bulging disc at L5-S1

[blandbn]

Went to my second opinion on Thursday. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with my spine and that there wasn't a bulging disc at L5-S1. He said that my leg pain was caused by a chemical that the degenrating disc is releasing. He put me on Lyrica. Which I swear has made me gain weight because my clothes are fitting tighter. I have only taken it for 5 days and it seems like I am in a fog all day long. It really makes me sleepy and I am on the lowest dose. Has anyone heard of this chemical being released when the disc is degnerating? Also why would one doctor say there was a problem but the other one said everything is ok? I am still having severe leg and but pain. Something has to be causing it.

[sandee1818]

Just because this doctor was the second opinion do not stop there. I would definitely get another opinion. Some people take the 2nd opinion's as the truth when in fact you may have just gotten a doctor thats not willing to put in the effort at finding out whats really wrong. What test have you had done?

[blandbn]

I have had an MRI. The report said that I had a left side bulge and narrowing at the disc space at L5-S1. I had a microdisectomy 5 years ago at this same level. He said that the the bulge and narrowing were from that. The weird thing is that my pain is mostly on my right side. I started physical therapy with a therapist that kept making my back worse with everything he did. I went to a new physical therapist and he said the other guy over rotated me and this may have caused me to rupture or bulge on the otherside. I am going on week 4 with the return of the pain.