Back issues anyone?

[TheBigCountry]

Laid up right now with some serious back issues. Was fighting some sharp back pain over the last year or so, with it going into my leg(s). Took Motrin and water, kept on going.

Wife had me try some chiropractor; didn’t seem to help much. She finally got me to go to a doctor and they said I got herniated and bulging discs in the L4/5. Great.

Well, in the last 2 weeks, it’s now advanced to I’ll be perfectly fine one minute, to I’ll feel this sharp, sudden pain/pop, then intense pain, my leg goes out, and I fall to the ground convulsing in pain. It takes anywhere from 5-10 minutes for it to go away/me contorting myself in a way that I can get back to my feet. It happened 3 times over the weekend and an ER trip to boot last night.

Im out of work now, they gave me a Px for some heavy narcotic pain pills (I’m not taking them), and I’m waiting for the spine specialists to call me in for an appt today or tomorrow.

Anyone else ever go through this? This sucks. Bad. Missing work, and not being able to do anything is pissing me off. That and the pain is making it 2x as bad. I’m hoping I don’t need surgery.

 

[Codiekfx400]

I am dealing with the exact same thing right now. Going in for a MRI on Wednesday. Doctors have been screwing me around for 3 months. I would recommend seeing a doctor who will send you to a spine specialist. Some chiropractors can also refer you to a spine specialist and that would be even faster. A injection in your back coupled with a inversion table will probably be what’s next for you.

 

[eddie102870]

2 years out of surgery at a laser spine institute, not fully healed but i can drive over 30 minutes now, have to stretch almost daily and can really tell when i put on weight. stretching is key and ice packs help too. sucks getting old. dont waste your time with injections. they wanted to put a spine stimulator on me and i decided to just hurt.

 

[TheBigCountry]

I am dealing with the exact same thing right now. Going in for a MRI on Wednesday. Doctors have been screwing me around for 3 months. I would recommend seeing a doctor who will send you to a spine specialist. Some chiropractors can also refer you to a spine specialist and that would be even faster. A injection in your back coupled with a inversion table will probably be what’s next for you.

Sorry to hear that, I’ve got the run-around too. I’ve had an MRI, Xray(s), CT scan. I’m hoping for some kind of relief; Mayo has a very good spine specialist I’m supposed to be seeing today or tomorrow, supposedly. I’m gonna look into this inversion table on my own to try to ease some of the discomfort.

 

[91Eunozs]

Yup... ruptured L4/L5 (parachute jump) and L5/S1 (ruck runs in combat boots, etc. and an adventurous life) left me in constant, almost debilitating pain. What complicated mine is that a piece of the old one on top (bulged disc actually calcified over time) fractured off and ‘pinched’ the nerve between the new lower ruptured disc and that little piece of what was essentially bone. Bad news.

I tried everything from the shots and TENS treatments to a back stretcher/inversion table and every traditional and non-traditional treatment including acupuncture (that actually helped much to my surprise). The only thing that will fix your sciatic pain is surgery.

period.

Getting the first back surgery likely saved my life. Seriously. I was in constant pain and the resultant lack of sleep gets to you over time...never more than an hour or so, and that only after a lot of pain pills and alcohol...that lifestyle messes with your head over time and it got so bad I actually contemplated some bad stuff to make it stop. The liver damage from the 8+ 800mg Motrins and drinking every day took a toll too.

My recovery nurse asked me if I remembered what I said when coming out of the general anesthesia...and of course I didn’t. She told me the first thing I said was “thank God, the pain’s gone”...and it was. It still aches and my back muscles are all jacked up from the scar tissue but I truly feel like I was reborn the day I got the 2 x microdiscectomies.

I had some complications that required a second surgery to repair a dural tear, but would do it a dozen times over to get the same result.

Do yourself a favor and find a good neural surgeon ASAP. Waiting is the wrong COA for this issue, trust me.

 

[TheBigCountry]

2 years out of surgery at a laser spine institute, not fully healed but i can driver over 30 minutes now, have to stretch almost daily and can really tell when i put on weight. stretching is key and ice packs help too. sucks getting old

I’ve got some pounds to loose, and I can tell it affects the back. I can’t go to the gym with this “injury”, so I’m going head first into Keto to try and drop a few. I know a few guys here have said it helped them drop weight, so I’m giving it a solid go.

