Failed back surgery syndrome & Arachnoiditis

Failed back surgery syndrome or FBSS is a generic term used for any back surgery that is not deemed a success. Funny thing is that in my reading up on this they say that a common treatment for FBBS is epidurals which are a known cause of arachnoiditis.

Almost seems as if you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. I was in pain before the surgery but at least I was able to work. Don't get me wrong, I am not mad or upset that I am where I am but it does suck from time to time.

The most common causes of arachnoiditis are iatrogenic with Iatros meaning physician in Greek and genic meaning induced. This may be one of the reasons this problem is so under diagnosed. I mean what doctor would want to admit that something they did would be this devastating. Like I have said before, this can be induced by a number of things like surgery, epidural steroid injections and myleograms. There are other causes like menegitis and even TB as well as blood making it's way into the spinal fluid.

I had all the above procedures done and not once during the tie I was having them do I recall the possibility of arachnoiditis being mentioned. Doctors may be facing higher malpractice premiums but what about the patients like myself who know face a life of pain? How about the life of having to get up and take meds all day long just to get through it? Worse, how about never being able to play with my kids like I used to be able to?

I am still fairly healthy and am trying to stay ahead of the arch. by going to the gym when I can and riding the bike and doing some light weights. It helps but at the same time I pay for it the next day or so. The movement iritates the arch. which in turn obviously causes more pain. On the COFWA website the say

One doctor has likened the pain of AA to that experienced in cancer, but without the relief of death. Indeed, some sufferers become suicidal due to the unrelenting pain and the neurological deficits they experience.

Now I don't know all about the suicidal part but I guess I could see someone thinking that was the only way to end their pain. I would have to believe though that those who consider that option would have to be those who suffer far worse then I. It is the "like cancer without the relief of death" that got my attention.

I am sure that as time goes on my arch. will get worse as we caught mine in what appears to be the early stages. I was diagnosed less then 1.5 years from the surgery date and within 2 years of the first epidural. Seems that most of the reading I have done has people being diagnosed further along then that as well they say in some cases it could take 20 years for the symptoms to show and be diagnosed. Again though I would think that to be the extreme edge with people being like myself and diagnosed in the first several years.

Quality of life is always a consideration for people with arachnoiditis. Both the patient and the family. I try to keep up with them but sometimes things that used to be simple tasks like walking for long distances are now more difficult. When I was in Junior High School I started running cross country. I was running 6 minute miles when I was in 7th grade. By the time I left the Army I was smoking the PT run (2 miles) in low 11's and on occasions sub 11 minutes. Big change from those days. I never really liked to run, I was just good at it and could go long distances without problem. Now walking 1 mile hurts. Just one more thing I guess I took for granted was that I would always be able to run like that.

Enough for this evening.