Comments on: Herniated Disc http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/ A Place To Learn About Back Surgery And Back Pain Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:16:22 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Shelley http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1663 Shelley Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:11:18 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1663 gee Constance that is ridiculous that you as a health care professional are having to go through this kind of pain and nonsense. really that anybody should have to go through this. if you read my previous blogs you can see what I have gone through with dr's and they mostly suck. NOONE who has not had this kind of back pain can possibly understand how bad it can be and then when they dismiss it as not too bad or don't want to give us pain meds it is so frustrating. I am a Canadian and I thank god every day that we have FREE health care for everyone here. We can go to the dr, any dr of our choice and get good care. Now of course like anywhere we have good drs and bad ones. if we get a bad one we have the choice to fire them and request a new specialist from our family physician which is wonderful. I feel very bad for american citizens that have to pay for insurance especially as hundreds of thousands can't afford it so they end up in situations like yours. then your insurance only pays for so much, then it limits which dr's you can see etc which is horrible esp if you don't like the dr but get stuck with him or her. I think all people deserve free health care and it shouldn't be based on how much money you make since the economy is so bad and many people are out of work. as well you have many disabled/ handicapped that may be able to work just enough to not qualify for medicare but not enough to be able to afford insurance. I have heard of school teachers in the usa not earning enough to afford insurance making about $24,000 per year. Our canadian teachers make a killing up here earning anywhere up to $100,000 for teaching in a college and possibly $75,000 in a public or high school so much different. then they are allowed to file for unemployment insurance benefits through the summer when they are off work which I think is crazy when they earn that much money in 9 months and get 3 months holidays. I sure hope you can get this resolved. at least you had the cash for payment when so many don't have that choice either. it is terrible that you had to give up your job when you just got a promotion. I sure hope that this next injection helps you better. getting 15 months pain relief from a needle is incredible. I don't know if we have that kind of treatment up here. most often they want to do surgery which most of in my research doesn't work and makes people worse. it is so hard to know what to do since everyone is different and what works for one doesn't work for another. all you can do is research every choice and then make the best possible decision you can make at the time. good luck and keeps us posted. hope you feel better soon and at least can get past the foggy pain part. take care, shelley gee Constance that is ridiculous that you as a health care professional are having to go through this kind of pain and nonsense. really that anybody should have to go through this. if you read my previous blogs you can see what I have gone through with dr’s and they mostly suck. NOONE who has not had this kind of back pain can possibly understand how bad it can be and then when they dismiss it as not too bad or don’t want to give us pain meds it is so frustrating. I am a Canadian and I thank god every day that we have FREE health care for everyone here. We can go to the dr, any dr of our choice and get good care. Now of course like anywhere we have good drs and bad ones. if we get a bad one we have the choice to fire them and request a new specialist from our family physician which is wonderful. I feel very bad for american citizens that have to pay for insurance especially as hundreds of thousands can’t afford it so they end up in situations like yours. then your insurance only pays for so much, then it limits which dr’s you can see etc which is horrible esp if you don’t like the dr but get stuck with him or her. I think all people deserve free health care and it shouldn’t be based on how much money you make since the economy is so bad and many people are out of work. as well you have many disabled/ handicapped that may be able to work just enough to not qualify for medicare but not enough to be able to afford insurance. I have heard of school teachers in the usa not earning enough to afford insurance making about $24,000 per year. Our canadian teachers make a killing up here earning anywhere up to $100,000 for teaching in a college and possibly $75,000 in a public or high school so much different. then they are allowed to file for unemployment insurance benefits through the summer when they are off work which I think is crazy when they earn that much money in 9 months and get 3 months holidays.
