Back Issues

[Miggs]

So I’m dealing with some fairly major back issues for the fourth time in the last seven years. This time has been the worst. L2-3 herniated disc. I’ve been doing PT for three weeks so far and feel like I’m basically no better. I’m not in pain and haven’t been for 2-3 weeks. Just tightness and discomfort really. But to the point that if I did anything to sudden or involving too much weight, I know I’d **** it up again. Yep I might get an epidural in a few weeks if I still feel like I do now but can’t decide. Part of me wants to do more PT instead of the injection but at a different place.

Anyone have any experience with any of this? I know @Archie Moses has but his was far more serious than mine.

I’m slightly hesitant to get the injection as my wife knows someone who did, felt better, started working out, and then six months later, was a complete mess. The steroid only masked the problem or something. She had to get surgery.

For me, on top of doing PT, Im trying to lose weight as that’s a fairly major contributor in all this. I was 220 pounds at its onset and am down to 213. I could probably get to 207 by the end of this coming week—drinking always sets me back some. And I’d like to be 204 by the end of the month. 199 by the end of September. Etc.

Anyone? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

 

[Rubashov]

Dude my back is ****ed but not like that. Movement and training helps me, unfortunately gyms are shut here more than they're open at the moment.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

So I’m dealing with some fairly major back issues for the fourth time in the last seven years. This time has been the worst. L2-3 herniated disc. I’ve been doing PT for three weeks so far and feel like I’m basically no better. I’m not in pain and haven’t been for 2-3 weeks. Just tightness and discomfort really. But to the point that if I did anything to sudden or involving too much weight, I know I’d **** it up again. Yep I might get an epidural in a few weeks if I still feel like I do now but can’t decide. Part of me wants to do more PT instead of the injection but at a different place.

Anyone have any experience with any of this? I know @Archie Moses has but his was far more serious than mine.

I’m slightly hesitant to get the injection as my wife knows someone who did, felt better, started working out, and then six months later, was a complete mess. The steroid only masked the problem or something. She had to get surgery.

For me, on top of doing PT, Im trying to lose weight as that’s a fairly major contributor in all this. I was 220 pounds at its onset and am down to 213. I could probably get to 207 by the end of this coming week—drinking always sets me back some. And I’d like to be 204 by the end of the month. 199 by the end of September. Etc.

Anyone? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

Steroids mask pain (and helps with inflammation), but it actually weakens the muscle. Only get it if it is to the point you can't function day to day, but then take it easy and do PT carefully. And don't get shots regularly due to the muscle weakening issue.

I never had a shot in my back, but did get one in a partially torn rotator cuff (whitewater kayaking injury) and the relief was immediate. I was very careful and did very light PT. Recovery was probably longer, but the pain relief made a major difference in day to day function.

Avoid back surgery at all costs. While "success" rates for back surgery tend to show surgery works, if you dig down you'll see the studies show rates after 6 months, when those with surgery tend to feel better than those that avoided surgery on average. After a year, that changes, and those that had surgery are often worse off. I've researched this issue, spoken to over a dozen surgeons, and have avoided surgery from the info I derived.

I broke my back playing basketball (a-hole tackled me while I was shooting a 3) and the impact also moved my L4 and L5 out of place. Back break eventually healed, but no fix for the L4/L5 injury short of fusion. I can still play ball, but tend to have pain occasionally.

PT has been a life saver for me to still be able to function. I can do pretty much everything but heavy weightlifting. If it ever gets to the point I can't function, even with PT, I'll try surgery, but it is the last option for me.

 

[gandalfe]

Back surgery, in general, is statistically more likely to make it worse than fix the problem completely. The most likely outcome is some relief, but not complete.

 

[Avery]

Amputation.

 

[Rubashov]

bout 5 years ago I had chronic back, knee and ankle pain. every day was ****ing painful, was popping pills like lollies to get through the day, knew it wasn't sustainable. The solution for me was losing weight and working out, I only really get pain in my back when I'm not active.

 

[Al-O-Meter]

Anyone? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

I didn’t have exactly that problem but I did have an issue that required back surgery, specifically a 3-level lumbar laminectomy. If you do go the route of back surgery, my advice is to get as lean as you can going in to the surgery. Put the surgery off until you think you can’t get any lighter and then schedule the surgery immediately before you backslide on your weight. Recovery is so much faster if you do. The surgery isn’t fun, especially the first week, but recovery isn’t that bad if you put in the work before going in. I went from not being able to even roll over in bed after the surgery to doing stair repeats in the hospital stairwell within a few days. My recovery was half that of a girl who had knee surgery at the same time I had my back surgery. She joked that next time she was choosing the back surgery instead of knee surgery.

