Wish me luck

Crohn's Disease Forum

Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:

farm

Captain Insaneo
Joined
Jun 17, 2009
Messages
6,109
I've finally broke down and I'm going to schedule my discography

During discography, contrast medium is injected into the disk and the patient's response to the injection is noted; provocation of pain that is similar to the patient's existing back or neck pain suggests that the disk might the source of the pain. Computed tomography (CT) is usually performed after discography to assess anatomical changes in the disk and to demonstrate intradiscal clefts and radial tears
.

I have 6 bad disc's and begged for surgery last year but I was put off until I agreed to have a discography done. Well, it's time for it!
 
I've put the call in today, they'll call back after 3:00pm today. Hopefully, this week!

I put it off because there is a 81% that after it's done I'll be in much worse pain than I am now and will have to wait on the surgery for relief.

Complications associated with discography include spinal headache, meningitis, diskitis, intrathecal hemorrhage, arachnoiditis, severe reaction to accidental intradural injection, damage to the disk, urticaria, retroperitoneal hemorrhage, nausea (2%), seizures (4%), headache (10%), and increased pain (81%).

In rare cases, discography has been found to result in disk herniations. Five cases of acute lumbar disk herniation precipitated by discography have been reported. New-onset or a persistent exacerbation of radicular symptoms following provocative discography merits further investigation.
 
Yikes, that doesn't sound like a fun test at all! :( Best of luck to you, hopefully you can get what you're looking for!
 
I want the disc replacement surgery!! I thought I had it in the bag last year, but noooo! LOL.
 
Sucks that they have to put you through that pain when they already know you have 6 bad discs.
 
I don't think the procedure will be as bad as my thinking about it.
Thanks everyone.
 
Eh, scratch Thursday morning, evidently I can't drive after this procedure...
 
WOW!! That doesnt sound like much fun!! Well I hope it leads to some relief for you, I wouldnt wish back pain on anyone!
 
When I first seen Discography I thought you were going to take classes to become the next John Trevolta. Than I read a little more and realized my mistake.

Good luck buddy. I hope it does what you need it to do. Will be sending out prayers for you.
 
Here's where it gets serious - you are now ON my calendar!!! I'll pray for you buddy - I hope it doesn't cause you more pain and they can figure out what the heck to do for you!!
 
36_18_3.gif


I hope you won't be radioactive for too long;)

23_9_12.gif
 
Fine. :)
Want to know something crazy as hell??

CBC w/ Liver Panels: Normal
Hemoglobin: Normal
Lipids: Normal

Whhhaaa??? Just a few months ago my Hemo was 7 and I was anemic; today it was 12 and I'm 'normal'.

I had 8 vaccines today and I'm pretty sore, but one was for meningitis, which I was glad to get.
 
Last edited:
What? I listed that I drink on occassion. Like the Friday occassion. Or Saturday occassion. :)
 
I was all fine and dandy until my brother called just now to wish me luck...ugh.
 
:eek:ffers hand: I'll hold your hand during it! Well...at least until they turn the "make you glow" light on - then I'm outta there!
 
I called the doc (he's pretty cool) and he said afterwards he'd give me 6 spinal injections of cortisone to ease everything back off. That and a handful of valiums before ;)
 
What a traumatic experience. I only had 3 discs done :( I have the other 3 done March 5th at 10:00am

Here is some advice:
DON'T forgo the Valiums they offer.
DON'T underestimate this procedure.


DO eat as many pain killers as legally possible beforehand.
DO beg for Zofran or Phenegran
DO expect to loose bladder control right there on the table

It was very hard to vomit with needles in your back, looking like a cyborg, but I did it.
When he hit the L5~S1 disc, I puked. The pain was/is intense.
I'm going to lay in a bathtub of ice now.
 
OH my God Farm, it sounds awful.

Are you still in immense pain?

Are you going to be ok as you recover? How soon will you really feel the tangible benefits.

I am praying for you - I can't comprehend it but I've been told back pain is the worst imaginable.

HUGS & PRAYERS

Lishyloo x x x
 
I am in terrible pain now.
There are no benefits to this other than to determine which disc is bad enough for surgery.
 
oh god it totally stinks... I cant imagine, you poor thing... I hope it starts to ease soon, how awful that you have to go through it all over again.

I wish I could do something, but I am sending positive healing type vibes through my fingers on the keyboard (cheesy I know) and will be thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers.

Lishyloo x
 
Jesus buddy, I JUST noticed your posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(

I'm so sorry you're feeling ******. Want me to come down there w/some Jack AND Captain?
 
yikes, that sounds awful Farm. Hope the pain subsides soon. Now if they find something from this test, will yous till have to get the second part done?
 
They already know that the disc between L5 and S1 needs to be replaced.
If the L4 and L3 discs are "bad" too, then they want to do fusion.
If it's just the L5 disc, they want to replace it.

I will have the L4, L3, and L2 disc's done on March 5th.
 
Frick!! I had you down for Thursday for this thing to happen for some reason?? Now I didn't get to do my super powerful pre-prayer thingamawatsy for you!! I'm sorry buddy - it sounds excruciatingly painful! I'm sure puking while having that stuff stuck in you wasn't too fun either! Well....I hope you are gorked out of your mind before they do the next one - so you don't have to remember anything. ((GENTLE HUGS)) buddy!!
 
It got rescheduled Peaches.
Next time (which I dread so much) I will at least have some pain killers and Valium in me.
 
Holy crap!
Geez, I leave for a few days and someone goes under the knife! Farm, buddy, need more Brooklyn #1?
 
