Last post on back problem

I won't bother you with whining about the back anymore so this is a final progress report. The doc sent me home with a seven day course of Prednizone and told me to come back in a week. If that doesn't work, then it's the epidural (sp) shot. If that doesn't work it's the knife for a laminectomy. I hope the pills work. He wants to try the least invasive way first. Jim

Fixer. Just a word on my jpersonal experiance with epidurals. I didn't have any luck with them. I finally went to STeindler clinic in Iowa City and they gave me a nerve root shot. I go aboiut 30 days with relatively no pain. another 30 days marginal and then another shot. I think better than knife. Lots of luck with whatever you do. Bernie STeffen

They tried the shot on me and it might as well have been a kick in the butt because all it did was hurt giving it to me and no help other wise but that was back 14 years ago so maybe thing are better now. Hope you the best my friend

I had the shots [ 2 } about 4 years back for a bulging {sp} disc .... went great ...
If you get the shots ... like the Doc told me ...get 2 ... it's like a camp fire ... the 1st one puts the fire out and the 2nd takes care of the ashes .. told me if I wasn't will to take 2 shots ... he couldn't help me ...{ you can get 3 .. i think } Sure glad I did it ... haven't had a problem since { knock on wood }

Mark

I have heard that one of those inversion tables works wonders. You know that thing with the boots where you hang upside down. A friend of mine has this and he loves it. (I need to try it) I have no back problems.

PLEASE don't let them cut on you!.BTDT, After going through two back operations with no releaf, I finally went to "Pain Management" got more releaf from that than anything! I've had a bad back since I was 18 (Industrial accident)I'm now 75. Check with your Doctor or your medical plan provider. I wish I'd never had any of those operations!.....just my .02 cents worth..Jim in N M

I told the doc I had an epidural two years ago and it made me feel like a kid again---for one week. Then the pain was back again. He told me it doesn't work the same on any two people. For some people it'll last for years and for others it's a week. When they gave me the shot it was two in each side and I guess that's the way its normaly done. First is the analgesic that deadens things for a few days until the cortisone from the second shot starts working. The first shot hurt like crazy and then it went through a nerve that made a dull pain slowly go down my leg. They kept telling me not to move and I didn't even realize I was squirming. The other side wasn't as bad but it never did completely stop the pain.

If this does come to surgery it'll be a Laminectomy where they cut away some of the vertibrae to give the spinal cord some space. That's what they did on my neck and it was successful. He said they keep the part of the vertibrae that's removed so they can use it for a fusion in case the vertibrae becomes unstable sometime down the road. This is supposed to be one of the most commonly successful back surgeries.

I'm just hoping the pills do the job and nothing more needs to be done. (fingers crossed!)
Thanks for the advice, everyone. The more we share the more we can help each other out.

I have been on Prednisone for 25+ years. It is an anti-inflammatory. Long term it makes your bones brittle, your muscles and tendons brittle and puffs you up like a balloon.

Higher doses, short term can do some good though.

The cortisone shots they put into your back/joints. I have had that done maybe 8-10 times. Never worked past a day or two.

I have not had much luck with surgery either. Sometimes the cure is as bad as the problem.

Have you thought about going to an Osteopath, a D.O.? I think they may have some advantages or an MD or specialist.

I also had a good experience with acupuncture.
I was referred to the acupuncturist by a Pain management doctor.

Good luck, Gene

Fixxer..I have been down that long road since 1994.

Not every Dr is actually "Good" at giving the Epidural..BTDT..
I finally found my pick for them in Cols Oh...Dr Reddy with Neurological Assoc., Riverside Hosp..
The man is GOOD..!!
NO anesthetics, just lay on the table and 5 minutes later, you are done..he may hit a nerve (seldom)..but who cares..that is what you are THERE to cure..!
His shots workd wonders for me for 8 years..
But, when enough scare tissue develops, you may still need the knife...
I had a double fusion 2 years ago and am back to about 90% of what I used to do...
Rebecca Brightman and Janet Bay were my Surgeons and they are very good..probably do about 4 a day..!

Ron..

Fixerupper,

"I won't bother you with whining about the back anymore"

It's not whining - you don't know how many people you could be helping - information, or just easing their mind or I never thought of that, not to mention the feed back from other readers .
So please keep us informed, and I Hope you find what works for you to stop the pain.

I have had back problems for a long time but some years ago I helped a friend load his u-haul, The next morning I could NOT get out of bed. Plus my right testicle hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Found a neurosurgeon in Denver. Had a bulging disc and he fixed it. I still have some problems but NOTHING like that again.
I have heard stories all my life saying don't have the surgery. But there reaches a point where something HAS to happen - I reached that point and thank God it worked for me.
Moral of the story - You have to do what you think is right for You.

