%%%

[Calvincrowe]

I blew out L5/L6 and bulge at SI1–I wouldn’t say I have a “physical” job (I’m a teacher) but I do barn chores: clean two stalls and paddocks, fill/empty water buckets, lift hay and bales (the biggies–100lbs.) I walk/run every other day on mt. bike trails, ride my hunter over 2’9" jumps 3 days a week and generally do all the things I did before my disc explosion. It took a couple of years, PT and core strengthening and a surgery, but I can do what I’d like–within reason.

Explore all your job options within the medical field before you throw in the towel! You certainly aren’t going to be bedridden and on food stamps my dear:). Hang in there–you have a road ahead of you to travel and days will suck (nights, too!), but you can make a good recovery.

I’m off to begin fencing 5 acres of pasture!

[anotheralteranothera]

Way Kewl, Calvin. I so admire teachers (and you get a retirement, too - something that you really don’t get in medicine). I am thrilled about your recovery and the level of function you have now. :-). Thanks for discussing your surgery. It makes me less scared about that possible option.

[2horseowner]

Hi anotheralter! I am back doing my normal things. I gave my back a good 2 or weeks to sort itself out. I did a lot of stretching and it felt good to go back to the gym, even though I was miserably sore. Everyone’s advice is spot on. I managed to carve a trench coming around the driveway today, so I went to Lowes and bought 40 pounds of river rock to disguise the mess. I was very careful lifting the bags. I have no idea where I got the lower back injury. I don’t remember anything remarkable happening. I can tell it is muscular, not the horrid disc pain. I do know if I have any twinges to back off some things. You will know what your limits are too. Keep us updated, there is hope:)

[Calvincrowe]

If you need a laminectomy/discotomy (spelling??), it is SUPER easy…seriously. I’ve had several (7? 8?) orthopedic surgeries ranging from bunionectomies (3), knee surgeries (3), shoulder (4) (hey, that’s ten!!) in the last 30 years…the back surgery was the simplest of them all. In and out in a morning, tiny scar, instant relief from the worst of the pain–recovery was a snap. Granted, the muscles and nerves took time to calm down and be “happy” again.

[anotheralteranothera]

Quick question - so my legs won’t feel like an electrical storm forever?

That part has been soooo freaky.

[Calvincrowe]

Nope–that is related to the disc material pushing on the nerves leading to your legs. Mine affected my buttock and left thigh (sciatic pain), and felt like zings and stabbing pain all mixed together. As soon as the disc is not bulging and pressing on those nerves the storm goes away.

My PT told me my disc looked like an Oreo with one side squished down and the filling pushed out. If PT can restore the flatness of the disc and reduce the bulge/pressure then that’s great. Prednisone also helps with the inflammation and bulging. I had to resort (after a year of treatments) to surgery, but the zinginess was gone! Yay!

Freaky is right, right!? Felt like something was alive in my back, butt and thigh…ahhh…Alien baby!:eek:

[wateryglen]

more 2 sense!

Look up “parathesias” which is what that “electrical” feeling is called. Very common. There’s also “referred pain”. Sometimes it happens when the muscles stimulated by the inflamed nerve are over stimulated and are spasming. You can kindof “override” a muscle spasm by using that muscle actually. So if you are hurting or feeling parasthesias that hurt; try stretching the muscles by stretching your back. Lay down or squat down and bring your knees to your chest. If sitting, stand up and move around. Or if sitting; bend over at the waist and try to put your chin to your knees. Hold it for 30 secs or so or do briefer repeated stretches. It can stop the spasm. Sitting is often the worst position you can be in because you are sitting on or putting pressure on an already inflamed nerve that runs down your leg and putting pressure on a jumpy, spasmning muscle. Sometimes muscle spasms are actually visible, or you can feel it when massaging because it’s rock hard and as you massage it; it softens up. You are just beginning your journey to recovery and there are many ways you can go. Forget disability thoughts; would not happen. Ask your employer for some alternative jobs you can do after this acute phase (few weeks imho). Apply for those jobs. [HR][/HR]Workmens comp is a whole nother subject but remember it’s only 66% of your previous salary and some medical bills paid. You first have to win your case. Most back injuries are lost in workmens comp court. I won but paid more for an attorney than I got back in salary and it happens months from now too. But your employer WILL work with you.

