Back injury..Getting diagnosed, need support

[system]

I just found this board and hope to get information and also support from others who understand. I am 50 years old and trail riding is my passion. I’ve ridden most of my life, it’s truely my lifestyle. I switched to gaited horses and I have my dream horse now. I bought him about 6 months ago and have ridden many miles on him, couldn’t be happier with him.

I have had mild chronic BP for years. Over the last year it has been getting progressively worse. About 3 weeks ago my horse tripped, through me far over his head and I landed on my chest and bruised my ribs. He also flipped but thankfully didn’t land on me and he wasn’t hurt badly. Rib pain was my focus, back didn’t bother me. A week or so later BP began to get worse so I went to an orthopedic Dr who did xrays, said I had mild arthritis and sent me to PT. After just one visit my pain got extreme with major sciatic pain in my hip and going down my leg. I also have numbness and footdrop. The pain meds she gave me did nothing and I didn’t sleep but a couple of hours for over a week. They tried to do 2 separate MRI’s which they had to stop due to my pain. Now I have another MRI Wed. and they are putting me to sleep. My primary Dr. thinks I have a ruptured disc, who knows. At least he put me on stronger pain meds and a major doses of Predisone and muscle relaxers. I’m not even going back to the ortho dr. After the MRI I’ll probably see a neurosurgeon from what I’m being told.

Anyway, I am exhausted, in pain 24 hours a day even with the meds, and discouraged about not riding. I had awesome rides planned this fall and a beach trip planned with the horses the first of Dec. I’m having a difficult time excepting I might not ride for a very long time.

I am sorry this is so long, I just want my life back on track. It’s hard to watch my “gang” continue on our trips and to sit here at home alone on these beautiful fall days. I know, pity party, but I’m tough and will get over it. I guess I really could use some support. Thanks in advance for reading through all this!

[Zu_Zu]

Riding Life on “Hold” is the toughest ~ ask me how I know !

Jingles for you and AO ~ Always Optimistic ~ Get through the MRI ~ Follow Dr. advice ~ allow your body to heal and you will be back in the saddle before your passion for riding disappears :yes: ~ which it never will :yes: and you will ride again ~ I am headed for rotator cuff surgery ( riding in the meantime) but will be on “hold” for months - let me hear from you and perhaps we can cheer each other onward ~try to get outside and get some SUNSHINE ~ always helps me Good Luck keep us updated ~ Jingles & AO ~

[birdsong]

My story if it helps any:

Been there and back to riding gently. Was bedridden 75% of a year while the ortho and his pal the pain guy sucked the most they could from the insurance co. Finally got in with a caring NeuroSurgeon. He apologized for the other two and did surgery the next day. As soon as I woke up I was better!!!

I still have continuous sciatic pain, & permanent numbness that gets worse whenever I lift things. Its tolerable and you learn to live with it. After the intolerable and sometimes screaming pain this is acceptable for me.

Scar tissue happens so you will never be “normal”. Your normal has been forever changed. You will be sadly disappointed if your expectations are to be perfect again.

My area was L5-S1…very lower back ruptured disc that was laying on a nerve. He just cleaned up the area, shaved off the rupture…no fusing or anything. (that causes huge complications down the road)

Take care of yourself and have corrective measures taken more sooner than later. Shots and therapy are worthless!

[DressageGeek_Ribbon]

I blew out L5 S1 from walking/moving improperly because of a knee injury that an ortho blew off (had to get the knee AND the back addressed after that).

The bad news: extreme pain, discomfort, made everything just plain miserable. Could not sit, could only stand or lie down, and of course, not comfortably. I was not riding at the time, but realizing I could have permanent damage (and I did lose the ankle reflex, and my left leg is weaker, but thankfully that is all), that is what made me decide to get back into horses (I did not say I was normal).

The good news: six months later I started riding (after a 20 year hiatus). The vertebrae fused naturally, and as long as I stay active I am fine, knock on wood (now 12 years past).

Good luck! Hope you heal quickly!!!