 

[eddie102870]

I’ve got some pounds to loose, and I can tell it affects the back. I can’t go to the gym with this “injury”, so I’m going head first into Keto to try and drop a few. I know a few guys here have said it helped them drop weight, so I’m giving it a solid go.

yeah when i get close to 230 i can really tell it. as long as i stay around 210 im good

 

[TheBigCountry]

Yup... ruptured L4/L5 (parachute jump) and L5/S1 (ruck runs in combat boots, etc. and an adventurous life) left me in constant, almost debilitating pain. What complicated mine is that a piece of the old one on top (bulged disc actually calcified over time) fractured off and ‘pinched’ the nerve between the new lower ruptured disc and that little piece of what was essentially bone. Bad news.

I tried everything from the shots and TENS treatments to a back stretcher/inversion table and every traditional and non-traditional treatment including acupuncture (that actually helped much to my surprise). The only thing that will fix your sciatic pain is surgery.

period.

Getting the first back surgery likely saved my life. Seriously. I was in constant pain and the resultant lack of sleep gets to you over time...never more than an hour or so, and that only after a lot of pain pills and alcohol...that lifestyle messes with your head over time and it got so bad I actually contemplated some bad stuff to make it stop. The liver damage from the 8+ 800mg Motrins and drinking every day took a toll too.

My recovery nurse asked me if I remembered what I said when coming out of the general anesthesia...and of course I didn’t. She told me the first thing I said was “thank God, the pain’s gone”...and it was. It still aches and my back muscles are all jacked up from the scar tissue but I truly feel like I was reborn the day I got the 2 x microdiscectomies.

I had some complications that required a second surgery to repair a dural tear, but would do it a dozen times over to get the same result.

Do yourself a favor and find a good neural surgeon ASAP. Waiting is the wrong COA for this issue, trust me.

I’m kinda in the same boat; I told them I wasn’t jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, but the running in boots and humps, plus everything else added up I guess.

Im gonna ask them to not dick around and get it fixed, like now. I don’t want to be popping Motrin every 4 hours, and this is the worst timing ever with twins on the way. I’m in a holding pattern until the Docs call me to come in today.

 

[37L1]

I herniated a disc when I was 22. A long time ago. . . .

Had to deal with the "cure" of that time, short of surgery, which was 2 weeks in the hospital in traction, pain killers and muscle relaxants, physical therapy. Had to wear a metal and leather back brace for months after I could bear to stand, after 3 months of being bed ridden. It took years of going through the sciatica, muscle weakness and recurring bouts of back "going out" for no good reason. In all those travails, there were a few things that really helped with all this BS: keep the weight off , don't let your abs go soft, they do a lot to support your back, inversion therapy, (in those days it was hanging from your feet with special boots on a chin up bar, no Teeter), and stay as active as you can. Stress has a lot to do with bringing on back attacks, so try to manage that as best you can.

As long as I stay active and don't go "stupid", I've been literally free from the past back issues, but it took a long time.

I wish you luck with what you are going through. I was pissed that I had this when I was young, but believe it or not, it was probably a blessing in disguise.

 

[supercorndogs]

What adds up is not stretching over the years. I have been there, almost exactly. i spent two years refusing to let them cut me up. I finally found the right PT who got me squared away. The disk bulges and stuff weren't even the cause of my pain. Beyond the initial injury and pain that followed it. The nerve damage in one leg, caused weakening and spasms in muscles. The resulting "pop" followed by extreme pain was actually pelvic torsion from a weak gluteus muscle, and a very tight and strong hip flexer on the other side. Yoga/stretching, and butt work outs. Paying attention special attention to ham string, hip, and lower abdominal flexibility.

When I finlay found the right PT. He laughed that they were having me do all kinds of core exercises. He said "you are strong enough big guy, let get you some flexibility."

They had me doing lifts and chops in a standing position, and he said that is about the worst thing they could have done for someone with an unstable pelvis.

