JAO

Yes, I’m taking immuno-suppressants, Sulfasalazine daily and Cosentyx once monthly.
Yes, the lumbar CT is as follows:

T12-L1 and L1-L2: no canal or foraminal stenosis is seen.

L2-L3: there is a shallow disc bulge but no canal stenosis. Hypertrophic degenerative changesof the left facet are seen. No neural foraminal stenosis is demonstrated.

L3-L4: there is a shallow disc bulge and mild ligamentum flavum thickening but no canal stenosis. Disc bulge, endplate osteophytes, and facet arthropathy contribute to mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis.

L4-L5: a right hemilaminectomy defect is seen. There is a broad-based disc osteophyte complex which contributes to mild canal stenosis. Disc osteophyte in conjunction with facet arthropathy contributes to moderate to severe right and moderate left neural foraminal stenosis.

L5-S1: there is mild facet arthropathy which contributes to mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis. No central canal stenosis is seen.

No paravetebral massis visualized. The paravetebral musculature appears within normal limits. Spinal stimulator is seen in the soft tissues.

Impression: Multilevel degenerative changes which are most prominent in the facet joints. Most severe degenerative changes are seen at L4-L5 where mild central canal stenosis, moderate to severe right, and moderate left neural foraminal stenosis are seen.

Do you see anything problematic in the Thoracic MRI I pasted initially?

The pain is just left of what I would call my spine. So it’s not far left, like the flank pain I had when I had a kidney infection once. It’s close to my spine, but to the left of it. I’m sure the stiffness and the SI joint pain I struggle with at times is from the AS. I typically get bi-lateral SI joint injections twice a year and they do help. I was negative for HLA-B, but do have elevated CRP. Last test done in August was 37, and it’s been as high as 49. Last ESR done April was the highest at 28. I have pain in peripheral joints as well as axial. Right now my elbows are really flaring.

The toothache type pain is almost as high up as my waist height. At times there is a spot to the left of the spinous process that is very tender if you push on it. In July I had some facet joint injections in L2/3, L3/4, L4/5 because I have DDD and a bulging disc in my lumbar too. That pain Doc said, “Judy, if this doesn’t really help your pain, we need imaging of your thoracic spine.” Standing and sitting aggravates this pain. But there are many nights when I’m laying in bed and my back just hurts and hurts. I have pain at times in my left groin, hip, and front of thigh. I’ve also started having pain on the outside of both calves. That particular calf pain is new for me. Overall, the leg pain is more of an inconvenience. The pain in my back is debilitating. I am working on a disability claim with the SSA and had an FCE done last winter. I know I’m limited, but it was difficult to read the long list of all the things the medical professional said I can’t do in a sustained effort. Can’t sit or stand more than 15-20 minutes. Can’t walk a city block. Can’t lift xx pounds to chest height, or over my head, etc. My world has become very small and the couch and my ice packs are my new best friends.