I hope not! I've been dealing with it for about 6 weeks now. Started mid February and continues to be an issue till this day. The pain is sometimes so excruciating that it paralyses me. Have to wait for the pain to subside before attempting to move. I dealt with the pain for 2 1/2 weeks before seeing a doctor and I only went then because of the debilitating pain that had developed.
First I went to "emergency care" facility in which I was given Vicodin and sent home with instructions for stretches and setting up an appointment with physical therapy. Later that night the pain was unbearable even with Vicodin. So through the pain and very measured steps I managed to make it into the ER. Yeah I didn't want to but the pain would't stop. They gave me Percocet and Prednisone and sent me home. The Prednisone brought down the inflammation and the Percocet did help curb the pain. The last day of the Prednisone I was almost back to normal.
Just when I thought I was out of the woods the pain came back with a vengeance. Set up an appointment with a doctor that morning. They had X-Rays done and he said my "S1 is a little narrow" but before ordering an MRI he wanted me to take Nucynta (some sort of narcotic), carisprodol as muscle relaxant and Duexis for inflammation for a couple weeks to see if it would work itself out. I tried this method for about a week and a half. Didn't do the job. Pain still too much. So I set up and earlier appointment and told the doctor of the success with Prednisone and Percocet combination. He said he didn't want me using Prednisone too long and prescribed me a weeks worth. Again same thing. Pain subsided and almost back to normal and when I ran out of the anti-inflammatory of the Gods the pain came back.
I've tried the stretches for this but resulted in me being in absolute agony trying to get off the floor. Will never do that again. I've never experienced anything like this in my life and I hope you never do. The pain brings me to tears at times and I feel helpless when it strikes. Some days are better than others. Trying to shift/roll over in bed brings pain and ensures I don't sleep too well as that would be contrary to my sciatic nerves intentions apparently.
An MRI seems to be my only hope at finding out why. As the medication has taught me, we are only treating the symptoms and not the cause. Lord I hope you never experience this.
********************************************************************
UPDATE
********************************************************************
Went in for an MRI yesterday morning. The results were less than exciting to say the least. Here's the report:
At least I know whats going on. I now have to wait for an appointment with a specialist.
**********************************************************************************************************************UPDATE GOING UNDER KNIFE***************************************************************************************************************
My appointment with a specialist recently basically confirmed my only option was surgery. The first specialist was chosen by my doctor specifically due to his ability to keep patients away from surgery. This specialist basically said there was nothing he could do to help me being that the herniation of one of the discs being so large and my spinal column being so narrow. He referred me to a surgeon who went over my options. Basically he said its a common procedure that he has performed over 800 times. He says if the large ruptured disc is not taken care of I could lose control of my bladder or other function including but not limited to numbness and weakness of legs. I have had some numbness recently in my toes. So ready to be done with this pain and getting back to being my normal self.
Surgery scheduled for monday and the surgeon said I would be walking out that night as long as the bleeding has stopped. Here's to hoping a life without pain is in my future!:thumbsup:
*****************************************************************************SURGERY COMPLETE************************************************************
Well I'm home licking my wounds. Still in pain but the doctor says that should all subside in a few days.
So I went in yesterday morning about 630am. They took me into a prep room where they started an IV and put the tight stockings on to help with circulation. I literally didn't go into surgery until 1030-11am. A lot of waiting. They finally wheel me back and one of the odd things I noticed was a bucnh of speakers. Apparently my doc likes to listen to music while performing his godlike abilities. Well according to the people I asked anyway. This guy put on this "oxygen" mask and tells me to breath in deeply. Thats the last thing I remember before waking up with crazy soreness in my back from the sutures and the massive dry mouth which felt like sandpaper. I immediately start complaining about the pain and how I wanted water. He told me he could only give me ice chips. WTF?! So while im eating ice chips and the nurse assigned to my side shot me up with something to ease the pain. A few minutes later he gave me more as my complaining was probably getting on his nerves. They took me up into my room about 3pm. There I slept off and on. Later that night I asked the nurse for assistance in turning on my side. In great pain she asked what my pain level was and I replied "10". She then gave me 10mg of morphine which almost immediately took away the pain and lasted a couple hours. After that all I could get was Percocet. Gave me three types of antibiotics in my IV and occasionally a shot of pepsid. Unfortunately I had to stay overnight but at least they gave me ambien to help sleep.
