Back problems-help needed

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darinesto

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HI,
I will start at what I think is the beginning of my problems.
June 21, 2007 I had a LOUD pop in my hip with excruciating pain. I ended up in the ER room. They did X-rays & a cat scan & found nothing.. The Dr sent to to a Orthopedic surgeon. He did a MRI of hip & found nothing wrong. He said it was probably the bursa & put a cortisone shot in it. I got a reaction to that (Internet called it a cortisone flair) It hurt even worse a few days. I did 8 weeks of PT & nothing helped. I just lived with it till it started getting even worse. About Sept 2008 I went back to family Dr. He did an MRI & found bulging disk. I also have pain down my leg about 1/2 way to the knee. He sent me for more PT & this time they did some traction which seemed to make it worse. I did PT for 4 weeks & quit as it wasn't helping. I started doing a lot at home but I'm getting dizzy every time I lay on my back on the bed & can't go on. DR put me on Meclizine 25 mg. All that does is make me tired.

My GP is sending me back to Orthopedic surgeon (same group..different Dr. The GP said he will probably want to give me a shot in the back. I guess he means an epidermal.. I read where it doesn't help long & is painful to have. What I am really asking is DO I WANT IT?? I am scared of it. Please let me know your experiences with a
epidermal.
Thanks,
Dar
 
Thanks for the replies.. I had a cortizone shot once in the bursa & had a bad reation to it. The problem wasn't even the bursa. I wonder if this will do the same. I will tell the DR about that reaction. I will be glad when Wednesday is here so I will know what is gonna happen & hope whatever he does help. I feel like it would help some if I could just take my therapy without getting dizzy when I lay on my back. I take Antivert but it doesn't help & makes me tired. I just want to be able to walk pain free again but probably won't ever be able to do that.
Thanks,
Dar
 
I went to the orthopedic DR today & he gave me my options after X-raying my back & hip.

1- live with it.
2- take medication. (Gave me a prescription for Lyrica.. The side effects scare me a lot.)
3- have a Epidural which he said was no guarantee of helping.
4 surgery

None of these options sound good to me. :(

I am depressed as there just doesn't seem like any answer for my pain. I think if I could do the therapy like I should it would help but I get dizzy doing them. I have been dizzy more since I started trying to do them. I was so dizzy today that I was afraid I would fall & may have if I didn't use my cane.
My family Dr gave me Antivert but it didn't seem to help & made me tired. For some reason I seem to be tired all the time now.
Thanks for listening.
Dar
 
Hi Dar,

Epidural-not epidermal-I think may be what you are asking about but I am not an expert.
I had two shots in a series of three-one being a "double" because the doc really wanted to get a good coating of the steroid around my inflammed area.
They didn't work for me-but they weren't painful either. I had twilight anesthesia so I didn't feel anything-then went home for a few days for ice packs and REST. They didn't increase my pain-but they didn't decreaase it either. My discs were completely gone on two levels. We didn't realize that till after a discogram, though. That test really hurt.
A lot of people get a LOT of relief from the ESI shots. The are part of conservative treatment like physical therapy, ice packs and anti-inflammatories. I did the whole route for 6 months before we realized surgery was my only option.
I would do it all again in a second. I am better now than before surgery-even tho I am not completely pain free.
I hope you find the answers you are looking for!

Blessings,
Momz :angel:
 
I wouldn't count out an epidural - they often work for people and can provide relief!
 
Your doctor forgot to mention a fifth option. Find another doctor in another group! You said you saw a different doctor but in the same group. Unfortunately these doctors are probably going to stick together on a treatment plan since they do have to work together every day. If you are uncomfortable with the care you are receiving or don't like your treatment options don't be afraid to ask for another opinion. Get as many as you need to feel comfortable. Try seeing different doctors such as Spine specialists or neurologists.

For your PT make sure you are working with a good therapist. Some give general exercises that can actually make situations worse.

Did the orthopedic doc say anything about the dizziness? Is this something new or could it be related to the meRAB you are currently taking?

I did try the epideral injection once and it actually made my back worse instantly. Now my brother-in-law has been having the injections for the past 1 1/2 years for bulging disc & DDD and has had great relief.

The pain is very depressing & most people on the board are very understanding as they have been there themselves. Best of luck to you!
 
Epidural shots are steroid injected into the spine (in the area affected). They very often do work for people and are a very good less-invasive option than things like surgery. I have had some success with ESI (epidural steroid injections) and am in the middle of a cycle of 3 (one injection every other week). I had the first one done and have the 2nd one scheduled this Friday and then the third and last on the 31st. I recommend that you try it if it's an option. One key is finding out "how" they do the injections. My Pain Management doctor does them under "conscious sedation" - that's where they give you demerol and versed via IV. So it's not being "out" like general anesthesia - but it's enough that for a few minutes you feel no pain and for the rest of they day you can lay back and nap a bit.

I have seen some people post here who say their doctor doesn't use any form of sedation. I wouldn't be able to handle that. My doctor will make and exception and do the injection without anesthesia if the patient insists - but he recommenRAB the sedation to make it easier for the patient and for him.
 
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I recentally had a series of 3 epidural shots for my chronic lower back pain due to the Degenerative Disc Diseaes and they did absolutely nothing for me. The epidural shots themselves did not hurt at all. I'm told that they work for some people and not others. So here I am still suffering with chronic pain. I also have bulging disc at L5-S1, right and left sided facet arthropathy, arthropathy with decreased T2 signal intensity present, there are spondylolytic defects bilaterally at L5-S1. My report says more but does anyone know what this is saying and if so PLEASE explain it in my language. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Shy72
 
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