New to the group - recent AF Vet

[txbearsfan81]

Hello all. I am a Air Force vet. I was medically retired at the ripe ol age of 28 at the end of 2009 due to being injured on duty. It took a few years because I fought tooth and nail to stay in. I loved that job and what I did. I injured myself back in 2006 while handling equipment. That compounded an already bad problem. I believe it all started earlier when I deployed. Since then its been daily chronic pain and disability. Some days are better then others. Some worse. So its been a few years that I have had chronic pain and disability. It seems to be getting slowly worse over time, not better. I really can’t do much now. I feel like less of a man. I dont have many friends (well really none) that understand me. They say "just pop a Vike" or "walk it out". Things like that. I try to keep my head up by researching new technologies and breakthroughs. They give me hope of getting my life back. My goal on here is to provide people hope through the research that I do on the internet, talking to other people and undergoing procedures. My other goal is to gain hope by learning about your research and what does or doesnt work for you or for your relatives. I hope this message finds you well and in as little pain as possible. Your brother in (pain) arms. Take care.

[Hooch]

Gday mate, know what u mean. Very few people perceive the mental strength required by those to fight on in the face of chronic pain, espescially a bloke like you at a young age. The worst are the slack jawed punters who like to open their mouth when ur struggling.

Surgery isn't an option for you? A lot of these fibro type basket diagnosis are a sympton of chronic pain and not a cause.. imo.

Welcome aboard.

Chris.

[txbearsfan81]

Hi Chris,
No surgery is not an option for me. Non unless I went with bi (lower back) and tri level (thoracic) fusions (see my signature). Being so young that would guarantee future surgeries and may or may not even fix the problems I have now. I would be fused up to the point of not being able to do anything only to know that more surgeries are down the road and so on and so forth. So Im holding out as long as I can. Trust me Ive been through a range of doctors and treatment options. For years. Sometimes different doctors in the same field (neurology, nuerosurgery, orthapedic, physical therapy, pain manageme.... you get the point. I could go on). I am currently being seen by a doc in a pain managment clinic now. I have sciatic pain but most of my pain is ache. That damn ache! Its worse and more overbearing then the sharp pain I feel sometimes. Its an overwhelming ache/burn. So much so I feel faint sometimes. Like my brain cant handle it. Its in between my shoulder blades (3 thoracic herniations/degeneration) and in my lower back (two lumbar herniations/degeneration). Medication takes the edge off. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. Some times its inneffective completely. Its always temporary. Ive been told that surgery probably wont fix the ache/burning. Surgery is usually only good at removing the sciatic symptoms and the effectiveness, acording to the doctors and post surgery patients I have spoken to, is spotty at best.

[Hooch]

Fair enuff mate, I got no doubt that you've done everything, I was just wondering as you didn't mention it. Hopefully the symptoms can reduce a bit over the years, there have been a few peeps who have said it's eased a bit after 10 years or so.

Nice to meet ya.

[Justin]

Hi txbearsfan81,

Welcome to the Spine Patient Society!

First, thank you for your service. Second, sorry about your spine issues. I completely understand about friends "not getting it." I was injured when I was young and it was difficult for my high school friends to understand why I was on the sidelines at a lot of events. It sounds like you have done everything in the conservative realm of things.

I'll private message you my number, as I would love to talk and run a few things by you. We are here to help support you through everything. I never imagined myself on online Forums (or ever creating one for that matter), but I found them helpful and it's been rewarding to create an unbiased place for Spine Patients to connect / support one another.

I wish you the very best.

[KBear]

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your service to our country. I'm also another one who started with spine issues at young age (25 years old for me). I went through 3+ years of every conservative treatment under the sun. I was told to never have a fusion or I'd end up with 'my entire spine fused by age 50.' At 28 years old I was told that there was 'nothing else that could be done for me', that I needed chronic pain management for the rest of my life and that I would never have more children. I literally cried and begged this doctor to do a fusion on me and was told no. I had also seen numerous doctors, specialists, therapists and so on. This particular doctor was a Yale Graduate and supposed to be one of the best in the Dallas Area. That was one of the worst days of my life, basically I was given a death sentence.

I'm glad to say that that doctor referring me out turned out to be a HUGE blessing. In my search for a pain management doctor who wouldn't make me do more conservative treatment (that I had already done and spent a fortune on), I found Texas Back Institute. Upon my first visit, I was told about ADR and explained that my condition was treatable. I then began my online search and found forums and others like me who had surgery and were doing great. I saw 3 surgeons for opinions on ADR and they all said I was a perfect candidate. Unfortunately my insurance refused to pay for ADR and would only pay for fusion (which had that been the better option, I would have done.) I entered a clinical trial and had surgery 2 weeks after my 29th birthday. I am now 100% pain free and expecting my 3rd baby!

I know that because of my spine history I could end up with more surgery down the road, but I'd rather been pain free now in my prime years than wait and still not end up pain free. It also can/ does cause more disc damage to do nothing, because the bad discs are not performing their job and are putting more pressure on the good discs, thus wearing them out. So even if I had done nothing, my condition would have worsened over time. At the time of surgery I had small herniations on the discs above and below my surgical level. So far by having surgery I have had no further degeneration of those discs and no pain from them. My surgeon felt that having surgery would save those discs, whereas doing nothing would have led them to be bad too. I am thrilled I had surgery and it was the answer for me. I would suggest not ruling out fusion in fear of becoming fused by 50, because I think that is wildly exaggerated and usually doctors who say that are the ones who are making a fortune of our injections, therapies, chiropractic treatments and so on. Do you know if you would be a candidate for ADR or if your facets are too bad? It is believed that ADR preserves the adjacent levels more so than fusion. Just a thought. I completely get what it feels like to be at the end of the road, as I thought I was there and I thank God that I found doctors willing to work with young patients. There are many who had fusions at young ages and have not required anymore surgery whatsoever.

Anyway, I say all that to say that it's never hopeless and there may be something out there that will make you better. Also, my pain was all an achy, burning, sandpaper going up and down my spine feeling and surgery 100% took that all away.

Best of Luck,
Kathy