Herniated disc questions.

[N4KVE]

A few days ago I bent down to pick up a bottle cap. When I stood up, I felt a slight pain, but continued my normal day. After dinner I went to take out the trash, & could barely get to the dumpster. I’m now in the hospital having gotten an MRI, CT scan, & X-Ray. I have a herniated disc, L3/L4. They’re giving me strong meds to deal with the pain. So far a surgeon has dropped off his card, & I’ll be meeting with someone to discuss injections. Then there’s a chiropractor. Guys, I’ve already had 2 heart surgeries, & this pain is the worst. Have any of you had to deal with this, & what did you do? Thanks for any help. GARY.

[TonyR]

Know the feeling,got electrocuted in '98 and from the fall I took led to me having 4 lower back surgeries,and still deal with chronic pain. I go get injections in my upper back because I won't have another back surgery,which has been suggested but I said no. Myself,I won't go to a chiropractor. I've got a couple rods along with some 3" titanium lag bolts,a spinal cord stimulater,like a tens unit except its under the skin all to help with some of the pain.

[lighteye]

Taken into ER twice last year due to back injuries. L3, L4, L5 herniated. EMTs hauling me out of my bed on a backboard was NOT the highlight of my life. Then again, same thing happened at work in 2014....The herniated discs were rubbing on a nerve which caused all the muscles of my back and chest to go into full contraction. Breathing was difficult as a result. It literally felt like a python was wrapped around my torso. Pure suckage.

Unable to get comfortable lying down, standing, or sitting...the only thing that alleviates the pain is a slow shuffle around the house. Straight up misery. I still have residual nerve damage from the flare ups last year.

I had found in the past that a GOOD acupuncturist helps stop the pain flareups, and the VA used to pay to send me outside of the hospital to a little Korean doc who was great at it. Now they have an inept acupuncturist on staff and won't send me outside for care anymore. The VA acupuncturist is the pits.

Good luck OP, I know your pain all too well, and can 100% empathize with your position.

[TonyR]

The only way I could get the pain to ease a little was laying over the back of the couch with my face on the cushion where your ass goes. I know that a good massage will make it feel better also.

[N4KVE]

A pleasant surprise. Still in hospital an extra day. My choice, I want to speak to more doctors. 1 am yesterday I’m in pain, & get a morphine shot. 5 am, & the pain is back, really bad. This time I eat a Percocet. That was almost 18 hours ago, & the pain has not returned. I shouldn’t type that, but I know it didn’t fix itself. The photo of the MRI clearly shows the disc pressing on a nerve, but that was Saturday. The service here at Wellington Memorial has been stellar. Noon Saturday the wait at the ER was two minutes. Once in my room, everyone has been so nice. I told my wife unless I’m on my death bed, & every other hospital was torn down, do NOT EVER take me to Palms West. Very bad experience there years ago. When I mentioned that to the gal in the ER, she told me she hears that a lot. As I get older, I realize the most important thing in life is our health. GARY.

[Gregmp15]

Wellington Regional ? Hope you feel better
Hard for me to get MRI with claustrophobia.
What back Dr you have?

[N4KVE]

A Dr. Khouri who is the surgeon sends his gal to ask daily when I want back surgery. First I’ll meet with the pain mgm’t doctor. GARY

[armedpolak]

I herniated L4-L5 and L5-S1 when I was 28. I'm almost 43 and have been living with it for 15 years. physical therapy helped a lot. learning how to pick up heavy things using the strength of my legs instead of back helped too. occasionally get the sciatic pain and it is the worse... brought me to tears on few occasions. was taking pain meds for it in the past and would highly advise against doing that long term, nothing good will come of it, trust me
I've considered surgery; my dad had 2 for the same issue. but I learned to live with it relatively pain free. Advil, lots of Advil the moment you feel it tensing up. 800mg twice a day. good luck!

[N4KVE]

Saw a chiropractor today. He took X-rays, & said it’s not so bad. I’ll start seeing him a few times every few days. He bent me in funny ways & cracked my back to straighten out my spine. At least the process has started. And yes, I don’t want to take pills unless absolutely necessary. GARY

[boomboom]

I've had three surgeries. Yes I know the pain. I've had pain therapy, the injections, and the only thing that helped was the surgeries.After the initial injuries, what's going on now is every couple years my discs slowly collapse onto the the ones below so plates and screws are installed to keep them apart. I always said until I can't walk, no one is doing surgery on my back, and in all three cases, the pain was excruciating, my legs would go numb and I would collapse, so yes, all three surgeries fit the point of not being able to walk. Healing process wasn't too bad, only one of the surgeries I had therapists come out to the house to do in home therapy for two weeks. The other two surgeries, walking was the primary healing process.
Good luck with yours, and if you have to have surgery, don't fear it.