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Suggest Treatment For Adhesive Arachnoiditis
Question: I was diagnosed with severe adhesive arachnoiditis in 1999 after innumerable medical traumas to my back, including two Harrington rods when I was 15 yrs old for the treatment of a double-curve scoliosis, MANY epidural steroid injections, and three weighted myelograms within an eighteen month period, one of which left me hospitalized because they tilted with my head down and the XXXXXXX reached my brain. Since 1999 I have been totally disabled. I have, periodically, had hot flashes and night sweats. But now, for the last several months, they have been continuous and debilitating. My days are awful; my nights are a waking nightmare. I know that AA can cause problems with your body's "thermostat". I have had my thyroid checked and everything seems fine there. WHAT can I do, pro-actively, to make this either go away, or at least lessen?? I am MISERABLE!!
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I am sorry about your condition. Adhesive arachnoiditis can unfortunately be very difficult and frustrating to treat representing a challenge for any doctor.
The hot flashes and night sweats that you report are not so much a disorder of the central thermostat rather than due to involvement of the autonomic nervous system which regulates sweating and temperature, which impairment can lead to intolerance to heat, increased sweating or in other cases actually reduced sweating.
As I said it is difficult to treat but anticholinergic drugs can be tried like amitriptyline and glycopyrrolate. Amitriptyline can also be useful for your chronic pains for which it is commonly indicated.
While I make this recommendation for arachnoiditis related autonomous dysfunction I would like to ask also whether menopause has also been considered. I suppose you or your doctors must have thought of that since it's so common, but in case you haven't that possibility should be considered at your age as it is one of the most common consequences of menopause which could be helped by substitute hormonal treatment or antidepressants.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I am sorry about your condition. Adhesive arachnoiditis can unfortunately be very difficult and frustrating to treat representing a challenge for any doctor.
The hot flashes and night sweats that you report are not so much a disorder of the central thermostat rather than due to involvement of the autonomic nervous system which regulates sweating and temperature, which impairment can lead to intolerance to heat, increased sweating or in other cases actually reduced sweating.
As I said it is difficult to treat but anticholinergic drugs can be tried like amitriptyline and glycopyrrolate. Amitriptyline can also be useful for your chronic pains for which it is commonly indicated.
While I make this recommendation for arachnoiditis related autonomous dysfunction I would like to ask also whether menopause has also been considered. I suppose you or your doctors must have thought of that since it's so common, but in case you haven't that possibility should be considered at your age as it is one of the most common consequences of menopause which could be helped by substitute hormonal treatment or antidepressants.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you so much for your response! Yes, I have considered menopause, but I went through that several years ago after a hysterectomy. So I am left with believing this is related to my adhesive arachnoiditis. You gave me a couple of prescription names I can ask my doctor about when I see her in September. 'Til then, I guess I'll just keep melting!!! (LOL) Thank you so much, again, for your answer to my question about hot flashes and night sweats! Sincerely, XXXX
Brief Answer:
Thank you.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your feedback XXXX. It's nice to see that you can laugh about it, I understand how difficult it must be. I sincerely hope you will get better soon.
Thank you.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your feedback XXXX. It's nice to see that you can laugh about it, I understand how difficult it must be. I sincerely hope you will get better soon.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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