you the best in your search for answers.

Ven was like that, he saw a physiotherapist (kinésithérapeute in french), who work also with acupuncture, and his pain was really low after the acupuncture!
After a lot of exam they finally decide to try injection in the spine, which actually corrected a lot of the problem.

This psysiotherapist, who is REALLY GOOD, also say to him that mind was the first thing to heal, cause his back was hurting him because something, in his mind, was hurting him. So, maybe can you find if something make you feel bad too? It can be almost anything you ncounter problem with... For our physio, a young person with back pain everyday isn't sick or condemned, they just need to figure out that something must be done to lower what they have to carry on their back.
(I must say I really trust these words, he's someone open and human, he try to heal you completely no matter what :) )

Hope you'll be better asap dear //hug//

Thank you <3 Thats actually really encouraging. I think I will definitely get a specialist to talk to and was already thinking about trying acupuncture. As long as I have options.. I can't give up hope.

Taking 2 advices is always a good idea, i think.
I have a big hernia compressing my sciatic nerve, which make my left leg completely impossible to move because of the pain certain days. I'm 21 years old. Actually, the doc said "i can do nothing and seeing an osteopath or even a kine' will not help a lot. he will just put some vertebrea correctly, but not the hernia.
She sent me to a MRI + back specialist. This man sent me with my MRI result to someone who made an injection, saying i can do a second one if the first works (they put some cortisonal liquil in the compressed disc to make it take a correct place) but not enought. If 2 didn't worked correctly i had to go under spinal surgery. He also said "an osteopath will maybe help but i'm quite not sure, go ahead if you want but do not wish a very good result)

Even the osteopath warned me "i do not heal the spine, i only do what i can". Actually he does acupuncture + osteo movements. I went to see him 3 times, the first time before the injection (he put back 3 vertebraes in place and said me to go to do a MRI to be sure it was not an hernia (and see, it was one...) , and 2 after. Now, my back only does hurt when i'm really tired or stressed, and the pain is wayyy less hard to live under.

+ the osteo stated that i was under high level of stress and frustration, and said to me back pains are ofter made because of those factors, and if i can reduce stress/frustration, it could even disappear! An freaking big hernia like mine! (actually he understood my "mental pain" without even talking o me and even took more than one hour to talk to me, and even my mom to encourage her to help me (cause i can't talk... i mine, i'm totally blocked to do so). He said to me to make him up to news, and i think if i have any back pain (really painful) again, i'll go at him as fast as i can!

Well, all that to say: go to see a specialist. A second or even a third advice is always good to take! If i had listened to my doc, i would still be in complete pain, almost handicaped! Now pain is still here but way easier to live with. Well your problem is not an hernia, but i truly believe there might be something to do to help ease you pain. There is always solutions.

And to wait, i give you a big hug and as much of courage as i can give to you //hugs thigh//

Thank you ,3 Really this comment is giving me hopes that i can fight it and there are ways to lessen it. i'm definitely going to get a second opinion and not let the doctors tell me there is nothing I can do. I can't believe that without giving up on a lot of things. I'm pretty sure I've had this for several years and it's just steadily gotten worse. Now that I have a name I have to put on my fighting face and fight it. It could be a hell of a lot worse and I should be thankful for that.


Thank you <3

Damn that sucks :(

Oh sweetie! I'm so sorry I wish there was more I could do to help!

Definitely talk to a specialist. Regular doctors dont always know what they are talking about fully. If they dont understand everything that is wrong with a person, they cant treat it right. My daughter is a good example of that. She was diagnosed by her doctor and was taking pain meds every day, which is horrible for an 8 year old. We got her into a neurologist to find out why she was getting headaches every day. We found out that the pain meds she was on was causing her to have more headaches. When a person takes pain meds regularly for something, it actually tends to make the pain worse. Now she can only have meds for her headaches twice a week, and we are supposed to try caffine first before going the meds route. She doesnt have headaches nearly as much as she did when she was on the pain meds that her regular doctor had her on. This is why I always say a specialist is a good person to go to in situations like this. They can tell you things, and explain things better , than your regular doctor.
I do wish you the best of luck with everything. Being in constant pain is no good at all.

