Back Surgery Likely

[DMenace]

Same deal here as slipknot, L-4 in '95. Hurt it in 89-90 and over about 5-6 years it just got worse and worse until I couldn't function any longer.Pain went down my left leg to my outside 3 toes, made my leg feel weak feeble. I was in constant pain and didn't want to do anything but lay down. Getting it cut out was the best thing I could have done. Still acts up from time to time if I don't pay attention to the way I do some things, but it has never prevented me from doing anything. Golf, fishing, Army, parachuting, kayaking, just take care of it and listen to it when it starts barking at you. Either way, good luck with it.

[Van]

Hey Bob:

I know what your going through.. I had L4L5 herniated several years ago. I would guess it was a full year after surgery and PT that I felt like I could push it again.

Herniated another one this past January. Go lucky where is was not too bad and PT and dropping 20 lbs made all the difference and it healed.

Some say these will heal on their own, sometimes they prescibe a month of bed rest will work too. Just take the pressure off and the disc can relax and go back in place. My first one was severe like yours and PT did not work. I suffered over a year before the surgery, then like I said I felt better in a few months, but full recovery (85-95%) took about a year.

Good luck, go into Boston. Boston Medical has a new spine group with the latest and greatest technology. I had my done at BI/deaconas.

Let us know.
Van

[JohnR]

My L4/L5 has been specifically avoiding this thread.

Good luck Bob

[Raven]

i was always late to school (always catchin hell too )

too much bird watchin heh heh in the A.M.

time for school... i'm late AGAIN ! and was just warned

anyways, i go running down the neighbors driveway one day
with just one road to cross and foolishly didn't look both ways
instead WITH my super hearing decided to ..........(like lee major's)
just LISTEN ......for an oncoming vehicle

not hearing any, i burst into the road only to find a car
about to cream me....

with mili seconds to react i jumped straight up ^
and slammed into his wind-shield rolled over the roof
landed on the rear trunk and then hit the road
the driver just kept on a goin and never stopped

my Dad was such a strict disciplinarian that i never told a soul
i limped for 6 months but only when NOT watched

at age 17 , the pull up bar i was using fell out of the door JAM
and i hit the oak threshold HARD with my knees bent
that's what finished me off .....and i would be in pain for 6 months
at a time...being able to throw my back out with just a sneeze

My chiropractor said my back in in an S shape and is very strange
asking me where does it hurt....i would tellem "no where"
and he couldn't understand how i live like this with so abnormal a BACK bone.
he'd always shake his head... in astonishment

[Got Stripers]

Well like my dad always told me, getting old isn't for sissies, but non-stop pain wears you down I'll tell you. Final consult with N.E. Babtist Monday and then I'll make a call. If the 2nd opinion is surgery is the best bet for my long term health, I'll probably pull the trigger immediately. I'm physically in better shape at 57 than I was at 47and probably will recover faster then putting this off untill down the road. I'm also very alergic to most anti-imflamatory drugs in the ibuprofin family, so that plays into the decision process, but I appreciate the feedback.

[Raven]

Gettin old ain't for Sissies (i love it)

i too ....can't take ibuprofen
because it gave me ULCERS

the other day i had the flu bad where you get that
hot feeling in your chest and your voice starts changing to hoarse

I had no other choice but to suit up and get the snow blower
humming along but i truly only wanted to climb back in Bed...

So I grabbed the last pound of carrots in the fridge and juiced them
in the Jack Lalane juicer and within five minutes i felt a resurgence
of energy...not allot, but enough to go do what i needed to do.

And this has been my experience for many years that there's something
magical about it....or powerful and i even avoided surgery
once after trying it the very first time so i know it works.

keep that in mind when your on the mend BOB

[wrench]

If you are going to New England Baptist and the Boston Spine Group runaway if your appointment is with Dr.Mark Finno.

He is horrible.

He told me that nothing was wrong with my back and put me back to work with a torn disc and it took me 14 months before I found another Doctor who would not take his word for what was wrong with my back and do some tests. I ended up having 3 surgeries to repair my back it was so bad.