Comments on: Herniated Disc

By: Ashley M.

Ashley M. — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:30:55 +0000

I am 23 years old and have been dealing with constant back and leg pain since 2006. I fought for (and won) Social Security Disability and have been recently seeing doctors for my problems. My specialist ordered an MRI about a month ago and found 2 herniations. One mild, the other moderate. I have also been diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease and narrowing of the discs. I have been in so much pain that all I can do is lay here and cry some days. I try to be active by walking my dog for 30-45 minutes a few days of the week, but I always end up in bed for a few days afterwards. I have tried the epidural cortisone shots, Neurontin, and Lyrica and nothing has helped. I see my chiropractor religiously. The doctor has finally agreed to let me see a surgeon and has set up the paperwork. Now, I am trying to find out as much information as possible about the surgery and what is required after the surgery so I am well informed before I even see the surgeon. I’m scared that he will deny me the surgery due to age or weight because I do not think I can bear this pain any longer. If anyone has any information on surgery in the lumbar region for herniated discs, I am interested in the recovery. I want to know how bad it hurts after the surgery, how long it took for you to feel some relief, what activities you are allowed to resume immediately after surgery, and if there are any special requirements that you have for after care. I know I am very young for these problems, and I feel like I am missing my life because of immobility. Any help is appreciated!

By: amber

amber — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 18:08:18 +0000

can you recive any kind of benifits from ssd for a slip disc

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:00:58 +0000

I was diagnosed with a fairly large herniated disc in L3 by my chiropractor last week after he reviewed my MRI. Actually he told me 1 wk prior that he thought I had a herniated disc as I had all the signs. So he ordered the MRi. My chiroprator has treated me with decompression therapy and I have had only 2 treatments so far, I will receive my 3rd treatment tomorrow and the 4th on Thursday. When I first saw my chiropractor a couple of weeks ago, I could barely walk, sit, stand or bend over without having excruiating pain in my back and having it go down my left leg. Just after 2 decompression therapy treatments I am able to get around better and my pain level has gone from a 10+ down to a 6. Before starting the decompression therapy I would wake up in the middle of the night in misery & would have excruiating pain in my lower back and in my leg. Now I am able to sleep through the night and I only take the anti-flammatory and a muscle relaxer. I have not taken any other pain meds since the weekend. He told me that time will tell but he thinks the disc may be able to slide back in place with the decompression. I spoke to a friend of mine who is in family medicine and he said that he is a firm believer in the decompression therapy. The nice thing about it, it does not hurt.

By: JC Courtney

JC Courtney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 01:41:39 +0000

Sara, one can only speak for themself. If you have read my story, you might think twice on that fusion. Since I last posted, i have talked to several people on ” Bad Backs ” One guy did mention that a Surgeon wrapped a cage around his herniation, and that was 12 years ago. He said he has never hurt again. Wish i would have done a lot more investigating before i was fused. I SWEAR, I regret it so much.. I have NO life. But, like I said, everyone is differant. What might not work for one person, may just help another. Just Remember, Fusion is is permanant, no second chances!!! Look at all of your options. My Dr told me that fusion would fix me too. YEAH RIGHT… Thats how they make thier money, cutting people open, and putting those 50k plus screws, and rods in you. Told my wife to cremate me, and put my hardware on E-Bay!!!! God Bless All

By: Sara

Sara — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 15:52:44 +0000

I am 31 and had my first back surgery when I was 26. I had a herniated disc and the cut the disc off so it was not pushing on the sciatica. Up until 6 months ago I was doing great, experiencing a little stiffness and pain, but it would go away the more I exercised. The same disc has now herniated again. I have been attending physical therapy for 6 weeks now with no relief. Tomorrow is my last appointment and they will reasses me to see if I should continue. I go back to the neurosurgeon in November, but he has indicated that I would need a fusion to take care of this problem. I do not want to do this as I am so young yet and we have not started our family. I just wondered if anyone else had any similar stories or alternatives. We have just recently purchased an inversion table. I have been using it but not sure if the theraphy or the table are causing me more pain. Currently 3 ibuprofen tablets every 6 hours takes away the pain.

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 02:28:37 +0000

I had steriods injected via epidermal at a pain clinic. 3 sets of injections about 2 weeks apart per treatment. Pain gone, no pain pills. However I still have mild tingling and numbness in my thumb and adjacent finger of my left hand. I’m using an inversion table to see if I can beat that, if not, so what because nothing compares to the pain I had.

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 05:09:44 +0000

Boy oh boy there are some terrible stories here aren’t there – people so young facing a lifetime of pain and reduced mobility. Here in Australia we have a whole lot of rules about what lifting people are allowed to do at work – many professions have a limit of lifting say 5Kg without using a mechanical hoist. That’s OK for them of course but those rules only protect certain professions or jobs. I am a recently retired farmer, and how all we farmers snigger with derision when we hear that storement can no longer lift more than a few Kilos. Well guess who has the last laugh. When I was about 45 I had a bulged disc, L4/L5 I think it was, and had to have 6 weeks bed rest. Hard to do but I obeyed the doc and had no more trouble until this year, when L5/S1 gave out, not jus herniated but completely disintegrated. Bone on bone it was not fun at all, but eventually I had a cage fusion, and that was 7 weeks ago now, but the pain is less (still taking some meds for that) and mobility gets better every day. At my age (65) perhaps there are some things I will never do again (like snowboarding; maybe motorcycle touring) but life is looking OK in the future for me. Hope all the others on this site find some relief because as I know all too well, living with pain is scarcely even living.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 22:05:06 +0000

I’ve always had lower back pain doing heavy lifting, (doing correct lifting tech.) I am 23 years old and finally went to my Doc. He did a request of a MRI on my lower back which revealed a L4-L5 herniation in my disc. I go back and see him on monday to discuss all my options on what i could do. Right now i am currently on Norco 5/325 due to surgery on both of my feet which i take 3 times daily. and now due to my herniated disc i am on Somas. Now finding the herniated disc neither one is really helping my pain. Everytime i sneeze or cough or do any slight bending in my back i get a sharp pain in my back which shoot pain all the way down my left leg to my ankle. Is there anything else i can do or take that helps the pain better? I am really not looking towards surgery right now. But i am pretty young and dont know what all my options are. PLEASE let me know something

By: leroy

leroy — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:45:46 +0000

My back hurts l-5 s-1 herniated to the left go to psychical therapy 3 times a week have had 2 steroid injections the neurosurgeon says im not a candidate for surgery at this time hurt my back at work 4 months ago no relief take 6 vicodin a day what should i do any help please

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:46:22 +0000

Linda, just wondering if you have had the cold laser procedure done by now and how you are doing since it was done. Did your insurance balk at this new procedure? I hope this has helped you! This would be an answer to prayer for me as well as others if it has worked for you! Please let us know! (Perhaps you have already commented on this further down in these posts, forgive me if you have!)

Thanks and wishing you well from Bullard, Texas.