Back problems relating to Ulcerative Colitis/pouchitis?

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have two herniated discs in my low back and was wondering if anyone

else has back problems? If so, has anyone lost bone density due to

steroids or malabsorbtion? Also, does anyone notice when you eat,

once the food goes down to the lower G.I. area (in my case j-pouch)

that there is increased pressure and then you get back pain

indirectly? Also, does anyone get " phantom " pain from their (removed)

large intestine? Finally, is there anyone out there who thinks their

back problem could have been the root of their Ulcerative Colitis?

Here's the full story regarding my health issues/back:

1996: Broken wrists, mountain biking, external fixators

1996: Dx PSC via upper G.I. (ERCP). Treated with Actigall

1999: Dx UC, treated with high doses of steroids: 60mg for 1.5-2

years, 6mp for 2 months, Asacol for 3 years

October 2002/3: Fourth Colonoscopy (to check on UC), Macroperforation

during test, Immediate Emergency Abdominal surgery (total colectomy,

j-pouch surgeries, 3 steps)- woke up from first surgery and had

extreme sciatic pain in right leg. **Pain persisted in right leg for

several years.

June 2005: I was doing a lot of hiking over the summer (5-10 miles

per week). My right leg was still hurting at the time, then I moved

the wrong way and my back went into spasms. Severe debilitating pain

persisted for months.

During this time I started a relationship with a regular physician

and they did some electro stimulation to get it to stop spasming and

I started Flexeril/Vicodin. I also got set up with a home unit which

helped but very slowly, and not enough for significant improvement.

Then I saw a back doctor named Dr. Frey (Sweedish Spine Institute)

who took an xray of my back and said I had sciatica, but there was no

visible damage or disc ruptures. Spaces between vertebrae was

deemed " normal " . He prescribed physical therapy (Denver Physical

Therapy) where I finally got the back to stop hurting (spring 2006)

and these physical therapists were excellent. Unfortunately I was

still in a bit of pain and uncomfortable doing the exercises and so

had a lot of trouble with my home routine (I did very little back

exercises). But at least my back was finally not hurting!!

In the spring of 2006, the general physician also prescribed another

xray of my back and they noticed a small amount of erosion on some of

the vertebrae but my back looked healthy.

I also had a bone density scan done at Sweedish, which indicated my

bones were mostly osteopenia borderline osteoporosis. I was told to

take calcium/vitamin D by my gastroenterologist, which I started. The

interesting thing is that my bone density is osteoporosis in the

vertebrae around the herniated discs. Most of the rest of my body is

osteopenia.

In July 2006, I bought a bike and was riding with few troubles which

really helped to loosen up my leg muscles and I was doing fairly well

for a few months. I tried to ride as much as I could and rode about

100 miles (streets/trails) in a few months.

Then my back went out again in November, and I saw another back

doctor at Western Orthopedics (Dr. Birney) and he did an MRI of my

lower back. He found 2 herniated discs, the L4-L5 disc and the L5-S1

disc, causing moderately severe stenosis. One herniated to one side,

which formerly (not currently) was causing sciattic pain in my right

leg, the other herniated to the other side, causing my current pain

in my left leg/hip, and numbness in my toes. I think there is

diminished feeling and circulation in both of my feet.

In addition, I don't feel when my bladder is full (yes I told my doc

about this) and also get extreme back pain sometimes when I have to

go poop. The doctor had initially recommended a surgery which uses a

product called " dynasys " but now that he knows I have such a low bone

density, I may not be able to have the surgery, I have a follow-up

appointment with the back doc next week. I'm also " in the market " for

a second opinion, if anyone knows of someone in the downtown Denver

area.

Finally, I had a stool culture over the late summer that indicated a

high level overgrowth of klebsiella, citrobacter, and proteus

bacterias in my stool, as well as NO LACTOBACILLUS PRESENT. Which is

a surprise because I was eating yogurt and VSL3 every day. So I have

been on tannins and berberine to gently balance the gut out, and it

has been working great. I had previously been on a couple courses of

Flagyl and a couple courses of Cipro, but as soon as I would stop

taking them, I would get sick again really fast. But the infection is

much better than it was.

So I am at a point where I am sooooo debilitated by my back and not

able to go to work every day, not able to do dishes or other things

(walking/standing/sitting are all very painful and need to be

extremely limited right now). So I'm wondering what to do and looking

for answers to my questions (see first paragraph) to see if anyone

else can relate?

Thanks for your help!

Jarad

[Guest guest]

I've had UC since late 1977, but didn't develop any back problems until

1996, when I had a laminectomy for sciatic impingement (vertebra bone

overgrowth, pinching the nerve). The surgeon said I have the back of a 70

year old (degenerative vertebrae). Yippeee

Bone density is fine, well within the norm even though I used prednisone off

an on from 1989 to 1996 for asthma.

10 years later, I still run, bale hay, portage canoes, etc. - and do my back

exercises (mostly yoga, now).

Large bowel is still with me so I can't chime in on that. I can't see a

relation, other than UC, asthma, arthritis eczema and PSC are all considered

to be autoimmune diseases.

Arne

55 - UC 1977, PSC 2000

Alive and (mostly) well in Minnesota

________________________________

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of jarad_patko

Hi,

I have two herniated discs in my low back and was wondering if anyone

else has back problems? If so, has anyone lost bone density due to

steroids or malabsorbtion? Also, does anyone notice when you eat,

once the food goes down to the lower G.I. area (in my case j-pouch)

that there is increased pressure and then you get back pain

indirectly? Also, does anyone get " phantom " pain from their (removed)

large intestine? Finally, is there anyone out there who thinks their

back problem could have been the root of their Ulcerative Colitis?