I sure hope you can get this resolved. at least you had the cash for payment when so many don’t have that choice either. it is terrible that you had to give up your job when you just got a promotion. I sure hope that this next injection helps you better. getting 15 months pain relief from a needle is incredible. I don’t know if we have that kind of treatment up here. most often they want to do surgery which most of in my research doesn’t work and makes people worse. it is so hard to know what to do since everyone is different and what works for one doesn’t work for another. all you can do is research every choice and then make the best possible decision you can make at the time. good luck and keeps us posted.
hope you feel better soon and at least can get past the foggy pain part. take care, shelley

]]> By: Tommy http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1654 Tommy Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:57:03 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1654 This is my first blog. But I need to share my experiences for the last 9 years. I am 57 yrs old, I have avoided surgery. In 2001 I experienced the sciatica pain that many of you know - pain so bad I could not stand or sit. I couldn't go to a Neurosurgeons office because I couldn't stand or walk. After about 2 weeks I was able to see a neurosurgeon. The sciatica was still excruciatingly painful. I also had drop foot (could not lift the ball of my right foot or lift my toes). It took about 2 years to nearly elliminate the foot drop. In 2004 I had another episode - but no foot drop. 2008 another episode with foot drop. Again it took about 1 year to nearly elliminate the foot drop (I assume the numbness in my foot is permanent). I've learned that I can not sit on a hard chair for more than ~ 20 minutes, especially if I lean forward while sitting. 2010 another episode, again from sitting. My solutions: Ihad an MRI in 2001 & began to understand what I was up against - what nerves & physical abnormalities create what symptoms. My L4/L5 disc is badly herniated & the othe lumbar disks are bulged. After sitting, like I know I shouldn't, on the first or second morning after sitting the back pain is so bad I can't get out of bed. If I don't resolve it in a couple weeks (take it very easy- epidural shots from a good radiologist, Ibuprofin as much as 1800 mg/day & ice often)the pain will go down my right leg & cause many nerve zaps in my lower leg, cramping, muscle spasms, & more foot numbness. I learned when to take it very easy and when it's time to strengthen - Physical Therapy, or I swim 1-2 times/wk & use Nautilus. I keep it as strong as I can. Deep tissue massage can also reduce the leg cramps significantly. I still consider surgery (right lateral laminectomy discectomy) - I want to sit relaxed, but I am concerned surgery may not turn out well like the many experiences on this Blog site. This is my first blog. But I need to share my experiences for the last 9 years. I am 57 yrs old, I have avoided surgery. In 2001 I experienced the sciatica pain that many of you know – pain so bad I could not stand or sit. I couldn’t go to a Neurosurgeons office because I couldn’t stand or walk. After about 2 weeks I was able to see a neurosurgeon. The sciatica was still excruciatingly painful. I also had drop foot (could not lift the ball of my right foot or lift my toes). It took about 2 years to nearly elliminate the foot drop. In 2004 I had another episode – but no foot drop. 2008 another episode with foot drop. Again it took about 1 year to nearly elliminate the foot drop (I assume the numbness in my foot is permanent). I’ve learned that I can not sit on a hard chair for more than ~ 20 minutes, especially if I lean forward while sitting. 2010 another episode, again from sitting.
My solutions:
Ihad an MRI in 2001 & began to understand what I was up against – what nerves & physical abnormalities create what symptoms. My L4/L5 disc is badly herniated & the othe lumbar disks are bulged. After sitting, like I know I shouldn’t, on the first or second morning after sitting the back pain is so bad I can’t get out of bed. If I don’t resolve it in a couple weeks (take it very easy- epidural shots from a good radiologist, Ibuprofin as much as 1800 mg/day & ice often)the pain will go down my right leg & cause many nerve zaps in my lower leg, cramping, muscle spasms, & more foot numbness.
I learned when to take it very easy and when it’s time to strengthen – Physical Therapy, or I swim 1-2 times/wk & use Nautilus. I keep it as strong as I can. Deep tissue massage can also reduce the leg cramps significantly.
I still consider surgery (right lateral laminectomy discectomy) – I want to sit relaxed, but I am concerned surgery may not turn out well like the many experiences on this Blog site.

