Wish me luck (back problems)

officerripley

officerripley

Well-known Member
Location
Porlock, Calif
Well wish me luck at the doctors this morning. As bad as my back is (several herniated discs, quoted one doc, “Your back is awful!”), I’m afraid I’m going to end up in a wheelchair soon, so scared.

I’m lucky in that Huzz is taking such good care of me—he’s a better nurse than he is a patient lol—but his back and neck are bad too. Really worried.
 

officerripley said:
Well wish me luck at the doctors this morning. As bad as my back is (several herniated discs, quoted one doc, “Your back is awful!”), I’m afraid I’m going to end up in a wheelchair soon, so scared.

I’m lucky in that Huzz is taking such good care of me—he’s a better nurse than he is a patient lol—but his back and neck are bad too. Really worried.
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I am in the same boat, this afternoon am going for a first back appointment, hope to get some answers and solutions.


The very best of luck to you!
 
officerripley said:
Well wish me luck at the doctors this morning. As bad as my back is (several herniated discs, quoted one doc, “Your back is awful!”), I’m afraid I’m going to end up in a wheelchair soon, so scared.

I’m lucky in that Huzz is taking such good care of me—he’s a better nurse than he is a patient lol—but his back and neck are bad too. Really worried.
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I had one Dr tell me "your back is a mess", then later on he said "your neck is a mess". but I think I aged out meaning I think years ago they decided I was too old for surgery. I know I am now.
 
officerripley said:
Well back from the doc; he says the next step is a pain management doc so he referred me to the one Huzz goes to (and who is actually helping him). So surgery may or may not be in the future; we’ll see. At least they finally found a med that helps with the pain in the meantime.
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So many of us here suffer from Back problems.. I have 7 herniated discs... they used to be called slipped discs my consultant told me, but by that token it leads a false expectation that they could be pushed back, but in fact they're not slipped they're burst..... I have had several interventions, to keep the pain at bay..

however don't panic yourself into thinking you'll need surgery.. or end up in a wheelchair.. because sometimes if you do the right things, often a back will heal itself... or at the very least like mine still even after 15 years ago when I was unable to walk from the pain.. now I'm back to running again, and have been for several years now. Not to say my back doesn't hurt it does.. every day.. but it's not debilitating to the point where I need any surgery .

The best thing to start off with are Cortisone injections, they will give you ..or most people several months sometimes years of relief from pain... that then allows you to move normally again.. and then be able to exercise a little to help your back heal.

I've had them 3 times over the years.. the first lasted for 3 years of pain relief...

Look here..

Can Herniated Discs Heal on Their Own?
 
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Nathan said:
I am in the same boat, this afternoon am going for a first back appointment, hope to get some answers and solutions.


The very best of luck to you!
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Get yourself a Tilter Nathan. You will feel like a new man. You need a spotter at first to get it set for your height. You don't have to go completely vertical to feel a lot of relief, back cracking, shoulders love it too. You can look up at the ceiling lights for a minute at first and it has handles to bring it up if your arms don't. Perfectly balanced the position of your arms manages the balance. Think of the Monkey Bars of youth. Sort of but safer.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0725QJ8L...?aaxitk=5f21182868c4fc1aa996d3d8094cdc86&th=1
 
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hollydolly said:
So many of us here suffer from Back problems.. I have 7 herniated discs... they used to be called slipped discs my consultant told me, but by that token it leads a false expectation that they could be pushed back, but in fact they're not slipped they're burst..... I have had sevral interventions, to keep the pain at bay..

however don't panic yourself into thinking you'll need surgery.. or end up in a wheelchair.. because sometimes if you do the right things, often a back will heal itself... or at the very least like mine still even after 15 years ago when I was unable to walk from the pain.. now I'm back to running again, and have been for several years now. Not to say my back doesn't hurt it does.. every day.. but it's not debilitating to the point where I need any surgery .

The best thing to start off with are Cortisone injections, they will give you ..or most people several months sometimes years of relief from pain... that then allows you to move normally again.. and then be able to exercise a little to help your back heal.

I've had them 3 times over the years.. the first lasted for 3 years of pain relief...

Look here..

Can Herniated Discs Heal on Their Own?
Click to expand...
This pain management doc I’m going to see does the injections so at least something is under way to the next step.
 
Nathan said:
I am in the same boat, this afternoon am going for a first back appointment, hope to get some answers and solutions.


The very best of luck to you!
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well...listen to what I've said.. and other people who have back issues. @Murrmurr has had horrible potential life threatening back injuries.. and he has mastered a way to release some pressure, and relieve his pain at times.. he might be able to advise you depending on what's diagnosed ..otherwise if it;s herniated discs, many of us who suffer already and have done for a long time can be of some help...

One of the worst things for lower back issues is sitting for long periods. It's painful to walk sometimes when the lower back feels like it's being booted by a size 12 squaddie boot.. but it's really important to stand , and especially walk when you can because it takes the pressure off the vertebrae which is now not protected by the cushion of the discs.. and so while sitting, the vertebrae are rubbing on each other ( often bone on bone).. Another pain often hand in hand with the back pain, is shooting pain down the thigh and the leg.. this is referred pain from the spine..and is always a sign of lower lumbar herniated discs..

Remember too, this is a degenerative disease and more often than not there is quite obvious Osteoarthritis present.. (wear & tear).. but it also can cause and does cause loss of height due to the compression of the spine.. the more you walk, the less you sit the less affected you will be..

Any pain in the shoulder blades, arms etc usually mean a herniated disc in the neck

Take the pressure of your vertebrae at night, if you find your pain is bad in the morning, and prevents you getting up without horrible agonies..

In my situation I literally had no legs in the mornings, I'd go to stand up, and they would collapse and I'd fall on the floor.. no fun at any age but certainly not when you're 50 as I was when this first started. ...so sleep with a small cushion or pillow between your knees.. and keep a cane next to the bed head , so when you get up you have something to support you, in case you fall..

Apologies for the long post but having suffered this for many years I wish I'd had someone to give me advice way back then.. and hope some of mine can help some of you being newly diagnosed..
 
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mrstime said:
I had one Dr tell me "your back is a mess", then later on he said "your neck is a mess". but I think I aged out meaning I think years ago they decided I was too old for surgery. I know I am now.
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I had a very good friend who was told the same thing. The X-ray of her back was like a jigsaw puzzle it was literally crumbling. Horrible mess. ..and it had been caused by the fact that she'd been a professional tap dancer all her life
 
Also with regard to OA and herniated discs in the back.. you fellow potential sufferers and fellow sufferers may be interested to know that my consultant said that it's very rarely caused by previous trauma..

When I was 15 my father kicked me so hard he broke my Coccyx.. and cracked my lower spine, so when I was first diagnosed at around age 50 with the OA ..I asked my consultant if that injury had ultimately been the cause now at middle age.. and he said, no, that it was unlikely, and it was very rare for any previous injury to be the cause of herniated discs..
 
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I think the fact that I worked at a desk pounding a keyboard for years has something to do with my back problems.

About 3 months ago I started a walking program, 30 minutes a day; not power walking as much as just slightly brisk and done on the living room rug (so I could watch TV lol) and a cool-down period. Neither my leg nor my back hurt then ; I was trying the walking to alleviate a different health problem.

So I’ve asked all these doctors if that exercise caused this leg/back problem to come on so suddenly; all but one said no; the exception snickered and said “Yeah, don’t exercise! Ha ha just kidding.”
 

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