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Bulging Disc: Surgery or not?

About 2 years ago, I started feeling classical symptoms of sciatica - pain radiating down my right leg, all the way to the knee, mostly on the side of the leg. This happened right after I made about 10 consecutive jumps. A year later after that episode, I had MRI done. It showed that I had 2 bulging/herniated discs and 1 herniated disc. The bulging/herniated discs are at L1-L2 and L2-L3 position. The mildly herniated disc was at L5-S1 position. My leg pain is always there, however, its severity is on and off. It's never extreme, such as inability to get out of bed or not go to work. However, at times it's distressing resulting in inability to exercise at gym or do various physical activities fully.

I am 25 years old and sports has always been a somewhat large part of my life. I have a gym membership for 10 years, I play basketball, tennis, soccer and other sports recreationally. This pain has inhibited some of those activities and I had to cut out many of the exercises that I used to do in the gym (squats, back rows, military press and etc.)

Recently I had 2 epidural injections done, about 3 weeks apart. The first one helped for about 10 days and the 2nd one I had done less than a week ago and the pain has already come back almost fully.

I have seen 2 surgeons and both recommended surgeries after first trying more conservative treatment. I have been prescribed by one surgeon to undergo a PT course for 6 weeks. While I didn't start it yet, it's unlikely to help in my view.
The first surgeon recommended a laminectomy and the 2nd one microdiscectomy.

Is it worth going through one of these surgeries given my age and somewhat nagging pain, should PT fail (as I predict it will)? If so, how successful are these surgeries in terms of pain relief? Will I ever be able to go back to gym again at at least 80% of how I used to? In other words, do the benefits outweigh the costs of recovery, pain and some risk?
Is PT any help in situations like these where the pain is chronic and according to MRI and X-Ray, I have some bone spurs and somewhat degenerated discs?
Thank You for your time and attention,
- Igor
113 Responses
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Avatar universal
I'm 26.  Very active, used to be a body builder.   Suffered a bulging disc at L4-L5 when I was 25 and deadlifting at the gym.  Hurt BADDD!

I refuse to have surgery and get cut open unless I have to.

There are numerous supplements that DO WORK that I have tried/am on right now.

For the pain, look into this
-----Curamin
Their main website is "http://www.curamin.com/"

To help restore joint/disc health look into this
----Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM supplement (24 hour release is best)
Here's the one I took  "http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Glucosamine-Chondroitin-240-Capsules/568?utm_source=gb&utm_medium=f3&at=0"


To help restore fluid within the discs and also help with inflammation, look into this.
----Hyaluronic Acid.
I'm taking one called "Baxil" but I can't find the link on the web.  Regardless, look into it b/c the discs in your back are made up of this acid.

Most of all, Stretches.
http://www.spineuniverse.com/article/back-pain-exercises-4413.html

I do the "pelvic tilt" and the "knees to chest" stretches morning and night, and they really seem to help and it feels good.

Good luck to everyone.