[Gloria]

That storm should pass. The way I understand, is the way Calvin describes it. The tingling sensation on m case when all the way down through calf to toes. Very strange, like that whole leg had fallen asleep.

Do you need surgery? I mean, I had two injections - after the first one 60% of the pain went away and the second one took care of the the remaining pain. Mine was done by a spine surgeon though, who was referred to by my Orthopedist. My Ortho thought my bulge was too severe .

By the way, make sure your physical therapist is a good one - but I’m sure as someone working in medical field you already know that. I actually switched to a different therapist since I was not happy with the first one. When I started physical therapy, I no longer had pains, but my left leg was kind of useless. I walked in limping in the first session to my second therapist; I walked out walking normal in that session.

[anotheralteranothera]

Wateryglen, you are a wealth of info. Thanks so much. I tried your exercise and it doesn’t hurt (like most things do nowadays). Will do. Problem with looking for another position in my hospital is that my skills don’t transfer to anything. To get a ward clerk or similar type job would pay about 1/3 of what I was making. I have a mortgage that I barely meet on my old full salary. Eeeek. I was Googling paresthesias but the ER doctor who first saw me said I should search under radiculopathy but I know it’s quite similar.

I’d consider a pain management shot but have a concern. Once I got a cortisone injection into a foot (spurs & planter fasciatis) and got “red man’s syndrome”. It’s a reaction to a med where you turn bright red & feel like you are burning up. I called a nurse friend in the ER and she said it would just pass. It did but it sure was a few hours of scary and uncomfortable. I was in the shower for a few hours pouring cool water over myself. It was Crazy. But, I do have a call in to one of the pain management doctors that I work with.

I picked up the neurontin & baclofen at the pharmacy today. Thanks so very, very much.

[anotheralteranothera]

Thanks, Gloria. I’ve never done P.T. before so I’m not that sure how to know if they are good or not. I guess if you start getting better and they are not hurting you?

I’m looking into a pain management (cortisone) injection but really don’t want to get the reaction that I discuss in the post above. I will ask the pain management doctor how we can avoid that. Were you awake for your pain management shot? Is it painful? Tolerable? Tx so very much.

[Gloria]

The shots I had was Lumbar Epidural Steroid. It was supposed (I think) to cause the bulged disk to shrink, hence relieving pressure on the nerve. I don’t think it worked on everybody, but it worked very well for me.

By the way, Physical Therapy will hurt, sometimes a lot :D. The difference is whether you feel “better” somehow after the session. The therapist I like specializes in myofascial release and she helped some of my muscles that were messed up to let go, and allow the healing to start. My whole left leg was more than an inch shorter than my right during the initial assessment, but after the session, they were the same length. Weird, huh? I actually gave her a big bear hug when I got out of the table and found myself miraculously walking normally. I’m very a non-hugging person lol.

[anotheralteranothera]

Calvin, I’m thrilled that your surgery was pretty easy & successful for you. Thanks again, Gloria for the PT input & injection input.

I had PT today. First, they have me lay on the moist hot packs for 20 mins, which is great, then she helped me stretch the piriformus ? muscles, then lay on back, feet go over the large ball & bend knees & roll ball up to my chest (10 reps, 3 sets), that caused the thigh to start tingling, (is that bad?), then recumbent bike for 5 mins. How does that sound?

Started neurontin, it’s pretty nice. Thigh is quieting down, but a more diffuse tingling on both sides that go to the feet. Thanks for listening and helping so very much.

[Candle]

Yes, and I had a mostly successful laminectomy. I now use Katy Bowman’s back exercises and the Mackenzie method along with his back rolls everywhere, even to sleep with. Huge difference.

[anotheralteranothera]

Thanks Candle. I’ll look those up. I’m glad you are feeling better.

