lower back degenerative disease

blueroses

About 5 years ago I was moving to another province in Canada and woke up before the move with a pain in my lower back from HELL. Well, several trips to the ER later and they diagnosed me with lower back degenerative disease/arthritis. I had an autologus bone marrow transplant back in 1991 with total body radiation and before the treatments the radiation tech told me the side effects years later may be early arthritis/cataracts and something else I can't remember now. lol. Someone on this late effects board mentioned wrist degeneration too and I don't know if it's only radiation that can produce this issue or not. Chemo? not sure.

I am dealing with many side effects from the treatments - 20 years out now - most I have posted on the board before. Anyone wanting to talk to me about this subject let me know.

All the best.

hodgkoid2003

Back Pain/Wrist Degeneration
Blue Roses,
Have you ever had a DEXA scan? It measures bone density and helps to diagnose osteoperosis, or in my case, osteopenia (not quite yet osteoperosis). I have signs of this in L1-L4 vertebrae and most likely caused by radiation therapy as well as the prednisone of my chemo regimen.
As far as the wrist goes, there is a cartiledge on the outside of your wrist, called the TFC (triangular fibro cartiledge) which supposedly, em... erodes away (best way to describe it) later on in your life (like in senior-ish years). I found this info out when I tore the one in my left wrist at work (activities done by a severe torquing motion).

Paul E. (Hodgkoid2003)

blueroses

hodgkoid2003 said:

Back Pain/Wrist Degeneration
Blue Roses,
Have you ever had a DEXA scan? It measures bone density and helps to diagnose osteoperosis, or in my case, osteopenia (not quite yet osteoperosis). I have signs of this in L1-L4 vertebrae and most likely caused by radiation therapy as well as the prednisone of my chemo regimen.
As far as the wrist goes, there is a cartiledge on the outside of your wrist, called the TFC (triangular fibro cartiledge) which supposedly, em... erodes away (best way to describe it) later on in your life (like in senior-ish years). I found this info out when I tore the one in my left wrist at work (activities done by a severe torquing motion).

Paul E. (Hodgkoid2003)

Hey Paul
I had a bone density scan awhile back but probably would be a great idea to have another one since this onset of severe pain in the last few years. Someone else was talking about wrist pain with degeneration but I have aching wrists and hands most days as well. My hands can get so achy that the thought of cutting them off passes through my head - I don't mean I would do that but the pain is that severe the mind tries to solve the issue in a manor of speaking I guess. I know that I have arthritis and it has been documented but no one seems to want to say what kind, sheeesh, whats the big secret already? lol.

Anywho I am seeing my GP in a couple of weeks and will ask her for a bone density then. She is very good at getting me what I need.

Thanks yet again for your help Paul. Take care and have a happy Mother's Day with your family. Blueroses.

slickwilly

blueroses said:

Hey Paul
I had a bone density scan awhile back but probably would be a great idea to have another one since this onset of severe pain in the last few years. Someone else was talking about wrist pain with degeneration but I have aching wrists and hands most days as well. My hands can get so achy that the thought of cutting them off passes through my head - I don't mean I would do that but the pain is that severe the mind tries to solve the issue in a manor of speaking I guess. I know that I have arthritis and it has been documented but no one seems to want to say what kind, sheeesh, whats the big secret already? lol.

Anywho I am seeing my GP in a couple of weeks and will ask her for a bone density then. She is very good at getting me what I need.

Thanks yet again for your help Paul. Take care and have a happy Mother's Day with your family. Blueroses.

OHHH Blue
Blue. Quit falling apart on us. Your stack of problems keeps getting higher and they are not moving fast enough to get some fixed. I will admit that my lower back is killing me Blue. Sometimes causing more pain now then my neck. Pain down my butt and to my legs which means nerves are being pushed on. And I know dang well that I could have an MRI and they would find some ruptured or buldged discs. Heck I still have some buldged disc MRI's in my bedroom closet from years ago. But the truth is I don't feel like adding to my already large list of problems. I don't need more doctors to tell me I am screwed up and they can't do anything about it. I have been through all the arthritis drugs. After three days I could not even walk as my body chemistry is so screwed up since chemo. So I switched to a slimmer pillow so I don't arch my back during sleep. And I have been trying to exercise more to build muscle along my spine to support things. Its a slow process but seems to be working. OH and I take calcium pills of course. I hope you find some answers Blue and things can be fixed to relieve your pain. If they ever come up with spine replacement I would be almost like a new person. Just fix the brain tumor, saliva glands, taste buds, sinus scar tissue and half face I can't feel and life would be great. Well I guess they would have to replace my head and spine ha ha. I could get a Tom Cruz face and really have some fun. OHHH maby in my next life. Take care and hugs. Slickwilly

blueroses

slickwilly said:

OHHH Blue
Blue. Quit falling apart on us. Your stack of problems keeps getting higher and they are not moving fast enough to get some fixed. I will admit that my lower back is killing me Blue. Sometimes causing more pain now then my neck. Pain down my butt and to my legs which means nerves are being pushed on. And I know dang well that I could have an MRI and they would find some ruptured or buldged discs. Heck I still have some buldged disc MRI's in my bedroom closet from years ago. But the truth is I don't feel like adding to my already large list of problems. I don't need more doctors to tell me I am screwed up and they can't do anything about it. I have been through all the arthritis drugs. After three days I could not even walk as my body chemistry is so screwed up since chemo. So I switched to a slimmer pillow so I don't arch my back during sleep. And I have been trying to exercise more to build muscle along my spine to support things. Its a slow process but seems to be working. OH and I take calcium pills of course. I hope you find some answers Blue and things can be fixed to relieve your pain. If they ever come up with spine replacement I would be almost like a new person. Just fix the brain tumor, saliva glands, taste buds, sinus scar tissue and half face I can't feel and life would be great. Well I guess they would have to replace my head and spine ha ha. I could get a Tom Cruz face and really have some fun. OHHH maby in my next life. Take care and hugs. Slickwilly

Hey I'm trying to hold myself together Mr. Slickster, lol
Yup bit by bit piece by piece it seems and nope things don't get fixed they just keep piling up but now it's just funny - well today anywho. lol. My son sent me a gorgeous bouquet of purple roses and other variations of purple flowers and it really lifted my spirits for Mother's Day - that's for sure so its a good day and I can just laugh about all the medical stuff for now.

That pain in your leg sounds like sciatica and that's a painful one. I used to have that years ago but havent had a bout of it in a long time and would rather not revisit that, you can't find a comfortable way to sit or lie with that as I remember.

I think you and I are in close race for 'falling apart' but as long as we have our sense of humour we will be okay. Well okay in the new order of things, the new normal we live with.

Hope you and your family have a great Mother's Day weekend. Hugs Slick