valymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7076
posted
For over 10 years now my friend has experienced so many of the symptoms that match those on our thorough lyme/co lists. For the past two years I have been encouraging her to see an llmd. (If she hadn't quit work years ago she would be on disablity.)
She is in severe pain with disc problems. I think these are directly related to lyme and would love to forward her the words of others who have experienced disc problems with/during lyme.
Can anyone address this. I did a search of "disc problems" and did not get much.
Posts: 1240 | From Centreville,VA | Registered: Mar 2005
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5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
Hi Valymemom
I have had disc problems with lyme for years. My very first lyme symptom 20 years ago was pain in my neck. I herniated my disc in my back 5 years ago and still have bulging discs that could blow at any time
It is listed in most lyme symptoms-(herniated disc's) Since lyme attacked the CNS this is a logical leap.
And since lyme attacks the joints and tendons this is also very logical that it would go after the joints & disc's in the neck & back also.
I personally know many lyme patients with chronic neck/back problems.
Does she have any other lyme or co-infection symptoms?
Can she get tested thru igenex? & then maybe she can have her results looked over by your LLMD if possible?
You can pm me anytime.
p.s. I just googled lyme herniated discs and got 107,000 hits
-------------------- 5dana8 Posts: 4432 | From some where over the rainbow | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
I have severe degeneration in my lumbar and cervical spine. The ortho said that I had the spine of an 80 year old (at the time I was 33) he asked if I had been into gymnastics, football, or other contact sports. No!
He, the rheumie, or the neuro could never figure out why my spine was falling apart. I now know it was due to Lyme.
I was in pain management and physical therapy for years and barely getting by. I am amazed what treatment for Lyme and Pilates have done for my quality of life.
PM me if your friend wants any information. I never would have thought there was hope beyond the pain I was in, there was. I have my life back. I won't be running any marathons but I am working and walking on the beach and happy and off pain meds
edit to add I was in a bad way and undxed for 5 years. It started as just lumar problems and spread to my cervical spine.
-------------------- Lucy Posts: 342 | From Hawaii | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Many many people have disc problems in their spine and they are not always associated with Lyme disease. However, I do believe that Lyme can make disc issues worse.
Some people just have degenerating disc disease or have injured their dics over time with repetive motions.
I had herniated discs and bulging ones in lower spine due to my nursing career - lifting lots of patients. My damage started when a 300 pound woman on a cardiac floor passed out and I (brand new student) thought I should try to break her fall.
After I broke my back in a MVA in 1995 my disc problems worsened.
-------------------- **Eat Chocolate** Posts: 942 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Two years ago I almost had surgery on a herniated lumbar disc. My brother the osteopath said it was a mistake because the other symptoms I had didn't point to the disc as the reason for my pain.
Instead I was treated by a LLMD, took herbal remedies and other natural therapies including massage, acupuncture and osteopathic manipulation and I'm much better.
The best result was achieved just this past weekend when my very knowledgeable personal trainer who has her own back issues showed me a massage technique she uses on herself - the pain is gone!
valymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7076
posted
Thank you for responding. My friend has back pain, foot problems, insomnia, gerd, kidney problems, needs knee replacement and has been diagnosed with chronic fatigue.....now discs herniated. I thought I read there was a connection to lyme.
Over the past 2 years I have sent her Dr. B.'s guidelines, the ABC lyme booklet, a paper/study on chronic fatigue and lyme connection written by a local physician and she has followed the lives of the three being treated in my family.
Do I send her yet these posts????
She has never asked a question or responded to any of literature.
She did say her rheumie tested her for lyme and it was negative. (I explained the problems with testing and the importance of clinical diagnosis.)
My husband says I need to stop sending her information.
Posts: 1240 | From Centreville,VA | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by imanurse: Some people just have degenerating disc disease or have injured their dics over time with repetive motions.
Oh My Goodness! I just realized what I wrote above! I meant to say "injured their DISCS" not **** !!!
Oops! Also wanted to add that my back issues rarely bother me any more since being on antibiotics - but am also not doing the heavy lifting. go figure.
-------------------- **Eat Chocolate** Posts: 942 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I can only partially agree with some of your statements. Not all of us acquire degenerative athritis due to age and I do agree that Lyme exacerbates it all.
I showed with Arthritis at age 22. At age 34 vertebrae in my spine began fusing all by itself of a degenerative nature. Every single doc agreed that I shouldn't have such a level of degeneration at those ages. Even now, the only area of my spine that isn't affected is between T9 and L2. It appears other autofusions are in progress as well.
