Same here, re: height.  I used to be a solid 6'1".  Now, I'm barely 6'.

Got a question for y'all (Joy, you might be interested in this too, seeing
as how you've had related problems of late):

I've have pretty severe back pain/spasms for a few years and have been
seeing a pain specialist who has me on a handfull of narcotics and Zanaflex.
He had been doing some head scratching over my DX and I allowed that I'd not
had an MRI in a few years.  Doc agreed that imaging might help with DX, so
this is what the radiologist said after my lumbar MRI:

(Not the full text, but his synopsis--

"Diffuse disk bulges at L3-4 and L4-5, right lateral disk bulge at L1-2 and
right lateraldisk herniation at L2-3.  There is associated moderate spinal
stenosis at L1-2,L3-4,L4-5 with mild spinal stenosis at L2-3.  There is
encroachment of the right neural exit foramina from L1-2 through L4-5. There
is a minor disk protrusion at L5-S1."

Can someone help me unravel this DX and give me a bit of a prognosis (based
on experience)?  The ONE treatment option he offered was epidural injections
of cortico-steroids bi-weekly for three treatments, then see where we are at
this point. Have any of you had this treatment and/or similar DX?  If you've
had the epidural protocol, did you consider it a "success".  If you obtained
relief from pain/spasms, how long did this relief last?  Anybody take the
surgical route?

Thanks for the info!

-Kyle

-----Original Message-----
From: Barber, Kenneth L. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2001 6:57 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: where are y'all?


it would be interesting to lots of the people on the list to know what can
happen in ten years.

-----Original Message-----
From: Magenta Raine [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2001 2:37 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: where are y'all?


I was part of a CP and aging study recently, follow up from ten yrs ago ...
well, the biggest surprise was that I'm now only 5 ft 4 instead of 5 ft
6....
Must be my legs and or neck have shrunk.

The results of the overall study will be sent to me.

Love,
mag