--J


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Avatar universal
Sir, can u tell where you got your Mom operated? My mom has similar problem and she's in 50s as well. Please reply me at ***@****
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Avatar universal
Hi, I appreciate all the information on this forum. I am a 64 female with chronic arthritis issues. The last five years I have had two bulging discs L3,L4. IDD seemed to help until last year when I had severe pain on my right side. I then had minimaly invasive surgery to remove bone spurs. It helped for about 3 months and then t must have injured my back again. This time the MRI showed a bulging L5 bulging disc with effusion and major stenosis. I was in a lot of pain but my neurosurgeon did not want two do a double fusion after he had already operated on my back a year earlier. He said do aquatic therapy. I went two times and it made it much worse to the point I could not move my big toe and had foot drop. I then went to my GP and he suggested IDD on my S1 and physical therapy combined. Unfortunately the pain is now debilitating and I have more paralysis in my lower leg. I see the surgeon tomorrow. Unfortunately surgery will may now be the only option. My advice is this, don't wait till all this happens as now my physical therapist gives me a 50/50 chance of full recovery .
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Avatar universal
I am a forty seven year old women, who had 3 back surgeries for a ruptured disc, LL4 I believe. It was the dumbest thing I ever did. Like you I had and still have sciatica pain, from my back to my toes, mainly left leg but on occasion right as well. If I were you I would do laser surgery, the commercials
I see here for the laser spine institute sounds amazing. But that is my advice, I just found out now on top of everything else, years of pain management, breast cancer, my husbands 2 pituitary tumors, well you know what they say God doesn't put anything on you, you can not handle. May I I make a suggestion, get a heating pad, some serious prescriptions, and make up your mind about what to do. Try water therapy it's new herein my state, and I am going to do it. Best of luck, God Bless you I know how you feel.
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Avatar universal
Hi, for the past seven months Ive had chronic pain in my back, hips and legs.
I've been to the doctor many times and tried PT to no results, so they decided to give me an MRI. Turns out I have three degenerative bulging discs one in my thoracic and two in my lumber. They also found a tumor in my left lung. The pain is sometime so intense I can't think straight never mind do anything else. At the moment I'm taking two different types of morphine tablets and sleeping tablets to allow me to get some sleep. Unfortunately they (the doctors) refuse to do anything about my back problems and focus on the tumor, so I'm going into to hospital in a few days to take out the tumor, I've been told that survey for my back problems would be complicated and possiable make the sitution worse, so nothing can be done. I can't see a way out of this and would give anything to just be able to pick up my two children without feeling I'm going to die.... I apologize for the bad gramma I'm on morphine and find it hard to concentrate. Can anyone give me any advise?
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Avatar universal
I'm so sorry. This sounds exactly like what my husband describes. Numbness, tingling, pain, weakness and he has said many times he doesn't know how he can go on like this. It has gas been relentless for too long now,  Surgery is very scary for us as there is no going back but it seems like the only option left. Where are you with surgery?
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Avatar universal
Everyone here seems to be mentioning PT - but what is PT please?
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Avatar universal
I hear you.
It's horrible.
Looks like your case is even worse due to the fact that part of the disc was removed and now it's degenerating.
I've heard that they can remove disc and fuse vertebrae if that's one option.
It'll limit some flexibility but should be pain free.

BTW, I bought an inversion table and it's been more than a month and pain has reduced quite a bit.
I'm not sure if it's due to the inversion table or it just got healed in a month but it does relieve pressure on the back.
I went to chiropractor few times and quit as they said, we will put you on a plan and hopefully the bulging disc goes back in.
I can stay home and hope without paying them.

Best of luck on your treatment!
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Avatar universal
i had an op in 2000 on l5s1,part of the disc was removed... before that i had pain 24/7 in my back and leg and nothing helped...and i mean NOTHING.....now 14 years later its back again...the same disc has apparent central disc protrusion, displacing the thecal sac?....I also have some disc degeneration.....I was into running and mountain biking also...now I work, however on light duties and feeling rather useless and lay in bed when Im not at work...I cant do anything, not even walking as exercise.Ive had a CT which showed the above described and am seeing a specialist n the 15th january........Ive heard mixed results from surgery and Im hoping I dont have to go down that path but cant see how I can avoid it when I currently have no life due to the pain and discomfort and its interfering with work also...Im scared sh!tless!!!!....and very depressed.
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Avatar universal
Hi,
I'm 38 years old now and been having back pain since 1999.
In 1995, I jumped from around 12 feet high wall and my left knee didn't bend and I felt a shock in my back.
It didn't hurt that time but in 1999, when I was playing with friends, it started hurting real bad and I knew it was the exact same spot that I felt shock in 1995.
The doctor suggested either pain killers or surgery in 1999 after x-ray but without MRI.
I opted for pain killers.
The pain went down after few weeks but I always felt it's there.
I constantly had numbness in that area and had to constantly adjust my left leg bones to feel comfortable.
In 2009, I had MRI and it showed L4, L5 bulging disc and that's not pinching but compressing sciatica nerve on the left side.
L3 also may have slight buzz. I lost my MRI disc so don't remember.
I had steriod injection that time.  It really helped for a week or so.

