Degenerative Disc Disease Support Group
Degeneration of the intervertebral disc, which is often called "degenerative disc disease" (DDD) of the spine, DDD is in fact a condition that can be painful and can greatly affect the quality of one's life. While disc degeneration is not a normal part of aging and for most people is not a problem, for certain individuals a degenerated disc can cause severe constant...
I went to the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center last Monday. Anyhow, I ended up having some X-rays done. OK. I ended up getting some mail from the doctor, Dr. Smith today. By the way, I have got the imaging results now. I am gonna type the results. Of course, I will elaborate in between. Image: Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar spine xrays ... Your cervical spine shows prior C4-5 fusion surgery and some degenerative disc disease at C5-6.OK. The fusion surgery was 3 years ago as of March 5th. By the way, I don't recall being told DDD at C5-6 until now. I should have been. I will continue on now. The Thoracic spine shows kyphotic curvature and mild multilevel arthritis. OK. I did wear a back brace in the 8th and 9th grades due to kyphosis.(curved shoulders and upper back)Obviously, I still have some.(which I kind of figured) OK. I had not been told that before now. (with all the MRI's and X-rays that I have had on my neck and back by now)Oh! Geez! I had not been told I was dealing with arthritis until now. It could have started up since the last back and neck X-rays, but I don't know. I am just figuring I am more messed up than I was aware. I will continue now. The lumbar spine shows mild leftward curvature and mild multilevel degenerative disc disease. OK. I was aware of the DDD, but I had not been told about the leftward curvature until now. Geez! I better make sure the lawyer gets a copy of the letter. Besides, I just learned more than I knew about me. I guess we can add to my disability case file now. Yep.
I was told my back looked fine when I had been to ER and they took xrays, yet a cat scan with dye showed severe DDD.
What could someone of done to stopp DDD? I know of nothing, it happens, If there was a way to stop it I think a dr would be the first to tell you.
Should we all be getting lawyers because as we age so does our bodies and DDD plus everything else get worse. Should everyone sue because arthritis has gotten worse or this or that?
I dont know understand your post to be truthfully if you are mad because you are aging like all of us or you want money,
The whole world would be on disability if we could sue because of DDD etc etc etc. Thats how I look at it, its part of life.
I have learned to be careful when using my back!
I am so sorry for your unwanted news! Unfortunately, once you have any-kind of injury, DDD waits to rear its ugly head, (as everyone else said). And look out! When you have surgery, you get what's called the domino effect, when the disc under the affected one starts to fall apart. And then the next one, and the next one. Like everybody said, arthritis is just part of it.
Although I don't eat any other kind of meat, I do eat fish, to help combat the problem, plus vitamins and minerals. I also try to keep the muscles around the discs strong.
I have an unrelated question for you- You mentioned that you had been seen at a VA Medical Center...My ex-husband is a disabled vet who is seen strictly by VA personal and gets his meds through VA. He is 100% disabled and has one heck of a problem getting any kind of meds strong enough to help his condition. Or, for instance, he has trouble taking any kind of pain meds with acetaminophen in it, yet that's all they will give him. Have you experienced anything like this?
Jeanne (AmiaEagle48)