How to resist having tests ?

[countrygirl]

I have a genuine medical problem with prolapsed discs in my lumbar spine and am in pain all the time and very restricted in how far I can walk etc.
I have had a bad attack where I stood up and my back went as they say and was in agony just could not stand up or walk. this sort of thing has happened before about every few months but not as bad as this one.
I see a chiropractor for massage and stretching but no manipulation as this could do more damage.
The chiro mentioned that if I did not improve in next few weeks he could arrange for me to have yet another mri scan ( last one 18 months ago nad have about 7 over past 15 yrs) to see if I have a def nerve impingement ( prev scans show badly bulging discs but no constant nerve impingement).
My Gp is lovely and explained in detail about this being a quality of life issue and he would recommend medication before spinal surgery if it got to point where I could not stand pain anymore - I at moment refuse to take the anti epilipsy drugs like gabapentin because of side effects.
I did not have courage to explain to my GP that the only reason I want yet another scan is because everytime I get a bad attack I worry that what I have is secondary cancer in my spine and the mri scan of course reassures me that the cause if my prolapsing spine.
I am now torn between wanting yet another mr scan ( at least no radiation with these but still worry in case there is some effect not yet known!) and accepting both my chiro and GP opinion that this is all due to my discs.

[sjs]

I also have disc issues in my lower back - for about 9 years and multiple mri scans etc. I have found that if I walk for an hour a day my back is so much better. You have to build up to it slowly, I started with 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night increasing 5 minutes a month and now after about seven months I am walking 40 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night. I walk slowly, keep my shoulders back and a neutral spine. This has been the best thing for my back after trying everything else.

Walking is good because it keeps the muscles around your spine strong and flexible and helps with the stiffness.

HTH

[Going home]

To have had this disc problem for so long would tell me that there is no cancer...15 years is a long time and if it was cancer and had been undiscovered and therefore untreated, it would have killed you by now, sorry to be so blunt...so put that thought out of your mind. However, so sorry that you've suffered this pain for so long and hope the docs can find a good way to treat it for you.

Anna xxx

[kittykat]

I have exactly the same problem as yourself9 but also discovered i have bad arthritis as well in lower spine0 but take the gabapentin, diclofenac etc a whole concoction of drugs, but i have been left with permanent numbness in my foot and back of right thigh due to nerve impingement as they left me for so long without giving me a mri, when i have a really bad bout i too worry about them having missed something , at the moment im even thinking brain tumour due to headaches and think in the long run thts whats caused the leg numbness but then i try to tell myself that ive had this for over 2 years now if it was tht id be really ill by now, so i can really understand where your coming from , i think its just another visciuos circle thats hard to get out of..... the pain tends to feed our anxiety but if it puts your mind at rest have another mri at least it will put your mind at rest and see what those discs are up to this time and im sure if there was any risl from them they wouldnt be offerring you another one ...i hate them they freak me out so noisy, sorry i couldnt be more help but if you need a moan or chat feel free to contact me as it does really get me down some dyas , take care .

shirley x

[countrygirl]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I normally do walk at least half hour a day but since my back has gone I really cannot walk without terrible pain in my bottom/back - its just where bum cheeks start on left side and shoots down into left buttock and also round groin. I have constant pins and needles in buttock and pulsing tingles in leg so know its nerve generated. I seem to get a couple of better days after chiro treatment and of course I do too much then bam back to square one in agony and cannot stand or walk again. Taking the painkillers and diazepam but they have hardly any effect.

I am back at chiro on monday- spoke to him and he said he was gald it was localising and it would be easier for him to pinpoint problem and I think I will ask him to arrange private mri so at least I will know nothing sinister going on. I have never ever experienced pain like this before even though I have had back trouble for years and its the level of pain thats worrying me. I am finding it very hard to be almost housebound and not being able to move around - agony and boredom are not good together!