]]> By: pam http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1650 pam Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:13:40 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1650 I am awaiting Back surgery, and the pain in my body I wish on nobody. You are absolutely right when it comes to the Doctor's misunderstanding your feelings completely... I am 46 and they look at me as though I am seeking pain killers, in a sense I will go to just about any lengths to ease the leg pain, on top of dealing with fibromyalia and cant take the meds for that, you would think the Dr's would have a little more understanding.... Well good luck to you! I hope you find a good Doctor... I am awaiting Back surgery, and the pain in my body I wish on nobody. You are absolutely right when it comes to the Doctor’s misunderstanding your feelings completely… I am 46 and they look at me as though I am seeking pain killers, in a sense I will go to just about any lengths to ease the leg pain, on top of dealing with fibromyalia and cant take the meds for that, you would think the Dr’s would have a little more understanding…. Well good luck to you! I hope you find a good Doctor…

]]> By: constance majewski http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1643 constance majewski Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:05:45 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1643 I am a 47 y/o nurse who doesn't seem to be able to help herself as well as I help my patients. I have always been that way. Due to unforseen circumstances I have found myself without insurance. Sept of '08 diagnosed with cervical DDD (noon has looked farther but i suspect damage to the Thoracic as well. I have 4 bulging discs and a hernitaed C5-6. I had the lidocaine/steroid injection which lasted a blessed year and 3 months. I had occassional pain and received physical therapy which improved my status. I paid cash as preexisting was in effect. The the unforseen happened with my husbands work and I had to go part-time and lose insurance to move out of state for a lucrative job contract. The contract was cancelled due to government military funding and I had to wait 2 months before a fulltime position was available. I quickly was promoted and given a raise. I didn't feel the need to hurry and obtain or keep insurance because the epidural worked so well and I was sure when I needed another injection I could again pay cash. My insurance was to resume march 7. At 4:30am on Jan. 14 my body flew out of the bed in severe pain, hunched over and hitting my left arm, screaming for someone to do something. I was at my PCP when the doors open. I had to find my trusty TENS to assist me. Turn it on full blast. The Dr. came into the room and said that it seems the problems have once again reared it's ugly head. He gave me percocet, one 3 times a day, steroid in buttocks and pills to ween down the steroids, and come back in a week. Well, I don't think he has ever had any pain at all. When I went back the next week I was aking for a referral to obtain another injection. Simple right? I'm not looking for surgery at this stage as the injection was effective and could buy me several years before cutting. The Dr came into the exam room and asked me how many percocet I had left. I told him,(I wish I could lie well but I can't so I just tell the truth which does not always benefit me), I had 4 left. He gave me 30 and I should have had 9 left.I told him the first few days I needed more relief and took an extra percocet for the first few days. He became angered. When I asked about the referral my Dr. said "You deserve to feel this pain because you do not have insurance." He looked me in the eye and gave me a Rx for lortab, one twice a day,with no refills and an appointment for April. I was crushed. What did I do to him? Last time in 2008 I was given a 24 hour morphine with percocet for breakthrough, Parafon Forte, Ultram, Lyrica while waiting for the appt for my first injection. As I was medicated I could continue to work as a Director of nurses in a nursing home. This time is a completely opposite experience. I picked up the phone and called the old pain mngmt Dr. he now only takes "commercial insurance". I asked everyone, called many Dr.'s and received the same response, "we only accept commercial insurance". I have the cash in full. I owe no Dr. bills. Obamacare in the scary phase. I wish they would complete healthcare or shelve it. The Dr.'s are running for fear not being able to receive 40% over cost by the insurance companies. I went to communtiy health and was given a Dr. I was sure did not understand English. My concerns were validated when the nurse called and said for $448 he is sending me to a pain specialist who prescribes only Lortab?!? I don't want pills, I want the injection! NOW! Can't you see me crying? Can't you see I can't lift my left arm? Can't you see how the pain has increased my blood pressure and my pulse? What is the matter with you? I got back into the yellow pages and started calling. I found a clinic that accept cash payments. YEAH! With a possible healthcare bill