Thread: Sciatica help needed.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Must be a Kiwi if you can't surf

Paige Hareb, the Taranaki teenager is ranked No. 2 in the world for professional women surfers under 20

Yep I agree - once you have the scan confirmed if you require surgery get it done locally. Silly coming back to Aus and then sitting in a queue... as we all know how good our health system is at present!

Anyways hang in there buddy.

Originally Posted by MeMock

Insurance..... ermmm yeah..... well.....

Your in pain so I'm not going to comment.....

Who was it that asked me for medical advice while still in Oz ????? Cimboc or MM ??

Hope it was/is not ignored.....

Let us all learn from MM's pain.

Anyway, onto another update.

Cimboc has been an awesome help and stayed up till the early hours this morning helping me upload the 120mb file to him. He then managed to make sense of it and got the programme working so that the scans could be seen and got the head of the emergency department at the Kalgoorlie Hospital to look at it. He said he will send it to a colleague who is an expert on this stuff in Perth to also have a look and get back to me. Hopefully I will hear something tomorrow.

I typed up the radioligists report for them as well and thought i would post it here as well. I don't understand a lot of it but to me it does show that it isn't bone but some kind of growth or ligament or something that is squashing the nerve.



MeMock, Male, DOB **-**-1976

MRI of L-S spine
History: A case of chronic lower back pain mainly in the left leg down to the knee.

Technique and Sequences: 1.5 Tesla
Sagittal: T1WI, T2WI, & STIR. Axial: T1WI & T2WI. Coronal: T2WI

Findings:

The examination shows mild strengthening of the L-S curve with decreased signal intensity (SI) of L4/L5 and L5/S1 intervetebral discs, representing degenerative change. Normal SI and height of all vertebral bodies are noted. All disc spaces are also intact.

L5/S1 level: Left posterior protrusion disc, causing anterior indentation to thecal sac with strengthening to central canal, reflecting to compressed left S1 traversing root.
No bony fracture, osteolytic lesion or spondylolisthesis is also seen.
There is no epidural or paravertebral soft tissue mass.
The conus medullaris is at L1/2 level.
No clumping nerve root is seen.
The otherwise are within normal limits.

Impression:

Spondylosis at L4/5 and L5/S1 levels.
Left posterior protrusion and disk herniation at L5/S1 level, causing anterior indentation to thecal sac with strengthening to central canal, reflecting to compressed left S1 traversing root.

Good to see other members trying to help out.

Originally Posted by MeMock

Anyway, onto another update.

Cimboc has been an awesome help and stayed up till the early hours this morning helping me upload the 120mb file to him. He then managed to make sense of it and got the programme working so that the scans could be seen and got the head of the emergency department at the Kalgoorlie Hospital to look at it. He said he will send it to a colleague who is an expert on this stuff in Perth to also have a look and get back to me. Hopefully I will hear something tomorrow.

I typed up the radioligists report for them as well and thought i would post it here as well. I don't understand a lot of it but to me it does show that it isn't bone but some kind of growth or ligament or something that is squashing the nerve.



MeMock, Male, DOB **-**-1976

MRI of L-S spine
History: A case of chronic lower back pain mainly in the left leg down to the knee.

Technique and Sequences: 1.5 Tesla
Sagittal: T1WI, T2WI, & STIR. Axial: T1WI & T2WI. Coronal: T2WI

Findings:

The examination shows mild strengthening of the L-S curve with decreased signal intensity (SI) of L4/L5 and L5/S1 intervetebral discs, representing degenerative change. Normal SI and height of all vertebral bodies are noted. All disc spaces are also intact.

L5/S1 level: Left posterior protrusion disc, causing anterior indentation to thecal sac with strengthening to central canal, reflecting to compressed left S1 traversing root.
No bony fracture, osteolytic lesion or spondylolisthesis is also seen.
There is no epidural or paravertebral soft tissue mass.
The conus medullaris is at L1/2 level.
No clumping nerve root is seen.
The otherwise are within normal limits.

Impression:

Spondylosis at L4/5 and L5/S1 levels.
Left posterior protrusion and disk herniation at L5/S1 level, causing anterior indentation to thecal sac with strengthening to central canal, reflecting to compressed left S1 traversing root.

