A woman who struggled with back pain for months was told it was just bad posture—but then an MRI scan revealed the shocking truth.
Like many people, Lauren Wagner thought her back ache was caused by hunching over a desk all day long for work. Wagner, of Ontario, Canada, told Newsweek that she “didn’t think much of it” because the problems started in 2020, just when most office employees transitioned to remote working.
As she didn’t have the same ergonomic setup at home, Wagner, 29, assumed that was the reason for her back pain. But, as the months went by, it became more debilitating, so Wagner went to the doctor to get a second opinion.
Unfortunately, they agreed that it was just bad posture and nothing more.
“I believed the doctors at first because my workstation at home wasn’t ergonomically friendly. But, once I got a new chair and made other changes, it quickly became evident that wasn’t the issue,” Wagner said.
“The pain was constant and getting worse, no matter what adjustments I made. I figured my posture could’ve been better, but, deep down, I knew it couldn’t explain the level of discomfort I was in,” she continued.
Not only was Wagner struggling with severe back pain, but after a few months, she started to develop numbness and weakness in her arms and hands. Her grip strength was also significantly reduced by this point.
As she didn’t feel as if medical professionals were taking her concerns seriously, Wagner arranged to see a chiropractor instead. Indeed, she was “very concerned” about the pain Wagner was experiencing and referred her for scans.
“She sent me for X-rays, which didn’t show anything alarming. So, she strongly recommended an MRI, which I had in August 2020, and that’s when they found a large destructive mass on my spine,” Wagner said.
The MRI scan also highlighted just how much damage had been caused by the spinal tumor. It had collapsed Wagner’s vertebrae and was growing into her spinal cord.
She said: “I was definitely overwhelmed and scared, but, honestly, the biggest emotion I felt was relief. Finally having an answer validated what I had been feeling all along.”
Wagner was diagnosed with giant cell tumor of bone, rare and aggressive but noncancerous. They typically grow at the end of long bones in the body, such as the end of the femur, upper end of the tibia, or close to the knee joint.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says that most giant cell tumors affect patients between the ages of 20 and 40, only occurring in one out of every 1 million people per year.
The origin of these tumors is unknown, but they commonly cause pain in the affected area and in the nearby joint. While the pain may start off mild, it usually gets worse as the tumor grows. In some instances, the bone is so weakened that it can break.
Wagner’s case was considered very complex since the tumor was growing in the spine. She was referred to one of the only spinal surgeons in Canada who was willing to treat her.
Wagner was given medication to stop the tumor’s growth and to calcify it, which would make it easier to surgically remove. The treatment lasted for almost a year before she could finally undergo surgery in August 2021.
“It was an extremely extensive 23-hour spinal surgery to remove the tumor and reconstruct my spine from C2 to T6,” Wagner said. “Unfortunately, I experienced serious complications afterward, including bleeding on my spine, upper extremity and vocal cord paralysis, pneumonia, and sepsis.”
In the six months after the first surgery, Wagner underwent five more complex spinal procedures to address the complications. She also had two hand surgeries, one in 2022 and the other in 2023, due to the severe nerve damage that happened as a result.
Her first spinal surgery involved inserting a metal plate into her spine; unfortunately, things went awry when it “tore through” Wagner’s esophagus and she developed sepsis. She added emergency surgery to her lengthy tally as the hardware needed to be removed swiftly, and the infection cleaned out.
“It was one of the most terrifying parts of my journey,” Wagner said.
It is likely that Wagner may need further surgeries in the future, but for now, she is trying to adapt to her new normal. She is monitored closely for any signs of recurrence and to ensure the spinal fusion is stable.
Wagner has been tumor free for almost four years, although she lives with chronic pain, migraines, and nerve damage in her hands. Nonetheless, she is “grateful to still be here” after her devastating diagnosis.
As she recovers from her rare spinal tumor, Wagner has started documenting her journey on social media (@laurenwaggs on TikTok) to raise awareness. It has provided her with an incredible platform to share her story and connect with others.
“When I was first diagnosed, I felt extremely alone. I wanted to be a beacon of hope for others going through difficult journeys, because I know how isolating it feels. Over time, I’ve realized how important it is to raise awareness, especially for rare diseases, chronic illness, and conditions like sepsis,” Wagner said.
“Knowledge really is power, and the more we talk about these things, the more likely people are to recognize warning signs. We know our own bodies best, and it’s so important to keep pushing for answers when something doesn’t feel right.”
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