COPD & Spine Comorbidity and More ! Crazy Crazy
Well folks, I never thought about Degenerative Disc Decease (DDD) being a comorbidity until this last month. It is? How? Well it appears that the problems of muscle / nerve twitching and pain from the shoulders to waist along with multiple issues in my arms, is all being caused by an invasion of bulging / protruding disc into the main spinal canal in many places of the cervical area of the spine, not the COPD. Wait, the lumbar spine is doing the same thing effecting my legs. Did not even consider the nerves when dealing with COPD, but yes those in the C-spine area that is being damaged is trying to run my lungs and diaphragm also. Never even occurred to me how this DDD could effect other parts of my body, duh on me! What can be done, shots for pain / inflammation, surgery is not an option at this time because of the condition of the lungs, of course!
Now lets throw another Monkey Wrench in there. It was time for my 3 month CT scan on my lungs following the cancer treatments and remission of last year. 6 months remission? Well the CT came back with problems of either scar tissue or recurrence of cancer. PETscan ordered - ouch, bronchoscopy with biopsy this last Friday! Cancer... Wonder how all this will put a twist in to the treatment for everything else, many meds don't mix well with chemo and radiation.
Pity party only lasted a few days, new houseplants were gotten from a nursery that was neglected so rehabbing these new babies I got is what is important at this moment in time until all the Doctors that be get together between the 25th and 30th of this month. At that time I will have all the answers to the many many questions I have. Oh Malted Ice cream Shakes are helping too!
Good news, breathing is still good, no changes to my "normal", feeling pretty good though overall physically!
Has anyone else ever think of how the spine can effect the rest of our bodies?
I have similar upper back issues. Never thought it could affect my copd. Thanks for your post.
sorry it took so long to reply, but life is what it is. I did want to mention that some issues in the C-spine can cause muscle & nerve cramping/contractions in the torso, from neck to just below the waist. Keep in mind though that so can many other medical issues, I hope you are able to get checked to verify what is causing you grief, it's worth doing in my eyes. Best to you!
Doris, I had no idea about the spine's connection to COPD, but the way you explain it makes sense. I also think about the need for proper posture and how that can be difficult with spine/neck issues. It's too bad you can't look into surgery -- I have heard from family and friends that the rehab is very hard but it does help with the pain. Hopefully the medication option will bring you some comfort.
And UGH, so sorry about your scans. I will cross my fingers and toes and say a prayer that it's just scarring. You know we're here for ya. Pity party is absolutely allowed, but it's great that you're doing things that bring you joy and focusing on that. I planted vincas, drought-friendly flowers, in front of my house but they are tiny and sad looking this year. I wonder what happened. I'm trying to breathe some life into them.
Anyway ... keep on keeping on, my friend. Today you are breathing well and feeling alright, and so it's a good day. Have a peaceful weekend and let us know what the doctors say when you hear. Gentle hugs. -Melissa, team memberLike your Bingo Card idea, Is getting a Bingo bad or good? Surely I would not want to do "cover all". Sorry you weren't feeling good, oh Covid is out right now surprising everyone a little early this year. Glad you were able to rest through it and hoping you are doing better. Debby there huh, oh boy, we are lucky she turned a little sharper east for we were in the outer loops path at one point, usually just some rain at that point. OH you hang on if you are tight if you are in the heavy rain areas, looks to be somewhat wicked they say. NO root rot, not acceptable! You take care, stay dry if you can! Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers. 0000 Doris thank you, yes nice to hear / read those words. Steroid shots, have had so many in my left shoulder, hip and a couple in the knee, loved everyone of them. If this works on the back and gives relief it is all worth it. I do see a Neurosurgeon on the 29th also, yip weeks to get in there, hoping its worth the wait. Thanks for being you, appreciate all the admin' and moderator do here!
Geez! It sounds a lot like the ever-more-complicated mess I am also dealing with! Actually, my COPD has been behaving, at least some (except for the Saharan dust, and Canadian and Mexican fire smoke drifting over us here). My prostate cancer spread to my C-spine - C-2 specifically. Peachy. The cancer is all in full remission now, but this week I came down with a stomach bug that has had me puking my guts up, as well as my intestines. Now that is finally letting up, but I have lost some weight. But all of that put a serious strain on my neck. Also, my spine continues to try and push my throat further closed, so that I am going through more applesauce daily, just to take my meds, and it is becoming more difficult to swallow food. So I've not been hungry much, or eaten much, or had as much energy, or been able to get much done around here. However, my new Latex mattress and pillow have made a huge difference in my neck pain, as I am now able to sleep in much more comfort! I am sleeping much better overall. It was expensive, but way, way worth it!!!