[ReSomething]

I have pain, but nothing like that, and I was still thankful to be given some medication that let me sleep without having to put pillows under my leg, roll over without having to wake up and relocate the pillows etc. I HAD to go to work, but it took a lot out of me and the things I had planned to do with the old guy just took a back seat.
What I was able to do was take up driving instead of riding lessons. Yes, it hurt to sit too, but the aids are all in the upper body. I got stuck getting in and out of the cart a couple of times, it was one of the things that finally got me to the doctor. Mine seems to be muscular and is healing slowly, the hip joint is fine in the xrays, the insurance won’t cover the cost of the expensive anti-inflammatory pills that work, just the addictive pain medication that makes me stupid and sleepy. Go figure.

There are some things you can do to participate even if you can’t ride right now, please stay hopeful and jingles that you make the best recovery you can - give yourself time - I’ve ridden twice now and hadn’t ridden since March. Best wishes.

[Lamb_Chop]

It’s going to go step-by-step for you, but you’ll probably be able to get back to riding, and perhaps riding the way you’d love to do. From the description of your symptoms, you may very well improve significantly with surgery.

Be careful, go slowly, listen to your body. I’ll be 60 in a few months and have been through a spinal fusion. I have several friends who have returned to riding after back surgery. Best wishes to you!

[Calvincrowe]

Chin up! You’ll be better, and back on a horse before you know it! I, too, blew out my L5,S1 discs, and spent a year either standing or lying down, with major left leg pain and numbness. It sucked. It was actually quite comfortable to ride, of all things.

I did PT, massage, water therapy, anything to put it right instead of surgery–which actually works much of the time. Finally, my neurosurgeon and I elected to have a laminectomy/discotomy (or maybe it is the reverse–can’t remember). Took about an hour, went home that day, with an almost complete relief of symptoms. Of course, the underlying arthritis and unhappy muscles made me miserable for a while, but I’m nearly 100% again, and went back to jumping.

Some of what you are feeling right now is the “angry” nerves and the muscle spasms they are causing. The prednisone and (hopefully) vicodin and such are making that better.

After surgery, do the PT and get some massage, it will help immensely. Good luck and post here, we are a good group of supporters!

[cheval_convert]

I’m another back pain sufferer. They had to retrieve the piece of disc that had lodged in my sciatic nerve between L4-5. It took time and pt but I did recover. I actually rode better as a result of the surgery - I became more aware of tension that I was carrying and more body aware as well. So, if you need surgery, have it, do the pt, give your body time to heal and you’ll be riding again.

[system]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. They were finally able to do my MRI. I’ve had some blood pressure issues and since I had to be put to sleep it took a while to get it. I have a very large, severely ruptured disc at L5-6, and two more levels with herniations. I meet with a neurosurgeon Tuesday.I am worn out from this constant pain. I’ll let you guys know what I find out. One thing I do know, it will be a while before I ride again and I can’t help but feel down about that. I try to go out to see him but can’t even walk him form the barn to the pasture. Most day’s I do ok with my attitude but weekends are hard. All my friends are out enjoying this beautiful NC Fall riding in the mountains and I’m here alone. Not that I’m not happy for them, I really am. Just an early morning pity party. I need to adopt the AO attititude!

[Zu_Zu]

Don’t be alone ~ Turn on the Music ~ Call friends ~ Groom that horse ~ Eat something

Glad to hear from you :yes: ~ at least now the MRI has been done ~ try to stay positive ~ get outside and into the Sunshine for at least ten minute intervals and yes !!! go see your horse ~ always helps !!! Attitude is the toughest part ~ ask me how I know ? But with work you can re-direction your attitude ~ not easy BUT I know you can ~ get outside touch that horse and smell the Fall ~ Jingles & AO ~ Always Optimistic which is alot harder than it sounds ~ think of senses - treat your senses to what you enjoy ~ sight ( Fall) sounds ( your favorite music = turn it on ) smells = fix something or pick up something extra tasty for tonight’s dinner and touch = groom that horse ~ stay sharp ~ thinking of you today ~

[Zu_Zu]

Looking in on you ~ hope you are feeling like being outside today ~ please get to that horse today ~ Jingles ~

[system]

I was out with him a long time Sat. watching someone else ride him. I was very impressed by what my horse can do!:winkgrin: I haven’t ever seen anyone else on him before and really enjoyed it. I got some great pics and a short video. I am just so proud of him!