I took a 300 mg. Neurontin a few hours ago and it quieted the electrical nonsense down a bit. Thank goodness. What are common dosages of neurontin for new herniations?

Anyone have any advice on how to open the heavy doors you find on some stores and offices nowadays? That has been bad when I have to go do errands.

[HeatherCK11]

Sorry to hear about your injury. Back pain is a league of its own.

Neurontin gave me significant relief. My injury was in the thoracic spine and resulted in severe radiculopathy and nerve pain. Initially, I was started on 300 mg, 4 times daily. The dosage was increased to 600 mg twice daily & 300 twice during the day.
I take less now, at twice daily and it does the trick.

The first few weeks, it was agony to open a door. Best suggestion is have someone go shopping with you. Next best is try to not reach & pull. Use your body with arms close to open doors.

Listen to your pain. So important. That and good foot wear.

[anotheralteranothera]

Thanks Heather. So sorry about your injury but glad you are doing better.

Today was my first day taking neurontin. He only wrote me 300 mg 2x a day. I think I need/want an increase. But, I’m rather liking this medication. It makes me tired but it cuts some of that weird & creepy as hell electrical stuff. The electrical feeling flips me out a bit. Even in the better moments, my entire lower body “buzzes”. WTF ! ? !

There are some crazy heavy doors out there. Thanks for the ideas on how to manage them.

Oh. I. Hate. This.

[Laurierace]

The difference between a good PT and a not so good PT is like the Grand Canyon. I thought PT was a stupid waste of time until I finally got a good one and now I think it is a gift from heaven. Now that I am a PT veteran I think the way to know if yours is good is if they spend a lot of their time hands on. Stretching, massaging, prodding, whatever. If they just say do ten of these, ten of those etc, they stink.

[anotheralteranothera]

Thanks Laurie,

You have herniated discs, too? Eeesh, sorry.

At PT, I start with 20 mins laying on the moist heat pads, then we do 20 mins stretching/massage/therapeutic ultrasound, then 15 mins exercises. Does that sound o.k.?

I’m having some mental trouble with not being able to go back to a job that, sort of, defined me and paid a o.k. salary. (Insert curse words)

Thanks again. Oh, you never know what life will throw at you, eh?

[wateryglen]

just my 2 sense…

Your PT is fine. “About right”…And don’t compare yourself to others in this thread…your treatment plan/meds etc are individualized for YOU. I’m bothered that you are depending on a bunch of strangers on the internet to validate your medical care. Sharing your feelings is one thing. You are questioning everything being done/ordered for you - even your drug dosages!!? Why aren’t you asking your doc/PT’s these questions!! THEY are the experts! Not us!! And I gotta think you will be back at your regular job soon. Your PT will/should teach you some proper body mechanics to preserve your back and prevent re-injury. Be sure to ask them to do so. This is not a career ender imho. Just part of learning to take care of your health & body. Stop asking “does this sound right” and open your mind to positive actions. Ask lots of questions to your team. Get the answers you need. Knowledge is power and decreases anxiety. The knowledge you get on these threads may not be either accurate, truthful or helpful. And please, do some research to learn more too from true medical websites. Good luck and best wishes. And if it would help you; get a horse oriented PT to work w/you. I did and thought it was the best thing for me.

[anotheralteranothera]

Watery,
Of course I’m asking my doctors and doing medical research, of course.
Perhaps this forum should not exist as it’s (wonderful) people discussing their issues with people that are not their doctors. Sometimes people (meaning not doctors) have great information. For instance, Candle told me of Bowman’s back exercises & the Mackenzie method. Maybe my doctors would agree that those are good ideas. And, yes, I discussed my medication dose - horrors ! I even asked my doctor for a small dose to start to start with - yes, I used my own thoughts not just what he said. Sorry, but I like to get information from lots of different sources. Now, please stop yelling at me and leave me alone. I don’t feel well. This thread has been so wonderful for me and I can’t thank all these great people enough. Sometimes, people just need to talk and need a soft shoulder. This thread has been that for me. I can’t thank you all enough for that.