Spondylolisthesis

[struth]

Thanks for the replies lads.

Grant, I really feel sorry for you, it must be horrible. I suppose you have been seen by a specialist ? Is there anything to be done ?

I have been seeing an Osteopath all along but she was unable to help despite putting all her effort into it. I haven't seen her since I had the proper diagnosis so will give her another go because that might change the things she does.

treatment was to rub anti inflammatories into the local area, but as im already on oral version for my hip, i cant have it. so not much else bar exercises and trying to rest neck at right angle in bed. helps a bit but it is getting a little worse. just have to see where it takes me, but it is reducing my mobility on sticks as you push down on them it transfers into shoulders and neck...catch 22 really.
but im not ging to totally lie down to it.

oh and the vena is settling down well. still awaiting speaker cable to try its own power section

[Len Co]

Sorry to hear the problems you guys have, I am getting a worsening of long standing lower back pain and associated problems myself as I age but I have no faith in anyone (private or NHS) so am thinking I will grin and bear it as long as I can.
I have had consultations in both sectors in the past but none proved useful. Best wishes.

[hifi_dave]

treatment was to rub anti inflammatories into the local area, but as im already on oral version for my hip, i cant have it. so not much else bar exercises and trying to rest neck at right angle in bed. helps a bit but it is getting a little worse. just have to see where it takes me, but it is reducing my mobility on sticks as you push down on them it transfers into shoulders and neck...catch 22 really.
but im not ging to totally lie down to it.

oh and the vena is settling down well. still awaiting speaker cable to try its own power section

Have you tried Osteopathy ? My Osteopath has put right many of my very painful problems over the years. Sometimes it's muscles going into spasm with the pain and making things much worse. With my current problem, the pain is making all my bum muscles (technical term), such as the Gluteus, go into spasm and these squash the Sciatic nerve, giving me pain. I have exercises to stretch and relax these muscles, which seems to help.

[struth]

Have you tried Osteopathy ? My Osteopath has put right many of my very painful problems over the years. Sometimes it's muscles going into spasm with the pain and making things much worse. With my current problem, the pain is making all my bum muscles (technical term), such as the Gluteus, go into spasm and these squash the Sciatic nerve, giving me pain. I have exercises to stretch and relax these muscles, which seems to help.

I asked about that but was warned not to, as it could easily make things a lot worse Dave. i guess i'm just gonna have to put up with it, and my hip as the wont replace that either.
Think im on a knife edge sometimes bollocks to them all...i will survive as gloiria used to say

[mightymonoped]

Not really specific to the particular conditions being discussed but worth mentioning anyway I think...you might also want to consider spending a bit of time in a swimming pool if there is one accessible?

I have suffered from neuropathic problems for nigh on twenty years and have found that even just standing in a swimming pool can offer both immediate and longer terms help with mitigating some of the joint and nerve damage accrued through continual use of crutches.

My left femur was completely removed from the hip socket (hip disarticulation) in 2000 and the resulting clump of nerves (Sciatic being the biggie) and scar tissue results in sporadic and intense bouts of neuropathic pain, usually lasting between 5-8 hours and nearly always kicking in just as I am about to sleep. This usually finds me desperately trying to distract myself from short but intense pain deep inside the stump/ pelvis area for most of the night until it gradually wears off.

The pain is usually one of two types, the most common being an 'electric shock' to the nerve, which often causes yelping out loud. The other type is a brief burning, more like having a cigarette lighter held under my stump for a second or so. Neither type responds to normal painkillers, although they can sometimes take a little bit of the edge off.

From what I understand, only opiates will deal with this kind of pain immediately, so that's not really an option given that the episodes are sporadic. I know that anti-convulsive drugs such as carbamazepine helps with this kind of thing, as I was treated with it for phantom limb pain in hospital in the early days. Having said that, I don't really want to be on long term medication for an occasional or sporadic issue. The anti-convulsive drugs do work though, but take a week or so to really do their thing.

What I try to do instead is allow my body to 'unwind' as much as possible and some floating and gentle swimming is a great, low impact way of undoing some of the damage that gravity and continual crutch use does over the course of the week.

Tony

[hifinutt]

so good to hear things a re improving , thank goodness for gabapentin and other such drugs for neuropathic pain

[hifi_dave]

I'm not sure how much of an effect that is having. I am on 100 mG because of my Kidneys - the usual dose is 2400 mG but whatever, my condition is not as bad as it was. Maybe the Gabapentin helps me sleep and the exercises are helping the condition. The Consultant did say it would be a long job.

[struth]

Not really specific to the particular conditions being discussed but worth mentioning anyway I think...you might also want to consider spending a bit of time in a swimming pool if there is one accessible?

I have suffered from neuropathic problems for nigh on twenty years and have found that even just standing in a swimming pool can offer both immediate and longer terms help with mitigating some of the joint and nerve damage accrued through continual use of crutches.

My left femur was completely removed from the hip socket (hip disarticulation) in 2000 and the resulting clump of nerves (Sciatic being the biggie) and scar tissue results in sporadic and intense bouts of neuropathic pain, usually lasting between 5-8 hours and nearly always kicking in just as I am about to sleep. This usually finds me desperately trying to distract myself from short but intense pain deep inside the stump/ pelvis area for most of the night until it gradually wears off.

The pain is usually one of two types, the most common being an 'electric shock' to the nerve, which often causes yelping out loud. The other type is a brief burning, more like having a cigarette lighter held under my stump for a second or so. Neither type responds to normal painkillers, although they can sometimes take a little bit of the edge off.

From what I understand, only opiates will deal with this kind of pain immediately, so that's not really an option given that the episodes are sporadic. I know that anti-convulsive drugs such as carbamazepine helps with this kind of thing, as I was treated with it for phantom limb pain in hospital in the early days. Having said that, I don't really want to be on long term medication for an occasional or sporadic issue. The anti-convulsive drugs do work though, but take a week or so to really do their thing.

What I try to do instead is allow my body to 'unwind' as much as possible and some floating and gentle swimming is a great, low impact way of undoing some of the damage that gravity and continual crutch use does over the course of the week.

Tony

good your getting relief from the pool. my wife used to like it, and i and my daughter took her. i held her in pool etc but needed daughter for the changing room.lol

used to love swimming and in fact was a champion at one time. was on telly too but i couldnt manage the changing room now. can barely get dressed at home
its great therapy as it lightens the skeletal load.

[struth]

so good to hear things a re improving , thank goodness for gabapentin and other such drugs for neuropathic pain

i use tramadol and diclofenac with paracetamol flung in to top up.

[AJSki2fly]

i use tramadol and diclofenac with paracetamol flung in to top up.

Be careful with the diclofenac. I took it for around 8 years for lower back injury only find out recently it and other related drugs, Ibuprofen, Voltarol and so on can cause hardening of the arteries and increased risk of Heart problems. It can lead to cardio vascular disease (heart disease), which I developed 10 years on from stopping taking Ibuprofen for pain relief, could be a coincidence but probably a contributory factor.