Unfortunately I overdid it and was basically useless yesterday and stayed inside. I will be so glad to hear what the neurosurgeon has to say tomorrow. From what I’m hearing I most likely won’t be riding for months. I am thinking of leasing my boy out. Don’t really want to but I want him worked so he doesn’t lose all the progress him and I made.

Zuzu…you are a huge inspiration to me…thanks so much for all your encouragement!

[Zu_Zu]

Good Luck tomorrow ~ Jingles & AO ~ Always Optimistic ~

Glad you enjoyed your Saturday ~ pictures to share ??? Sorry to hear about Sunday being “down” everything in moderation ~ tough lesson I have to try to re-learn almost every week :eek::lol: I am “too pooped to pop” today = too much horse weekend for me! BUT so glad you were out and enjoyed your horse. Hang in there ~ keep us updated ~ you may not ride for awhile but you will ride again :yes: ~ Jingles & AO ~ Always Optimistic !

[Zu_Zu]

jingles for your day ~ any news you wish to share ? Jingles & AO ~ Always Optimistic ~ Now you have a plan ~ stay busy with your plan ~

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=Zu Zu;5153596]
jingles for your day ~ any news you wish to share ? Jingles & AO ~ Always Optimistic ~ Now you have a plan ~ stay busy with your plan ~[/QUOTE]

How about YOUR shoulder surgery, still on for when?

OP, I know several people that had surgery for the same problem you have and were super happy right out of surgery, their pain gone finally.
Maybe you can look forward to that good thought?

[Jaegermonster]

I don’t know what numbers they are, but in the very lowest part of my back I have 3 herniated disks and I also have degenerative disk disease in my back and neck.
I did it when I was 18 in a jumper class, I came off over the horses head and landed on the jump rails on my back.
Suffered with screaming horrendous pain for almost 20 years, went to several doctors, chiros etc no one could really make it better. Nerve pain down my legs, numbness, the whole 9 yards.
I went to a back specialist at the orthopedic institute (he’s the back dr for the Jacksonville Jaguars) and he did an MRI, then told me no more riding and he wanted to fuse my spine. No way was that going to happen.
I’m a police officer so taking lots of heavy pain killers and stuff wasn’t an option since I couldn’t take them and work. After 5 minutes on a horse I was in agony, and then couldn’t walk upright for an hour after I got off.
About 2 years ago I found an amazing chiropractor, and he finally fixed me. I went to see him 2x a week for the first 3 months, then went to once a week and so on and now I am only going to him as needed. That ends up being once or twice a year for stuff like my shoulder or my neck but not my back
So it can be done, and it can be fixed. Just keep yourself open to things like chiropractic (but do take the time to find a good one, a bad one can make it worse) and acupuncture.

[In1]

LUV - where in NC are you located? I am in Greensboro and would love to talk about back doctors…

[Zu_Zu]

Bumping for an update ~ Jingles continue get to the Sunshine today if you can = it will help ~

[system]

In…I live in the Charlotte area.

Zuzu…here is the latest…I went to the Neurosurgeon yesterday and I am having surgery tomorrow. He said it is a severe rupture with severe nerve compression. He is concerned I may have permanent nerve damage and doesn’t want me to wait a day longer. This Dr even developed the procedure he is going to use called MED. My cardiologist used him and said most of the Dr’s around here use him when they need spine surgery. He also does work for the Carolina Panthers. I really liked him and feel confident he is the right man for the job. It is an outpatient procedure which is awesome but I will be out of work for at least 3 weeks. The best news is he said I could probably ride again in 3 months!! That made me so happy and to see light at the end of the tunnel is a huge relief. Two months of intense pain is all I could take. He said I am tough to have withstood it this long. I am going to be writing the orthopedic Dr I went to, she really was negligent in my care. Anyway, thanks for the support and info. I’ll post next week and let you know how it goes.

[TarheelJD]

Good luck with your surgery – the three months until you can ride again will fly by, and you’ll be back in the saddle!