Hi

[John50]

Hi
Been a member for a little while and only just got the guts to start posting

Well where do you start,
I 've had back problems for about 25 years originally caused by digging the vegetable patch and hitting a large rock with the spade

Over the years I gave up with GP's after being constantly told have some pain killers and thats it, tried osteopaths, chiropractors, etc, etc, however eventually I was spending 3 weeks out of every month crippled up wearing support belts and the like! I managed to carry on working even though my job isn't helpful to the cause (lots of driving, lifting, bending etc)
Anyway to cut it down a bit the wife finally dragged me back to the GP he suggested some physio might help .........again
Anyway I worked with the physio (she was brilliant with me) for about 9 months and referred me to a consultant, MRI scan followed, L 2 3 4 basically had it, various stages of stenosis and herniated disc's on all lumbar levels, eventually I had disectomy on 3 levels and a Wallis ligament fitted which is really a plastic bit attached to upper and lower discs the problem was and explained to me was they were attaching it to bad discs.
The Wallis ligament helps retain movement as opposed to the fusion alternative

I was backing working to an extent within about 7/8 weeks pretty early I suppose, some numbness in the foot but hey minor problem,

But because my upper spine had been compensating for my twisted bottom half for years my
neck and shoulder went, cue another mri followed by nerve block injections, surgery was too risky. ( I'm actually quite glad about that one)
I've actually had a good year till 3 weeks ago and I sneezed while I was driving, a sharp pain in my back and the rest as they say is history.

Horrendous pain in the buttock, thigh, and behind the knee, back with my physio who reckons I'll never end up in a wheelchair cos I won't be able to sit long enough can't sit, can't stand and to top it all my last visit to the GP came up with the gem....not much we can do about these chronic conditions have some more painkillers, the daft thing is 18 months ago and subsequent visits after he saw the mri scan results he was really sympathetic and admitted there was some
serious issues there, Hopefully I just caught him having a bad day!

Anyone else had a Wallis ligament? I appreciate its more European and I'm not even sure its licenced in the USA.


Anyway thanks for listening

[ajj1001]

Hi John, my family is from God's own country originally! i've heard of the wallis ligament. are you being treated in leeds?

alison x