[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Herniated Discs *Update 2/9* (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 1/29/2007 4:04:52 PM EDT
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I have been suffering from a pretty bad case of sciatica for about 3 weeks now and the doc sent me to get an MRI late last week. Turns out I have a herniated disc and will now be referred to an orthopedic specialist. Anyone else ever had this? Did it get better without surgery? How did you deal with the pain on a day-to-day basis? Any insight would be GREATLY appreciated!! *UPDATE* I finally got in to see the doc today and, of course, he immediately recommended surgery. I opted for two epidural cortisone shots and physical therapy for now. Apparently the damaged disk is the L5-Sacrum and I have arthritis in my L4-L5 disk as well. They were supposed to call in a nerve block to my pharmacy today, but for some reason that didn't happen, so I'll get through the weekend with the pain meds I have been on for a while. Man, this getting old stuff is for the birds! |
| I have two herniated discs, and have had 3 operations. To this day i am in pain every single day of my life. It sucks, you sortve kindve get used to also being in pain all the time, but not really. But at any rate I dont regret having the 3 opertions, just regret they didnt work, actually thats not all true, the did help with the nerve damage as I had really bad drop foot, and my foot would give out wqhile walking, it did help that,although now when i walk one leg is canted out. Which I see my doc about in a couple of weeks, as now my knees are reallly bothering me. Gee wonder if it could be because I dont walk properly?? Anyway I wish you the best, and truly hope you get better, which some people do. |
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I've had back surgery four times for three herniated/ruptured discs. They don't call them ruptured discs anymore, so I'm told. After each surgery, I felt great. This would last for a few years sometimes and once only for several months. My problem is that I can lift more weight than my skeleton can handle. A neuro surgeon does the work on my spine. He said that the next time, i won't get by with just a laminectomy. It'll be a fusion done from the stomach side. Good luck. |
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Marian, I am struly sorry to see this happen to you. I had spinal surgery twice, once in 1992 onl my lower spine, and in 2002 in the neck. The surgery in the lower back was successful, no more drop foot and the pain evaporated in a few months. The neck surgery was the result of an auto accident, and ruptured several discs in my neck. Surgery was of very little help, and I am considered 100% disabled due to the pain and nerve damage. Pain is tough, it screws you up mentally and physically. IM me if you need to, I have been thru this and I will tell you that painkillers are not a long term solution. I wish you the best, keep me posted. Ops |
| I had to have a four disc fused do to and old lamonactomy and some herniated disc, now I have 5 herniated disc on top of the ones they fused. I am in constant pain. I really didn't have a choice, because I was in so much pain I had to try something. I have degenerative disc disease and it will only get worse. |
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I have two bulged disks (L3 and L4). I have some muscle relaxants I take when my back tightens up (cyclobenzaprine). I do exercises every night that helps with strength and loosens everything up. When I do my exercises and work out regularly, my back does great. I don't have to take any meds for weeks at a time. When my back went out originally, the two bulged disks pinched the nerves so badly I couldn't stand. Had to go to the emergency room and get IV tordal and valium. It was really bad. Flat on my back for over a week on some hardcore pain meds... It's much better now. Much much better. |
Do you know how you did it? I literally just woke up with a limp and horrible pain one morning. |
| Hang in there. I've had a bulging l3 for about 5 or 6 years. It hurts pretty much every day but only a little. It hurt a bunch at first and then slowly got better. The neuro guy said many of them get better(or at least no worse) on their own.Good luck as for me surgery is a last resort. |
I know that you can do it by lifting wrong, and bending over wrong. If I ride in a car a lot, I can get into trouble if I don't stretch my back out well and get some exercise. Also, the disks can just degenerate on some people as they age. |
+1 This was my experience. I went to physical therapy. As long as do my excercises EVERYDAY I can still do pretty much anything. Without any meds or surgery. |
