Help! Bulging discs in L-4 to L-5 and L-5 to S-1

  • Thread starter Thread starter LVNV
  • Start date Start date
L

LVNV

Guest
Please offer some hope...anyone who has gone through this... I am 39 years old, used to exercise regularly until this unbearable pain came on, and do not need to lose weight to help with my problem.

In my early twenties, I had some lower back problems with occasional sciatica. In the past year, it started again, but only for a day or two.

However, on January 28, I had the worst lower back pain of my life from out of nowhere. It hit me and literally knocked me down. I had to sit immediately. It has been seven weeks now and I am going out of my mind from the pain. I have pain going down both legs, although it's worst on my right side. It goes down my buttocks, often my hips, in my knees, shins, calves, ankles, and my feet are often nurab and tingling. Sometimes the pain is absolutely unbearable. This has been a very long process of seeing doctors, being referred for X-rays, MRIs, pain management, etc. I have tried the fluoroscopic epidural shot (which didn't help at all and cost $375 co-pay). I have tried physical therapy. I have been on pain medicine and although I HATE it, I'm going to have to start taking sleeping pills because 3-4 out of 7 nights a week I don't sleep a wink. I don't know if it's the pain, the meRAB, or both, but I'm wide awake.

My official diagnosis is: Lurabar degeneration, Radioculopathy, and Lurabar Herniation. I have two bulging discs on L-4 to L-5 and L-5 to S-1 that must be pressing on a nerve.

I'm trying to work, but cannot function on no sleep, so have missed 2-3 days of work each week since this began 7 weeks ago. I'm getting very depressed and worried. Will this ever go away? The doctors don't seem to have any answers for me. How does my back pain go from 1-2 days to seven weeks of pain with no end in sight? If anyone has had this experience, will you please share your story with me? I'd especially love to hear from anyone who was finally able to find some relief. Will this be my whole life? I miss having an active lifestyle. I miss exercising. I miss walking normally and not obsessing about finding a close parking space because my legs are so weak.

Thank you for any help or hope,
LV
 
Well as I am not of total help as I am on my 2nd back surgery, I can emphasize with you for sure on pain. Alot of times it takes upto 3 epidural steroid injections to help, and alot of rest to finally get the irritated nerve flared back down. You may be still trying to do way too much while trying to heal. Usually conservative measures are upto 12 weeks of either steriod injections, pt, anti inflammatories and so on. You really need to avoid doing alot of bending turning and lifting and get that flare down. Bulges can reabsorb back into the disc over series of months conservatively so it's not the end of the world even though it may feel like it.

I would go for another epidural steroid injection if I were you and see how you do, sometimes it does take 3. and if it's flaring alot as you state ask your dr for a steroid weaning pack to try, or get a shot in your buttock of depomedrol which is a steroid but lasts in your body for upto 2 weeks. Heat and ice packs, and really take it easy. Once it starts to flare its so easy to keep getting that nerve more and more upset, it's amazingly sensitive for sure.

I would also try as long as your not on scripted meRAB, taking regular anti inflammatories like alleve or ibuprophin to help with the inflammation back there. I am far from a doctor but been down this back road severely for 6 months and have read alot on conservative measures and how the body DOES heal itself alot of times.
 
Hi I have herniations of the same discs as well as one in y neck c-3 c-4. I have been out of work for a year but hoping to return this week part time. I had a laminectomy at my L-5-S1 in Sept to relieve the sciatic pain. It took a while but now my pain is only down to my knee (so it is receding) before surgery I had no effects from the epidurals or large steroid pill doses. After surgery though the epidurals seem to be helping more. I still am sore all the time and it is still hard to bend, muscles pretty tight but it is getting better. The pain was unbearable much like yours and I was getting pretty depressed. I still have alot of other probs with my other discs but maybe the surgery is the way to go for that Sciatic. They just kept giving me pain killers etc which did not work. I have been on Lyrica for a while too it helps some with the muscles and valium for the spasms. I am 27 year old female. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and PM me anytime if you want. -jen
 
Thank you to everyone who replied. I am very scared, but it feels a little better to know I am not alone. I keep reading about people my age to whom this happens, but hadn't met anyone who'd experienced this. I'm thinking that it's time to consult a neurologist because other doctors haven't helped so far and two months is a long time to be in excruciating pain. I'm afraid I'll have permanent nerve damage from this.

What have you heard about inversion tables? I'm desperate and think I may have to resort to surgery, but am willing to try whatever might work. My physical therapist isn't impressed with inversion tables - she says an inversion table will only relieve the pressure of the disc on the nerve at the time I'm upside down. As soon as I'm back upright, the disc will be back on the nerve.

Again, thank you for sharing your stories. I'm 39 years old and I feel like I'm 80. I'm trying so hard not to allow depression to take hold.
LV
 
Even though surgery is alittle hard depending on what you get done, it's not the end of the world. And even though you read online alot about bad surgeries, you don't hear of the successful ones, well sometime you do there's a few peeps on here doing really well since there surgeries and that's helped me with my recovery and prior surgery/reherniation after surgery. So don't be so worried overall, once you get surgery (if you do that route) you'll be mad and say I was like that for that long and now look at me!!

Peeps with success aren't running around saying I had back surgery and it worked, only the ones that don't are on boarRAB for the most part- or suffering in general with the ailment of a bad back. Peeps that get an appendix out successfully don't post around, just the ones that rupture-hay human nature- we love to complain LOL!!!