Since then, it was same pain, uneasyness and numbness until last week.
I was in the bed trying to wake up and had a big sneeze that moved my left leg really high close to my chest.
I can bring my knee to my chest all the time but that sneeze did it I don't know in what way that my pain suddenly went up 10 times and I could not even put any pressure on my left leg.
After resting 3 days and stretching, I can at least walk and work but I have to limp as it still hurts on left side if I put my weight on it.

I'm seeing chiropractor this weekend to see if that helps.
Otherwise, will go for surgery as the pain is too much now compared to before.
It's been almost 15 years so I know it's not going anywhere on its own.
:'-(
Helpful - 0
6627699 tn?1383135524
I am 58 years old and never suffered any lower back lumbar spine problems or injuries. From January 2013 to March 2013 I bought and used the Abdoer Twist exercise machine. I went overseas for a holiday and 4 days after stopping to use it I started to notice sciattica symptoms in my right leg. After I got back and within a month my sciattica had developed into heavy legs syndrome in both legs. I had CT guided left and right facet joint injections of cortisone and the heavy leg syndrome lifted. I was left with excruciating pain in my lumbar spine, pelvis, both hips, buttocks and both legs. Plus extreme weakness in both legs. Suspected of Multiple Sclerosis which was ruled out by an MRI. Doctors changed my pain meds to Oxynorm from Endone. A total of 9 CT guided facet joint injections of the S1, L5, L4 plus physio exercises 2-3 times a day plus 2-3 times a day hanging in an inversion table have not improved the pain and symptoms. I have been diagnosed with bulging discs at L5/S1, L4/L5 AND L3/L4 and spondylolisthesis of L5/S1 and L3/L4. Now considering surgery options of Microdiscectomy laminectomy for up to 3 discs L5/S1, L4/L5 AND L3/L4 and to a lesser extent because I am very concerned at the potential ramifications of a Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion for spondylolisthesis L3/L4 & L5/S1. I was as strong as an ox before I used the Abdoer Twist and had no lower back pain or injuries. And the machine is sold with promises that it cannot injure you! This is false misleading and untrue claims which I have completely debunked and shown why at a blog I have written at http://abdoertwistreview.org
Do NOT buy this equipment and use it in the method taught by John Abdo
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Avatar universal
Hello harryh9,

Found your post very useful. Why did you try to sleep in a recliner and how, do you think, it improved your condition?