It got to the point my pelvis would pop so loud it could be physically heard when a spasm would send me into torsion.

 

[Romeo458]

I’ve got some pounds to loose, and I can tell it affects the back. I can’t go to the gym with this “injury”, so I’m going head first into Keto to try and drop a few. I know a few guys here have said it helped them drop weight, so I’m giving it a solid go.

I've got a friend who is badly over weaight and his job driving truck has also fubared his back. I got him a copy of Bulletproof diet and he started dropping weight without exercise.

My brother started this years ago and got me started. I dropped 30lbs so fast people were asking if I was sick or something.

Our food is what makes us fat. Good luck

The Bulletproof Diet, Paperback

A New York Times Bestseller, The Bulletproof Diet will change the way you think about weight loss and wellness. This is your blueprint to a better life.

shop.bulletproof.com

 

[Ranchhand]

I hope you get fixed up. Pain sucks.

 

[Porksboy]

Back pain Ive heard is the worst. I get rib heads out at the spine but I can usually twist my back and they go back in.
I know that one of the top laser back surgery clinics is in Florida. Had a Marine buddy go there and they fixed him right up.

 

[JimTN]

Best wishes for a good recovery.

I've had back issues for 2 decades or more, started out as a pinched sciatic nerve, would take a couple months for it to heal with the pain staying in hip/butt cheek area, and then slowly starting to move down the leg to the knee. Once it hit the knee, the pain would slowly go away until the next event. Now I have 2 or 3 discs headed south (degenerative disc disease), arthriitis in the lower back, etc. After I cut the yard with the ZTR, I usually sit on ice packs for 3-4 hrs to reduce the swelling, or anytime I'm active like washing the car/truck, etc.. Even going fishing on rough water days (windy) I usually have to pull out the ice packs as well just from the rocking boat motion, etc.

I've lost about 10#'s over the past yr, and no bad issues, and try to be active in some fashion everyday. I just avoid sitting in my easy chair all day long by doing almost anything that requires me to move around (even the crap I don't want to do) but it really helps me to avoid back issues.

 

[NE Codger]

Sorry to hear of your issues, get yourself to a qualified neuro surgeon ASAP, get the MRI and let them figure it out. I have 22 screws two rods and a plate in my neck and back, I Got the run around from many unqualified doc's before a client hooked me up with a great neurologist surgeon. Life is not what it use to be but its a hell of a lot better than suffering in pain.

I don't know where you are located but if in New England I can recommend a great surgeon or two.

Best of luck to you, and a healthy recovery.

 

[rangerlong]

+1 on going to a neurosurgeon.

I blew out my L5/S1 disc several years ago. Miserable pain, all day, every day. Waking up as soon as the pain meds wear off. The transition from laying down to standing was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced.
Coughing or sneezing would send searing pain shooting all the way through my toes.
The pain meds would take the edge off the pain, but getting on the elliptical actually took about 70% of the pain away while my legs were pumping.

My doctor referred me to a neurosurgeon, and more or less instantly after the surgery I was better. I was only in that kind of pain for about a month, but without the surgery option who knows where I’d be now. I couldn’t go on like that indefinitely with no hope of getting better though.

 

[The King]

Back pain Ive heard is the worst. I get rib heads out at the spine but I can usually twist my back and they go back in.
I know that one of the top laser back surgery clinics is in Florida. Had a Marine buddy go there and they fixed him right up.

Mine does that too after I got drilled in the back with a 5.56. Plate stopped it, but after that the rib heads are loose right over my heart region. It’s a cock.

 

[elwarpo]

Had the L4/L5 surgery in 2006 and have never looked back (pun intended). Went from constant pain (felt like 100 ice picks down my leg, to no pain.

 

[Roslyn]

Read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-B...14005880&sprefix=fix+your+own+,aps,221&sr=8-2

It isn't a cure, it is an approach that will help you manage back pain. Do what it recommends faithfully and you are likely to experience a major improvement in the frequency and level of back pain. The press ups in particular, difficult to do at first, will shift your L4/L5 problem. The body heals itself, that's what it does for a living. Give it a chance.