Secondly, get a good lumbar support back brace that you can wear under shirts and keep it handy. If you get the slightest twinge in your back, put the brace on immediately and keep it on for a couple days. Most back pain is from your stabilizing muscles clinching to exhaustion to stabilize your back and if you use the brace at first twinge you can avoid a lot of it. I advise strongly against trying to tough it out or thinking that if you take it easy you’ll be fine. Use the brace a lot.

Lastly, stop drinking alcohol. I know it sucks but alcohol counteracts NSAIDs (Aleve, Advil, etc.) and is inflammatory. You will hurt less if you put off your drinking until a few weeks after the surgery. I did allow myself 1 beer per week and I knew every time I did that I’d pay for that beer with pain but some things are worth it so long as it was only 1 time per week.

It has been a while since my back surgery but if you've got any questions I'll do my best to answer them.

 

[Miggs]

I really appreciate all the thoughtful responses so far. I mean it. Thank you.

 

[Deleted member 95]

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[Archie Moses]

So I’m dealing with some fairly major back issues for the fourth time in the last seven years. This time has been the worst. L2-3 herniated disc. I’ve been doing PT for three weeks so far and feel like I’m basically no better. I’m not in pain and haven’t been for 2-3 weeks. Just tightness and discomfort really. But to the point that if I did anything to sudden or involving too much weight, I know I’d **** it up again. Yep I might get an epidural in a few weeks if I still feel like I do now but can’t decide. Part of me wants to do more PT instead of the injection but at a different place.

Anyone have any experience with any of this? I know @Archie Moses has but his was far more serious than mine.

I’m slightly hesitant to get the injection as my wife knows someone who did, felt better, started working out, and then six months later, was a complete mess. The steroid only masked the problem or something. She had to get surgery.

For me, on top of doing PT, Im trying to lose weight as that’s a fairly major contributor in all this. I was 220 pounds at its onset and am down to 213. I could probably get to 207 by the end of this coming week—drinking always sets me back some. And I’d like to be 204 by the end of the month. 199 by the end of September. Etc.

Anyone? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

I got 4 epidural steroid injections. The last two worked. I also got a bunch of cortisone (I think that's what they were) in my back from my normal doctor. Then I had a microdiscectomy in my lower back. I was supposed to be able to walk out of there after the surgery but was in an incredible amount of pain that felt like sharp, jolting electrical currents. It sucked for two days until I called my doctor cause I thought the messed up. He wrote me a prescription for steroids. They almost immediately fixed the problem.

I had surgery in September of 2019. I still had lower back pain and hip pain, but could finally be active again. The start of this year I started going to the gym and doing an elliptical machine and have used it consistently. I'd say I'm down to 5% body fat now and am in great shape. I'd try doing that 4 times a week and listen to your body cause you never know, that might hurt you.

My experience with lower back and hip pain was one of the worst times of my life. Chronic pain makes you a miserable person. You hurt all the time, aren't fun to be around, complain, can't sleep, get irritable and depressed.

I hope you figure it out. Don't give up until you find a solution though, especially if it's bad.

Best of luck, dude.

 

[Miggs]

I got 4 epidural steroid injections. The last two worked. I also got a bunch of cortisone (I think that's what they were) in my back from my normal doctor. Then I had a microdiscectomy in my lower back. I was supposed to be able to walk out of there after the surgery but was in an incredible amount of pain that felt like sharp, jolting electrical currents. It sucked for two days until I called my doctor cause I thought the messed up. He wrote me a prescription for steroids. They almost immediately fixed the problem.

I had surgery in September of 2019. I still had lower back pain and hip pain, but could finally be active again. The start of this year I started going to the gym and doing an elliptical machine and have used it consistently. I'd say I'm down to 5% body fat now and am in great shape. I'd try doing that 4 times a week and listen to your body cause you never know, that might hurt you.

My experience with lower back and hip pain was one of the worst times of my life. Chronic pain makes you a miserable person. You hurt all the time, aren't fun to be around, complain, can't sleep, get irritable and depressed.

I hope you figure it out. Don't give up until you find a solution though, especially if it's bad.

Best of luck, dude.

Thanks, Mike. You’re downplaying how bad yours was too. I vaguely recall some of your posts back then and they sounded awful.

Do you know certain triggers that cause yours? Do you do any rehab exercises or stretches for it every morning or anything?

 

[Miggs]

Had surgery on my umbilical hernia yesterday. Had had it for 6-7 years. Maybe more. But after exhausting most efforts, and doing some research, I contacted a surgeon. He said it was definitely surgery-worthy and could be exacerbating my back pain.

I’m pretty sore from the surgery. Nothing too bad though. Walking around the house fairly often to stay active. Doing some deep breathing. Hopefully this takes and helps.