WOW Farm!!! That is intense!!! Holly crap!!! Sorry that was so painful for you. Hopefully it will all be worth it in the end!
 
Ugh, I got the sick. I really REALLY hope it isn't from the procedure.
Fever, nausea, and weakness. :(
 
CRAP...when did that start?? How bad is the fever?? Should you call your doc?? Sorry - I go into Q&A mode when I get anxious. I hope you feel better Farm - if that fevers gets too high - go to the ER over the weekend - don't play around. Are you having headaches?
 
Started this morning. I don't know how high the fever is, high enough to make me sweat and freeze to death.
Yeah I have a headache as well.

Will was sick this morning but he's fine now, I hope it's just a bug.
See, another reason I hate Crohns: is it just Crohns? Is it a bug? Is it from the procedure? Ugh.
 
They injected "contrast" into 3 of my discs until I begged for mercy.
I get to do the other 3 later on...
 
That's gotta suck mate
sorry hear ya in so much pain etc an hope it eases soon

I remember the pain I had/hav in my back from a car accident it was horrid, but all I had was a pinched nerve or two and curviture of the spine

couldn't - don't, wanna imagine what u got
get better soon buddy
 
Oh Farmie, sorry you've 'got the sick' :( I hope you feel better real soon. I know what you mean about not knowing what is what though. I've had D for a couple of days and dunno if it's Crohn's or a bug since I very rarely get it??!! Very frustrating!
Rest up well my friend (((HUGS)))
 
I'm ok! Just a fever this morning. I feel really good now ;)

(Yeah I drove myself, but I won't/can't next time)
 
Santos61198 said:
OMFG Ness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"OMG - a ree-ill lahf mexi can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I decided after this that I am not talking to him anymore....he gives me ulcers from worry.
 
Yes they told me that I must show a reaction to the pain so they can tell which dics are bad.
 
Ugh, I wish. Once a bad disc gets that contrast in it, there is no question about it being bad/good anymore. You want to crawl up off the table.
 
Sorry for your pain you have to suffer, Farm. Probably not the most pleasant thing. My sil had to have a threaded rod inserted in her spine when she was younger to straighten her spine.
Any time something is done to the spine it is painful. Has to be the worse pain you can go through. Hang in there buddy, I'll be thinking about ya.
 
Maybe some sort of mood stabilizer or anxiety med would be a good idea before you go in. I don't usually suggest that... but you are going to be going into what sounds to be a very painful procedure in which you KNOW what you're up against... a "chill pill" could be a possibility?
 
He said next time he was going to give me some Valium before the procedure; and I'm to take some pain meds as well.
 
Can they not give you some of the stuff they sometimes give people for colonoscopies where you are awake but don't remember anything afterwards? So you can respond as needed but won't remember all the nastiness??
 
No they say Valium is it. Otherwise they can get false responses to the test.

It isn't really that bad, I don't think, it just made some weird noises and anytime they hit certain nerves in your spine, you have funky reactions.
Leg numbness, headache, nausea, etc.
 
It's the final countdown...I almost called and cancelled today. In 2 VERY short hours I have to go through this torture again....egads.
 
i just read through the whole thread to catch up on what's happening.. and then got to the end & realised you're probably having it done right now, Farm.

i hope it's going ok, easier than the last time, and less traumatic for you. & i hope they can get to see how to help your back in the best way possible.

really sorry you're having to go through all this :(
 
It was horrible, much worse than last time. The pain was truly unbearable. I jerked up once and actually bent one of the needles in my disc.

After all this, they suggest a 4 disc spinal fusion....I'm pretty down about it.
 
I lived. Barely. They "forgot" to order my Valium :(

They injected 4 needles into 4 separate disc's. They injected contrast into a "good" disc and I only felt pressure.
They injected contrast into the L3/L4 disc and the pain was immediate and terrible. I rated it a 9.
They injected contrast into the L4/L5 disc and again severe pain, I rated it a 7.
They injected contrast into the L5/S1 disc and I jerked up off the table. Rated a 10 with many many cuss words; and I bent the needle inside my disc.

He went back and put antibiotics and cortisone into each epidural space. The bent needle caused an annular tear :(
I'm in immense pain and after taking 5 Norco's and 2 Kolonpins; it is still immense.

Based on this discography, they suggest a 4 vertebrae spinal fusion; that a quick recovery is 6 months and average is 8 months. It's a big incision that he said would be between 6 and 10 inches.


I've very disheartened and a bit depressed about the whole situation.

I go back in three weeks to have 6 Facet injections to kill the nerves. He said I have severe Facet Arthritis. :(
Between now and the surgery they want to implant a spinal neuro-stimulation device in me for a few weeks to hopefully get the swelling and inflammation down so I can have the surgery.
 
Awww, what a crappy thing for you to have gone through today. Good for you for not canceling though. I hope you feel a teeny bit better in the morning at least.
 
Thanks everyone, I'm sure I'll recover. Sometime. I have a lot to "look forward" to and even more decisions to make now.
 
I'm sorry this was such a horrible ordeal for you. I'd be livid about the Valium mixup.

I hope you get some relief soon. I can't even begin to understand the pain you're in. I've had back pain- but hat can't compare I'm sure.

I'm sorry :(
 
***HUGS***

I'm so sorry Farm, that sounds truly traumatic. i hope that treatments leading up to the surgery are able to bring you some relief.
 
Wow dude!! That is intense!! I cant even begin to imagine how painful that was! I hope you start to feel better soon, and just remember this is all for the better life down the road!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top