looming the physicians are quickly and selfishly protecting themselves from possible reform. I continued to work as a clinical coordinator of a home health agency. Now that was an experience I barely recall due to the foggy mind and the intense constant pain. After 2 weeks and no releif in sight I took two weeks off to tend to my pain. Because I had just recently promoted I was replaced and no future insurance with this company. I could come back and work part-time with no benefits. I worked for this company for over a year and was a good employee as my exit interview stated. I had an injection Feb 12, last Friday. I was injected in three different spots and could hear the crackling of bone as the Dr. guided the needle between vertebrae. Not even enough room in there for a needle to pass between. I so appreciate this Dr. but what is it with the 30 second tour? Beggers can't be choosers. I felt better Saturday morning but as night-time came the pain increased. I was sure the injection would work I even put up the TENS unit. By monday morning the pain had come back approximately 60-70%. I gave my resignation as I am unable to do house visits or make it sitting up for more than 2 hours. My mind gets so foggy with the pain I find it difficult to get what is in my head onto paper. Besides I cannot wait another 3 months for insurance. I go for another injection Wed. the 24th. I just need to go to work on an 11-7 shift in a hospital and my ins. starts the first day. I promise I won't be any trouble. I'll be quiet. Just DO something. They say I need complete cervical fusion. Can that be done outpatient? I often day-dream the part in the movie 'Psycho', with full audio effects, when he is stabbing her in the shower. I would open the curtain so as to not make any mistakes, paint a target on my back and he can go to town. Drill a hole and pull the nerve out. I have complete numbness of 4 out of 5 fingers on my left hand. I can't eat, sleep, be hugged, snuggled. I feel worthless. If this next shot doesn't take I'll file disability, obtain Medicaid, wait on a year-long waiting list and have the surgery. I am also bi-polar with anxiety disorder. A blow like this could wind me back in the hospital. I take full responsibility for my disorder and use behavior modification with occassional rounds of medication during an acute phase. If I was my own patient this @*&! would never happen. Come on Dr.'s, remember you once were young and merciful. I'm noone special, just a hard-working mom doing her best to care for others and make a difference. Maybe I should become a singer, actor, high-profile sports player, millionare..then this situation would be completely different because then I would be important. I am a 47 y/o nurse who doesn’t seem to be able to help herself as well as I help my patients. I have always been that way. Due to unforseen circumstances I have found myself without insurance. Sept of ‘08 diagnosed with cervical DDD (noon has looked farther but i suspect damage to the Thoracic as well. I have 4 bulging discs and a hernitaed C5-6. I had the lidocaine/steroid injection which lasted a blessed year and 3 months. I had occassional pain and received physical therapy which improved my status. I paid cash as preexisting was in effect. The the unforseen happened with my husbands work and I had to go part-time and lose insurance to move out of state for a lucrative job contract. The contract was cancelled due to government military funding and I had to wait 2 months before a fulltime position was available. I quickly was promoted and given a raise. I didn’t feel the need to hurry and obtain or keep insurance because the epidural worked so well and I was sure when I needed another injection I could again pay cash. My insurance was to resume march 7. At 4:30am on Jan. 14 my body flew out of the bed in severe pain, hunched over and hitting my left arm, screaming for someone to do something. I was at my PCP when the doors open. I had to find my trusty TENS to assist me. Turn it on full blast. The Dr. came into the room and said that it seems the problems have once again reared it’s ugly head. He gave me percocet, one 3 times a day, steroid in buttocks and pills to ween down the steroids, and come back in a week. Well, I don’t think he has ever had any pain at all. When I went back the next week I was aking for a referral to obtain another injection. Simple right? I’m not looking for surgery at this stage as the injection was effective and could buy me
several years before cutting. The Dr came into the exam room and asked me how many percocet I had left. I told him,(I wish I could lie well but I can’t so I just tell the truth which does not always benefit me), I had 4 left. He gave me 30 and I should have had 9 left.I told him the first few days I needed more relief and took an extra percocet for the first few days. He became angered. When I asked about the referral my Dr. said “You deserve to feel this pain because you do not have insurance.” He looked me in the eye and gave me a Rx for lortab, one twice a day,with no refills and an appointment for April. I was crushed. What did I do to him? Last time in 2008 I was given a 24 hour morphine with percocet for breakthrough, Parafon Forte, Ultram, Lyrica while waiting for the appt for my first injection. As I