I know 3 peeps that have had successful back surgeries, and I was the worst or 2nd worst (me the 4th) out of all of them. I had a microdiscectomy 5 months ago that reherniated so now I had a fusion of L4-5 this time. I have my ups and downs you'll see me complaining on here thats for sure lol I hate bad days. Its only been a week post op for the fusion for me.

Read ALOT and ask alot of questions and see an ortho surgeron or neurosurgeon and get some insight. Keep your options open and always ask ask ask!

I dont believe personally in the inversion tables I think the same as your dr. I been laying for 6 months practically bedridden from my back, and if I'm standing I can last from 5-15 minutes, then it gets worse in my back, same thing- nerve getting smushed more.
 
LV
I'm normally here asking the questions, not offering support, but your post rang so similar to my old ones that I just wanted to offer support ( as I received so much myself here). I'm the same age, build and fitness as you and had a similar diagnosis (bulging disc and nerve compression exactly same area), and progressed quickly over a couple of years from minor irritation to daily throb. I've had SI joint injections and recently one nerve root injection. I've now taken to the gym in a last ditch attempt to build build build core stability and stretch out the muscles. Early days yet...Just wanted to say I know how you are feeling.
Jay
 
Hi LV. You're story is a carbon copy of mine. I was in crippling pain. had to quit my job in October'08 due to the pain I was in. I just had surgery (micro-discectomy)6 weeks ago for a large herniation @L4-L5. I'm now struggling with post op symptoms that, well, suck. I too am 39 yrs old and also physically fit. I guess I'm frustrated because I thought surgery would be an instant cure. I'm impatient 'cause I want to get back to life. Long story short, I understand your pain completely, as do countless others. There were times before surgery I felt like just giving up completely. What many people don't understand about chronic pain is the horrific effect it can have on every aspect of one's life--especially mentally and emotionally. It's a hard road. You made a point of mentioning hope. That struck a chord with me. HOPE IS HUGE! For me, I believe surgery was the right (and only) choice. Despite some troublesome post op problems, I'm pushing forward. I too can only hope that I get better. And I hope that you get something from this message. You're not alone by any means. You gave me hope by your dealing with pain and communicating that fact. For that I thank you.
 
Also meant to add got a memory foam topper for the bed and I sleep on my good side with a pillow between legs that helps the sciatic ( I got a 3" serta topper *REMOVED*). Hot baths help my leg pain too as well as PT to stretch it out....hope this helps some
 
I'm so sorry to hear how much pain you are in!!

I know that typically, in medical situations like this, you want to attempt to exhaust conservative treatment options first before hitting the surgery table. There are many times that surgery is an option, but conservative treatment is also very effective.

In general, traction and stretching are very effective with disc problems. Depending on how severe the herniation, chiropracitc would also be an option.
 
OMG, you sound just like me starting about a year ago. I was pretty active.... well, I was a walker.... and the pain started gradual. Same thing.... pain pill, steriod shots (which did help me for about a month the first time), that only helped once. And then it progressed very fast. I first noticed my toes going nurab. But like I said.... it progressed quickly when it did, with butt, calves, horrible. I would have to actually squat to get relief. I would squat by someone's desk when I was talking to them to get relief. It would come on quickly. Once I got stuck in Target going through this, and I had to keep pretending that I was looking at stuff on the bottom shelf until I could get out of there. If eventually got to a point where I couldn't stand for more than 5 or 10 minutes without having to squat. I guess squatting relieved the pressure on my nerves. Anyway, within a couple of weeks at that point I was having surgery. I had a two level fusion L4-L5, L5-S1 and a laminectomy on L4-L5. Doc said it was very bad in there. So I think you're headed in the same direction. I had my surgery 12/2/08 and went back to work on 1/5/09. Or course I am still recovering, wearing a brace, but I have basically an office job, and I'm able to get up from my desk alot and that was important in letting me go back to work. Long reply I know, but your symptoms are just like mine were!.... and they are gone now.... I'm surprised they haven't said surgery yet.... Different doctors, different bodies....... Best of luck to you!
 
Yes, yes, YES!!! It is just beyond me the lack of sympathy I've received from my doctors. I'm seeing doctors at a pain management facility so they deal with chronic pain all day long. They have never acknowledged how difficult it is to go from having a normal and active lifestyle (having called in sick to work only 3 times in 16 years, doing pilates, running on the treadmill, having a wonderful sex life) to a disabled lifestyle (calling in sick or being sent home 1-3 days a week, feeling my heart beat like mad hoping I can find a close parking space so I don't have to walk far, being unable to exercise except pt stuff which affects my mental state as well, and having no sex drive at all) IN ONE DAY. I sit in the dr. office and describe my frustration, sadness, and fear and they basically tell me to buck up. One thing that, oddly enough, helped a little was when I went to the doctor on Friday and was told that I couldn't expect the pain medicine to take away my pain...that I would be in pain. The pain meRAB were to help me function. My mri shows mild to moderate herniation, so they have said outright they don't know why I'm in so much pain. I'm guessing something else is also wrong or I'm crazy. And I have felt like I'm crazy through some of this. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm not alone and I hope one day my life goes back to the way it was (or relatively close, anyway).
 
You have described it so well,I have been living like you for the past 11years and often think I must be insane I can't be going through what I am. Thank you for your message it has given me hope to realize I'm not crazy and this is how others feel with the same problem,Wishing you all the best and hope that there will be a cure for our pain.
 
Back
Top