A second thing you might consider is to put up a pull up bar in a doorway, and try to simply hang from it. At first, you probably will have to, want to support your weight at least partially so the stretch in your back that occurs doesn't itself become painful. But this hanging by your hands will have the effect of decompressing the vertebrae, which takes some of the pressure off the material that is pushing into your spinal cord and causing the pain in L4/L5.

Finally, it will help a great deal if you can strengthen your abdominal core muscles, so you can maintain a neutral position with your pelvis which will keep the proper curve in the L4/L5 region, what they call lordosis. When the curve in your lower back is either too deep or too shallow, the pressure on the spinal cord increases. Being able to maintain a neutral position unconsciously will help.

Some people benefit from surgery, some don't, I have no opinion about it. Regardless, you will need to maintain your own back, the book might help.

 

[Adam B]

I was born without my L5, I had a spinal fusion with I was 17 and have been good ever since. I would go to a physical therapist, not a chiropractor and see if they can help you before you looked into having surgery. If you do have surgery consider a fusion, I had a buddy that had disk work done 3 times before they finally did a fusion and he is fine now.

 

[memtb]

Back issues can be a pain in the .....well a pain. I certainly wish you well with whatever treatment you get.

I had a bulged disc, was in constant, but not terrible, pain. Had surgery to fix......woke up in worse shape than before surgery. I had 6 months of sick leave, and with 6 weeks left, after 2 MRI’s, and 2 steroid shots in the spine, the Doctor says, “ Be in here Thursday (2 days), I’ll trim the new bulge.....you’ll be back at work in 5 to 6 weeks”! I told him, “No thanks, that’s what you said the first time”! I lived through 2 years of hell, building my sick leave back up, and then went to a different Dr., that was very highly praised.

I brought him all of my MRI’s, he looked at them, read the previous Radiology report and said....”This is not the first time I’ve seen this from this facility!” He explained, that I had a vertebrae mis-alignment......and fixing , the “again” bulged, disc would do no good! He said that re-aligning the vertebrae with fusion was the only answer. I was very concerned about future mobility, ect. He explained that I would be virtually pain-free....and my mobility would likely be better than at the present time.

I got the surgery..... 8 months later, I was dragging a moose down about 400 yards of fairly steep mountainside, by myself! That was 2012! Since then, I’ve done and continue to do more physical work than many folks my age!

Summary: “vett” your doctors very carefully! Take your MRI’s to 2 or 3 doctors and see if they agree on the injury and the treatment! Then, follow through, with the best educated process that you can develop! Many people have numerous, repeated back surgeries because the first doctor didn’t do it properly!

Best of Luck, memtb

 

[Bantam1]

I'm dealing with the same as well. L4/L5 and am awaiting surgery. My left leg is numb from my knee to the ankle. I have been dealing with pain for years and in late September I literally collapsed at work like my left leg stopped working. I have had some improvements, but walking is still challenging. I have been out and shot a little and getting up from the ground is not impossible, but very difficult. I am slowly improving but my leg is still numb. Daily tasks tend to be affected. Thankfully I have little to no pain right now which is vastly different from when all of this first started.

I have some other other issues delaying my surgery and thanks to the china virus everything has been delayed over and over again. Find a good surgeon and see what they can do. My surgeon has a high success rate and thinks my surgery should be quick and have good results.

 

[c1steve]

Most herniations, if broad based, can heal. What is needed is precise upper cervical chiropractic, such as the NUCCA system, to address the underlying issues. I used to have terrible sciatica for 7 years, and now have none. After the sciatica I ended up being a long distance trail runner, cyclist, and swimmer.

There is a time for surgery, but most of the time it is not needed. I have had two back surgeries due to injuries. The worst was when I broke L1 into 53 pieces during a mountain bike accident. I was given a three vertebrae fusion and a 16" incision/scar.

Check this thread out:

Back problems

Don’t really know where to post this so... I was hit by a drunk driver July 7th, I was standing outside of my car when I was hit by a car on the freeway (auto pedestrian accident), while I did not end up with anything broken I had multiple soft tissue injures. The biggest issue being my back...

www.snipershide.com

Note that after my terrible sciatica I ended up going to chiropractic school and now work as a NUCCA chiropractor. If interested I can try to find one close to you that has a good reputation.