Thank you <3 I'm definitely going to take the xrays and diagnosis to a specialist. Right now giving up is the worse thing I can do. I still have options and I need to remember that.
I'm scared but too stubborn to let it kick me down for good. I am glad that your daughter got some relief after talking to a specialist and i hope things continue to get better for her. Hearing that someone so young is in pain is heartbreaking <3

There is always hope, and options out there. Dont ever give up on your chances at getting better, or finding a solution. You are lucky enough to already have a diagnosis. That is the biggest hurdle of them all. When you know what you got, its easier for doctors to know what to do.
Stubbornness when it comes to your health is always a good thing. Stubbornness with health is what got me surgery after 11 years of pain. Things have gotten a lot better for her. She is now almost 10 and her headaches are controlled mostly by isolation. She gets to go in her room and kick her sisters out so it can be quiet for her. She has her own eye pillow that helps her greatly, too.

I am glad it's not worse, but it's already cut my workflow in half and keeping my from making any real money. The prospect of it getting worse it whats scary. Right now it's advanced enough that I'm in constant pain(varies how bad it is though) but not far along enough that they can do anything about it. I've already been told there is literally nothing that can be done about the stenosis and it'll only get worse as I age.

Right now I'm going to get a second opinion and do anything I can to make my back stronger. Now that i have a name I have something to fight against. Which I guess is better then constantly feeling like I'm fighting some bigger phantom pain.

And i do agree. though we live a lot longer there are more and more people getting these kinds of disorders due to the jobs that we do today.

Lumbar spinal Stenosis isn't curable without surgery and currently I'm not at a stage where they would recommend or do surgery. It can be managed through excersises, activity modification and injections but thats it. I was told that most likely it will get worse as I age regardless of what I do and eventually need surgery. Typically it's only shown in people 80 years or older or was cause due to some previous life trauma. Right now I'm putting my focus to finding a good specialist who can address all my back problems, get me some answers, educate me and maybe find some better options then basically just giving up. Really i'm not a doctor and can only say what I've been told or what my own research as provided.

Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear that, spinal pain is the worst pain, imo ><

I only herniated a disc that resulted in surgery, but I can confirm that regular doctors suck, and I mean they suck hard. The problem went misdiagnosed for a month as sciatica, since that was the nerve being cut off by the disc tissue that had made itself comfy in my spinal cavity. They finally sent me to a specialist when it continued to get worse, and in a matter of 3 days, I was correctly diagnosed, scheduled for, and underwent surgery.

I realize the problems are different, but specialists are awesome, so always get a second opinion about your spine, cause you only have one and it needs taken care of.

And I realize it isn't any consolation, but this all occurred when I was 18 years old and still in high school.(I'm 20 now) Spinal and arthritic issues are popping up in young people a lot more these days.

Getting a second opinion is definitely something I need to do. I'm going to go ahead and make the appointment today and see what happens. i feel like if there is an option I have to take it. If I don't I'm giving up and that's the worst thing I can do.

News like this suck, especially when you are young and all of a sudden a doctor tells you that you may never do something again due to your health situation. :/

You should go and get a second opinion just to make sure. Maybe a specialist also knows about therapeutic possibilities you can take to slow down the process. Try to learn more about the situation.

Best of luck. <3

That is definitely my next step. it's scary when you ask a doctor what you can do and they tell you that you're helpless. Right now I dont think I can accept that as an option. Gotta stay proactive and positive.


And thank you <3

I'm so sorry that is what the doctors found. A friend of mine that I have known for years, has battled with the same thing.
I will be praying for you. I hope for healing for your back and also an alternate way to deal with the pain, instead of using meds.

Thank you <3
Pain meds scare me almost more then surgery. Gotta be proactive. Gotta stay positive. Till I have no options gotta be a fighter.

Your Welcome. :)
And Definitely. Stay Positive and Stay Strong.

If you can invest in a good comfortable chair that promotes good posture. It needs to be comfortable because otherwise you'll never use it :) The other bit of advice I can give is do your best to relax. Stress will just increase the pain.

I actually have one xD it's ridiculously ergonomic and probably one of the best chairs you can buy for back pain. It helped heaps a few years ago, but the pain got worse. It's still a thousand times better then any other chair I sit in for sure.

