Can anyone help me?

[jan-e]

I have had back pain for years. I took celebrex for years and my doctor took me off of it and I could'nt move without screaming. He then put me on Lyrica it eased the pain only minimally. Now they want me to go to a back surgeon.
I have a buldging disc that is pinching a nerve. I am not asking for medical advise..just your experience. If you or someone you know has had surgery for this how much did it help? Again I understand you are people like me and all I want is to know other people's experience.
Thank you so much I appreciate anything you can tell me.
Jan-e

 

[mznell]

Hello jan-e ~

Is there any particular reason your doctor took you off Celebrex? As I'm sure you know, Lyrica and Celebrex are very different drugs and are not prescribed for the same symptoms.

Have you had a MRI or how was your bulging disc and pinched nerve diagnosed? Do you mainly have pain in your back, or does it run down your leg, perhaps into your foot? If you have leg pain, does it hurt when standing? Sitting? Walking? Does it go away when you lay down?

A nerve root can be compressed for a variety of reasons. If a disc is herniating, it can be pressing on the nerve root, taking up space that the nerve would otherwise occupy. It can be caused by canal or foramenal stenosis. The nerve can be inflamed from other reasons as well...a chemical reaction to a ruptured disc, a spondylolisthesis, bone spurs, etc.

The success of the surgery really depenRAB on what is causing the nerve compression. Surgery to relieve leg pain is statistically more successful than surgery to relieve back pain alone.

Often, in the case of nerve compression caused by a disc herniation, in time the herniation will heal on its own, the infammation will go down and the nerve will decompress. But this process is very slow and it takes quite awhile to heal up...like 6 months or even longer.

If you'd provide a couple more details, more people would be able to respond to your post.

xx M:wave:M