My back just said "no more"

[Vasconcelos]

That’s it. Been 2 months since I have this back-ache which somedays renders me invalid. The last week, tired of this problem, I went to this specialist who prescribed me a full diagnostic of my back (magnetic resonance, X-Ray and stuff).
Well, I just got told the results of the analisys:

“Degenerative Lumbar Discopathy”

As you might guess, I was like “wtf!! I’m only 26 and this might mean I might have the life of an old fart??”
Well, the specialist suggested me to avoid surgery at all cost, something I totally agree with (been told about ppl who passed throu uncountable operations which didn’t solve the problem).

The solution: a mix of medication and Pilates Method.

Now I’m trying to collect experiences of ppl who tried Pilates or know about relatives, friends, jobm8s who could have tried it. Mainly because it requires to attend a private center and spend 130€ / month…..

regards

 

[cHodAX]

Vas, I started with problems at 22 bud (almost 11 years ago). I have since had 2 surgeries on 3 lumbar discs and it has never gotten much better to be honest. I had a 4 year period (24-28) where I managed to live a normal life with it but the last 4 years have been hell and basically it is never going to get any better.

My suggestion is avoid the surgery at all costs, the scar tissue alone will give you problems for many years to come and that is before any complications with the surgery itself. If you can just take the meds and slowly try to get yourself into shape by having regular exercise and doing proper stretching as recommended by a physiotherapist.

 

[Vasconcelos]

Vas, I started with problems at 22 bud (almost 11 years ago). I have since had 2 surgeries on 3 lumbar discs and it has never gotten much better to be honest. I had a 4 year period (24-28) where I managed to live a normal life with it but the last 4 years have been hell and basically it is never going to get any better.

My suggestion is avoid the surgery at all costs, the scar tissue alone will give you problems for many years to come and that is before any complications with the surgery itself. If you can just take the meds and slowly try to get yourself into shape by having regular exercise and doing proper stretching as recommended by a physiotherapist.

Thx a lot m8.

Its realy a relief to hear from ppl with similar problems and see how they carry on with their lifes.

Obviously, last nite's been one of the worst nites in my life. I couldnt sleep more than 2 hrs and my head just kept going back to the problem again and again. But today im trying to recover from the shock and work to solve the problem from a postive pov, and maybe even in the future i could play some sports normally once again.

Like you, I had several surgery interventions (I have played semi-profesional in-door football and went throu interventions on my knees and anckles) and after the last one I swore to myself to never again step near a surgery room.

Im not fond of doing this kind of threads, but i guess I might be in a more sensitive mood so I wanted to share my prob with other ppl and look for others experiences.

regards

 

[Chronictank]

Vas, I started with problems at 22 bud (almost 11 years ago). I have since had 2 surgeries on 3 lumbar discs and it has never gotten much better to be honest. I had a 4 year period (24-28) where I managed to live a normal life with it but the last 4 years have been hell and basically it is never going to get any better.

My suggestion is avoid the surgery at all costs, the scar tissue alone will give you problems for many years to come and that is before any complications with the surgery itself. If you can just take the meds and slowly try to get yourself into shape by having regular exercise and doing proper stretching as recommended by a physiotherapist.

what did you do to yourself man!

@Vasconcelos my uncle got one of those mattresses that are shaped to your back to correct posture and says it helps alot when he is sleeping

 

[cHodAX]

Here is something that might cheer you up.

My best friend Dave has had ongoing lower back problems since the mid-90's and he also suffered some horrendous leg breaks during his time in the army which ended in him being medically discharged. For 5 years he suffered with really bad pain in his lower back and down his left leg, the diagnosis he got was the same as yours. Eventually he got on a special intensive physiotherapy program which lasted 2 weeks (10 hours of therapy a day) and enabled him to start getting around normally again. 18 months have passed since then and he is now living a normal life, he is able to play the occasional game of golf and has just become a father for the first time. The therapy did more for him than any surgery has done for me, the doctors wanted to operate on him but he stuck it out because he had already had surgery before and it made the problem worse. In the end the therapy sorted his problems out and if you can get through the pain it may well help you as well.

Surgery should be your last resort and only be taken when you are in extreme pain or you are in danger of long term damage by not having it.

 

[Zede]

my ma had some pioneering back surgery involving artificial discs, that was 5 years ago, her back has been fine ever since. I guess if the pain becomes to much, surgery is the only option.