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I am just getting over sciatica in my right leg. I hurt my lower back in August last year, and aggravated it even further 2 weeks later. Couldn't stand up straight, sleep in my bed, nor walk more than 4 steps without excruciating pain. Not until roughly the first week in January did the pain lessen enough for me to sleep in my bed. It's mostly gone now, but I still have twinges when I step wrong. Back pain is Teh Suck, especially when your only medical recourse is military docs. I couldn't even lie down on the examn table, and all they did is take x-rays and give me Flexerol and motrin. I'm gonna demand an MRI when I get back home. I don't trust these quacks with my future mobility. |
| You can wakeup in severe pain or even a sneeze can bring it on. The CNS is a fragile thing. I have had a leaking spinal cord and if you think you have ever felt severe pain before, I am here to tell you that there is a whole nother level waiting out there! Try to lay on your stomach and push your upper body up onto your elbows, while keeping your pelvis pressed to the bed/floor. This will stretch your ligaments and help align your spine. Check with your doctor first though. |
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I have 2 herniated discs in my lower back and degenerative disk disease,which is just a fancy name for arthritis, constant pain but some worse than others. I take the meds when absolutly have to. Sitting for long periods and driving is the worse. You will have to learn to adjust your day to day living like lifting things ,sleeping in the right position, good posture is a must. Bicycle riding helps so says my internest but i never do it. He also recomends taking a palaties class,which i never have done. The biggest problem i have is taking care of my 3 mo. old son, bending over changing diapers, getting up and down out of chairs or couch while holding him, since i cant use my hands to get up or down it really aggravates it. They have mentioned surgery but i told them when i cant get out of bed in the morning they can come and get me and cut me but until then no chance. Go see a pain managment doc and see what he has to say, and good luck. 
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Are you saying I'm old?!?! ETA: Thanks for your stories, guys. I am really worried about working at this point. (Librarians really don't sit around and read all day!) I'll update you all when I hear from the doc. |
Just did that last week..the mattress I mean. 
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Whatever you do, DO NOT get a laminectomy or fusion!! I had Dr. John Chiu trim two bulged disks and grind off several bone spurs and all the pain I've been dealing with for the past 6 years is gone!! He does it endoscopically so there's very little trauma and all you end up with is two small bandaids on your back. Plus it's an out-patient procedure - you actually stand up and walk out after it's over. He's in California just north of Los Angeles, but he'll consult over the phone and review all your films and records so you just fly in, have it done, and fly out. People literally fly in from all over the world to have their surgery. And trust me, it's well worth the trip. |
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Buddy of mine had a fucked up disc ........ he called it a extruded disc. I don't know if it's the same thing. He had alot of very serious pain, but minor surgery has him fixed up. I say minor because it was a very small incision and, while he was not completely mobile he was out with us the next night. |
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I've been dealing with a herniated l5, s1 disc for about 6 years now. My back normally "goes out" on me a couple of times a year where the pain is so intense I can't even walk. I have to crawl to get around the house because my spine won't support my own weight. My doctor would like to do a disc replacement but my insurance company will not approve it. They will approve a fusion but I have heard so many bad things about fusions that I won't have that done. I will suffer with the pain. |
More info please on the bold text - exercises. Thanks. |
| GO SEE A CHIROPRACTOR first, PT, shots and surgery doest fix the probelm. if u dont want pain for the rest of life , along with arthritis settling in and being on drugs(not to mention the damage those drugs are doing on your body). PT is only go afterwards to regain range of motion, and muscular rehab. I know,im a chiropractor and physical therapist, and have been practicing for 28yrs. Dont play the inssurance game, its not worth any settlement to be cripple or be in suffering for rest of your time. |
| I had a herniated disk operated on because of back pain and the inability to move my right foot properly (drop foot). 5 hours after the operation i was walking. I have never had a problem since. that was 4 years ago. My doc said that i could leave it and let it disolve on its own but i would run a risk of further perminant damage to my spinal cord. So surgery was the only option for me. |
a chiro won;t touch her with a ten foot pole ih she has herniated discs |