Thanks
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6213501 tn?1379608961
Great post. I just turned 61 and had my first back surgery 2 years ago. I am w/ you, dude-- even tho I am NOT mechanically minded, am a 61 year old woman (ex-hippie-- does that figure in anywhere?) my attidue is, "if it's broken-- JUST FIX IT! I had very close :friends:-- docs themselves who warned me off the back surgery -- but life on Vicodin and I pain didn't set right w/ me. I spent two years on the "slow boat to China;" Chiropractic, acupuncture, nerve blocks, cortisone, and PT-- to which the sum total was diddly-- or temporary relief. I found a great surgeon @ Cedars...felt great for 7 months after one year of healing-- then wham! Not pain-- ache-- and the same annoying signs I had while healing-- stiffness in my back, muscle stiffness that traveled all the way and ended for me in migraines. When I returned to my "great" surgeon-- I got a handful of pills-- Norco and steroids (oral) and to my question of "If I don't feel better should I call for a follow up," the reply: "You know where we are. The appointment w/ the GREAT one cost me $175 bucks b/c the GREAT no longer takes BLUE CROSS. The cost of the MRI? Close to 6 grand. My portion was "only 300. I found another doc thru my Neurologist/Migraine doc whom I love-- and tho I did wait nearly 90 minutes to see him- he gave me a wide range of options. However, no more slow boats for me. I have read that after 10 years both surgery and non surgery disc bulge patients report equal satisfaction and non-return of pain. Guess what? I could be dead by then. I don't feel good. I don't have horrific pain. But I do have constant continuous ache that leaves me exhausted and often blooms into migraine. I am a writer and sitting is the absolute worst position. Sitting activates the ache/pain. I would recommend thorough research on your surgeon. Tho my first surgeon let me down this time-- his first surgery was fabulous. My new doc seconded the opinion. He also explained thoroughly my back and how and why this is happening to me--- tho I do have these disc problems-- my spine itself is in great shape. If you do have spinal issues and are considering surgery -- don't ask your friends-- ask someone who's been thru it. Then research the surgeon and research the facility. Do your due diligence. Some people will still opt out of surgery. Not me. I want it over yesterday.
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5938685 tn?1377028551
Hello, I was reading down through all these comments looking for some opinions or other options myself for my neck injury, when I came upon the post from inseriouspain.  I couldn't let this one go, this is my same story to the T only with C5-6 bulge, protrusion, herniation, call it what you will its all in the radiologists terminology.  As for my personal experience with what I'm going through now I can surly attest that you do NEED the advice of legal council.  These WC issues can be very tricky. It is very unfortunate that companies really don't care about the health or care of their employees, it all comes down to the bottom line.(If you get injured your are now labeled as a liability)  Yes there sure are those who do nothing but abuse the system, but when you have someone who shows up to work on time, is never late, doesn't take off, has a good work ethic and just plainly bends over backwards to do their job you also get the same treatment as those who abuse the system.  
   On July of 2012 I was at work and got injured by someone else's total incompetence. ( my super.)  Anyway the IRC's or Express Care centers that you have to go to for your initial eval. are bias.  Your employer is in cahoots with these selected establishments in order to get you back to work asap with the least amount of cost possible.  Where I live this state is one of the worst in the country to try and get anything solved through WC.  
   In my personal experience the rules are: you must first report the injury with in a timely manor (there is a numerical time limit) and you are sup post to get a list of  Dr.'s that you have to chose from to go see from your employer.  Then with in 90 days if your not better or satisfied with your outcome you have the legal right to go see a Dr. of your choice.  But this is where things get tricky.
   Take it from me that if you do not take care of this issue and be true to yourself this will end up causing you extra stress and much un-needed pain.
   So in dealing with the WC(Workers Comp) Dr. who wasn't listening to me in the first place I went the way of the std. procedure. For the first 90 days follow everything by the book, you don't have a choice.  I told the Doc. my pain level, what was hurting and how, she wrote the initial injury up as a cervical strain, gave me 5 X-rays, Vicodin and PT.  As the PT went on and me saying this isn't working its making things worse nothing you are doing is working the Dr. finally sent me for an MRI, two months later.  
   I received the MRI results and was told to go see the Orthopedic Spine Dr. Well the results are: disc hern. at C2-3,5-6. NO KIDDING that is what all the pain is from. Mean while I'm still working full boar, still following their rules word for word. More pills, don't do this or that, use this traction device, set you up for epidurals, uuggghhh.  After 8 months of this, 3 injections and no real positive results just loads of pain pills( I call them band-aids,and refuse to take much of them). I was truly getting discouraged and felt like no one was taking me seriously, through all this treatment things were not getting any better.    Then one day before heading into work(2nd) I opened the mail and there was a letter that my employer wanted me to have an IME.(Independent Medical Evaluation)  I thought ok what is this and what is going on?  
   That is what prompted me to seek legal council, when the Dr.'s won't listen to you and your employer sends you for an IME its time.  Not sure if you know what an IME is so I'll clue you in a little.   An Independent Medical Eval is exactly that, an evaluation by a Dr. chosen and paid by your employer's third party administrator.  These Dr.'s drive around in my case from a different state and go to a set Family Practice to evaluate you.  Their job is to complete a physical analysis of you and type up a report then submit that to your employer, and their insurance company.  You can refuse to go but if you refuse now your employer doesn't have to keep you on WC.( Double edged ).  Also in going to an IME you have to answer all the personal questions on the questionnaire plus the evaluating Dr.'s inquiries.  I know right this seems to be against the Hippa policy since now your work is going to know more about you than what you want them to know.
   Going down this WC road for someone legit it does seem to drag you through the mud a little.   Oh did I mention the above IME Dr. at least the one my work used received $4000 for a one hour physical and a report.( per my legal council).  These Dr.s are paid to give an ay ok eval. your fine go back to work report.  Fine I'd be glad to but I'm still in pain you say, at this point you don't have a leg to stand on without legal representation.  So hopefully you seek legal help before you get to this point.  I know many people whom have injured themselves or have been injured and were afraid of their employers because the fear of loosing their job and that's just not right.  Well those people are wishing they would have done things in a different manor.
     Something I'll never understand, most times an employer would rather spend way more money and waste resources trying to get out of a claim than it would have cost to help fix their employee.  Every case is different though and has its own specific parameters.   You have got to be prepared today and be one step ahead at all times, because most employers know that you won't be prepared to go down the road I was forced down.  In the end it ended up costing my company.                                                                                                                          
  So during my many Dr.'s appts., going to work everyday living my life with this pain I learned one very valuable key element to this whole WC deal.  If your WC Dr. that you have to go see per rules doesn't diagnose you correctly the first time, in the state were I reside the employer has the right to deny your claim, therefor making it very difficult to change the Notice of Compensation Payable to what is really causing you the pain.  The employer says,"Well we already paid for the cervical strain," true, but that was included in with my bad discs, which was a miss diagnosis.  So yes it is a very tough road, most cases usually last 12-15 months to get things resolved, but with having the correct legal council there to help guide you and take care of the tremendous amounts of paper work, it should work out.  You can take what I have said to the bank, because I am still currently going through this long, arduous process.      Hope some of this helps to ease some tension and maybe answered some questions for you, but it is unfortunate the way these things go.    
   I'd be glad to help answer some questions if any, specially because its still very fresh in my mind.
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Avatar universal
I had severe pain right from L3-L4 to hip and left foot. It lasted 6 months, I was barely able to move few feet. Could not squat or sleep well. Than miracle happened when I went to pool to swim, I did one hour breast stroke. When I came out of pool pain was gone. Only slight pain in lower back. Later it came on and off but only when I do some weight lifting/shifting or squat. Its two years now, I regularly swim for 5 months, 2-2.5 KM per day breaststroke in summer and weight training with dumbbell in winter.

