Information about spinal cord compression.

[Bluebird11]

Has anyone experienced a spinal cord compression or fracture? Can you share your experiences.

Has anyone experienced what it means to prevent one. We know that getting an MRI to show the urgency of treatment is one thing and then the mention of surgery.

We don't know what that means.

Who handles this. Is it a radiologist?

We just got a palliative care team onboard. We thought they could clarify though after so many years being in this, and navigating so many things, I am looking at this situation we have more confused than ever.

We are consider Radium 223. When the spine has gotten really bad, has anyone had much success with Radium 223. First we have to do CT scans which took one month to book and then they cancelled because the machine had broken yesterday.

We have upped his pain meds which will be another question BECAUSE I need to know going in enough about the meds and this situation since we get 20 mins with a doc. Palliative care isn't much better. We love our oncologist. He supports us, though time is an issue. Nurses are in a crunch.. doctors the same and here we sit with our loved ones trying to learn as much as possible.

I'm sorry this isn't better articulated.

Bluebird...

yes, we are at that point where things look like the cancer has progressed to this point of not having many choices..

[LearnAll]

Sorry to hear about worsening of husband's health. With weakened bones resulting from Pca and ADT, there is a very very small risk of spinal compression/fracture in men with advanced PCa as bone lesions ,mostly osteoblastic type (sometimes osteolytic type) make bones fragile and develop tendency break or collapse.Prevention is the most important thing...by resistance exercise, plant based anti inflammatory foods and bone building micronutrients. Many times, bone strengthening meds such as Bisphosphonates or RAKL inhibitors etc are needed either orally or by infusions.

In your husbands case, it seems that bone mets have advanced to a very high level. At this time, suppression of pain is very urgently needed...either by opiate pain meds or by specific treatments like Ra223.

Prevention of falls and watching movements to prevent excessive pressure on vertibrae can prevent bone breaks. In my opinion, pain meds should be used generously and the person should not be made to suffer un necessarily because of some imaginary side effects or moral/guidelines excuse. Keeping husband comfortable should be an utmost valuable act of kindness and compassion. Wishing you strength and serenity in this difficult moment.

[Tall_Allen]

If the spinal metastases are very large, I don't know how good Xofigo will be. You may be better off zapping them with radiation. Some places do cryo. Surgical removal may be possible, but he may have to go through extensive rehab.