Attn: MD and Medical Professionals; advice for spinal condition, please?

At 38, I have severe disk degerative desease throughout spine, where two disks at bottom of spine pretty close to vertebrae fusion as well as cervical herniated disk with degeneration, and also other multiple herniated disk. I have severe peripheral neuropathy, and saw a neurosurgeion, and he said he didn't think I was a candidate that was good for surgery. I am dying in pain, and my career as a writer and reporter has halted. I live alone and have difficulty sitting up very long with pain. I am desperate for someone to tell me more than my doctor has: pain management and a nursing home. Help!

First, I am not a medical professional, so take this for what it is worth:

Its important for you to understand why the neurosurgeon believes you are not a good candidate for surgery. Write down all of the questions that you have, and ask them the next time you talk to your doctor. There is no way to know what options are available to you without knowing why you were advised against surgery. Possibly, you are precluded from some of the surgical techniques because you have low bone density (osteoporosis), spinal rheumatoid arthritis, or maybe there is some other type of limitation.

If you have osteoporosis, You might benefit from visiting an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in spinal treatments. An orthopedic specialist may look a things a little differently than a neurosurgeon. If osteoporosis is excluding you from surgery, he/she may be able to stop or reverse the problem, and open up some surgical options.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may benefit from see a rheumatologist, who might have even another perspective on your treatment options.

There are also a number of medical centers around the country that specialize in treating spinal problems. These places usually use a team approach that involves specialists in several different fields. You might ask any of the doctors you talk to if they can recommend one of the specialized centers. You can also locate some by searching on the web.

You might also talk to the doctor about managing the pain so you can participate in physical therapy. Nearly all spine rehabilitation benefits from exercise - which may be nothing more than some simple range-of-motion exercises, or just floating in a swimming pool. Some hospitals have therapy pools and special programs for spinal rehabilitation. From your message, it looks like the pain might be too much to even think about exercise, but if there is any way to control the pain enough to participate in physical therapy, this might also be an option.

I hope something works out for you.

You're in a rather bad situation, since with surgery and rods, the pressure simply increases above and below your areas of rod attachment(s) further compormising the integrity of your spine. This is why you are not considered a good surgical candidate---at least not at the present..... You have several options:
Firstly, if you are not already of Fosamax (better than Boniva) you ought to be. You need to rebuild your spine, and Fosamax is great at adding density, though it is a lifelong process. Secondly, there are pain management specialists that can equip you with a morphine pump pain delivery system that is quite effective. At 38 you are young, and you are looking at increased vertebral collapsing unless you can get this to reverse somewhat. Interestingly, bone mass will increase with stress, but as you have stated, your pain is such that you cannot stress your spine. And as you know your peripheral neuropathy is being caused by your collapsing vertebrae. There are some procedure using vertebral fusing, cadaver bone, etc., and the success rate varies..... they are none even 90 percent successful.

In your place, I would begin Fosamax, and seek the advise of a pain management specialist. I would also consult with an orthopedist that did just spinal surgery, so some research on the web for spinal surgeons, and get some recommendations for some physical therapy.

What you cannot do, is just sit, and give your spine no stress, nor not add to it with drug therapy (Fosamax)...The rate of osteo-degeneration will simply continue... and of course you wish it to stop, and hopefully to get it to reservse somewhat..... At present, this is about all that is out there that I am aware of.

Two words: SECOND OPINION

You might try a large teaching hospital, where they are more willing to do aggressive surgery.

Good luck.