Fwiw, I was positive for Babs and negative for LD. LLMD dx'd me with sero-negative LD.
quote:Originally posted by imanurse: Many many people have disc problems in their spine and they are not always associated with Lyme disease. However, I do believe that Lyme can make disc issues worse.
Some people just have degenerating disc disease or have injured their dics over time with repetive motions.
-------------------- Toodles, Sal Posts: 195 | From Tampa, FL | Registered: Sep 2001
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I think if this was my friend I would talk to either her husband or children -- maybe another family member could talk her into getting tested. Think she needs to hear from someone else besides you about the possibility of lyme. If that doesn't work, then I think you have probably done all you can do.
I know how frustrating it is to see friends and family who believe everything a doc tells them. Hubby's father had a couple of small strokes while we were traveling -- even with brain fog hubby could tell his dad was not himself from phone conversations and emails.
It was a couple of years before his dad finally got an MRI. His doc told him that he had had a couple of strokes in a part of his brain he didn't use very much -- yea right!!! Anyway, hubby can't convince his dad to even take some basic supplements such as good fats (doc has him on a low fat diet).
For all those with Lyme and disc problems, if you want to try something herbal that is supposed to help with both things -- buy some mullein.
I have been researching herbs a lot lately as hubby can't take antibiotics right now with gastritis, duodentitis and gastric ulcers.
Have not tried this yet so have no idea if it works. Hubby has taken silica before which is the primary nutrient in horsetail -- often suggested for bone health. Goldenseal is good for G.I. issues including parasites, yeast and possibly the cystic form of Lyme. Have never taken Solomon's Seal and haven't had a chance to research that yet.
Definitely plan to try the mullein at least as hubby has been having problems with his shoulders for a couple of months now -- he either has a sublaxation or a slight dislocation of his shoulder -- so far chiropractic seems to either not be helping or actually making things worse.
If anyone gives this combo or the mullein by itself a try, please post your experiences.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
As for disc problems in the neck, I have them too. I do regular strength training, which helps with the problem and also with lyme symptoms! I wonder though, since those with us with lyme seem to have magnesium deficiencies, would'nt we have a more difficult time with the absorption of needed calcium to prevent these disc problems ?? The body needs magnesium as well as vitamin D to absorb calcium. any thoughts on this????
-------------------- To win this battle, make the time for exercise and fitness activities! There is no shortcut to any place worth going! pegee4 Posts: 59 | From Hamptons, New York | Registered: Aug 2006
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Cervical stenosis is a condition characterized by a narrow spine. This can result in the compression of the spinal cord. Compression of the spinal cord is the most common cause of spinal cord dysfunction which is called cervical myelopathy. Cervical stenosis may be congenital, meaning that you are born with a narrow spine, or it may be acquired and result from heriation of a disc or the development of a bone spur. Frequently it is a combination of a congenital and an acquired problem.
Symptoms Cervical stenosis only causes symptoms if it causes compression of the nerve roots or spinal cord. If so, the patient is said to have radiculopathy (compression of a nerve) or myelopathy (compression of the spinal cord). The symptoms of radiculopathy are limited to one arm and consist of pain, weakness or numbness. The symptoms of myelopathy are much more diffuse and can be quite confusing. The first step to diagnosing myelopathy is to think of it. Patients with this condition may complain of headache which may be confused with migraine. They also complain of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, vertigo, sensitivity to sound, light, and smells, widespread pain, weakness, clumsiness, balance problems, difficulty with memory and concentration, urinary urgency and frequency, disturbances in bowel habits, and fatigue.
Posts: 789 | From CT, | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
Same boat here.I had to have L5-s1 removed,,then now i have c-6 in my neck herniated.The last operation,,they filled me full of steriod shots when they were stapleing me up.It nearly killed me within the next 2 months.SO if you get operated on tell them not to shoot steriods in you.
Posts: 510 | From NEVERLAND.USA | Registered: Jul 2005
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
Valy, count me in the herniating disc group. I have bulging discs in every area of my spine. My neck is the worst (on the MRIs and films).
Until I figured out I had Lyme last December, I blamed my spinal problems on a chronic/reactivated Epstein Barr Virus problem. EBV alone can wreak havoc with the spine, and if you have Lyme on top of it, I think it is a double-whammy.
I think I agree with your husband. Maybe it is time to step back and see if the any of the seeds you have planted with your friend start to grow. It took me a year to decide to get tested for Lyme once it was brought to my attention, and for some people, it takes a lot longer. We have to be READY to find out the truth.
Tracy P.S. Way to go Imanurse.....
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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and off pain meds 
Oh My Goodness! I just realized what I wrote above! I meant to say "injured their DISCS" not **** !!!![[lol]](graemlins/lol.gif)
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