Indulging in Some Whining; my Back is Killing Me!

[JimBowie1958]

I have a herniated disc between my L4 and L5 vertebra with a 'mild' bulge according to the radiologist, but it still fricking hurts sitting or standing. It doesn't hurt walking. My upper back muscles tense up and hurt somehow due to that herniated disc.

But what is really hurting me right now and has been getting steadily worse is the herniated disc at my T11-T12, which causes sharp stabbing pain that pulses through my back and upper chest like electrical shocks. Sometimes it makes me stop breathing, and when I sneeze or cough it hurts. When I walk I have to step lightly or it hurts. I have to sit slowly and when riding in the car, I have to lift my ass up off the seat to avoid getting a jolt in my spine when we go over speed bumps. If I sit for more than 20 minutes it starts to hurt and the muscles start to tighten up more and eventually hurt like hell if I don't lay on my back or walk around a little bit. Going down stairs is a literal pain.

I have seen the doctor and she gave me two weeks off to treat my back with some steroids and muscle relaxers, but I cant do anything on the relaxants, I cant keep my focus on what I am trying to do. Even getting a drink of water isn't a simple thing when I am on that stuff and I have even pulled the cup out before turning the water off and made an embarrassing spill a couple of times.

My output at work has declined in quantity and quality over the last few months. I hate that. I have always been a damned good engineer and I feel I am no longer able to do the job due to this pain.

I know that whatever happens, all is in the hands of God, but then, the Kulaks and Armenians knew that too and look where it got them! lol, I seriously do feel like I am at the end of my professional life and I cant help it. And that makes me feel depressed, not clinically, but how I guess anyone would feel when they are looking at the end of productive years. I have worked since I was 14, and did lawn mowing before that to make cash and painted barns and fences. If I cant work, I don't know what I will do to feel purposeful and like I am giving some service to the community, giving back to society.

Maybe these thoughts are part of why I cant sleep too. I don't know.

I do know that I cant lift anything more than about 5 pounds without shooting pain, I cant push a mower now and had to watch my wife mow last weekend.

I see the doctor again Thursday, the 29th, but frankly I don't think they can do much for this part of my back unless it is surgery, and that shit scares me, honestly, I have read it only works about 15% of the time and 30% of the time results in paralysis for the thoracic spine area.

Don't know what I hope to achieve posting here. But this is about all I can do to let off the steam at this time of night.

**** it; I guess I will eventually have to fall asleep.

 

[syrenn]

im sorry your back is hurting.

would a new mattress set help?

 

[JimBowie1958]

im sorry your back is hurting.

would a new mattress set help?

The floor is my best mattress so far, but the wife does not approve, and I don't trust that damned cat of hers.

 

[syrenn]

im sorry your back is hurting.

would a new mattress set help?

The floor is my best mattress so far, but the wife does not approve, and I don't trust that damned cat of hers.

i do not have one nor have i ever been on one.... but the idea is sound in my opinion. Have you ever tried laying down on a sleep number?

 

[JimBowie1958]

im sorry your back is hurting.

would a new mattress set help?

The floor is my best mattress so far, but the wife does not approve, and I don't trust that damned cat of hers.

i do not have one nor have i ever been on one.... but the idea is sound in my opinion. Have you ever tried laying down on a sleep number?

Not yet.

But I am going to try everything that has even a snowballs chance in hell of working.

Sleep number is on the list, thanks, or rather an orthopedic mattress of some kind.

Might just slide a board under the mattress.

 

[syrenn]

The floor is my best mattress so far, but the wife does not approve, and I don't trust that damned cat of hers.

i do not have one nor have i ever been on one.... but the idea is sound in my opinion. Have you ever tried laying down on a sleep number?

Not yet.

But I am going to try everything that has even a snowballs chance in hell of working.

Sleep number is on the list, thanks, or rather an orthopedic mattress of some kind.

Might just slide a board under the mattress.

firm is better... but the floor is not the answer. Mainly, because getting up off of the floor is very hard on your back.

a board under the mattress is not going to do it. Yes it will make the bed more firm... but it will not support your back the way you need it to.

A suggestion. Try ordering a sleep number from QVC.... they have a 30 day money back guarantee, no question asked. You can at least give it a test run and see how you like it. If not....call them up and return it.

also.... would wearing a corset help you? yes yes yes.... i know, but they had my father in one and it did help support and stabilize his back.

 

[The Professor]

]

The floor is my best mattress so far, but the wife does not approve, and I don't trust that damned cat of hers.

i do not have one nor have i ever been on one.... but the idea is sound in my opinion. Have you ever tried laying down on a sleep number?

