Soldier w/ cervical issues (Upcoming Fusion?)

[Kokanee]

Hello,

Just joined this board, looks like the right place for information. I am a currently serving member of the Canadian Forces (army hooah) stationed in Kingston ON. Due to a training accident ( armoured vehicle collision) in 2007, and from trauma sustained in Afghanistan I have disc issues w/ C4-5 and C5-6. Meeting w Dr Skinner today in Ottawa after a 6 month wait, hopefully will have more to post later.

Cheers
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[New-disc]

to the forum

Please keep us all posted!!

Todd

[Justin]

Hello,

Just joined this board, looks like the right place for information. I am a currently serving member of the Canadian Forces (army hooah) stationed in Kingston ON. Due to a training accident ( armoured vehicle collision) in 2007, and from trauma sustained in Afghanistan I have disc issues w/ C4-5 and C5-6. Meeting w Dr Skinner today in Ottawa after a 6 month wait, hopefully will have more to post later.

Cheers
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Kokanee, welcome to the Spine Patient Society! You sure have been through the ringer. How is your pain on a daily basis? Please keep us posted on what Dr. Skinner had to say.

[Kokanee]

Injury Background

DEC 2007 - Training Accident. Rear ended while driving an armoured vehicle by another armoured vehicle (each weighing about 15 tons, my rear ramp was bent beyond repair). Diagnosed /w whiplash, xray normal. Seemed to heal over a month, no followup despite persistent stiffness in neck because in Jan 08 I tore the cartlidge in my right knee, so I was focussed on that

SEP 2008-APR 2009 - Overseas service, Afghanistan. Physical stresses due to operations in vehicles over rough terrain and an aggressive physical fitness routine ("Navy Seal" bodyweight training, running in body armour etc) led to reinjury.

MAY - DEC 2009 - Persistent inability to get a diagnoses out of Ontario healthcare system. Went from being a very fit and active soldier to no PT, all free time on the couch/at home, reduced working hours etc. Narrowly avoided liver failure from acetominephen overdose.

Referred to Neurologist Dr. Skinner in Ottawa, 2 months for first consult, 4 months for second, and facing a 6 month wait for 3rd meeting. Referred to Neurosurgeon in Ottawa but 3 months and no phone calls yet.

14 DEC 09 - Meet w/ Dr. Skinner. Dismissed injuries to cervical discs as "of no significance", and requested a full MRI scan from brain to tailbone so he can look for other causes. Have to wait until May 2010 to see him again.

Tests

Xrays - Cervical, Thoracic. Slight loss of disc space C5-6. Spurring of posterior inferior endplate of C4.

MRI (JUL 09)- C4-5 focal left paracentral disc protrusion, mild canal stenosis. Not impinging on cord surface. C5-6 focal central disc bulge, very mild canal stenosis, not impinging on cord.



Symptoms

Pain - Constant 3/10 w/ sharp pains 7/10 when aggravated. Neck, shoulders, back along spinal column. Occasional shooting pains in legs and arms, occasional aches in legs and hands.

Tingling/Loss of sensation - (All intermittent/position dependent) Cheeks, shoulders, upper back, arms + hands, legs, inner thigh.

Misc - Loss of fine motor control in arms (typing is a ***** sometimes) and hands, involuntary movements in all extremities (occasional), no endurance wrt working w/ hands. Slight loss of power in left hand, otherwise strength fine.

Unrelated? - A "just in case" brain scan turned up a possible Arteriovenous Malformation, another MRI pending to confirm.

Treatment

Six months of physio with worsening of condition, req constant intake of pain meds (taken off Tylenol after liver complications, onto T3's, but they are not cutting the mustard and I have to talk to my doc about alternatives). My Neurosurgeon has referred me to get a treatment of having saline injected into my trap muscles???? I have not been able to find anything online ref this and wonder how it is supposed to help..

Disclaimer

I really don't like complaining, but I am at the end of my rope wrt the medical system. My doctors are perplexed and very insistent that there is no way my issues wrt the cervical discs could be the cause of my problems.

My concern is that instead of treating the problem staring them in the face, there is this big "hunt" on to find anything else, because there must be something else causing my issues, as the cervical discs cannot in any way be the culprits. I am honestly of the opinion that yes in that MRI scan (above) things don't look horrible, but if it walks like a duck and talked like a duck, maybe, just maybe it's the problem.

My goal is to get fixed and back into the lifestyle I had before my injury. Unfortunately I have already missed a required career course due to this, as well as a number of "great to have" opportunities (para course, offered another tour overseas had to turn down etc). Being an inactive shut in is a complete 180 degree switch for me and has worn down any resolve I had to start.

[ajj1001]

I Being an inactive shut in is a complete 180 degree switch for me and has worn down any resolve I had to start.

I can completely understand how you are feeling. My change of lifestyle due to my spine has been huge. I have climbing gear, mountain bikes, road bikes, running shoes, trail shoes, kayaks, wetsuits, skiing equipment sat staring at me unused for years. Its hard to let go and I know I won't get back to my triathlons but I'm not sure I have accepted it. Just being outside helps me feel better as being inside was something that I would not choose to do whatever the weather.

I hope you find a way forward to get back to a life you love.

[scduggan]

Dear Kokanee,
Welcome! I am so glad you have found this website. I have spine issues also and this site has been extremely valuable. We do NOT think you are a complainer. It is obvious from your post that you are not. As for the "big hunt" for the cause of your symptoms I wish you perserverance. My husband herniated a disc in his lumbar spine a few years ago. His films did not look so bad also, yet he was in immense pain. There are only so many things that can been seen with diagnostic tests. Keep on keeping on....you know your body. Good luck!
CD

[KBear]

to the forum! Trust me, we do not think you are complaining, spinal pain day in and day out, just wears you down, physically and emotionally. It is not a fun hand to be dealt; but it's the one we got, so we have to make the best of it. Good luck with your appointment. Also, there are a couple of other Canadians on here, who may be able to offer help on your healthcare system.

[JK2234]

I wish my MRI looked that good....

[Kokanee]

I wish my MRI looked that good....

Oh there are definitely people worse off than I am!

@Kbear: yes I'm hoping to find some other cdn's here for sure
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[KBear]

Oh there are definitely people worse off than I am!

It is really all relative, pain is pain. There are also people who have horrible looking MRI's and lots of problems, yet have not pain. That is what is so difficult about spinal issues. There have been studies regarding this and they have shown that there are quite a few people out there, who have no pain, yet their imaging shows much degeneration. For 3 years, I was told that they just didn't know why I was in pain. I finally had a new MRI and it was shown that I had DDD at L4/5.

@Kbear: yes I'm hoping to find some other cdn's here for sure

Look up Katie, she is from Canada and has been fighting your system for several years now. She has finally found a surgeon willing to operate, in another province. I would send her a pm. She just posted on another thread of hers, about the M6, so you can find her there too.