Ken 46

Keep us informed on how things go for you . There s alot of us that live in pain 24/7 and it could help one of us . I have had 5 surgeries , tried the shots twice , Had a cimopatpain injection and had a bad reaction to that and was on IV antibatics for a week and every other pokin and prodin , pills and ginny piggin they could come up with . I would like to find something that would take the edge off the pain and ya never know you may indirectly help one of us .

My mother-in-law had persistent back pain and was able to get relief through acupuncture. Don"t know how often she went, but it worked for her.

Its called decompression. Over time, gravity pulls us down and compresses the space between the discs. The inversion reverses that and opens up space between the discs.

Part of the treatment from my chiropractor does the same thing.

It's not as bad this morning so I'm going out the door to start working again. Not being in searing burning pain puts a person in a much better mood. Been laying around for a week doing nothing so this will be the test. I'm not a lay around and do nothing person by any means. This methylpredsilonoe he put me on is a one week regimen where I take six 4mg pills the first day, five the next and so on until I'm down to one on the last day. They are about as bitter tasting as anyting can be! I still have a minor stabbing pain above the left hip but it's nothing to "whine" about.

Oh yes, to make this tractor ralated, I'm going to be scooping dirt with the loader on the 630 Deere, dumping it in an old Heider 6X10 wagon with single 2X12 side boards and a steel floor on a Case 3 ton running gear with a midwest hoist pulled by the old SC Case. There! Jim

Do they still inject papaya juice in discs? The neighbor was so bad off at one time,he got to where he wouldn't even get out of bed to use the bathroom. They injected papaya juice in him and he hangs drywall for a living now.

Ask your doc about Medicinal Cannibis. It works for me.

Double Bulger on L-4 & L-5 for 5 years. Couldn"t take the shots anymore cause my skin around the injection sites started to break down.Turns out I"m allergic to cortisone. So now I use Decompression once every 2 weeks and High doses of Glucosomine HCL (3000 Mg.once a day)And I"m back to climbing into a Bucket truck everyday.I just DO NOT lift ANYTHING heavier than a 16oz. Beer Can!!!

I talked to a guy tonight that has fibromyalgia running in his family. He got aches and pains that travel all over. They started taking the generic guifason sold in walmart under the mucus and cough relief medicine. The pill has 400 mg of guifasion. He takes one in the morning and evening. The whole family says it works for relieving the pain. I just took one tonight.

WELL FOLKS i HAVE BEEN ON PAIN MEDS FOR SPINAL DEGENERRATION FOR YRS. i HAVE BEEN TAKING HYDROCODONE FOR OVER 10 RS NOW AND IT HELPS ME GET THRU THE DAYS. i HAVE PROBLEMS FROM MY NECK ALL THE WAY DOWNTO MY TAIL BONE. THE PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINIC IS WORKING ME ONTO MORPHINE BOW ALONG WITH THE VICODIN , HYDRO, TO SEE IF I CAN GETY OFF THAT SOME DAY AND STAY ON THE MORPHINE FOR A WHILE I ALSO HAVE ARTHRITIS AND POSSIBLY FIBROMYALGIA. AT MY AGE 72 THERE WILL BE NO CUTTING OR OR INVASIVE STUFF. A FRIENDLY NUEROSURGEON ADVISED ME THAT SINCE I WAS ELDERLY AND SO FAR ADVANCED WITH SPINAL PROBKEMS IN SO MANY VERTBVRAE THATI SHOULD NOT LRY ANYONE CUT ON ME BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT MAKE MY LIFE ANY MORE ENJOYABLE. I TAKE PAIN PILLS THREE TIMES PER DAY AND I TAKE THEM WITH TWO 500 MG BUFFERIN ,APIRIN, AND THAT DOES PRETTY GOOD. I GO EVERY 28 DAYS TO A PAIN MANGE MENT CLINIC AND AM IN AND OUT IN A SHOR TIME AFTER I GET IN TO SEE THE DOCTOR AND HE REFILLSMY PRESCRIPTIONS. i WILL NEVER LET ANYONE CUT ON MY SPINE BECAUSE OLD PEOPLE ARE MORE APT TO GET A BONE DISEASE ,INFECTION,ETC, I WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER DOCTOR THAT A LOT OF THE TIME IS UNCURABLE AND FATAL TO THE ELDERLY. ITS NO FUN TO HURT ALL OVER BUTT I JUST TAKE THE DOPE AND GO AHEAD AND DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO. I WORK SOME WHEN THE ECONOMY ISNT CRATED WITH MY 18 WHEELER HAULING CRANES FOR A CUSTOMER I HAVE HAD FOR 15 YRS AND SUBSIDIZE MY SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK. ITS ALNOST TIME FOR ANOTHER DOSE OF THE STUFF. WHEN I CAN MAKE A FIST WITH BOTH HANDS AND ALL THE KNUCKLES HURT THEN IT TELLS ME THAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOIN TO START HURTING SOON. BEST WISHES DEVIOUS