Dear Rachel,
Sorry, but it is true ... there is no cure for
arachnoiditis. Expert surgeons havae tried to fix that problem inside the
spinal cord and have only ended up making the patient WORSE. I have had
arachnoiditis for three years now, and much back problems for 25 years
before that. I only have had a total of 2 back operations - a L-5 to
sacrum fusion in 1986 and an operation to relieve stenosis on right side of
L-4 in 2002 ( in Albuquerque, NM ) which is where the surgeon somehow
punctured my spinal cord... causing the arachnoiditis. I cannot use a
walking cane- because I don't get up off the floor much to walk period....
Just exersice and get on the right meds ( which is hard to do ) ... Normal
doctors don't know much about arachnoidits. My left toes hurt also. Good
luck. don


>From: "racjbrook" <rjbrook2001@...>
>Reply-To: Arachnoiditis@yahoogroups.com
>To: Arachnoiditis@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Arachnoiditis] A newbie! looking for advice
>Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2006 21:44:41 -0000
>
>First of all let me begin by telling you all a little bit about me –
>more so my mum. It is my mum who suffers from arachnoiditis - I do not.
>
>We both suffered from slipped discs -- for my mum it must have been in
>the early 90s (she is 54 now). And me, I had a slipped disc back in 97
>(I am 26 now). We both had the disc dissolved and I am 100% and my mum
>is not. She never was. She was diagnosed with arachnoiditis after her
>second operation. She can't work - and she hasn't since the accident.
>My mum was a nurse and she first hurt herself lifting a patient.
>
>I come here - because my mum just keeps getting worse. She is a pillar
>of strength and it is rare that you will really hear her complain
>about the pain or the severity. But I know it is getting worse. For
>the last 8 years her pain has just been down her left leg but now it
>is in both legs and even her toe. I think my involvement heightened
>when she started talking about a walking stick. This just devastates
>me as she has always been young and full of life in my eyes - even
>despite her pain and disability.
>
>From reading a few of the messages that have been posted here - you
>are the experts. Is it true that there is no cure? Is there anything I
>can look into that may soften her pain or stop it progressing any
>further? A lot of you guys have had multiple operations (more than my
>mum). Are there operations you can have to try to alleviate the
>condition?
>
>Please reply with all and any suggestions. My mum thinks it is a lost
>cause and -- well I just don't want to believe that.
>
>Thank you in advance for your help and emails - Rachel
>
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