Just posted an update in my intro thread and Becky asked me to post a question. She just had a positive Discography L5-S1. Becky was adminted in May for severe abdominal pain. After 11 days and tests MRI top to bottom, scopes, Ct's and a lot of dilaudid EVERYONE SAID IT WAS HER C-Spine causing it. Wel the discography says otherwise. Her abdominal pain is from the L5-S1 disc. Everyone we have talked to about this has a hard time accepting it. So here's the question from Becky.
Has anybody here had the same or similar pain? She rates it as a constant level 5-6 with episodes to 8-9 on a 1-10 scale. Describes it as sharp pain not crampy.

Ok I gotta go make dinner. TIA for your replies.

Wayne

Laura never had the kind of pain described but for a brief, less than helpful answer, you can occasionally refer pain upward as well as downward from a specific spot. You can also start muscle spasms that can move the apparent epicenter of pain far from where it should be. Basically, what she's describing could make sense; it's obviously a less likely pain pattern but it can happen and might make sense in the absence of anything else that is more likely.

If it's muscle spasms, an antispasmodic should help and might help from a diagnostic standpoint.

just to clarify...during the diskogram while testing the L5-S1 her abdominal pain was recreated?

Is it possible that because of her back pain, she has lost strength in her core and maybe strained her stomach muscles? a hernia?

Can she decipher where in the stomach she's feeling the pain. Is it deep or more surface?

I'm having strong abdominal pain (not cramping) post ADR surgery and I was attibuting it to the internal incision area, even though my surgeon said it was higher than the incision area. I've been trying to do some core strenghening and it's irritated my stomach, in an alarming way. Mine is on the left side (incision side) but starts just below/left of belly button and down from there. At first it felt like my incison was being ripped apart. Now it's worse. If I lay on my stomach, stretching those muscle irritates it. Moving in bed using abdomin muscles hurts, I have to roll to my side to get out of bed (like they teach you in the hosp).

Has Becky ever had a c-section? my friend said she had a similar feeling in her stomach due to the C-section incision area.
I've stopped stomach exercises, and in PT, we are going backwards a bit, taking baby steps to see if my stomach area will calm down.

Don't know if this is a similar situation or not.

Becky's abdominal pain was sudden onset in the bladder area. She described it as "a really bad bladder infection" knd of pain. She has not had a C-section or any abdominal surgeries. She is also experienceing Neurogenic Bladder" symptoms. This may or may not be related to the L5-S1 issue. When the Doc did the discogram he did both provocative, which did trigger an increase in abdominal pain, and an analgesic which relieved the pain. Becky was fitted with a lumbar brace yesterday afternoon which did relive the pain somewhat, she describes it as 25-30% relief.

sorry I don't know what it feel like to have a bladder infection. I talked to my PT more today about my abdominal pain and he's convinced I strained it with my core exercises. So there's certain things I'm not going to do for awhile.

So I guess my only question is whether your wife could have strained her stomach muscles because my PT agreed this could happen whether or not you have surgery if your muscles havce weakened and you strain them.

But I do sense that your situation may be a whole different situation. Thought I'd just share my experience in case it was similar.

Wayne, just checking in -- how is Becky doing? any updates or progress? I was also curious if you obtained the results of the procedure from the hospital...I recommend that everyone does this. When available, ask for everything on CD.

Hi Harrison,
Yes we do have copies of all the tests Becky has had. Her Doc sent her for a ct immediately after the discogram which confirmed a "Level 3" tear. Still researching what this means. We saw the doc for a followup visit which is when he shared the results of the CT. His next recommendation is to try Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS). Initially we were ok with this and to an extent we still are, but, Becky's symptoms seem to be getting worse. Her left leg has gotten weaker. She has had more difficulty walking and feels like her leg is going to give out. Her Docw wants her to wait for the Maverick disc if possible, but with her symptoms deteriorating and the Patent issues i've read about elswhere I dont think that will be possible.
Any way thats the latest.

Thanks
W

I have L4/5, L5/S1 herniation as well, and have had sharp abdominal pain for the past two years. Ultrasounds, etc are not finding any cause. The only other issue might be from adhesions, scar tissue from a previous surgery (hysterectomy). Sometimes the pain is enough to make me double over.

No one has suggested that it is coming from the disc, but there's not many other reasons. I would be really interested in knowing what you find too. Has she had previous surgery? Could it be adhesions?

I am unclear on what the holdup is with the Maverick disc. Many here that have these discs report favorable results. I have two of them in my lower spine and feel great. I know Medtronic as a company has done some unethical things that have come to the forefront concerning BMP but, don't know about the Maverick's status. To me the theory seemed very sound about the placement of the disc.

I did find the following on the Maverick but, would not read much in to it as far as when the date of release will be:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00635843

I hope she gets the relief she needs and deserves.

Terry Newton