Not yet.

But I am going to try everything that has even a snowballs chance in hell of working.

Sleep number is on the list, thanks, or rather an orthopedic mattress of some kind.

Might just slide a board under the mattress.

I don't know what non-surgical options you have explored. One of the things I heard a lot about was decompression. Here is a link that describes the procedure:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNxl22Jk2t4]Herniated Disc Treatment - Non Surgical Herniated Disc Treatment - YouTube[/ame]

I sure hope that you get some relief soon.

 

[JimBowie1958]

i do not have one nor have i ever been on one.... but the idea is sound in my opinion. Have you ever tried laying down on a sleep number?

Not yet.

But I am going to try everything that has even a snowballs chance in hell of working.

Sleep number is on the list, thanks, or rather an orthopedic mattress of some kind.

Might just slide a board under the mattress.

firm is better... but the floor is not the answer. Mainly, because getting up off of the floor is very hard on your back.

a board under the mattress is not going to do it. Yes it will make the bed more firm... but it will not support your back the way you need it to.

A suggestion. Try ordering a sleep number from QVC.... they have a 30 day money back guarantee, no question asked. You can at least give it a test run and see how you like it. If not....call them up and return it.

also.... would wearing a corset help you? yes yes yes.... i know, but they had my father in one and it did help support and stabilize his back.

Thanks, I will discuss it with the doctor. I don't care if I wear a corset if it will relieve any of this pain; hell I'd wear a kilt and go Regimental if necessary!

 

[syrenn]

Not yet.

But I am going to try everything that has even a snowballs chance in hell of working.

Sleep number is on the list, thanks, or rather an orthopedic mattress of some kind.

Might just slide a board under the mattress.

firm is better... but the floor is not the answer. Mainly, because getting up off of the floor is very hard on your back.

a board under the mattress is not going to do it. Yes it will make the bed more firm... but it will not support your back the way you need it to.

A suggestion. Try ordering a sleep number from QVC.... they have a 30 day money back guarantee, no question asked. You can at least give it a test run and see how you like it. If not....call them up and return it.

also.... would wearing a corset help you? yes yes yes.... i know, but they had my father in one and it did help support and stabilize his back.

Thanks, I will discuss it with the doctor. I don't care if I wear a corset if it will relieve any of this pain; hell I'd wear a kilt and go Regimental if necessary!

pics!!!! lol... nothing wrong with a kilt worn regimental style!

he fought it for a long time.... but once he started wearing one he felt the benefit. Its an orthopedic medical corset and as i recall... fit pretty well under clothing.

and it cant hurt to ask about it... or at least give one a try.

 

[tinydancer]

OMG now I have to talk pain..............lol guys..................ok all kidding aside. what I get is serious leg cramps to the point I am in screaming pain. Quietly becase I don't want to wake up my husband.

The pain shoots straight up my legs like a knife. I don't know how to describe it.

It is so horrid that I am ready to kill myself with the pain. And I am good with pain. I can take a lot. But this hurts so bad.

So sometimes I wonder if there could be a remedy.

 

[tinydancer]

firm is better... but the floor is not the answer. Mainly, because getting up off of the floor is very hard on your back.

a board under the mattress is not going to do it. Yes it will make the bed more firm... but it will not support your back the way you need it to.

A suggestion. Try ordering a sleep number from QVC.... they have a 30 day money back guarantee, no question asked. You can at least give it a test run and see how you like it. If not....call them up and return it.

also.... would wearing a corset help you? yes yes yes.... i know, but they had my father in one and it did help support and stabilize his back.

Thanks, I will discuss it with the doctor. I don't care if I wear a corset if it will relieve any of this pain; hell I'd wear a kilt and go Regimental if necessary!

pics!!!! lol... nothing wrong with a kilt worn regimental style!

he fought it for a long time.... but once he started wearing one he felt the benefit. Its an orthopedic medical corset and as i recall... fit pretty well under clothing.

and it cant hurt to ask about it... or at least give one a try.

oh you sweetheart.

Kilts....shall we talk kilts,,,,,,,,,

 

[NoNukes]

The floor is my best mattress so far, but the wife does not approve, and I don't trust that damned cat of hers.

i do not have one nor have i ever been on one.... but the idea is sound in my opinion. Have you ever tried laying down on a sleep number?

Not yet.

But I am going to try everything that has even a snowballs chance in hell of working.

Sleep number is on the list, thanks, or rather an orthopedic mattress of some kind.

Might just slide a board under the mattress.