was medicated I could continue to work as a Director of nurses in a nursing home. This time is a completely opposite experience. I picked up the phone and called the old pain mngmt Dr. he now only takes “commercial insurance”. I asked everyone, called many Dr.’s and received the same response, “we only accept commercial insurance”. I have the cash in full. I owe no Dr. bills. Obamacare in the scary phase. I wish they would complete healthcare or shelve it. The Dr.’s are running for fear not being able to receive 40% over cost by the insurance companies. I went to communtiy health and was given a Dr. I was sure did not understand English. My concerns were validated when the nurse called and said for $448 he is sending me to a pain specialist who prescribes only Lortab?!? I don’t want pills, I want the injection! NOW! Can’t you see me crying? Can’t you see I can’t lift my left arm? Can’t you see how the pain has increased my blood pressure and my pulse? What is the matter with you? I got back into the yellow pages and started calling. I found a clinic that accept cash payments. YEAH! With a possible healthcare bill looming the physicians are quickly and selfishly protecting themselves from possible reform. I continued to work as a clinical coordinator of a home health agency. Now that was an experience I barely recall due to the foggy mind and the intense constant pain. After 2 weeks and no releif in sight I took two weeks off to tend to my pain. Because I had just recently promoted I was replaced and no future insurance with this company. I could come back and work part-time with no benefits. I worked for this company for over a year and was a good employee as my exit interview stated. I had an injection Feb 12, last Friday. I was injected in three different spots and could hear the crackling of bone as the Dr. guided the needle between vertebrae. Not even enough room in there for a needle to pass between. I so appreciate this Dr. but what is it with the 30 second tour? Beggers can’t be choosers. I felt better Saturday morning but as night-time came the pain increased. I was sure the injection would work I even put up the TENS unit. By monday morning the pain had come back approximately 60-70%. I gave my resignation as I am unable to do house visits or make it sitting up for more than 2 hours. My mind gets so foggy with the pain I find it difficult to get what is in my head onto paper. Besides I cannot wait another 3 months for insurance. I go for another injection Wed. the 24th. I just need to go to work on an 11-7 shift in a hospital and my ins. starts the first day. I promise I won’t be any trouble. I’ll be quiet. Just DO something. They say I need complete cervical fusion. Can that be done outpatient? I often day-dream the part in the movie ‘Psycho’, with full audio effects, when he is stabbing her in the shower. I would open the curtain so as to not make any mistakes, paint a target on my back and he can go to town. Drill a hole and pull the nerve out. I have complete numbness of 4 out of 5 fingers on my left hand. I can’t eat, sleep, be hugged, snuggled. I feel worthless. If this next shot doesn’t take I’ll file disability, obtain Medicaid, wait on a year-long waiting list and have the surgery. I am also bi-polar with anxiety disorder. A blow like this could wind me back in the hospital. I take full responsibility for my disorder and use behavior modification with occassional rounds of medication during an acute phase. If I was my own patient this @*&! would never happen. Come on Dr.’s, remember you once were young and merciful. I’m noone special, just a hard-working mom doing her best to care for others and make a difference. Maybe I should become a singer, actor, high-profile sports player, millionare..then this situation would be
completely different because then I would be important.

]]> By: linda http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1642 linda Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:26:53 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1642 new treatments for back pain...cold lasar..look it up online....Im about to try it myself. new treatments for back pain…cold lasar..look it up online….Im about to try it myself.

]]> By: linda http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1641 linda Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:03:35 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1641 dont give up on social security! Its standard procedure to be denied. You need to hire a lawyer to help. Its the only way!My story is similar to yours...I have legal help now.The sooner the better because it will be a few years before you can get any money. dont give up on social security! Its standard procedure to be denied. You need to hire a lawyer to help. Its the only way!My story is similar to
yours…I have legal help now.The sooner the better because it will be a few years before you can get any money.