Relaxing is something thats difficult, but I certainly do my best hahahaha

A friend of mine's sister has back problems (she's very well endowed), and I just saw her last night. Apparently she picked up a corset on a recent trip to Europe and she says that so far it's doing WONDERS for her back pain.

haha i'd imagine! they are basically back braces xD I may bring my corset out and start using it for that reason, though i might get a different one thats easier to put on by yourself haha

Always get a second opinion, something can be done. Wishing you the best. <3

Thats what i'll currently be working on. I just can't accept that there is absolutely nothing i can be doing right now.

Thats horrible to hear, Tidmats, and im really sorry for it. All i can offer for you is a hearty "good luck" on your endeavors to prove the doctors wrong :c

<3 Thanks Limbs I'll do my best. I can only hope that I'm just that right amount of stubborn.

Oh my, I was up to hear you'll be fine...I'm sorry to hear this, you're great, don't forget it, be strong, please! My regards and my best hopes goes for you!

I agree with some people, take a second opinion, but don't lost your hope!

Second opinion and options are right now my first priority. Too stubborn to accept hopelessness!

Id check with a specialist, i had to see 3 more doctors before they found i had labrum torn in my hip. I understand how some just kinda brush you off and say they cant do anything, but some want you to recover and will work with you on things

Right now thats my first priority. Gotta find solutions because sitting on my ass being sad will just make things worse. I will say that i AM lucky that I live near a place where pain is rampant and specialist for it are high.

As others have said, sorry you have to go through this :(

It won't be too bad once you and the doctors have gotten your heads together and worked out the correct pills and dosage to deal with the pain (long term pain killers are a pain in the ass, I know, but better than the pain).

aw noes. good luck!

-hugs-

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16749000/


Keep fighting! I'm sorry to hear this news, but you're so strong!!

I'll see about making this into a badge! <3 if there's anything else I can do... Let me know

I don't know what to say...I'm sorry...I hope there's more options.

(Edit: The weirdest thing happened...both ads were for the same back pain site...)

That's actually kind of funny! Damn you cookie secret ad things!
They're always watching!!
And thank you

Not overweight are you?

nope. 5'10 at 160lbs

huh. No offense at you but every time i see someone complaining about back pains and just general health issues... they are fat slobs with poor eating habits.

I'd say see a specialist when you can, especially cos of the constant pain. I'm not a huge fan of taking medication either but if the pain is stopping you from doing things then it's probably for the best. Just keep fighting and stay strong. :)

Chiropratic digital scan.

Im so sorry you have to go through this pain :( I say go for another opinion. dont settle for this outcome. You may go with another dr and they may find out something could help this drastically. i went to 3 drs about my leg and the last one helped with my issue and didnt cost me as much as the others said .

I'm so sorry. I know exactly how you feel. I was diagnosed with those exact same issues last year, and I'm the same age as you are. I know my doctor said that apparently I had the back of someone in their late 50s and it crushed me. Don't be me. Don't let it pull you down to somewhere you can't pull yourself back from. Be strong and fight it. Because I only have pain meds to get me by, and it's definitely not the way to go.

As someone with scoliosis, I would recommend finding someone who can work on the muscles of your back, especially around the spine. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 12, and after some physical therapy the curvature had improved by several degrees. This might also help with the pain from your other issues. Hopefully the amount of curvature you have is minor.

I had my scoliosis diagnosed when I was like 14ish, so at that point is was too late to do anything other than physical therapy, which I didn't take very seriously. I could sleep on my back because of the pain. Eventually, it stopped being so painful to sleep on my back and sit for long periods of time. Really, the biggest thing that helped with my scoliosis was getting stronger; exercising, being more physical and doing physical activities. There isn't really anything that I've found that can be done to "fix" scoliosis unless it's serious enough and at that point it's surgery and having rods put in your back to straighten your spine, which, from my limited research, doesn't always prove any less painful. If sitting is uncomfortable, or painful, consider looking into adjusting your work space so you're standing.

My scoliosis still gets me down. All the muscles in my back, shoulders, and abs are slightly uneven, but it's enough that I notice it and it can get really discouraging. I'm not weak, by any means, but noticing that one side of my body is stronger than the other sucks; however, just gotta keep pushing through it. Unfortunately, scoliosis, barring some breakthrough, isn't curable, it's only manageable. Though, if it wasn't discovered until now, I'm guessing that the curve isn't that large.