A thick, firm piece of foam as a mattress has helped my back problems.

 

[TemplarKormac]

I've gone down this road before with my Grandmother. You need to be checked out for something called "Vertebral Subluxation" or something known as a "nonallopathic lesion" it begins with herniated discs, then it morphs into scoliosis and ultimately it fuses the vertebrae in a curved state. It is borne out of spinal misalignment. Fortunately, seeing a Chiropractor might solve the problem.

The sections of your spine you named, the Thoracic and Lumbar regions are where it starts. The gradual bending of your spine will start to pinch nerves along the spinal cord and begin to cause pain in the general area and in the areas where the nerves branch off into the corresponding nerve plexuses. This sounds more serious than what your doctor is letting on I surmise.

 

[strollingbones]

i would try most everything before going under the knife...including high dose pain killers to see if that helps...pain management includes chemicals

 

[JimBowie1958]

OMG now I have to talk pain..............lol guys..................ok all kidding aside. what I get is serious leg cramps to the point I am in screaming pain. Quietly becase I don't want to wake up my husband.

The pain shoots straight up my legs like a knife. I don't know how to describe it.

It is so horrid that I am ready to kill myself with the pain. And I am good with pain. I can take a lot. But this hurts so bad.

So sometimes I wonder if there could be a remedy.

hat sounds like it could be a herniated disk too. If it pinches the nerve coming out of the spinal column gap between vertebra it can make you feel pain down your legs.

My uncle had a pain like that and he said they operated on him putting some tubes in to protect the nerve, or something like that. Now I have to google it.

Edit: this might be what they did, but I am making a huge WAG
http://orthopedicsinternational.com...ocedures/microlaminotomy-and-microdiscectomy/

 

[JimBowie1958]

I've gone down this road before with my Grandmother. You need to be checked out for something called "Vertebral Subluxation" or something known as a "nonallopathic lesion" it begins with herniated discs, then it morphs into scoliosis and ultimately it fuses the vertebrae in a curved state. It is borne out of spinal misalignment. Fortunately, seeing a Chiropractor might solve the problem.

The sections of your spine you named, the Thoracic and Lumbar regions are where it starts. The gradual bending of your spine will start to pinch nerves along the spinal cord and begin to cause pain in the general area and in the areas where the nerves branch off into the corresponding nerve plexuses. This sounds more serious than what your doctor is letting on I surmise.

Thanks TK, I will ask about that too. My doctor was highly recommended by several sources, so I think they will cover all the bases.

But yeah, they do seem to be a bit reticent in their descriptions.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Thanks, I will discuss it with the doctor. I don't care if I wear a corset if it will relieve any of this pain; hell I'd wear a kilt and go Regimental if necessary!

pics!!!! lol... nothing wrong with a kilt worn regimental style!

he fought it for a long time.... but once he started wearing one he felt the benefit. Its an orthopedic medical corset and as i recall... fit pretty well under clothing.

and it cant hurt to ask about it... or at least give one a try.

oh you sweetheart.

Kilts....shall we talk kilts,,,,,,,,,

We have a local restaurant "Parklane Tavern" where the style is pseudo English-Scottish. They used to require the bar tenders to wear kilts, and the waiters do still have to. The bar tenders stopped wearing them, but after a while resumed the attire.

Seems the ladies tipped better when the guys were in kilts, lol, (and maybe not just the ladies).

 

[asaratis]

My mother had back pains...would sleep on her side on a long couch with her back pressed against the couch back...seemed to work well. She later had an operation that fixed her back. She later died of other causes...but she had no back pain.

 

[JimBowie1958]

My mother had back pains...would sleep on her side on a long couch with her back pressed against the couch back...seemed to work well. She later had an operation that fixed her back. She later died of other causes...but she had no back pain.

That is encouraging to hear; thank you, seriously.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

The floor is my best mattress so far, but the wife does not approve, and I don't trust that damned cat of hers.

i do not have one nor have i ever been on one.... but the idea is sound in my opinion. Have you ever tried laying down on a sleep number?

Not yet.

But I am going to try everything that has even a snowballs chance in hell of working.

Sleep number is on the list, thanks, or rather an orthopedic mattress of some kind.

Might just slide a board under the mattress.

Not sure if it will solve your problem,but the sleep# bed helped me in that you change it to suit your back at the moment.
I keep mine up around 80 most of the time(you can go higher but it doesnt change much at that point)but I'll occasionally drop it down to 20 while on my back just to stretch things out. If it starts to get uncomfortable you jack it back up.
I would go to the sleep# store and have them crank it all the way up and see if it's firm enough.