Go the Yoga route, at least then you get to go to India !

 

[cHodAX]

what did you do to yourself man!

@Vasconcelos my uncle got one of those mattresses that are shaped to your back to correct posture and says it helps alot when he is sleeping

I damaged my back initially in 1996 lifting very heavy computer equipment that was far too heavy for one person, sadly the company I worked for didn't give a shit about safety and in the end I had suffered two damaged lumbar discs that were compressing the main never in my lower back. The pain down my left leg was like hell on earth and I was also losing strength/sensation all the way down that leg. I was forced into an operation, scared that I might end up paralysed if I didn't.

After an 18 month recovery I finally started to feel like my old self, the pain was gone and my left leg had returned to 95% it's former self. Then 4 years on I injured my back again, yep at work. Carrying a 45kg colour laser printer that should have been carried by two people. Now why would I do anything so stupid you ask? I was put in a situation where I had no choice, if I didn't get the customers equipment fixed before a rapidly approaching deadline the company stood to lose the contract and millions of pounds in revenue. The customer was a big chip contract and the printer was a workgroup printer, literally 50 people were waiting on me to get the repair done so that they could get back to work.

I was stupid and took the risk, my spine has never properly recovered from that mistake.

Luckily the company I work for were terrified I would take legal action and they looked after me for 4 years that I could not work. Then the company was taken over twice in the space of a year and I was put in a bad postition, either settle for a small payment as a way of compentsation and have my contract terminated or they would just terminate my contact and leave me to pursue legal action. Of course they knew that I could not afford the legal costs and because I had left it 4 years without taking legal action I was in a tricky position. I decided to take a £27,000 payoff (16 months pay) rather than fight a case that would basically leave me penniless and consume a couple of years of my life.

The moral of this story. Never ever be forced into lifting/carrying something too heavy for one person, you will be taking a massive risk and it could destroy your life for many years.

 

[Vasconcelos]

Hopefully, i work for one of those assurance&advisory companies so my work is done in front of a laptop.
However, i wonder if this 12 hrs shifts sit on a chair (job+computergames) could have been part of the problem (i got the 1st phases of pain back in the uni tho), specially if you consider that the problem is circular: i get pain in my back so i stop doing sports so i stay on a chair for 14hrs so i dont fix the pain problem and so forth...

Just hope that after your incident with that company things returned to normal..

 

[cHodAX]

Just hope that after your incident with that company things returned to normal..

Nope sadly not, I am going through another bad spell with it as we speak but surgery is no longer an option so I am having to take the meds and keep myself moving. Luckily I can still sex0r the ladies, I just need them to get on top!

 

[Vasconcelos]

Nope sadly not, I am going through another bad spell with it as we speak but surgery is no longer an option so I am having to take the meds and keep myself moving. Luckily I can still sex0r the ladies, I just need them to get on top!

Hehehe

Hopefuly, one more time, its my fav position

PS: do some google about taichi, yoga and pilates. Ive found very interesting info praising about the beneficial effects of those practices over pathologies of the back.

 

[Chronictank]

Nope sadly not, I am going through another bad spell with it as we speak but surgery is no longer an option so I am having to take the meds and keep myself moving. Luckily I can still sex0r the ladies, I just need them to get on top!

that fucking sucks :/
although...
cho: hunny we need to sex0r
"I have a head ache"
cho: if we dont the pain in my back will get so bad i wont be able to move
sigh.. ok
cho: <silent woohoo>

 

[cHodAX]

that fucking sucks :/
although...
cho: hunny we need to sex0r
"I have a head ache"
cho: if we dont the pain in my back will get so bad i wont be able to move
sigh.. ok
cho: <silent woohoo>

Actually that just about sums up a couple of my previous relationships!

 

[preacherboy]

That’s it. Been 2 months since I have this back-ache which somedays renders me invalid. The last week, tired of this problem, I went to this specialist who prescribed me a full diagnostic of my back (magnetic resonance, X-Ray and stuff).
Well, I just got told the results of the analisys:

“Degenerative Lumbar Discopathy”

As you might guess, I was like “wtf!! I’m only 26 and this might mean I might have the life of an old fart??”
Well, the specialist suggested me to avoid surgery at all cost, something I totally agree with (been told about ppl who passed throu uncountable operations which didn’t solve the problem).

The solution: a mix of medication and Pilates Method.