What matress did you get? |
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Tactical_Jew Team Member a chiro won;t touch her with a ten foot pole ih she has herniated discs ______________________________________________________________________________-__ Listen i dont know who told you that shit, but this what we do, just b/c someone has a herniated disc doesnt mean they need surgery. |
Find a nurse or other medical type to reccomend a *GOOD* orthopedic surgeon or a neurologist. I am lucky to have a nurse who lives with me. I have two herniated disks at the base of my neck. About a year ago I had an MRI that discovered this, and was expecting to need surgery. Instead I had an injection into my spine. I was knocked out for the procedure, and it was absolutely painless. And the pain and problems I had with my right arm have disappeared since the injection (knock on wood). I would deifinately go the injection route, and see how that works for you. |
and if you don't have surgery it will never heal. you're a chiropractor? |
Not true, I have been treated by a chiropractor and it did help. |
I would agree with you on maybe not needing surgery but not the chiro. I've been to 4 or 5 in as many years and the only thing they helped me do is lighten my wallet, my apologies if you are different but that is my experience. To the O-P, do as much exercise as you can. I had a bulged disc in the middle of my back and I did as much exercise as I could (not much sometimes) and after about a year it did get better. I have one in my lower back going on six years now and it isn't much better but as long as I keep exercising it isn't terrible. If I slack off at all I pay for it. If all you can do now is walk, than walk, alot and as often as you can. Good luck with whatever you do. |
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This is Tannerite Kid's wife- Joie- I was diagnosed at 28 with 7 of my disks being either herniated, bulging, touching the spinal cord, etc. I have Degenerative disk disease- AKA Arthritis- in my spine. I have seen 3 Neurosurgeons, 2 neuro pain specialists and 3 regular neurologists to finally get my diagnosis. I am allergic to steroids and surgery is out of the question because of the complications, age factor(I'm too young and would live with the complications for the next 60 years or so) and the types and positions of the injured disks. I got really unlucky with my health issues, however most people I know have found the epidural steroid injections, trigger point injections, Out patient procedures to help with you with back problem including Physical Therapy to be beneficial. Don't worry until you get a diagnosis and run out of options! Surgery is a last resort for most problems so don't get stressed when the really isn't a reason to yet. Good news for me is I am going to see a specialist at the Mayo Clinic. A Rhuematologist to find out how the rest of my joints are holding up. I'm not holding out much hope cause they ache, too! Oh well guess I got a recycled body!
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www.vax-d.com Anything else is bullshit... when it comes to the lower back. |
Thanks to an unscrupulous and unethical chiropractor, I endured two years of near-constant sciatic nerve pain during my 11th and 12 grade years. By the time I graduated, I couldn't lean over and tie my own shoes. Funny how he never thought to refer me to a orthopaedic surgeon for a second opinion. Greedy bastard.When I finally did see an ortho- I was diagnosed with juvenile discogenic disease. Had two surgeries after graduating high school. I resumed playing college baseball and basketball. I abused the shit out of my spine. Went 13 years before herniating another disc. Had surgery in '03. I'm back to almost normal. Thank God for modern medicine. My last surgeon only does a fusion if you herniate the disc THREE times. He believes (and I agree) that your disc is still better than any piece of hardware. |
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I'm deciding whether or not I am going to get my second Op. I had a micro discectomy in 03 for my L4,L5,S1. just had an MRI in dec, L5 is bulging quite a bit, scar tissue from previous surgery has grown around the S1 nerve and pain in hips is getting worse along with numbness and tingling in legs. Hope all goes well for you. |
| Herniated disks are not created equal. Surgery has come a long way in the last few years as well. Besides the obvious "surgery as a last resort only" and everything else above be advised that for certain types of problems they can do microsurgery through a very small incision. I hear they can actually stich a ruptured disc now (in some cases) just like skin stiches and then inject fluid back into the disc to "reinflate" it. |
