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Any Doctors in the house?

Outcast

Outcast

ATPSS
Or anyone who knows how to speak radiologist? The VA took some X-Ray's a month ago, and I just went down to ask for the report... Though I cannot understand a word about it.....
Can anyone help me out on this one? I am very confused, and internet searching is just making me more confused and frustrated... I do not want to make it out worse than it is....lol
 
I work in radiology- I'll take a whack at it if you like. If I can't handle it, I can have a rad translate on Monday.
 
Did you talk to the doctor that ordered it? Generally the reports are written for them, they should be able to help you decode it.
 
Yeah, except you have to wait for freaking ever, in most cases, and they are hard to get a hold of, and you have to wait till your next appointment, in four weeks. (Can you tell I have a problem with not getting instant results??)
 
I have not been able to get in touch with my doctor, though I do see him again in a month or so... Hopefully he will be able to shed some light on the xrays, CT scan, and ultrasound...
 
The wait is very frustrating. I had an US last week, and was in having the rad of my choice read it within minutes. I got a very in-depth reading. When I went for the follow-up at the GI doc, he said "I suppose you already know your US results?" And I even got to discuss some things the radiologist had mentioned. It's _so_ nice to get instant results. That's what I like about my job in particular; the radiologist is right there and tells the patient/parents what is seen, right away.

Now I had a biopsy a couple years ago, and waited FOUR weeks for the results, and even then, had to call and inquire. It was nerve wracking.
 
I finally saw someone for my back. An Orthopedic surgeon, Apparently I was born with part of my lower spine fused to my pelvis at least that is what I think it is, and it formed a false joint. I was told that normally people born with this, if they make it past their 18th birthday with no problem, never experience any kind of discomfort. But, "that was before we sent you over seas and put you in a turret" ~Doc Whats-his-name.....
Basically I aggravated the area, and nearly two years later, with a full year of not doing much in hopes the pain would go away, it is still bothering me.

Well, he is going to put me on Neproxin again and have me do some exercises, which are more like a stretch. And, in 6 weeks I am to go back and see him. If nothing has changed, I may need to have some pretty extensive surgery to fix my freakishness...

I really hope that the pain goes away, I do not like going under the knife, for anything.... but, if it would help me out in the long run and get rid of this horrible pain I have on an almost daily basis, I will do it.
 
Outcast said:
I finally saw someone for my back. An Orthopedic surgeon, Apparently I was born with part of my lower spine fused to my pelvis at least that is what I think it is, and it formed a false joint. I was told that normally people born with this, if they make it past their 18th birthday with no problem, never experience any kind of discomfort. But, "that was before we sent you over seas and put you in a turret" ~Doc Whats-his-name.....
Basically I aggravated the area, and nearly two years later, with a full year of not doing much in hopes the pain would go away, it is still bothering me.

Well, he is going to put me on Neproxin again and have me do some exercises, which are more like a stretch. And, in 6 weeks I am to go back and see him. If nothing has changed, I may need to have some pretty extensive surgery to fix my freakishness...

I really hope that the pain goes away, I do not like going under the knife, for anything.... but, if it would help me out in the long run and get rid of this horrible pain I have on an almost daily basis, I will do it.
Click to expand...

You mean you have L5 fusion? (I guess that would technically be called L5-S1 fusion, what I am referring to.)
 
This is what the report said...
AP' bilateral obliques, lateral and lateral spot of L5-S1.

Mild rotoscoliosis to the left. Satisfactory alignment of vertebral bodies. Transitional sacralized S1 with bilateral pseudarthrosis formation and spina bifida occulta defect. Mild rtoscoliosis to the left. Normal facets. The disc spaces are maintained. No spondylosysis and spondylolisthesis.


Impression: Mild rotoscoliosis. Transitional sacralized L5 with pseudarthrosis formation. Sclerosis of pseudarthrosis, right.

I am not good with medical jargon, but that is the gist of what the radiologist put on the report. The orthopedic guy told me that I had inflamed a false joint in my back area... which makes sense to me since the pain originates just off the right of my spine...
 
Cool. I am no expert (wait for Nanci's info) but it sounds like to me you have some degree of fusion of your last lumbar vertebra to your sacrum. It's not that uncommon and doesn't make you a freak. But it does make your back hurt, as you know. I have a friend who was studying this particular defect in some population where it has a really high incidence. Before he finished his dissertation he'd realized that he had it. :) I don't recall if he had surgery, but I'll probably see him next week. If I do, I'll ask him about his recovery experience for you.
 
The orthopedic guy told me that if I had made it past my 19th birthday without it bothering me, it probably would have never bothered me at all. But, since I joined the military and got pin balled in the turret/truck all over Afghanistan. It aggravated my back and with some hopes and prayers coupled with doing what he wants me to do, I will not have to have the surgery. I just don't want to have back problems for the rest of my life.
It will be nice to hear what your friends experience was with this.
 
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