I was diagnosed with a disease when I was 23 for which there is no cure. My body did eventually kick the virus square in the teeth and I've been asymptomatic for over a decade now, but that doesn't mean I didn't feel like my world ended when I was first diagnosed. I felt like someone had hit me with an axe. "Incurable", a word that made me feel so hopeless I couldn't even face work the next day.

It's okay to feel like the rug just got pulled out from under you. In many ways it has. But you've got support, and you've got friends, and whenever you need to scream and cry about it, that support will be there. Keep fighting, yes, absolutely - but give yourself permission to have "weak" days too. You're not a machine; you'll have days where it'll seem too much. But please don't give up. That's all I can ask.

get a second and third opinion, do all the research you can on line etc... on the topic, go in informed. Knowledge is power. My doc keeps trying to stuff pills down my throat for my high blood pressure, when that didnt work now she seems to think she is going to stuff me on pills for high choloesterol just because she wants to stop it from getting to high and it isnt even close. do the research so that you know your options and what questions to ask and keep asking. I drive my doc NUTS because I call her out every time I go in for a visit. *HUGS* just know we are here when you need to vent and an ear to bend..

my scoliosis was diagnosed when i was halfway through high school, somehow a decade of school doctors managed to entirely miss the fact that my spine was curving like a boomerang, i feel your pain man... feel your pain...

Wow, I'm sorry for the rough news, but work with your therapy and doctors and hopefully, you can get through it with great strength

I am truely sorry to hear about that. I have been dealing with health issues for a while now and its tough; doc just has to say one word and it feels like you get hit with a truck. Do your best to keep your head up and don't let it become all consuming.

My doc said the same to me when i have problems... and i talk about a specialist. that i cant do anything with pain. (though i have another problem than you)

But you know what? I looked for what can cause my pain... and i relised i have to change my lifestyle. But i can do domething.... and tada that one problem and others disapperaed/decreased.

Fuck the doctors. (most of the time)

I don't really know what to say in such moments, but i just wanted to add a small comment to comfort you a bit :) Keep fighting and try to get another opinions to know how you could efficently fight this thing. No hope is lost as life continues, i really hope that you'll deal with this as good as possible !

I deal with chronic back pain and have for the past 8 years. I'm 26. If you ever need to talk or vent or want to trade tips and stuff let me know. I've got a couple of herniated disks as well as muscular issues. It's stuff I keep being told can get better, but it's taking awhile to do so because of additional complicating factors.

For all our strengths and achievements as a species, all our technology and innovations, we still cannot conquer the maladies of our bodies. I'm very saddened to hear that your life has changed in such a way.

Having lived with type 1 diabetes for 14 years, and severe seasonal allergies all my life, I can attest that sometimes the cards just aren't in your favour. Even though you weren't given a choice for your affliction, you still have a choice on how to deal with it. I surrendered a long time ago to the fact that some things are just out of our control, and the best you can do is make the most of what good things you have. If options are available to better your quality of life, I would encourage you to seize them. You're angry now, and you have every right to be. You'll be angry for a while. Eventually, though, I hope you can focus on things that ebb the pain (physical and emotional) and continue striving to be happy, strong, and creative. Your body might be failing you, but your mind is still intact. Use that to your advantage. =)

Ouch, that sounds a bit worse than I'd imagined. Don't think I can offer much in the way of help or advice myself, but it seems that there are plenty of hopefully helpful comments in here. Either way I hope that you find some good answers and that things improve in one way or the other.

I'm sorry to hear about the fact that it's turned out things were worse than you had first expected, Tidma, or, at least that you were told what they said about actions against it. I hope you'll be able to get some stuff done for you to help sooner rather than later.

I'm really sorry to hear this; sometimes life just deals us crap and there's nothing we can do about it. I'm really glad though that you've decided to fight though - though this is an obstacle, there are still plenty of things you can achieve. Don't let this keep you down! Of course, everyone is behind you in this. =)

Late comment is late but: I'm so sorry to hear about your back D: I hope you can get, or if it's happening, wish you luck on, the necessary treatment to help it. My Grandfather had a horrible back (like, within 6 weeks to 6 months he could have been paralyzed, bad) and the surgeries he got on it really really helped him, he was back out and doing yard work in no time :3

I can only wish it doesn't get worse. It means little since it won't heal or improve simply by saying this, but : we love you.
Take care !

