Spinal injury

[Scorpius]

I have 2 collapsed disks in my spine (lower back) the Consultant has suggested that a operation is optional where they can inject a cement into the damaged disks to help with the trapped nerves, but the best that I can hope for is up to a 40% success, in the mornings the pain is bad and no amount of pain killers work. My dilemma is do I go for the operation and take the risk of an operation and risk being in a wheelchair for the rest of my life or put up with my present condition. I am 73 and don't know what to do.

[hawker955]

Vertebroplasty worked incredibly well for me for spinal compression fractures and the pain stopped within 24 hours, apart from bruising due to the injection procedure. I joked with the nurses that they must have beaten me with a big stick while I was asleep. But anyway that was two years ago and not a single twinge since. Good luck!

[Scorpius in reply to hawker955]

Thanks for your comment it helps me make up my mind, but I must admit that I am scared.

[Hidden in reply to Scorpius]

Hi Scorpius - Have not needed or had that, but I understand being scared. My poor mother in law had spinal stenosis and they offered her much the same type of thing, but she was too scared of it to even consider it. Good luck with the procedure and let us know how you do!

[pip12]

Hi Scorpius - I too have a couple of collapsed discs in my spine and can sympathise with the pain. I am in agony most days with it but have never been offered any surgery. I am 71 years old and must admit don't know whether I would be brave enough to have it. I have an assortment of pain killers, Tramadol, Co-Codamol and Morphine, none of which stop the pain, just take the edge of it. Have had to buy a wheelchair if I want to go shopping.

I have been waiting 6 months for a hip replacement op and just hope I can build up enough courage to have that done if I ever get an appointment.

I truly can sympathise with you, just seems to be day after day of pain that never seems to get any easier.

I hope you can get sorted, please let us know how you get on. In the meantime hope you can get some sort of relief xxx

[Scorpius]

In the mornings the pain in my back is bad, on a scale of 1-10 I would rate it as 7, but I notice that when the pain is bad my nose keeps running, sounds silly but is their a connexion ?.