 

[c1steve]

From the link I posted above:
This may or may not help you, but it may benefit another reader. One thing to consider, if it is not due to disc or spine injury, would be to see an Upper Cervical Center. They use a process called NUCCA. From my centers website:
NUCCA is a unique form of chiropractic spinal health care that uses a specific procedure focused on correcting a small misalignment of the upper neck known as the Atlas Subluxation Complex. This subtle correction ultimately restores optimal balance to the entire spinal column. Because the spinal column protects the central nervous system that controls and coordinates all body functions, good spinal balance is critical to good health.

I can tell you it has worked wonders for me. The only adjustment they make is to the atlas (where the skull sits) and you hardly feel it. My buddy and I call her the witch doctor because it is so minimal it must be voodoo (he had suffered for years from motocross injuries and he is also doing extremely well). I have had back issues since my late teens (am now 57). I went to chiropractors at least 20 visits per year. Last winter someone told me about this lady in Madison, WI and how she had helped them. I had my first adjustment in late Dec. after x-rays confirmed my atlas was turned and tipped, and had been for about 40 years due to the buildup of calcium on my vertebrae. I remember her saying that I was out 4 degrees and at 6 degrees you stop breathing. For the next two weeks after the adjustment, I felt like I was 15 again! The last 9 months have seen it slip out a few times so that another adjustment was needed, but overall I feel 90% better. I have not seen a chiropractor in over a year. She said it takes about 1 month for every two years you have been out of alignment, to get fully back to normal.

I could go on an on about the process and the results. PM me if you want more info.

 

[c1steve]

A previous thread about back pain and NUCCA:

C1 chiropractic

When I was just a kid, 5-6 years old, I was in an accident that dislocated the C2 and C3 (the second and third) vertabrae in my neck. I was paralyzed for a whild, put in nec traction, and eventually got use of everything back. Unfortunately it left me in a lot of pain ever since. You learn to...

www.snipershide.com

 

[BullGear]

I"m waiting for my doctor to call back to have a rhizotomy. I get 4 probes inserted into my lower back and they burn the nerve that is going through my spine. It's a very uncomfortable procedure, but better than them cutting me open. I get these about ever 12-15 months.

"Rhizotomy is a surgical procedure to sever nerve roots in the spinal cord. The procedure effectively relieves chronic back pain and muscle spasms. For spinal joint pain, a facet rhizotomy may provide lasting low back pain relief by disabling the sensory nerve at the facet joint."

 

[TRPrecision]

I have been fully encompassed with back issues the last 18 months, finally getting relief about a month ago. Educate yourself! Learn everything you can about the pain signal paths and how the nerves transmit pain. Keep a very solid diary of your pain, what makes it better or worse, exact locations of pain etc. Learn how to read your own MRI and compare it to examples you can find online. MRI's like to show problems that are not really the actual problem, and will lead a surgeon down a dangerous path. You need to find a Dr. who will listen to you and help interpret your pain and not just read an MRI. I was scheduled and set to have surgery on 3 bulged disks l3,l4,l5,s1. The problem for me was, my actual pain did not exactly jive with the MRI findings. Decided to seek another opinion and exhaust all other options before getting cut. Ended up working for a physiatrist instead of a surgeon for several months and went through quite a few diagnostic procedures. In the end I ended up getting ablations done on Facet joint nerves at 4 levels. This was an outpatient procedure and I walked out of the surgery center. After 4 weeks I was 95% pain free on the worst side. I do still have occasional sciatic nerve pain on the other side due to one of the herniations, but it is not constant and is manageable, not worth having microdiskectomy. I am very thankful to have skipped surgery and found a Dr. who wanted to help me, not just cut and bill.
I would be happy to talk with you about your back problems if you would like.

 

[rady]

This is a tough one to call as some physicians are real a-holes out there. My friend had extreme back pain and went to an m.d. He told her that she would just have to live with it and he wouldn't order an mri or xrays. This went on for a few months. At one point she was screaming in pain and couldn't walk, so her husband took her to a chiropractor. He immediately ordered an mri which revealed a large tumor in the lumbar region.