Also, my "twitchies" have also gotten more worser and more pronounced. Enough to worry my cat more, so that she wants to be touching me all the time when we're in the bed, and mostly sleeps on my chest or by my side with full contact. She is never more than a couple of feet away. It is mostly all in my arms and hands now. So I have spillitis, and klutzitis as well as dropsy. I now have to wear my shoes whenever up and around in order to avoid foot damage. I have to use my walker all the time from the dizziness, but I have not fallen at all, so I have become more skilled at that now.
Luckily, so far no lower back issues. Possibly some diaphragm issues, as I have constant hiccups, but I also have the hiatal hernia, so there's that. I will say that all the puking over the last several months has strengthened my stomach muscles. Also, my most recent PT class was on leg and stomach/diaphragm strength, so I am improved there.
The report I got last week at my quarterly all-day Texas Oncology visit showed that my overall cancer reading is holding firm at .1. So, literally undetectable. That was the good news. The bad news was that I will have to continue taking all the chemo for the rest of my life. So, from this point, I will have to strive to become stronger and more capable than I am right now against that undertow. But I'm working on it. Some weeks are better than others. Right now my worst COPD issue is all the air pollution and storms. Of course, any or all of this stuff could and very well might change in a heartbeat, so there's that. I will pray for you, young lady, and maybe, if you have time, you can pray for me. Love and hugs!!!
I am always so impressed with your ability to keep trucking along! That sounds like quite the exhausting adventure but hopefully you will be able to get some rest today! Best, Sam S. (COPD team). Hi! Glad you were able to make the trip, despite those bumps in the road. Paratransit is very often a crap shoot. Sometimes I have a perfect trip with no issues, and other days, the van is SO late, or it takes me 2 hours to get to a location that's 30 minutes by car. Ugh. I would think that Texas Oncology would have oxygen available, right? Would it be possible to talk to them ahead of your next trip, to see if you can use their oxygen until it's time to go? That way your POC can chill out and you could wait inside until the van comes? I'm sure you're not the first person to struggle with overheating equipment, especially in Texas. I'll keep thinking about this. In the meantime, you are doing so well with adapting to all your new tech! Keep taking good care of yourself and stay cool! -Melissa, team member
Oh man, so sorry you had an ugly adventure! Then for Big Red to get scratched up and YOU injuring your foot and shoe, what is up with that? Wow, glad at least you were able to get some soup down you and your meds picked up.. Love soup at this house! When I make it, it's always a big pot and we end up freezing it in single helpings for those days that we feel like ****., or just lazy LOL. You know plan B's aren't bad, most of the time they seem to work just fine, I wish you luck of course with it.
As for my stuff, lucked out the 2nd biopsy results are in and the lesion / tumor they looked at was in the upper right, non-malignant atypical tissue. What does this mean now, well the doctors are more then likely confused. Will have to wait until the 8th & 15th for their outlook on things again. Darn chemicals had to show up reacting in my upper body, tons of inflammation too! Seen the Pain Doctor, funny they state no strong pills, but that was the first thing he offered me, I asked about steroid shots first. He thought I might be allergic to all steroids, but no so far just the prednisone. So hope these will give relief, but it will be what it will be. It is not the pain, it is all the antics that my body is doing. At least I laugh at myself about things that happened with hand tumors and the "sleep" stage of my legs and arms feel.
Well sir, I need to get some sleep. Get your rest also!!!
Chat later,gee's no breaks for you either. Glad Ryan and wife were able to come help. this heat we are all getting is a killer this year. Take care of yourself sir. What is it they call that -- Murphy's Law -- if something can go wrong it will? Goodness! Honestly, I am not super shocked, especially with how hot it's been this summer. I am up near Philly but our electric bills are higher than they've ever been, and lots of folks are seeing their AC give out. The heat finally eased up this week, so I can go back to just fans for a while. SO glad the kids were able to show up for you. You must have felt awful sitting in the heat for so long. Hopefully you're getting some of your energy back by now. And try to eat when you can! Most importantly, no more disasters. You and are done now for the rest of the year, at least! -Melissa, team member
