Wellness

[Latonya]

@Kachina624 I feel your pain, literally.  I wonder what it is that makes us unique in that way?  

I also saw pain management specialists for many years.  They prescribed every narcotic available.  The horrible pain actually decreased when I stopped taking them (had to go to drug rehab because I was dependent by then).  That was no fun.  

Wishing everyone dealing with this type of pain, well.

[Kachina624]

@Latonya   I also tried every drug my doctor could think might help but only tried them for a short time because none worked.  I never got hooked, thankfully.  Then I had to stop the NSAIDs I took for arthritis due to effect on kidneys.

Did you ever find anything to help your back?  I haven't.

[Katcat1]

@alicedee   Thank you.  Today I feel a little pain but nothing debilitating but hopefully with resting.  Laying helps although I do sit a lot. I pray I can go back to normal for good.  I am happy for you that the injection finally got rid of your pain.  Have a wonderful weekend.

[Katcat1]

@Kachina624   I learned this from a Neurosurgeon that did surgery on my back in 1992.  When you have a weak spot if your spine your muscles tighten up to protect that area.  I was taking one Flexerial at bedtime that gave me some relief.  When my pain really increased and I could barely walk my Dr. said to take two eight hours apart.  It helps me.  If you have not tried it, give it a try.  Also, not all doctors can get this right.  Look at their educational background, how long they have been doing it, referrrals from other people.  The doctor that did my epidural is the best.  He is a caring man and explains everything to you.  I really pray you get relief.  It's a hard thing to live with.  Another procedure if you have a cyst is the dr. taking the needle through the facet joint to drain the cyst.  And then they do one more step which I can't remember so the cyst does not return.  Have a wonderful weekend.

[Latonya]

@Kachina624 @Katcat1 I had a Neurostimulator (tens unit) surgicially implanted in 2012 because I was out of options.  Because I was dependent on prescribed narcotics for the pain, I built up a drug tolerance so I was awake during surgery.  I went to rehab immediately after.  I turned the Neurostim off while at rehab because the tens unit vibrations and withdrawal was too much for me.  

Once I was off of narcotics, the pain decreased a great deal.  I haven't turned the Neurostim on since I turned it off, a few weeks after it was implanted in 2012 ... I never needed the surgery, I just needed to get off of the narcotics because they intensified the pain!  

I manage now with Flexeril like (I think) KatCat1 suggested but I rarely take that either.  I don't take meds if I can help it.  Sitting causes the most pain so I don't do that much.  

Hopefully each of you can find some kind of relief.  Chronic pain is awful. 

[alicedee]

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@Katcat1 wrote:

@alicedee   Thank you.  Today I feel a little pain but nothing debilitating but hopefully with resting.  Laying helps although I do sit a lot. I pray I can go back to normal for good.  I am happy for you that the injection finally got rid of your pain.  Have a wonderful weekend.

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Thanks for your kind words.  Sending 🙏 your way for relief.

[geegerbee]

Glad it worked for you. My husband had the opposite result. He went for the series of 3 shots in his back. The lst one did nothing. The 2nd one was a disaster.He was in excrutiating pain for 3 months until he took his own life. He had gone  to a pain management and the doctor said I hope you didn't pay for this. The doc put the wrong thing in the wrong place and hit a nerve. Nothing could help. He had a pain pump put in and the nurse who came to replenish the medicine said the last thing he was waiting to try only helped 50% of the time. My husband was sure he was part of the 50 % that it didn't help, and he gave up. So just be aware who is doing something to you and that there is always a risk. I have sciatica too, but I will Never have a shot in my back, ever.

[Katcat1]

@Latonya   Thank you.  In 1992 I popped a disc (L5-S1) at work picking up a heavy legal file.  I got scared and sat down.  The pain never went away.  I had a hierniated Disc.  I had meds but I had the Tens Unit that only helped a little.  Sometimes at night when I was in bed and turned I would scream in pain that happened twice and I did not want to feel that again.  PT made my situation worse and the disc popped more and both my legs went numb and had tingling in both feet in the toes.  That was a Thursday night.  I had emergency surgery on Monday at the University of California San Francisco performed by the Director of Neurosurgery who was teaching young doctors the procedure.  I am not on heavy drugs.  I refused to take strong pain meds. but I do have a mild pain med that is monitored by my PCP and only 2 to 3 x a day.

[hckynut]

@Katcat1 

I had ruptured L-5/S-1 also back in 1974 and surgery to remove them. Spent my 35th birthday and over 3 weeks in the hospital, only 4 days after surgery. Back running in about  7 weeks and playing hockey in 6 months.

In 2007 ruptured my L-3 and my friend the Spinal Surgeon did the surgery in his office. Watched the whole procedure on his monitor as he was doing it. Limped in, 3 hours later, walked out pain free.

Back to hockey and all other activities in about 3 months. No narcotics, just OTC Tylenol. Was on Coumadin so can't take any NSAIDS or anti-inflammatory meds at all.

Right leg still goes numb when exercising, but also when I was ice skating. Not easy to skate when i had no feeling between my skate and hip. 

No major problems with spine to speak of since my L-3 surgery. Right leg numb issue is from the my L-5/S-1 surgery back in '74!

I did have the Caudal Blocks(similar to Epidural). Had 3 of them, 1 lasted about a month/next one a couple weeks, and last one just a few days. Decided to have my friend do the surgery, which was a good decision for me.

hckynut 🏒