Back Trouble (disc problems with sciatica) after Labor

[JenninPA]

Hi,

That's interesting. I suffered an extruded disc 2 weeks after labor - and after 3 epidural attempts. They anesthesiologist said since I was overweight, she had trouble finding a good spot for my epidural...by the way - I only weigh 160 lbs and only gained 25lbs with the baby. Is it possible she screwed my back up? My MRI showed 2 herniated discs and 1 extruded disc (worse than herniated). I never lifted anything heavy and never was involved in an accident or anything. One of the docs said it was the worst extruded disc's he'd seen in 30 years. How could this be if I didn't do anything - except labor PS I only pushed for 45 minutes?

[JenninPA]

I know what you mean about the pain when getting up but its my back shooting down all the way to the foot - that's what still bothers me for about 60 seconds after standing up...
Anyways, nice to meet you, You and your hubby take it easy!
Jenn = ***@****

[fairylady77]

well, im glad to hear that you found a surgeon who is not "knife happy". you definitely want to try all conservative methods before surgery. yes, there is a limit to 3 injections per year...however, if they work...you wouldnt need more than that anyway. (hopefully).  i know that im definitely glad that i dont have a young child to tend to...(mine are 14 and 17 years old)....but, one of these days, i do hope to have grandkids...so, im facing that problem in a few years. i dont have daily pain...as far as leg pain. there is another part to the disc pain that not everyone gets. what i suffer with the absolute most (which is a daily basis, regardless of my activity), is the bottom of my foot feeling bruised. sometimes it really hurts...thankfully though, it only lasts a few minutes...right after i stand up. but when i do stand up, sometimes its so bad, that i cant walk normal...i have to take baby steps and i walk like an old lady until it stops. but as you said....im soooo glad that i can still walk...it definitely could be much worse.

yeah its deifnitely amazing how we can have these troubles as young as we are...but believe it or not...there are some out there that damages their discs in their teens...my hubby damaged his when he was 18 playing basketball in college.

i hope the injections continue to work for you...so that you never have to face that decision of whether or not to have surgery. just be careful and try not to over do it on anything.

[JenninPA]

Hi Fairy Lady.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Well, you're right, this is all new to me. The only thing that worries me like crazy is that my 2 month old son is only going to get bigger and heavier and I will have times when I HAVE to pick him up - I'm envisioning temper tantrums in the grocery store etc...

My leg pain is definetly worse than my back pain however the epidural helped so much that I don't need any pain meds (was taking tylenol 3 round the clock before).

I'm just scared b/c I heard you can only have so many injections in 1 year. Luckily, I've found a doctor - spine surgeon- that wants to try everything b4 surgery - b/c I am so young - 30.  I don't quite understand the 'so young' thing...wouldn't it be better now than later? I guess I'm hoping and praying that the disc will resorb. Doc says there's a 30% chance of that happening.

As for your condition, sounds like you don't have daily pain anymore - that's great! Be careful BUT you gotta live right! Just be happy we can still walk I guess!

I can't believe this **** happens to people in their 20s and 30s. Oh Well, there are worse things I guess.

PS Do you have young kids?
Thanks, Jenn

[RJ233]

Listening to you talking about pain after labor, reminds me of my daughter. She started having pain during sex and back problems. She went to every Gyn dr she could along with surgeons, for years, and years. Finally, she paid out of her pocket for an MRI because her insurance would not after all those years. She had been through several surgeries, then a total historectomy in her early 30's. That dr found that when she birthed her little girl the pelvis bone expanded, but did not go back into place. So, all those years of incompetent drs, pain, and total historectmy, she went to therapy to get those pelvic bones back in place. She had back problems also and that surgeon said all he could do was fusion to help her. She went to my dr of over 10 yrs, took her MRI he look over it a couple minutes, walked into her room and said, you have a cracked disc. He did a treatment of shots on her and she has finally got relief from pain. He also did 2 treatments of shots on me. The first one didn't last that long, but the 2 one has been great. I still have pain at times, but it is a great relief from how it was.  RJ

[fairylady77]

well, let me explain first about surgery. that MIGHT help you with your answer. surgery does NOT alleviate back pain..period. the ONLY thing surgery will help is the leg pain...and thats not a given. have you ever heard the saying "once a bad back, always a bad back" ? thats what that saying means. now, eventually, your pain COULD get better...to where you dont suffer as frequently or as intense. you will always have occassional flare ups, sometimes it will last a few hours, a day or two...sometimes a week..depending on what you've done to cause it to flare up. also, with surgery, you will face two other potential problems.....arthritis, and scar tissue. sometimes the scar tissue will get so bad that you have to have surgery to have that removed. i already have arthritis in my back...from the injury itself...(im only 36).  

why did i decide against surgery?? i was injured at work. so its a workers comp case. although i was recommended for surgery...by 2 different drs....they obviously dont care to pay for it. for one, they have let things go for so long, that most likely surgery would not help me now anyway. for two, ive lived like this for 2 years, have adjusted to my limitations, and feel that i can do without surgery. for three..i dont care to face scar tissue issues...and since i already have arthritis, i dont want to risk making it worse. and lastly.....i know someone who had 2 ruptured discs (both at separate times in their life)....first was done with surgery....and they still suffered (as i stated, it doesnt help with back pain relief, only leg pain relief)...the second time, my friend opted to not have surgery, and within a year, they were "better"...meaning....daily pain was no longer an issue...they do have flare ups here and there depending on daily activities. im finding it to be the very same with me.

the epidural cortisone injections and physical therapy done NOTHING for me period. it was like getting injected with air. just didnt phase me at all. So....my best bet to you...if the injections help....DONT do surgery. just stick with the injections. why do surgery, if the injections alleviate the pain?? the injection might offer you weeks of relief, or months of relief, before you need to go back for another one.

i hope this helps. i know just how tough it can be to live with the pain when the injury is so very fresh. it took me 1.5 years to get to the point to where i was able to function...and sleep again...and to not feel like my life was over. my life is somewhat "normal" now...just with alot of restrictions to keep things from going backwards.

[JenninPA]

Thanks for the answer. I am so confused just like everyone else about whether or not to have surgery. The pain isn't that bad right now... however I have a 2 month old who is only going to get bigger and need to be lifted sometimes. My epidural of cortisone seemed to help alot but if the pain comes back, there's no way I can live with it!

I hate to think I'll never be back to normal. I HATE THIS!

What made you decide not to have surgery? I had 1 doc said I need it right away and another said wait and see about the epidural.

[fairylady77]

very possible that it was labor. sometimes, it only takes just a sneeze to knock the discs out of whack and sometimes causes them to rupture. i really do not think it came from the epidural....pushing (anything with force, such as with sneezing, force when constipated, things of that nature) can do damage to your back.