This morning I was introduced to real food. Eggs, grits and a biscuit. The night before was water, ice and broth The physical therapist came by and tried to get me to stand up. I could but was painful on the right side. Using a walker i was able to walk down the hall and back. After explaining that where I lived I had to go up steps she requested that I try a few. I must say its like a full blown workout trying to manage pain and balance. After that was completed all I had to do was wait for my doc to release me. Around 2pm he shows up and gives me the lowdown. He said that the disc ruptured and had gone down and around the nerves which was a bit tough to get to but he was able to get it all. Something he found alarming was the arthritis in my back. I am too young for this and thinks its genetic (my dad has back issues to but he never went for surgery). He said that if I didn't lose weight I could be seeing him again in a few years but if I got my weight down and kept it off I may not ever need surgery again.
Right now my back is sore where the sutures are, there is pain and weakness on my right side leg which according to the doc should go away in a few days. My chest is sore, my lip is busted from the tube they shoved down my throat which in turn also caused sore throat (duh). Feel like I've got a lot of muscle soreness just about everywhere. I'll update my condition in a few days. Meanwhile here's a couple tips if you have this problem and elect for surgery.
1. Ask for a "dramamine" patch behind your ear to stop you from feeling sick immediately after surgery. I got this tip from a friend who's been put under before. I never got sick or felt the slightest tinge of nausea.
2. Expect to urinate while laying down. Yeah this isn't easy and they give you one of those plastic urinals. Have to be very patient. It sometimes took me 20 minutes to finish.
******************************************************************************RECOVERING RAPIDLY***************************************************************************************************************
So I've been getting better daily since release. I used the walker I had been given from the car to the stairs the day I was allowed to go home but have not used it since! That night I was up and walking around. Soreness that I had experienced? Gone. Sutures sore? Minor. I sleep through the night and showers no longer bring tears. There is minor sciatic pain in my left side which my doc thinks is inflammation related. I really feel like a new man even though I haven't 100% recovered. Numbness from my right knee down will still take time and so will regaining my strength there.
I love my doctor.....no homo.
First I went to "emergency care" facility in which I was given Vicodin and sent home with instructions for stretches and setting up an appointment with physical therapy. Later that night the pain was unbearable even with Vicodin. So through the pain and very measured steps I managed to make it into the ER. Yeah I didn't want to but the pain would't stop. They gave me Percocet and Prednisone and sent me home. The Prednisone brought down the inflammation and the Percocet did help curb the pain. The last day of the Prednisone I was almost back to normal.
Just when I thought I was out of the woods the pain came back with a vengeance. Set up an appointment with a doctor that morning. They had X-Rays done and he said my "S1 is a little narrow" but before ordering an MRI he wanted me to take Nucynta (some sort of narcotic), carisprodol as muscle relaxant and Duexis for inflammation for a couple weeks to see if it would work itself out. I tried this method for about a week and a half. Didn't do the job. Pain still too much. So I set up and earlier appointment and told the doctor of the success with Prednisone and Percocet combination. He said he didn't want me using Prednisone too long and prescribed me a weeks worth. Again same thing. Pain subsided and almost back to normal and when I ran out of the anti-inflammatory of the Gods the pain came back.
I've tried the stretches for this but resulted in me being in absolute agony trying to get off the floor. Will never do that again. I've never experienced anything like this in my life and I hope you never do. The pain brings me to tears at times and I feel helpless when it strikes. Some days are better than others. Trying to shift/roll over in bed brings pain and ensures I don't sleep too well as that would be contrary to my sciatic nerves intentions apparently.
An MRI seems to be my only hope at finding out why. As the medication has taught me, we are only treating the symptoms and not the cause. Lord I hope you never experience this.
********************************************************************
UPDATE
********************************************************************
Went in for an MRI yesterday morning. The results were less than exciting to say the least. Here's the report:
At least I know whats going on. I now have to wait for an appointment with a specialist.
