I need some information and help

[Guest guest]

Dear a and GIna and all memeber of the group,

I have been diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease and RA since I

was 32, It has been quite difficult because I used to be a school

teacher , have three degrees and two masters and ws injured at work )

l4-l5, L5-S1. No workers Comp. was filed and to make a very long

story short i had to continue working for six months despite being in

horrific pain and suffering from paralysis of the kneas down and

incredible sciatic pain. Enventially I could not take it,I had two

surgeries and had to wait 6 months to apply for my Private Disability

insurance which I had bee n paying for while applying for SSD at the

same time. I did not get a lawyer , even though I was young and was

overly educated. I was also dx with RA and after almost 2 years I

finally won my SSD. I was also dx with degenerative disc disease.

It has been a down hill spiral ( to top it off I met the love of my

life who has Severe Degenrative Disc Disease and scherederma. ( Plus

i am also developing sumptoms of thinkening of the skin, dry mouth

and eyes etc) I have not had continous treatment by a rheumy b/c in

the Keys where I live to find any doctor is a small miracle let alone

a good one. We have a gorgeous 3 year old son.

I go to a pain Management Doctor in Miami as does my husband and for

about 3 months i have developed severe neck pain radiating down my

shoulders all the way to my trigger fingers. My lower back has beeen

on firs, I have experienced weekness and paralysis in my arms and

hands, weaknes in my legs where they buckle and the same sleepy pin

prickly feeling. My Pain Management doctor just ordered some MRi's

and I could not believe how many degenret\ive changes had occurred

since my last MRI. I have a total of 6 bulging disc between , my neck

and lowar lumbar and five HNP between the tow areas but what is most

worrisome is that the tests showed significant suspician of discitis

I an infection of the disc space) I have been in unrelenting pain,

continue having nero;ogical symptoms etc. My questions are: 1) is

there anything in the literature that connects RA with degenerative

disc disease and scherederma ( aftr all degenerative disc disease is

a connective tissue disease) 2) what is discitis and what should I

do . to giver you an idea of how bad the doctors are here the MRI

reports were never sent to my PCP or the Pain Management doctor and

they had both asked for it. My PM Dr. is noew suffering from sever

back pain and is only seeing 3 patients a days and is way behind on

his cases ( for the first time since he usually works 12 hour days)

Any more information out there on discitis and reasons why i may have

it. The pain in unrelenting especially at night and in the morning?!

I also have 3 fractures in my neck.

Sorry to ramble it is quite oainfuk to type.

Hugs,

Jacquie