Osteopenia

Hi, I am 47 male and 3 years ago went to the doctors regarding a pain in my mid back and my ribs, was told by a locum doctor to take paracetamol and I burophen for pain relief he told me it might just be a bit of trapped air as I had had my gal bladder removed a couple of months before.

So I just carried on over the years with the pain but it was getting worse and the last 6 months I discussed with my wife about seeing a chiropractor, my wife and family had noticed a big change in my behaviour very mood no energy to do anything and not enjoying anything, I do have epilepsy controlled and adult ADHD controlled, but because of the change in my mood my wife thought my medication wasn't working but it wasn't my ADHD it was that for 3 years I have been in agony, my wife is a nurse and asked me several times to go to the doctors but I would just tell her I went and he said take paracetamol, I just new that something wasn't right. Then my doctor contacted me for a medication review and while I was there she asked me if I was ok, so I then told her that I still have that pain to which she asked what pain so I explained it to her, the doctor had a look at my back and asked me to show her where the pain was and I did she then told me that she thinks I have intercostal pain and she is going to send me for an X Ray I was delighted something being done about the pain I explained that people in work have noticed a big change in me over the last 6 months as I have lost 5 stone in weight without trying, I put it down to my ADHD medication and that they would see me stretching and a grimace on my face because of the pain. I left the doctors in a good mood came home and told the wife what the doctor thought it was intercostal pain I researched it and thought a chiropractor would help and made an appointment with one who does a full body assessment before he even touches you including X Ray's.

Once I had my X Ray's done At the hospital and chiropractors I went back for my results, my doctor showed me my X Ray but I didn't know what I was looking at so she showed me the report and it was as follows, bones appear quite osteopenia for the patients age and can not account for this, there is preservation of vertrebral body alignment with a marked thoracic kyphosis, there is also minor anterior wedging of T9,T10 and possibly minimal wedging of T8, the context of the bony appearances is likely to be osteoporotic in origin, there is multi degenerative disc disease with prominate anterior osteophyte formation involving the lower thoracic spine, is there any clinical reason why this patient would be osteopenia.

Well I just sat there looking at the doctor and then I said is that why I have been in agony the last few years to which she answered yes definitely, doctor asked if I have ever taken steroids or abused them I said no, I don't smoke or drink alcohol, I am not under weight even though I lost weight I had it to lose, I have always eaten well. Blood tests done testosterone and vitamin D fine and all bloods and urine fine. I explained to the doctor that my father had cancer of the spine approx 28 years ago that I took him to the hospital 7 times in 6 months and that all his bloods were and urine were fine and they just kept sending him home when they finally scanned him it was to late he passed away 2 years later in horrific pain and bed ridden due to the tumours in his spine. The doctor asked if it was myeloma I told her I was young and all I head was the word cancer. I questioned my doctor regarding a blood test I had 3 1/2 years ago and that the GP then said to me that I was in renal failure as my kidneys were just about working and sent me for a scan of my kidneys to see if I had two kidneys to which I had , while I was having the scan it was then that I asked the radiologist if she would look at my gall bladder and she did and told me that it would have to come out again I had found what was giving me chest pain but because of this the doctors phoned me to tell me about my gall bladder and nothing was said about my kidney function, so I had to ask and the locum doctor told me that he had it looked at by the senior GP and she said it was alright now I may of had a bit of an infection and that was that, as I know myeloma can effect the kidneys and was that a flare up off it I don't know. My doctor now is great she has referred me to see a consult and haematologist so fingers crossed I will get a diagnosis myeloma or osteoporosis. The pain I am in is horrific I am now on morphine patches 10mg and still take tramadol 100mg and naproxen I take 40mg ametryptilane at night to get to sleep, very little energy constipation and feeling sick because of tramadol, it's only my fifth day on the patch doctor has said we can up it as I want to stop the tramadol, is osteopenia pain really bad or is it something else, sorry about it being so long I just wanted to try and give you a full account,

Many thanks