]]> By: Dean http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1640 Dean Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:24:37 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1640 I am 67, very active and in great health (however accident prone--had number of broken legs, arms, torn achilles, dislocations of shoulders, etc--high pain tolerance)Back pain I suffering from herniated disc was worse than anything else!! Had a bulging disc on right and had herniated disc on left about 5 yrs ago-- it pressed on nerve and causing spasms and searing pain--No relief--in Hospital 5 days--treated with drugs--YIKES! Not a solution-exercises impossible! Finally found wonderful neuro surgeon who did micro surgery and clipped off part of disc pressing on the nerve-- Operation in morning-home at 7:30 that evening in NO more pain! Amazing--he told me that exercises could help--if tolerable!--but the same thing could happen again! Minor surgery-major relief!! Why not/ ---Dean I am 67, very active and in great health (however accident prone–had number of broken legs, arms, torn achilles, dislocations of shoulders, etc–high pain tolerance)Back pain I suffering from herniated disc was worse than anything else!! Had a bulging disc on right and had herniated disc on left about 5 yrs ago– it pressed on nerve and causing spasms and searing pain–No relief–in Hospital 5 days–treated with drugs–YIKES! Not a solution-exercises impossible! Finally found wonderful neuro surgeon who did micro surgery and clipped off part of disc pressing on the nerve– Operation in morning-home at 7:30 that evening in NO more pain! Amazing–he told me that exercises could help–if tolerable!–but the same thing could happen again! Minor surgery-major relief!! Why not/ —Dean

]]> By: shelley http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1626 shelley Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:14:15 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1626 hi natalie. yes you are way too young to have to feel like this. I would try everything else first before surgery. I was told by one surgeon I needed surgery but the dr to do it refused because of my weight. now they say I don't need surgery and it is 6 yrs later so hard to know which dr to believe. do I or don't I. I at this point will not have surgery even if they say I need it. when I am good and on the morphine I cope pretty good. when bad I am terrible and usually laying on floor for up to 6 wks but that happens maybe once every 18 months or so.. so at this time that is worth it to have the good times. I have known several people who had surgery and not only did it not help it made them worse. some have had more than one surgery and are still worse than ever. my chiropractor is highly against surgery and he has really kept me walking without being in a wheelchair so find a good one of those. now I only tried a small bit of PT and it made me way worse. even with my shoulders and arms they tried PT and it made me worse. physiotherapist had never had someone like me before who got worse with every exercise they tried with me so she got me using the TENS machine which has helped along with using morphine. I am a chronic insomniac too so I use some mild anti depressants occasionally to help me sleep because I have a high drug tolerance and most drugs for sleeping don't work on me at all. I feel very blessed to have been born with such a positive outlook on life and with a very upbeat cheerful disposition because otherwise I would be so depressed I would never want to get out of bed. I am 44 so I too feel way to young to be this crippled up so it just makes me more determined to get out and do whatever I want to do. I am too stubborn to let my back stop me from living life. I went to an amusement park in the summer with my youngest son 17 6'4" as he is going off to university in sept and I rode every roller coaster in the place. It took 10 morphine pills to get thru the day and I suffered for about a week afterward but man did we have fun. sometimes it is a choice you have to make to just go do whatever you need or want to do and you have to make yourself just do it and pay for it later. find a good dr who will really listen to you and your concerns. do lots of your own research and take questions, concerns, etc. to your dr in writing so you don't leave your appt going darn I forgot to mention this, or I forgot to ask that.... this is super important. I am a nurse and when I go to my nurse practitioner she just loves me because I have everything on a paper in front of me that needs attention and we just go down my list item by item. I have had a herniated disk before and actually have one disc that is totally gone and no padding left so it grinds on the sciatic nerve. it hurts, alot, and badly don't ever let anyone tell you it doesn't or its not that bad or it is all in your head... but also don't let it keep you from living because you will wake up say 5 yrs from now and wonder where your life went and you don't want to feel life is passing you by without you having a chance to live it. although when you are in an acute stage laying around is all you can do, when you are not in that acute stage laying around is worst thing you can do as your muscles that hold your spine get weak and you are more likely to damage around the bad spot and suffer more pain ultimately in the long run so try and get out and do whatever you can as much as you can. really try hard to find the joy in life as much as possible and you will be surprised how much better you will feel. doesn't stop the pain but does make it easier to deal with and focuses your mind on something else for awhile. hope this helps and I will try to check back here regularly if you ever need someone to talk to. shelley hi natalie. yes you are way too young to have to feel like this. I would try everything else first before surgery. I was told by one surgeon I needed surgery but the dr to do it refused because of my weight. now they say I don’t need surgery and it is 6 yrs later so hard to know which dr to believe. do I or don’t I. I at this point will not have surgery even if they say I need it. when I am good and on the morphine I cope pretty good. when bad I am terrible and usually laying on floor for up to 6 wks but that happens maybe once every 18 months or so.. so at this time that is worth it to have the good times. I have known several people who had surgery and not only did it not help it made them worse. some have had more than one surgery and are still worse than ever. my chiropractor is highly against surgery and he has really kept me walking without being in a wheelchair so find a good one of those. now I only tried a small bit of PT and it made me way worse. even with my shoulders and arms they tried PT and it made me worse. physiotherapist had never had someone like me before who got worse with every exercise they tried with me so she got me using the TENS machine which has helped along with using morphine. I am a chronic insomniac too so I use some mild anti depressants occasionally to help me sleep because I have a high drug tolerance and most drugs for sleeping don’t work on me at all. I feel very blessed to have been born with such a positive outlook on life and with a very upbeat cheerful disposition because otherwise I would be so depressed I would never want to get out of bed. I am 44 so I too feel way to young to be this crippled up so it just makes me more determined to get out and do whatever I want to do. I am too stubborn to let my back stop me from living life. I went to an amusement park in the summer with my youngest son 17 6′4″ as he is going off to university in sept and I rode every roller coaster in the place. It took 10 morphine pills to get thru the day and I suffered for about a week afterward but man did we have fun. sometimes it is a choice you have to make to just go do whatever you need or want to do and you have to make yourself just do it and pay for it later. find a good dr who will really listen to you and your concerns. do lots of your own research and take questions, concerns, etc. to your dr in writing so you don’t leave your appt going darn I forgot to mention this, or I forgot to ask that…. this is super important. I am a nurse and when I go to my nurse practitioner she just loves me because I have everything on a paper in front of me that needs attention and we just go down my list item by item.