The neurosurgeon could not believe that the other physician had allowed this to go on for so long. She was given 50/50 chance of ever walking again with the surgery that was promptly ordered. Long story short, she now walks after a 10 hr surgery. Without that surgery, she would have been a cripple and in extreme pain.

If you feel that a physician isn't correct or doesn't care, don't hesitate to follow your instincts. Get other opinions from other physicians. Hopefully from a teaching hospital with specialists that have the years of training. I ended up having 3 unnecessary biopsy's due to an incompetent physician. I call him dr. mengele to this day. Learn to trust your gut, as they are not the gods that some think they are.

 

[Huskydriver]

Mine does that too after I got drilled in the back with a 5.56. Plate stopped it, but after that the rib heads are loose right over my heart region. It’s a cock.

Well see that was your route cause problem right there...don't get shot

 

[BLEE]

My wife had L4-L5 fusion (cage), in Sept, 2020. After two weeks she was walking in the yard for a solid hour. She says it's the best thing she's done and wishes she'd done it sooner. Other than having a great surgeon, the key is get to walking, as often and as much as you can tolerate, within the doctor's instructions. Find a good surgeon and get fixed up. Orthopedic procedures are miraculous, these days.

 

[tiNdvenTFHwMdqKW]

Another book worth reading ... https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446392308

Watch the drugs, they are a slow spiralling downward hole that is hard to dig yourself out of.

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

After being treated by a chiropractor for 10 years for back pain and sciatica my disk between L4/L5 ruptured and crushed my sciatic nerve on the left side pretty much flat. This was back in '96 and I was 40 YO....got referred to a neurosurgeon and he put me on steroids and told me to wait and see if it was reabsorbed and stopped crushing the nerve. Which it did. His position was that (at that time) surgery was a last resort only if I could not heal on my own. He told me it would have to be "fixed" eventually and that was 25 years ago. I have numb spots on the bottoms of my feet and my feet will go numb if I lift much over 45 - 55 pounds but I have not had "back pain" for 25 years and still have amazing flexibility so I'm not gonna fuck with it.

But when that disk ruptured? I literally crawled on the floor and screamed and cried like a baby for days. I could get a few minutes of sleep if I draped myself over the back of a chair and took some of the pressure off that nerve until I saw the doc who looked at the MRA and winced....hooked me up with serious pain meds. That kind of pain is inhuman and it simply does not end.

My heart goes out to folks with ruptured disks....happened to my older brother as well and they hospitalized him on suicide watch. He'd have done anything to escape that pain. Not good....

VooDoo

 

[Baron23]

Laid up right now with some serious back issues. Was fighting some sharp back pain over the last year or so, with it going into my leg(s). Took Motrin and water, kept on going.

Wife had me try some chiropractor; didn’t seem to help much. She finally got me to go to a doctor and they said I got herniated and bulging discs in the L4/5. Great.

Well, in the last 2 weeks, it’s now advanced to I’ll be perfectly fine one minute, to I’ll feel this sharp, sudden pain/pop, then intense pain, my leg goes out, and I fall to the ground convulsing in pain. It takes anywhere from 5-10 minutes for it to go away/me contorting myself in a way that I can get back to my feet. It happened 3 times over the weekend and an ER trip to boot last night.

Im out of work now, they gave me a Px for some heavy narcotic pain pills (I’m not taking them), and I’m waiting for the spine specialists to call me in for an appt today or tomorrow.

Anyone else ever go through this? This sucks. Bad. Missing work, and not being able to do anything is pissing me off. That and the pain is making it 2x as bad. I’m hoping I don’t need surgery.

2008 I herniated a disk at L3/4. A left foraminal herniation which meant that the chunk that broke off was jammed into the tunnel where the nerve root comes out and crushed/kinked it.

And yes, if a person has never had this kind of pain, then they have no idea what it is like. I liken to the dentist hitting a 2 foot long nerve with the drill. Very much like awful dental pain.