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When I first started having disks problems 16 years ago I saw an Orthopod surgeon at the hospital I worked at. He said as some here have stated, to have surgery as a last resort. It helps some people a lot but it can also makes things worse. Exercise is the key for me. I have found that as long as I don't keep my sciatic nerve in one position for longer than six hours I am ok. Anything longer and my back starts to hurt. As you progress with your back pain you will learn things that will make it feel better during flare-ups. For me, many times just sitting "Indian" style with my legs crossed stretches the sciatic nerve enough to decrease the inflamation in my back. Many times I could barely roll out of bed to the floor. 15 minutes with the legs crossed and I felt fine. Also if I do something that I know I am going to pay for later I will take a Motrin right away. In my case, I have discovered that when my back is sore I can usually trace it back to something I did the day before. Different things work better for different people. Walking is great for me as is stretching my leg to stretch the sciatic nerve. Muscle relaxants make my back pain worse. My friend has had epidurals and swears by them. |
This is why I have been refusing to have surgery. 2 years ago today, I had to go to the ER. I couldn't even get off the floor w/o help. The MRI indicated 3 herniated disc, with 1 forcing an estimated 30% intrusion. The Neurosurgeon we saw in KC was so matter-of-fact about our consultation regarding the surgery, not offering any information, seemingly defensive about any questions we had. Not a good feeling. My pain meds script has slowly been increasing to the point where I'm prescribed 120-160mg Oxycodone daily. I hate it, but without it I can barely get out of bed. Weekends are the worst, sitting and laying down are awful. The good news is I have no trouble falling asleep now. I'm self employed, so at least I can keep busy working at my own pace, but probably only about 60% productive. I can't even consider trying to go to work for someone else now. Ain't life grand. Oh, yeah. I tried the decompression therapy, (the computer controlled spine stretcher). It worked GREAT! for a few weeks, but, as I assume surgery does, all the things that caused it to compress to begin with, started all over again. Now it's worse than before I started. |
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i have 3 herniated disc and several drying discs and was medevaced from Iraq because of my injuries. I recently was discharge, just dealing with the pain. i wont get surgery till i cant bear it any longer. i know lots of guys that had surgeries and was worse when the were done. I was sent to a chiropractor by my orthopedic surgeon although they cant fix the problem the can relieve the pain temporarily be keeping things aligned. Im only 31 an was told i have the spine of a 60yo. staying limber and stretching helps some and limiting high impact activities. some days are better that others. |
| I am 27 years old I got hurt at work 3yrs and 6days ago, found it when I first hurt it it was 2 Herniated disks so I had a Microdiskectomy, 6months later I was still in severe pain so I had another MRI turns out I had reherniated the orig 2 plus 2 more, the doc said it could be from getting out of bed or crapping or even snezzing, Now I am Fused at 4 levels L2-L3 L3-L4 L4-L5 and L5-S1 and still no improvement, I am actually worse now then before, And I also Have perm Nerve damage as both of my Siatic nerves were nearly severed so I was told, I have had every thing the docs could possibly do, I even have a nerve stimulator installed in my back and the thing is a piece of shit, so I have had 3 surgerys and no improvement, I have felt like putting one in my head so many times the pain is so bad but I cant do that to my son, the docs say thay have done every thing they can, injections, therepy, all that was a waste, SO I will be on pain meds the rest of my life, 100mg of Morphine 3 times a day, 80mg of Oxycontin 4 times a day, 10mg of percocet 4times a day, 325mg of Soma 4 times a day, 8mg of Tizanidine a day, 800mg of Motrin 4 times a day Lots of Colace so I dont get plugged up and Ambien because I cant sleep because the pain keeps me up all night, and all this crap does is put a tiny dent in the pain, The doc wanted to give me Methadone but I refused, Please think real hard before you have surgery as the odds are not very good I have talked to people who feel great after and others who are worse, I know I have a pretty sever case as the doc has told me that there has only seen one other in all his years in this much pain, but still weigh you options, I cant even play with my 7yr old son or even have sex, hunt or even walk 20mins without having to take a break, Take care and I will pray everything works out great for you as no one can know the pain you are in unless they have gone through it and I am not just talking just a pulled muscle or a sore back. |