I have had a herniated disk before and actually have one disc that is totally gone and no padding left so it grinds on the sciatic nerve. it hurts, alot, and badly don’t ever let anyone tell you it doesn’t or its not that bad or it is all in your head… but also don’t let it keep you from living because you will wake up say 5 yrs from now and wonder where your life went and you don’t want to feel life is passing you by without you having a chance to live it. although when you are in an acute stage laying around is all you can do, when you are not in that acute stage laying around is worst thing you can do as your muscles that hold your spine get weak and you are more likely to damage around the bad spot and suffer more pain ultimately in the long run so try and get out and do whatever you can as much as you can. really try hard to find the joy in life as much as possible and you will be surprised how much better you will feel. doesn’t stop the pain but does make it easier to deal with and focuses your mind on something else for awhile.
hope this helps and I will try to check back here regularly if you ever need someone to talk to. shelley

]]> By: Natalie http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1625 Natalie Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:23:14 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1625 Shelley- Oh wow. I can say that I thankfully do not have it as bad as you do. I mean on top of the fact you have a husband, household, and kids to care for, you are in constant pain like that. I just could not imagine! I am lucky that I still live at home with my parents, and that I do not have too much I have to do, I can just kind of lay around. The thing that gets to me the most I think, is the fact that I AM young. I am 30 yrs old and I SHOULD be out, all the time, with friends, hanging out w/ family, all that. And I cant be, and that REALLY gets to me. I am WAY too active and have too much energy to be this way, you know? I ended up getting a diagnosis the other day. My L5 disk is herniated, which according to a lot of the people on here, seems like the most popular one! I was told to have surgery, BUT what I am going to do I think 1st is try physical therapy a few months and see how that helps. I am so glad, Shelley, that you found someone to help you and that you are feeling better! And it is amazing that you did not get depressed because of it, because I know that I am. My Dr. wants to put me on anti-depressants, but I told him no. I have been on them in the past, and I do not like them. So right now I have to just go day by day, and start P.T. and hopefully that will begin to help me. Shelley-

Oh wow. I can say that I thankfully do not have it as bad as you do. I mean on top of the fact you have a husband, household, and kids to care for, you are in constant pain like that. I just could not imagine! I am lucky that I still live at home with my parents, and that I do not have too much I have to do, I can just kind of lay around. The thing that gets to me the most I think, is the fact that I AM young. I am 30 yrs old and I SHOULD be out, all the time, with friends, hanging out w/ family, all that. And I cant be, and that REALLY gets to me. I am WAY too active and have too much energy to be this way, you know? I ended up getting a diagnosis the other day. My L5 disk is herniated, which according to a lot of the people on here, seems like the most popular one! I was told to have surgery, BUT what I am going to do I think 1st is try physical therapy a few months and see how that helps. I am so glad, Shelley, that you found someone to help you and that you are feeling better! And it is amazing that you did not get depressed because of it, because I know that I am. My Dr. wants to put me on anti-depressants, but I told him no. I have been on them in the past, and I do not like them. So right now I have to just go day by day, and start P.T. and hopefully that will begin to help me.