What you described is def your nerve coming out of your back to your leg being adversely impacted. You do NOT want to let this linger. You seem to have had this condition for a year, with it worsening lately, and while they do say that 80% of herniation resolve themselves in 8-12 weeks because the disk material shrinks back a bit, you are well past that point and instead of resolving its gotten worse.

As for doctors...I favor neurosurgeons as they really are the top 1% of their class but there are some very, very good orthopedic spine surgeons also.

I had surgery, it helped a lot but in my case I had some fairly serious nerve damage (crushed and kinked part, above) and have had some varying continual level of pain since but nothing like that "who threw the switch to the220V to my legs" kind of pain.

I too avoid narcotics strenuously...which means I occasionally take them as a last resort but never for multiple days in a row.

Something to talk to the Doc about if surgery is not immediate is either sedation epidurals (cortisone injection under Propofol sedation) or if they do not want any intrusion before surgery then talk the them about a high dose prednisone taper (starts at 60mg/day and tapers down to 20mg over 7-10 day period). Prednisone is awful stuff but I could not have an epidural...or surgery... immediately after my injury due to have just had a cardiac stent installed and being on anti-coagulants. The prednisone really helped until the surgery 3 months later.

Best of luck, don't let a chiropractor touch you (yeah, manipulating a back when you have a piece of disk crushed into your nerve root makes great sense...NOT), and don't let this languish. Or at least that is my unsolicited advise! haha

 

[TheBigCountry]

Thanks for all the info, well wishes, etc. Gents.

I had to get on the phone this AM and get a little angry to get things moving. After getting the runaround, I was finally able to get an appt. Told me at 0915 to be there by 1000 to get seen. Met with the Doc, and after talking for the umpteenth time about my new symptoms, looking at my CT, Xray, MRI, etc he referred me over to the spinal docs/neurosurgeons. I have an appt with them tomorrow and Im gonna let them figure it out.

It is my L5/S1 that has the most damage. Its pushing wayyyy out/herniated bad. The other 2-3 above it are messed up, but not as bad at L5/S1.

They gave me valium and oxycodone, and Im VERY hesitant to take that crap. Yes it MAY help, but last night with the first dose of that crap I didnt feel any change at all, to the point my wife even said it didnt change my mood. For now I am gonna take OTC meds and try to relax, which is damn near impossible for me NOT to be doing, well, nothing.

 

[eddie102870]

Thanks for all the info, well wishes, etc. Gents.

I had to get on the phone this AM and get a little angry to get things moving. After getting the runaround, I was finally able to get an appt. Told me at 0915 to be there by 1000 to get seen. Met with the Doc, and after talking for the umpteenth time about my new symptoms, looking at my CT, Xray, MRI, etc he referred me over to the spinal docs/neurosurgeons. I have an appt with them tomorrow and Im gonna let them figure it out.

It is my L5/S1 that has the most damage. Its pushing wayyyy out/herniated bad. The other 2-3 above it are messed up, but not as bad at L5/S1.

They gave me valium and oxycodone, and Im VERY hesitant to take that crap. Yes it MAY help, but last night with the first dose of that crap I didnt feel any change at all, to the point my wife even said it didnt change my mood. For now I am gonna take OTC meds and try to relax, which is damn near impossible for me NOT to be doing, well, nothing.

try goody powders, they work short term just rough on your stomach

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

Nothing I took stopped the pain....the only hope was to be knocked out to get some rest and heal/survive the pain. OTC pain meds, even at elevated dose did absolutely nothing for this kind of pain. Morphine works as does Oxycodone usually. Maybe tell the doc the pain meds don't help.

VooDoo

 

[BullGear]

Nothing I took stopped the pain....the only hope was to be knocked out to get some rest and heal/survive the pain. OTC pain meds, even at elevated dose did absolutely nothing for this kind of pain. Morphine works as does Oxycodone usually. Maybe tell the doc the pain meds don't help.

VooDoo

My issue isn't helped with any meds. I have 2 nerves that pass through the spinal cavity. For some reason, the nerves are being rubbed against the spine causing the pain. They tried Gabapentin for the nerves themselves and that's not working. So the only thing they can do for me is to go in and burn the nerves at the point that before they pass through the spine.