Hope this help some one.

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Avatar universal
Prolotherapy has multiple injection sites and a dextrose solution is used to
"re-injury" the site bringing fresh blood flow to the area thru re-inflamming the old injury in hopes of having the new blood flow flush out the "toxins" of the old injury.  The hope is then thru PT to have this new injury heal correctly.
The procedure is done weekly over a period of 6 to 8 weeks and at the end you start the PT.
That being said I found the treatments excruciating and the first time I couldn't even pick up a gallon of milk.  I was a painting contractor who was used to picking up 5 gallon cans of paint, climbing up and down ladders, and working all day & sometimes nights too.
Towards the end of that treatment though the treatments became less painful, more tolerable, and my strength returned.  
I had torn ligaments around the tail bone area due to a 5 car pile up.
Fast forward 30 years to now, with a fall accident at work I now have 3 bulging disk giving me grief.  I have leg numbness, muscle spasms in both legs, and pain radiating down to my feet.  I can no longer go for long periods of time with out relieving myself because a full bladder now causes me a great deal of leg pain.
Now I can't work and have no insurance.  So if you have insurance get the surgeries done.  You might try however, DMSO once or twice per day on the area.  I myself can't stand the odor or the taste of DMSO or I would of kept using it because it was helping.  I got my DMSO from Valley Vet Supply in the roll on applicator for horses.  So if you don't mind tasting a metallic clam like taste in your mouth and smelling like oysters for a while it just may help with the pain.
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Avatar universal
hi could you please provide me your contact number at ***@****. i have same disc problem, so tell me from where u get the treatment .
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5427312 tn?1367807346
I had the same problem few months back and I opted for Ayurvedic-Panchakarma and Yoga for the same, as per my Ayurvedic Physician this is all mechanical and alignment problem so he just did some wonderful procedures on my spine and right now I dont have any pain, yes I do some yoga for daily. Wish you better luck
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Avatar universal
To who it may help:
I had buldging discs about fifteen years ago, ended up in the hospital on morphine for a week.  Had three epidural injections which helped a little.  Pain was still terrible, suffered in this condition for three months, worse at night when the pills wore off.   Tried sleeping in a recliner, pain greatly improved in less then a week.  I was instructed by my doctor not to have surgery as they have found that the scar tissue can make things much worse in the future.  I walked two miles daily for a year not other PT.  The only bad effect I suffered was drop foot, it is not painfull by causes me to stumble and requires that I concuously lift my foot when walking.  I go to the gym and use the weight machines and do a hundred cruches whch now makes my back feel great, don't bend and lift heavy weights  Many doctors tell back pain sufferers try and find what works for you.  Hope my experience helps someone.
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Avatar universal
My 161/2 yr old athletic son has a protrusion at L5 that's causing him to experience excruciating pain. It's been nearly a year and he has tried pt, anti-inflammatories, and nothing seems to help. Now they think its effecting the nerve since his pain is radiating into his legs. He is a college boy d baseball player( soyrhpaw pitcher, and hits as well).  I am a single mom with kaiser who doesn't seem to take this situation as seriously as is necessary. Any guidance would be sincerely appreciated.  He has been through 3 unrelated surgeries in his life and watching him suffer life this is unimaginable.  All he sees is his precious jr year passing by as well as his college baseball scholarship opportunities.   All I want is fir him to be able to sit through an entire school day without coming home in this pain.  
Thank you in advance for your time.
Jodi
Aka concerned mom
Helpful - 0
4169199 tn?1351018587
