New Member Introduction and questions...

[David Kubisek]

Hi everyone, let me take a moment to introduce myself. A little over two years ago, I got my first herniated disc. L4/L5. Not sure how it happened, remember getting in to my car to go home from work (restaurant manager, on my feet 10+ hours a day) and the whole right side of my body was sore. A few days later, I needed crutches to walk. My primary Dr spend a few weeks trying to figure it out, gave me cortisone shots in my knee, lots of x-rays, but nothing. Sent me to an orthopedist who diagnosed it right away. Was sent to PM DR, for injections and meds. The injections and meds have continued ever since. Diagnosed with DDD later that year. My right knee has been giving out ever since the first disc problem. Recently I herniated another disc, L3/L4. Went to see a Neurosurgeon, she said that due to my diabetes, the risks outweighed the benefits, so back to pain dr and PT.

No one seems to know why my knee gives out, like 3-4 times a day now. Physical therapists watch it and don't suggest anything, primary dr is stumped, pain management dr just wants to push more drugs, and give me more injections. I am very frustrated right now!!! Oh, also, I get muscle spasms in my right knee, top inside corner of knee. Spasm is so big, it can me seen through my jeans. Sitting with laptop on my lap right now, and it just was shaking laptop for almost 30 seconds...

So thats my story, not sure if what I am experiencing is 'normal', and I just need to deal with it, or if anyone out there had similar experiences, and solved them...

Thanks,
Dave

[laid up doc]

Welcome... I'll give you my standard intro: I'm not a spine doc but am a US MD who deals with a wide variety of disease. So I'm happy to comment and lead you in the right direction, but please don't construe my comments as official "medical advice" - I just try to use what I know to be helpful to others.

Assuming you reasonably control your HTN and DM and don't have significant cardiac disease.... I would probably get other opinions from surgeons. HTN and DM don't automatically disqualify you from surgery to fix something that is significantly affecting your quality of life.

Get your primary dr on board too to get you medically optimized for possible surgery. See at least 2-3 other surgeons and see 1. if they think you are a surgical candidate and 2. what surgery they'd do.

As far as the knee - the symptoms you have are in the areas that are affected by the nerve roots where your herniation(s) are. Have a sit-down with your PM doc and ask them to explain it. I can't assess and diagnose you over a message board, nor should I.

[KBear]

I second laidupdoc- definitely seek more medical opinions. Look in the travel section of this forum and you can find some great doctors in your area (and all over the world) who are top notch in the spine field. Don't give up, most of us were told there was nothing to be done for us, or that nothing was wrong, etc. There is hope and you can find a proper diagnosis and get the help you need.

[Mary]

Hi everyone, let me take a moment to introduce myself. A little over two years ago, I got my first herniated disc. L4/L5. Not sure how it happened, remember getting in to my car to go home from work (restaurant manager, on my feet 10+ hours a day) and the whole right side of my body was sore. A few days later, I needed crutches to walk. My primary Dr spend a few weeks trying to figure it out, gave me cortisone shots in my knee, lots of x-rays, but nothing. Sent me to an orthopedist who diagnosed it right away. Was sent to PM DR, for injections and meds. The injections and meds have continued ever since. Diagnosed with DDD later that year. My right knee has been giving out ever since the first disc problem. Recently I herniated another disc, L3/L4. Went to see a Neurosurgeon, she said that due to my diabetes, the risks outweighed the benefits, so back to pain dr and PT.

No one seems to know why my knee gives out, like 3-4 times a day now. Physical therapists watch it and don't suggest anything, primary dr is stumped, pain management dr just wants to push more drugs, and give me more injections. I am very frustrated right now!!! Oh, also, I get muscle spasms in my right knee, top inside corner of knee. Spasm is so big, it can me seen through my jeans. Sitting with laptop on my lap right now, and it just was shaking laptop for almost 30 seconds...

So thats my story, not sure if what I am experiencing is 'normal', and I just need to deal with it, or if anyone out there had similar experiences, and solved them...

Thanks,
Dave

Have you had an MRI of the knee? You may have some bits of broken/loose cartilage floating around in the joint. Commonly referred to as "joint mice". That will cause your knee to go out. Ask your PT about it.