The procedure sucks, I'm wide awake, they put 4 probes in using some kind of real time ex-ray. Once they get into position, they burn the nerves. L3-L4 and L4-L5.

 

[Loner]

Been there done that 33 years ago. L4/5-S/1 injuries. Feeling was going in my left leg and it was staring to shrink. Got the operation and had a hard time lifting the left leg for years. About 10 years went by and I married a aerobics instructor. Took her awhile but she finally got me to start stretching and strengthening my core along with regular trips to the massage therapist.
At 52 I’m mostly pain free unless I start slacking on stretching.

 

[supercorndogs]

Watch your diet you will not burn your normal amount of calories while you are hurt. I put on 50lbs in maybe three months.

 

[supercorndogs]

My issue isn't helped with any meds. I have 2 nerves that pass through the spinal cavity. For some reason, the nerves are being rubbed against the spine causing the pain. They tried Gabapentin for the nerves themselves and that's not working. So the only thing they can do for me is to go in and burn the nerves at the point that before they pass through the spine.

The procedure sucks, I'm wide awake, they put 4 probes in using some kind of real time ex-ray. Once they get into position, they burn the nerves. L3-L4 and L4-L5.

Have you looked into stem cell treatments. I was referred to them by a pain doctor who said they were good with back injuries. He was probably the only non-"drug-dealer" pain doc I was ever sent to. All the others spent their time trying to get you on some shit. Are you sure? Are you sure? Are you sure? I told him i don't want any pain killers, and he went right to other possibilities. No Doc, I don't want to be fat, in pain, and addicted to drugs. Fuck me, are we trying to get better or worse here.

 

[BullGear]

Watch your diet you will not burn your normal amount of calories while you are hurt. I put on 50lbs in maybe three months.

Some just eat more because they have nothing else to do while they're hurting. That's one thing I have to watch out for. I've disciplined myself to only eat fruits and veggies between meals and that seems to help a lot.

 

[BullGear]

Have you looked into stem cell treatments. I was referred to them by a pain doctor who said they were good with back injuries. He was probably the only non-"drug-dealer" pain doc I was ever sent to. All the others spent their time trying to get you on some shit. Are you sure? Are you sure? Are you sure? I told him i don't want any pain killers, and he went right to other possibilities. No Doc, I don't want to be fat, in pain, and addicted to drugs. Fuck me, are we trying to get better or worse here.

I haven't thought about that. What do you look for when trying to find a doctor like t hat?

 

[supercorndogs]

I haven't thought about that. What do you look for when trying to find a doctor like t hat?

I am not sure. He just referred me to a clinic in Denver and told me what it was and what they did. I never went. Lost my job, and insurance. Couldn't afford it, and work comp wouldn't cover it. Let me ask my brothers wife, she is Nurse Practitioner, she will know.

 

[Mike Casselton]

I've got a totally fucked up back and it's much worse with this extra 25lbs hanging off of me.

Starting tomorrow morning, I'm going back to exercising. Starting with a bike ride to the community pool and I'll do however many laps I can do.
Should be interesting since my shoulders are trashed too.
I gotta start somewhere though.

Anyway, this thread reminded me of this:

 

[Mike Casselton]

I haven't thought about that. What do you look for when trying to find a doctor like t hat?

Get a few pain center doctors names and hit a trusted pharmacy.
The pharmacist can tell you what and how much they are prescribing.

 

[Mike Casselton]

@BullGear where are you located?

 

[BullGear]

@BullGear where are you located?

Maryland.

 

[Baron23]

Maryland.

So am I and @GBMaryland does know of a practice in Reston, VA area that does stem cell treatments.

Want me to find out or do you live all the way out in Garrett County or similar? haha

 

[Mike Casselton]

Maryland.

Oh, wasn't sure. My daughter works in a pharmacy and if you were from around here she could check for you. ☹

 

[BullGear]

So am I and @GBMaryland does know of a practice in Reston, VA area that does stem cell treatments.

Want me to find out or do you live all the way out in Garrett County or similar? haha

Not yet. I want to see what my doctor says this time. Thanks!