Discitis

That sounds awful Susan55. How did you contract an infection in your spine? Was it after an operation or a lumbar puncture?

DF had it. The pain was agonising. He certainly didn't get it after an operation or any invasive medical procedure as he had been living his usual busy life at home until it struck and he had not had any medical treatment for some months before hand.

Unfortunately, and purely coincidently, a heart problem he had, went critical at much the same time. The discitis was treated and dealt with but he died shortly after from the heart problem. He was 92.

Jane10 - it WAS awful! I was struggling with it for a full month before it was diagnosed and then I went straight into hospital. It seems I was very lucky not to be paralysed. It has, however, left me with pain and life no longer continues as it was before. I haven't had any operations but I did have a lumbar puncture many years ago. The doctors kept asking me why I thought I might have it and believe it must have been because my immune system was compromised. My life had been very stressful for some time before and I had several very minor infections earlier that year.

Monica, it sounds as if your DF was suddenly struck down with it in the same way as me. No warning at all!

Susan55 Yes, the onset of my father's discitis was sudden. I think he was probably in declining health because of his escalating heart condition so susceptible to any infection that came his way. Even when he was taken to hospital it took them several days to reach a secure diagnosis. But once the diagnosis was made and the antibiotics started, he gradually recovered, but he was kept in hospital for some weeks because initially he had to have an antibiotic drip because of the quantity of antibiotics needed and the doctors wanted to monitor him.