Howdy, My name is Curtis, and Im suffering from a bulging herniated disk at the L2-L3 area. It began Aug.29. I work the Nightshift, and how this began, was as simple as putting my 5 1/2 month old boy down on a his changing table to change his diaper before heading off to work. I felt my lower back pinch, but felt that pain b4 many times, and just thought of it as another pinch that'll go away. So, i get to work, and through the hours of work, i began feeling this tingle going down one leg, then the other. It got worse thru the night, and by the next day of waking up, i could not get up out of bed. Painful, any movement hurt everywhere. I stayed out of work for almost a week, then returned. I shouldnt have because my legs couldnt hold me up if i had the slightest bend in my knees. I soon found out this was very scary, considering i work for a welding machine shop and handle parts that range from 5lbs to 30000lbs, and having to be preheated to 400-600 degrees b4 welding. So Falling down in a bad spot could have been a life or death situation. I was stubborn, tried to work and tough it out and acted as though it wasnt that big of an issue, but after falling a few times, luckily out of the way of parts, i saw my doc... he highly recommended an MRI. I did so, and sure enough, there was the problem. A Disk bulged at L2-L3. I saw the first Doc, he recommended an ESI right away. In the mean time, I saw another Doc for the second op, and he got into alot more detail of my situation and what he thought i should do. Both said surgery. Both said an ESI would be my first Option, but both said because of the Bulge, Surgery will inevitably be my next stop. I had the ESI today, actually this morning at the Texas Orthopedics Hospital. Once the numbness was gone in the legs, i do notice better movement in my thighs, which was the biggest issue i had, since this ordeal began. Sore, a bit, but then again, its my first day of some relief and we shall see where it goes from here. Doctors do not feel like it will last long for my situation, but again miracles do exist, and you never know. :) Ill come back to update Laters.
Helpful - 0
4169199 tn?1351018587
Howdy, My name is Curtis, and Im suffering from a bulging herniated disk at the L2-L3 area. It began Aug.29. I work the Nightshift, and how this began, was as simple as putting my 5 1/2 month old boy down on a his changing table to change his diaper before heading off to work. I felt my lower back pinch, but felt that pain b4 many times, and just thought of it as another pinch that'll go away. So, i get to work, and through the hours of work, i began feeling this tingle going down one leg, then the other. It got worse thru the night, and by the next day of waking up, i could not get up out of bed. Painful, any movement hurt everywhere. I stayed out of work for almost a week, then returned. I shouldnt have because my legs couldnt hold me up if i had the slightest bend in my knees. I soon found out this was very scary, considering i work for a welding machine shop and handle parts that range from 5lbs to 30000lbs, and having to be preheated to 400-600 degrees b4 welding. So Falling down in a bad spot could have been a life or death situation. I was stubborn, tried to work and tough it out and acted as though it wasnt that big of an issue, but after falling a few times, luckily out of the way of parts, i saw my doc... he highly recommended an MRI. I did so, and sure enough, there was the problem. A Disk bulged at L2-L3. I saw the first Doc, he recommended an ESI right away. In the mean time, I saw another Doc for the second op, and he got into alot more detail of my situation and what he thought i should do. Both said surgery. Both said an ESI would be my first Option, but both said because of the Bulge, Surgery will inevitably be my next stop. I had the ESI today, actually this morning at the Texas Orthopedics Hospital. Once the numbness was gone in the legs, i do notice better movement in my thighs, which was the biggest issue i had, since this ordeal began. Sore, a bit, but then again, its my first day of some relief and we shall see where it goes from here. Doctors do not feel like it will last long for my situation, but again miracles do exist, and you never know. :) Ill come back to update Laters.
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Avatar universal
Hi.
I am 33yrs old and hurt my back 5 months ago lifting a vacuum cleaner (I knew house cleaning was bad for your health). Took a week off work and it seemed to be fine.8 weeks ago I started getting pain down the back of my left leg and into my ankle, side of foot numb and 3 end toes, no strength in leg to push off with. Went to see physio, then a CT scan. Have a L5/S1 disc protrusion,with a 5.5mm protrusion. Refuse to take narcotics because my sister got addicted to them after her surgery. I am taking panadeine forte at nights to get me through. During the day I am taking a over the counter pill with codeine in it.
Saw neurosurgeon today and having a nerve sleeve injection next week then a MRI a week later.
Surgeon has recommended surgery but is letting me try the nerve root injection but I don't think he is holding much hope for it.