**********************************************************************************************************************UPDATE GOING UNDER KNIFE***************************************************************************************************************
My appointment with a specialist recently basically confirmed my only option was surgery. The first specialist was chosen by my doctor specifically due to his ability to keep patients away from surgery. This specialist basically said there was nothing he could do to help me being that the herniation of one of the discs being so large and my spinal column being so narrow. He referred me to a surgeon who went over my options. Basically he said its a common procedure that he has performed over 800 times. He says if the large ruptured disc is not taken care of I could lose control of my bladder or other function including but not limited to numbness and weakness of legs. I have had some numbness recently in my toes. So ready to be done with this pain and getting back to being my normal self.
Surgery scheduled for monday and the surgeon said I would be walking out that night as long as the bleeding has stopped. Here's to hoping a life without pain is in my future!:thumbsup:
*****************************************************************************SURGERY COMPLETE************************************************************
Well I'm home licking my wounds. Still in pain but the doctor says that should all subside in a few days.
So I went in yesterday morning about 630am. They took me into a prep room where they started an IV and put the tight stockings on to help with circulation. I literally didn't go into surgery until 1030-11am. A lot of waiting. They finally wheel me back and one of the odd things I noticed was a bucnh of speakers. Apparently my doc likes to listen to music while performing his godlike abilities. Well according to the people I asked anyway. This guy put on this "oxygen" mask and tells me to breath in deeply. Thats the last thing I remember before waking up with crazy soreness in my back from the sutures and the massive dry mouth which felt like sandpaper. I immediately start complaining about the pain and how I wanted water. He told me he could only give me ice chips. WTF?! So while im eating ice chips and the nurse assigned to my side shot me up with something to ease the pain. A few minutes later he gave me more as my complaining was probably getting on his nerves. They took me up into my room about 3pm. There I slept off and on. Later that night I asked the nurse for assistance in turning on my side. In great pain she asked what my pain level was and I replied "10". She then gave me 10mg of morphine which almost immediately took away the pain and lasted a couple hours. After that all I could get was Percocet. Gave me three types of antibiotics in my IV and occasionally a shot of pepsid. Unfortunately I had to stay overnight but at least they gave me ambien to help sleep.
This morning I was introduced to real food. Eggs, grits and a biscuit. The night before was water, ice and broth
The physical therapist came by and tried to get me to stand up. I could but was painful on the right side. Using a walker i was able to walk down the hall and back. After explaining that where I lived I had to go up steps she requested that I try a few. I must say its like a full blown workout trying to manage pain and balance. After that was completed all I had to do was wait for my doc to release me. Around 2pm he shows up and gives me the lowdown. He said that the disc ruptured and had gone down and around the nerves which was a bit tough to get to but he was able to get it all. Something he found alarming was the arthritis in my back. I am too young for this and thinks its genetic (my dad has back issues to but he never went for surgery). He said that if I didn't lose weight I could be seeing him again in a few years but if I got my weight down and kept it off I may not ever need surgery again.Right now my back is sore where the sutures are, there is pain and weakness on my right side leg which according to the doc should go away in a few days. My chest is sore, my lip is busted from the tube they shoved down my throat which in turn also caused sore throat (duh). Feel like I've got a lot of muscle soreness just about everywhere. I'll update my condition in a few days. Meanwhile here's a couple tips if you have this problem and elect for surgery.
1. Ask for a "dramamine" patch behind your ear to stop you from feeling sick immediately after surgery. I got this tip from a friend who's been put under before. I never got sick or felt the slightest tinge of nausea.
2. Expect to urinate while laying down. Yeah this isn't easy and they give you one of those plastic urinals. Have to be very patient. It sometimes took me 20 minutes to finish.
******************************************************************************RECOVERING RAPIDLY***************************************************************************************************************
So I've been getting better daily since release. I used the walker I had been given from the car to the stairs the day I was allowed to go home but have not used it since! That night I was up and walking around. Soreness that I had experienced? Gone. Sutures sore? Minor. I sleep through the night and showers no longer bring tears. There is minor sciatic pain in my left side which my doc thinks is inflammation related. I really feel like a new man even though I haven't 100% recovered. Numbness from my right knee down will still take time and so will regaining my strength there.
I love my doctor.....no homo.
Last edited:
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