*hugs but not too tight*

There are some things that may help. I'm not a doctor and every case is unique but you should look into Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qigong, Taijiquan and Yoga. These in many case can help with spine and skeletal problems and pain.

After consulting with a spine specialist to know more, you can look into these options. Your specialist may be able to advise you on this, but you should find a TCM specialist who has a diploma in both western medicine and TCM, and is in good standing. There are people out there who specialize in treating spine problems with TCM (usually combined with western medicine).

Depending on your case, the usefulness of the above things can vary a lot. In some cases with spine problems you simply can't stress the spine with martial arts, but in other cases it is beneficial. Tajiquan (commonly: Tai Chi) and Qigong (commonly: Chi Kung) work together and are partially overlapping, and are generally very good at improving health so if your doctors think it's OK, definitely try. Acupuncture may also help with pain and your body trying to deal with the problems.

TCM's approach is to improve the patient's health in general in addition to addressing specific problems, and thus strengthening the whole body, and its self healing mechanisms.


I have back pain and back problems since I was a little kid. During the time I practiced Kung Fu, (and along with it some basic Qigong) my back improved greatly. Now that I sit in front of a screen all day it's getting worse again, so as soon as things get better and I can afford I'm going to start practicing Taijiquan and Qigong.

Actually Yoga and acupuncture are on my list of things to try and do. I'm really looking into any option, especially more holstic options that would better my health over all. I never thought about Tai chi or chi kung, but i would definitely be interested in trying. I need to create an update journal as i saw the spine specialist, but he was actually more of a spine surgen. I've not got an appointment with a pain specialist/physiotherapist who will hopefully point me in some good directions.

Oh so you are looking for holistic options good!!! I'm always careful when suggesting alternative medicine because many people are prejudicial about it, but then I will add a bit more depth for you.

So Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a very complex system. it has a history of several thousand years. It's rooted in Taoist philosophy. TCM's idea, is that the primary goal of medicine is to prevent health issues from ever happening, rather than waiting for them to happen and then treat them. It emphases a balanced lifestyle. It includes exercises, healthy diet, and even the elimination of negative thinking and negative emotions, which things they believe are affecting the balance of the Chi, and through that, may result in actual illness.

They believe that physical symptoms are only a result of energetic imbalances and so if you don't restore the balance within, any treatment is only symptom treatment. Nowadays in China, doctors get a diploma in both Western medicine (so they are certified doctors by Western standards as well) and TCM and use the two together, complimenting each other.

TCM has several tools for treatment on different levels. First is diet, which can solve less serious problems, the rest comes when diet is not enough. Moxibustion, Tui Na, Massage, Acupressure and exercises come next. Acupuncture, actually, is the "last resort" treatment they normally only use when there is a serious problem. According to TCM doctors, in China, acupuncture is rarely used, because most people already try to live a healthy life, and the reason that in the west the first thing coming to mind when hearing TCM is acupuncture, is that in the West most people have a terrible health to begin with.

All martial arts are a good way to exercise the body - even ones Westerners usually think to be all about fighting and tricks, like the Shaolin Kung Fu are actually deeply tied together with healing. From all forms of Wushu there are schools that focus more on the external exercise, and ones that focus more in the internal. Why I personally favor Taijiquan is that despite being a fully functional fighting style (contrary to the western stereotype of "Tai Chi"), it is an internal style, focusing a lot on Chi, and being deeply connected with Taoism and TCM, so it is considered by many to be the best choice if you want to focus on your health. Qigong is physical exercise aimed at strengthening Qi, so once again good for health, and Taijiquan has Qigong integrated.

As for the doctors, western doctors often don't know about TCM, or are skeptical/prejudicial so I would definitely try to find someone who has a diploma in both Western medicine and TCM - preferably a Chinese doctor who got their diplomas in China.

Just be aware that nowadays many "westernized" versions of "tai chi" and other stuff are out there, but they are usually kind of useless so make sure to seek an authentic teacher, who can prove their linage.When westerners reform oriental systems they usually lack proper understanding and so the core is lost.


Either way, I'm no professional, so by all means seek advice from someone who is.


Sorry for the long and windy comment, hopefully it can be of some use to you.