Sister had microdiscectomy surgery a year to two ago and a fussion. And has had no relief. I also account her problem to being heavily overweight and not really helping herself to get better.

I am only able to lay on my stomach or back. Can not sit more than 5 mins. If I have to stand I sway from foot to foot. Can not stand still. Meals are eaten laying down. I lay my seat down in the car if I have to go anywhere and my husband drives.

So yeah that's me so far. Just waiting to see how the sleeve injection goes but I am looking into surgery and getting my head around everything.
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OMG I am a nurse and hurt my back at work 4 months ago....Occupational Health has treated me terrible.  At first, diagnosed me w/Lumbar Strain and gave me pain med, sent me back to work.  The next week, I had to start PT.  I made another appt and told them pain worse (severe low R back pain) and pain now shooting down my legs to my toes (with tingling/numbness).  Told the PA is was worried I may have herniated disc going on w/these symptoms.  He looked me sqare in the face and told me he had no reason to believe I had anything but lumbar sprain.  Kept going to PT as told, which only caused me more pain.  Went back to Occ Health told them nothing getting better, only worse.  Also, told him that I had been severely constipated since back injury, which was not due to narcotics, as I only took them the first 4 days and no more as I did not want to have bowel issues.  He told me to go see my regular MD about that....even though I am an RN and know what MD will say regarding constipation, as I was taught in school what you need to do, and even how to bowel train a patient.  I just absolutely don't have a sensation to have a bowel movement anymore.  Occ Health has continued to ignore my concerns on this.  They did not allow me to have an MRI for 10 weeks, which showed bulging discs at L4-L5 L5-S1.  Occ Health MD told me it was normal for my age (33)!!  He then proceeded to tell me I should get off workman's comp and go see my own MD!!!!!!   It has been a very sad and crooked situation, all the meanwhile dealing w/severe pain, leg tingling, and numbness.  They finally referred me to Ortho MD, who recommended Epidural Steroid Injections, which I am very  much against for several reasons, one being it is a temporary fix for a lifetime issue.  So now I have to go see a spine specialist that is 2 hrs away..... I am scared but hopeful that this will be fixed.  I am very willing to have surgery if it will alleviate the pain and lifetime issues associated.  Has anyone had to deal w/Workmans Comp/Occ Health through their own employer and been treated this way?  It is very upsetting and everyone keeps telling me to get a lawyer.....which is also scary...Suggestions...Comments?!    
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