Herniated disc?

[Begonia]

Chiro thinks I've herniated or reherniated a lumbar disc. I can't get into the doc until next week. It's not a crisis as I can walk and not in extreme pain altho a lot of discomfort. It's small walks around the house and then lay on the couch for 15 mins. Repeat.

Any words of wisdom? I'm following herniation protocol and no forward bends, no housework, no sitting etc. I'm on Advil today altho I can go off it occasionally.

I've survived one before but oh the days are long at the moment. I hear they're common...

 

[Dee*Jay]

I feel for you! I've got a curve in my spine (long story... ) that causes a disc in my lower back to herniate periodically. OWWWWWfvcingoooowwwwww.

My advice, and this is going to sound overly rudimentary, is ICE. And I don't mean heat and then ice, I mean ICE. Period. It's like a miracle. Part of the problem is inflammation and you definitely don't want to apply heat to that. Get a LARGE soft cold pack and and a way to wrap it (I've got a "belt" type thing from CVS with velcro). Frankly, get two, or THREE cold packs. Take one off and put in the freezer and apply another one. Use them All. The. Time. Forget the 15 minutes an hour crap. They will help with the pain but also with getting the inflation under control.

I've also got a back brace with stiff ribbing (I think from CVS too, or maybe Amazon) that prevents bending right at the inflection point. A word of warning though, that makes your muscles lazy in a short period of time, so I only recommend it if you have to be up and about and can't use the ice miracle.

My first experience with this was so bad my boyfriend at the time had to carry me to the bathroom because I literally could not get out of bed under my own power. And the ER at Northwestern diagnosed kidney stones. After a week of walking around like I was straight out of the Cro Magnon stage a chiropractor figured out what was wrong.

The pain is TREMENDOUS and I hope you are up and about quickly.

 

[Begonia]

I feel for you! I've got a curve in my spine (long story... ) that causes a disc in my lower back to herniate periodically. OWWWWWfvcingoooowwwwww.

My advice, and this is going to sound overly rudimentary, is ICE. And I don't mean heat and then ice, I mean ICE. Period. It's like a miracle. Part of the problem is inflammation and you definitely don't want to apply heat to that. Get a LARGE soft cold pack and and a way to wrap it (I've got a "belt" type thing from CVS with velcro). Frankly, get two, or THREE cold packs. Take one off and put in the freezer and apply another one. Use them All. The. Time. Forget the 15 minutes an hour crap. They will help with the pain but also with getting the inflation under control.

I've also got a back brace with stiff ribbing (I think from CVS too, or maybe Amazon) that prevents bending right at the inflection point. A word of warning though, that makes your muscles lazy in a short period of time, so I only recommend it if you have to be up and about and can't use the ice miracle.

My first experience with this was so bad my boyfriend at the time had to carry me to the bathroom because I literally could not get out of bed under my own power. And the ER at Northwestern diagnosed kidney stones. After a week of walking around like I was straight out of the Cro Magnon stage a chiropractor figured out what was wrong.

The pain is TREMENDOUS and I hope you are up and about quickly.

Ice it is, and I've got a back brace on order and am under strict instructions to only use it for brief periods as you say. I'll get that ice on asap.

This is my 2nd rodeo with herniated discs (altho it's been 7 years) and can I say that this is pure misery? I have to plan my trips to the bathroom. Every movement is dodgy whether it'll cause that painful twinge. Twinge is too gentle a word quite frankly - painful wallop more like. Then the spasming.
Moment of painful reflection...

Bloody @#$%ing h*ll

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

I was going to say ice. Lots of it. Could you get someone to prescribe a steroid, like prednisolone?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

poor Begonia
it sounds awful
take care and dont forget how bad sitting is
may you start to heal very soon

 

[Begonia]

I was going to say ice. Lots of it. Could you get someone to prescribe a steroid, like prednisolone?

I'll check with doc next Wednesday! We're in a health care crisis where I live. Feel like the ER isn't called for, however miserable this is (altho I considered it on my last spell on my feet LOL).

 

[Begonia]

poor Begonia
it sounds awful
take care and dont forget how bad sitting is
may you start to heal very soon

Thanks D!
No sitting for me. Exactly.
Begonia sees those begonias

 

[mrs-b]

Hi Begonia -

I feel like I wrote the book on herniated discs; I herniated 8 in my back and 2 in my neck when I was 14 years old from pulling a drowning girl out of a swimming pool. Two major surgeries later and I'm here to tell you....

@Dee*Jay is right on the money.

There is a specific protocol tho - 20 minutes on, 40 minutes off, no less than 5 times a day, making sure that the first time is immediately after getting out of bed. And yes, get a back brace / support with a plate or heavy duty boning, and a built-in envelope for an ice pack. Those elastic ones just won't cut it, so don't even try. Initially, I slept in mine. You can wear a fitted tank top or t-shirt under them to protect your skin.

Muscle relaxants (Valium, Cyclobenzaprine) are your friends. So is Gabapentin (anti pain med that works specifically on nerve pain). So is Prednisone - generally a Medrol Pak initially (steroids). Talk to your dr and get an MRI, since, if you need surgery, most surgeons won't see you until you've had an MRI, and the wait can be long and painful.