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ruptured L4/L5 in 2000 but I had emergency surgery due to my left leg going weak. Surgery and PT and I still have some pain but it's made better with Ibuprofen. I still have some minor numbness in my left shin but it isn't noticeable unless I rub the area. It flares up a couple times a year were I need muscle relaxants and something like codeine or vicodin |
You suffer an HNP or Herniated Nucleus Pulposus, damn that is painful. Your disc is like a grape and some trauma has caused the skin on that grape to break and leak fluid in to areas full of nerves and it feels like a 10 level pain. Good news is surgery is meeting with much success these days, but always get a second and maybe third opinion and have those MRI's read and re-read by other observers and chiro care helps a little. Remember, the back is the workhorse of the body and without it we are screwed. Where is your disc at lumbar, cervical, or thoracic? I learned a little defending car wreck cases, but I am no expert. |
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I herniated L5/L6, L6/S1 on the job, they never sent me for X-rays, MRI or nothing. Just a bottle a pills and an appointment for an injection. 4 mos later, I finally got an MRI, found L5/L6 to be half deflated, L6/S1, herniated from the tip of my thumb to the first joint. Physical therapy, cortesone steroid injections, nothing worked, just aggrevated the condition. I had a double fusion done in Jan 2005. No improvement in condition, post-op PT aggrevated the symptoms. More injections, both CT and fluoroscopy guided with no improvements. I'm waiting on an interdural stimulator once this quack shrink clears me. And, I'm still fighting for my work comp and social security. Every morning it feels like I got hit with a baseball bat in my lower back. Meds kick in after an hour, get all goofy, meds wear off, baseball bat again in the afternoon, more meds, not quite as goofy, meds wear off, baseball bat again the evening, more meds, goofy, fall asleep, wake up 4 hrs later, time for more meds. I trashed my back in the line of duty as a jail deputy (no JBT jokes, please....well, OK, I can use a good laugh). We had to perform a cell extraction on a problem inmate, a muslim....Religion of Peace, you know? I was #1 thru the door with Taser #1, deployed Taser after the inmate tried to slug the Sgt behind me. My Taser had one probe hit the inmate in the chest, one on his arm, but he had double wrapped a blanket around his upper body to prevent good deployment. Taser #2 deployed 2 probes in the chest of the inmate. We pushed into the cell (5 ft wide by 9 ft long), human battering ram. We wound up in a heap in the back corner of the cell. I was trying not to make contact with the inmate, due to the 2x 50,000 volts sparking up, and me trying to retain my Taser. I had two deputies go over top of me to try and get to the inmate who was still combative. 450 lbs of deputy on my upper back and there goes my lower back. And here's the kicker: It was all over a messed up meal tray, protein deficient. The muslim was on a special, religious diet. Kitchen messed up his meal tray one time too many. Heck, one night I was working the disciplinary segregation (23 hr Lock-Down) ward, the kitchen sent him pork and beans. In the past, all the floor deputy had to do was hook him up with two slices of bread and two of those tiny packets of peanut butter. The floor deputy decided to be a hard-ass that day. So, over a nickels worth of peanut butter, I'm fornicated vertical for life. Going on over $300k in medical bills so far. Hope the taxpayers got their money's worth. |
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Living it right now, happened about 12yrs ago, ruptured my L4/L5, crusing my right sciatic. Crippling pain the first several weeks, treated as 'pinched nerve' and mistakenly, chiropractic. Felt great during treatments or peak meds, hurt like hell the rest of the time. Docs wanted to trim protruding section but I'd already had a general anasthetic surgery that year so I said 'no thanks'. They also said it might shift and protrude again so it might have to be operated on again, and if it happened a third tim ethere wouldn't be enough disk material left and they'd have to go with a fusion procedure. I again said 'no thanks' and gritted my teeth. Finally able to take some time off from work and things shifted / readjusted. Pain is tolerable and remains that way. Proper lifting technique nad torso-strengthening exercises are the only thing that helps. Too much time sitting or sleeping and the pain returns. Still occasionally take anti-inflammatories and pain / muscle relaxer meds when Im crippled by it. See news stories about artificial disk material once in a while, seems the FDA might have finally approved its use, been used successfully in Europe for some time. Figure if I do it I'll have to do it in the next 10yrs to recover fast enough and maintain some decent mobility. Lose wt. Keep fit. Be careful. And still be laid up once/twice a year. Sorry, there is no good news. 
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