My interpretation of the report is that you have a herniated disc at the lower end of your lumbar spine and some abnormal curvature in your spine at that same level.

I'm not a radiologist, so best to advice from your Doc.

Good Luck.

Haven't seen this thread before. Wish you to get well soon, Memock.

Thanks Fabian.

Just got word from cimboc that the specialist in Perth wont be able to look at it till Friday. Thank goodness I discovered today that my hotel TV is showing the test between Australia and South Africa!

This is the bloke who will be looking at my scans and report hopefully on Friday.

Looks qualified enough to me

https://www.medicalhub.com.au/index....=99&Itemid=263

Originally Posted by MeMock

causing anterior indentation to thecal sac with strengthening to central canal, reflecting to compressed left S1 traversing root.

Sounds like you may have some problem with your teeth as well mate.

I know a good dentist if you need one.

Keep talking like that and you will need a dentist

Any luck with that email mate?

Originally Posted by MeMock

Any luck with that email mate?

Connecting up now mate and settle down or I will be right up there and give you a real hiding.

One thing that I forgot to mention on this thread is the great help behind the scenes that I have received from TD members.

Offers of free accommodation in bangkok.
People willing to hold my hand on the way to hospital.
Even someone willing to drive their pick up the 9 hours to my place and back again with me laying down in the back.

Amazing stuff, many thanks.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Originally Posted by MeMock

Any luck with that email mate?

Connecting up now mate and settle down or I will be right up there and give you a real hiding.

Can't get any worse!

Pictures sent, not sure about my connection so can you confirm receipt.

confirmed! Thanks.

Hopefully this will be my second to last update on this thread.

This post may seem a little disjointed as they are just cut and pasts from emails to my family and I am too tired to retype it all.

Yesterday was one of those days that I would like to forget but will remember for the rest of my life.

The pain that day was the worst ever. No matter what position I tried when lying down it hurt and don't even think about getting off the bed and standing up.

That night I got really worked up emotionally about everything that was going on. It led into what I believe was a panic attack as I can't explain it as anything else. It started with my breathing and then numbness started around my lips and ears before it went to my throat. I still thought I had control and begged my wife not to call for help. Then suddenly all hell broke lose as my entire body succumbed and I lost control of it. I was delusional and thought I was going to die. It is so hard to explain and I am not going to try now apart to say that I thought I was about to die and so did my wife. At one point I blacked out and Seerung said that my body started to contort and my fingers began to lock up. She tried prying them apart but she wasn't strong enough. It was then that she screamed out loud in anguish which I remember and as soon as I heard that scream my mind became clearer and although my body was still going crazy I had a clear enough mind to know that I was going to be okay and I was able to tell her that. I was rushed by Ambulance to Ubon Ruk hospital where very quickly just with hot wraps and oxygen I was able to regain control. Poor *wifes name*, the look in her eyes when this was going on was something I will remember for ever. Thank fully the kids had just been put to bed and so did not witness any of it.

I stayed over night in the hospital which is where I still am now.

Today we finally got work from the specialist in Australia. He said that it would seem that surgery was necessarily due to the amount of time since I first hurt it as well as the fact that the pain is intensifying. Thankfully he wasn't like a previous Dr who had said I must get back to Australia. He said it isn't a problem to have it done in Thailand but just make sure that it is a neurosurgeon who is doing it. A quick check of the two Doctors here who I had been seeing found that they were orthopaedic surgeons only. We came to the conclusion that it looked like I would have to go to Bangkok. We were then told of a neurosurgeon that has his own clinic but has done operations in the past at this hospital. We called and he popped in to see me about 2 hours ago (8pm). He looked at my scans and then basically repeated what the specialist in Australia had said needed to be done. I instantly felt at peace with this man and decided then and there that we would have the operation here. No trips to Bangkok or back to Australia! Thank you God!

So an xray was done and the drip has been put in my arm and we are already to go for 9 am tomorrow morning (Tuesday).

I may even be able to walk again on Christmas day.

GOOD LUCK, mate.

I hope all goes well with the op, Mate. I shall have a drink for you on the train up to Udon on Wednesday evening and look forward to seeing you safe and well before too long.

God sped mate and I hope the op goes well and you can get back up on your feet real soon.

Good luck Memock, hope all goes well for you