I wish you the very BEST of luck with this and a "100% healed" outcome!

 

[Begonia]

I am so glad I asked about this and very grateful for everyone's responses. I've been going it alone until I see my doc next week. The minutes are long.

Okay to the above - good intel from someone who is (unfortunately) well versed in herniations. Goodness, that amount of herniation must have been awful, just awful. Tell us that story some day??

Getting on the brace too - ordered the wrong kind. Thank you!!!

 

[mrs-b]

I am so glad I asked about this and very grateful for everyone's responses. I've been going it alone until I see my doc next week. The minutes are long.

Okay to the above - good intel from someone who is (unfortunately) well versed in herniations. Goodness, that amount of herniation must have been awful, just awful. Tell us that story some day??

Getting on the brace too - ordered the wrong kind. Thank you!!!

@Begonia -

Ive reached out to my chiropractor to see if he can tell me the brand he recommends. They're expensive tho - around $300 as I recall. But they *really* do the business.

 

[caf]

@mrs-b is correct about a Medrol dose pak. I hate prednisone but the Medrol is much easier on my system. I’ve had 3 spine neurosurgeries and speak from experience. (Also have RA but that is another story) And yes, ice helps. I had herniated disks but my problems really stemmed from spinal stenosis and lots of bone spurs. Advil does help. A brace helps some. PT helped some. Ultimately for me, I needed the surgeries and I’m pretty good after them! I feel your pain @Begonia I also got spine injections from the anesthesiologist and those helped temporarily (they’re guided injections using fluoroscopy.). Good luck.

 

[Begonia]

@mrs-b is correct about a Medrol dose pak. I hate prednisone but the Medrol is much easier on my system. I’ve had 3 spine neurosurgeries and speak from experience. (Also have RA but that is another story) And yes, ice helps. I had herniated disks but my problems really stemmed from spinal stenosis and lots of bone spurs. Advil does help. A brace helps some. PT helped some. Ultimately for me, I needed the surgeries and I’m pretty good after them! I feel your pain @Begonia I also got spine injections from the anesthesiologist and those helped temporarily (they’re guided injections using fluoroscopy.). Good luck.

Back problems make it hard for me to cope. All the things I do to stay sane like hot baths, walking, exercising, puttering with my plants, cooking - I can't do right now. This pain thing s*cks.

I hear you. Nothing has ever been a Godsend as far as treatment. Nothing.
PT was more painful than anything, and I've taken away very little of use from years of it on an off. The only thing that has been helpful is acupuncture but the relief is so short lived.

Thanks for the testimonial and advice. I felt very alone today until PS friends engaged. That's so so helpful.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

sending healing accross the miles Begonia

 

[caf]

Back problems make it hard for me to cope. All the things I do to stay sane like hot baths, walking, exercising, puttering with my plants, cooking - I can't do right now. This pain thing s*cks.

I hear you. Nothing has ever been a Godsend as far as treatment. Nothing.
PT was more painful than anything, and I've taken away very little of use from years of it on an off. The only thing that has been helpful is acupuncture but the relief is so short lived.

Thanks for the testimonial and advice. I felt very alone today until PS friends engaged. That's so so helpful.

I’m sorry. Pain is a lonesome thing. It sucks and I do understand.

 

[Begonia]

I saw my chiro on Wednesday and it's now 10× worse. I won't be going back. Off to the doc next week and once it's not so acute, off to physio.

On the couch 20 mins, walk around the house 20 mins. Advil and Robaxin alternating. Awful, just awful. Ice pack 20 mins of every hour. It can only get better, right? If I lay on the couch, the pain goes down alot so that might be a good sign.

 

[Dee*Jay]

@Begonia - Just checking in to see how you're doing.

 

[Begonia]

@Begonia - Just checking in to see how you're doing.

Hey!

Well it was a rough 4 days lemme tell you, but thankfully I'm seeing some miniscule improvement. Baby steps I guess. I'm off the pain meds periodically and am standing upright! (Pretty excited about that).

Journey of a 1000 miles... gawd it's daunting tho, yes?

Thanks for checking in. Tomorrow is driving to acupuncture. Wish me luck?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Hey!

Well it was a rough 4 days lemme tell you, but thankfully I'm seeing some miniscule improvement. Baby steps I guess. I'm off the pain meds periodically and am standing upright! (Pretty excited about that).

Journey of a 1000 miles... gawd it's daunting tho, yes?

Thanks for checking in. Tomorrow is driving to acupuncture. Wish me luck?

its tomorrow
so good luck +
that sounds encouraging that you can stand
just take everything easy young lady

 

[Begonia]

I'm no sure if I "overdid" it yesterday or el backo just hated the drive to acupuncture, but now getting wee sharp pains along the spine (where I suspect the herniation is).

Off to the doc this morning and then physio tomorrow. I'm hoping he'll order imaging, but with the state of our Healthcare, I'm not hopeful.

Still on ice many times in the day - like hourly. Off meds but we'll see if that lasts.