]]> By: Shelley http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/comment-page-2/#comment-1615 Shelley Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:36:34 +0000 http://thebacksurgerysite.com/herniated-disc/#comment-1615 hey natalie I completely agree with you. unless you have suffered from back pain you can have no idea how bad bad can get. I have suffered until I could not stand up, would fall in elevators, walking in the grocery store would turn a corner and kiss the floor not able to move. have been picked up by so many store employees and put into wheelchairs to get me to my van, have spent many months walking with two canes, having people nearly having to carry me into my house. I am the only driver with a very seriously ill disabled husband and raised 4 kids of my own and 2 for someone else for about 3 yrs so had 6 kids ages 21 months to about 11 yrs. I would be found laying in parking lots between cars, would get up to go pee at night and collapse into my closet and lay there for hours because no one woke up to my yelling to help me. have been through every kind of back pain, leg pain, you can have. anyone that knows what a cattle prod is (like an instrument to electrocute animals to make them go where you want them to) I would feel like someone shoved that inside my spinal cord at about L5 and turned in on high. waves of electrical shocks and massive pain would travel up to my neck and down both legs over and over and over. going to the toilet required me to crawl on hands and knees because I couldn't stand without screaming, using the toilet was done while screaming in pain never mind trying to have a bowel movement. excruitating doesn't begin to describe it. you are not alone. it is so good to find other people who share our stories but it is very sad to hear so many having the same problems. dr's who refuse to listen, who deny care, who just want to blame everything on depression or weight. thank god I am a very happy outgoing person and just being depressed is not in my nature or I would truly feel horrible. I feel bad for all those out there that suffer from depression because it must be a horrible state to live in. my dr told me to do pilates and hire a personal trainer. on a disability pension yeah right. she totally ignored the fact that my legs were going paralyzed and I was falling down and couldn't move. you just have to keep looking for someone to listen. I finally found a wonderful new nurse practitioner and what a difference. just no comparison. I have been given better and more care in the past 3 yrs than my whole life combined. and I would not be walking at all today without the help of my terrific chiropractor. also I use a TENS machine and that helps quite a bit. mostly you just learn to live with huge amounts of pain and get thru it the very best way you can. take care and good luck, shelley hey natalie I completely agree with you. unless you have suffered from back pain you can have no idea how bad bad can get. I have suffered until I could not stand up, would fall in elevators, walking in the grocery store would turn a corner and kiss the floor not able to move. have been picked up by so many store employees and put into wheelchairs to get me to my van, have spent many months walking with two canes, having people nearly having to carry me into my house. I am the only driver with a very seriously ill disabled husband and raised 4 kids of my own and 2 for someone else for about 3 yrs so had 6 kids ages 21 months to about 11 yrs. I would be found laying in parking lots between cars, would get up to go pee at night and collapse into my closet and lay there for hours because no one woke up to my yelling to help me. have been through every kind of back pain, leg pain, you can have. anyone that knows what a cattle prod is (like an instrument to electrocute animals to make them go where you want them to) I would feel like someone shoved that inside my spinal cord at about L5 and turned in on high. waves of electrical shocks and massive pain would travel up to my neck and down both legs over and over and over. going to the toilet required me to crawl on hands and knees because I couldn’t stand without screaming, using the toilet was done while screaming in pain never mind trying to have a bowel movement. excruitating doesn’t begin to describe it. you are not alone. it is so good to find other people who share our stories but it is very sad to hear so many having the same problems. dr’s who refuse to listen, who deny care, who just want to blame everything on depression or weight. thank god I am a very happy outgoing person and just being depressed is not in my nature or I would truly feel horrible. I feel bad for all those out there that suffer from depression because it must be a horrible state to live in. my dr told me to do pilates and hire a personal trainer. on a disability pension yeah right. she totally ignored the fact that my legs were going paralyzed and I was falling down and couldn’t move. you just have to keep looking for someone to listen. I finally found a wonderful new nurse practitioner and what a difference. just no comparison. I have been given better and more care in the past 3 yrs than my whole life combined. and I would not be walking at all today without the help of my terrific chiropractor. also I use a TENS machine and that helps quite a bit. mostly you just learn to live with huge amounts of pain and get thru it the very best way you can.
take care and good luck, shelley

]]>