Now I’m trying to collect experiences of ppl who tried Pilates or know about relatives, friends, jobm8s who could have tried it. Mainly because it requires to attend a private center and spend 130€ / month…..

regards

Dam sounds painful, what you got to do now is find a job were you sit on your ass, no joke

 

[Nate]

I've got a permanant dull ache in my back, guess I should get it looked at. Doesn't immobilize me in anyway though.

 

[Vasconcelos]

I've got a permanant dull ache in my back, guess I should get it looked at. Doesn't immobilize me in anyway though.

I had the same symptomes. Just with the adittion that since some years ago, whenever i had a hard sport session (specially after some days without doing exercise) the morning after the pain was very hard, lasting for about 10 days or so before dissapearing.

Problem came 2 months ago, when this "usual in me" phase of pain didnt went off after 2 weeks.

My advice is that you go to the specialist and tell him about your symptomes, always better to be safe than sorry some years l8r. I wish I'd have gone to the doctor 4 years ago, with proper corrections n fixes over my postures and routines, I'm sure i could have avoided the problem i have atm.

 

[cHodAX]

I've got a permanant dull ache in my back, guess I should get it looked at. Doesn't immobilize me in anyway though.

Get it checked out Nate, I wouldn't wish the pain I have been through on anyone but that is how you could end up if you don't do a thing and then one day you blow a disc out.

 

[Rubric]

I've got a permanant dull ache in my back, guess I should get it looked at. Doesn't immobilize me in anyway though.

Where abouts in your back?

 

[Nate]

I'd say lower

 

[cHodAX]

I'd say lower

Lower than your back?!?! Are you sure it isn't your arsehole? We all know why that would be giving you pain...

 

[Vasconcelos]

I'd say lower

Around the belt zone i bet. Got the same issue, get it checked m8, at least to be sure you are ok n its just a casual ache.

 

[cHodAX]

Around the belt zone i bet. Got the same issue, get it checked m8, at least to be sure you are ok n its just a casual ache.

Lumbar area, discs L1 to L5/S1. Same as myself.

 

[Rubric]

I'd say lower

Cool, rule out lung cancer and Kidney problems then

 

[Nate]

Around the belt zone i bet. Got the same issue, get it checked m8, at least to be sure you are ok n its just a casual ache.

The bottom of the rib cage, should I go with Bupa and get them to sort it out? I'm not covered yet, but suppose it's not hard to get covered and get a checkup?

 

[cHodAX]

The bottom of the rib cage, should I go with Bupa and get them to sort it out? I'm not covered yet, but suppose it's not hard to get covered and get a checkup?

Central or to the side? If side it could well be a kidney infection.

Best to see your family doctor if you can, he will give a basic diagnosis very quickly and refer you to a specialist if need be.

 

[Nate]

Central

 

[cHodAX]

Central

Could well be a pinched nerve or inflammation then, best get it checked just to be safe bud.

 

[Nate]

Will do, hope it gets better for you btw. I have to say what I have right now doesn't hinder me in any way and I'd say I'm perfectly healthy otherwise, fit as a fiddle infact! But better to be safe then sorry.

 

[Vasconcelos]

Will do, hope it gets better for you btw. I have to say what I have right now doesn't hinder me in any way and I'd say I'm perfectly healthy otherwise, fit as a fiddle infact! But better to be safe then sorry.

dunno how old are ye, but trust me, if theres a chance that the prob could get worse in a few years horizon, is better to get it checked just to be sure its nothing, or to wisely prevent further injuries.

Best advice i could have got 4 years ago when the whole thing started

 

[soze]

I wake up every day to pain in my back near my kidneys i wake up strech abit and its gone. My Doctor was a useless twat i might see another i was really worried about kidney problems but the fact it dissapears when i move makes me think its not.

 

[Ezteq]

backs are the devil tbh, sorry to hear about your problem so here are a couple of my back related disasters to cheer you up:

BRD 1) 17 yrs old and making a bed (yes a bed) while working in a nursing home, POOF my back goes and its the first time ever so i didnt know wtf was going on so rang the emergency bell as i couldnt move, the manager came and got me and was taking me (very gently) down the corridor when a 96 yr old on a zimmer frame over took me.

BRD 2) in the middle of town to cash my pay cheque with my bicycle and POOF taa daa zee backenzee wentenzee so i had to hobble to the doctors who rushed me in to see him asap, got a perscription but no money so had to hobble up the other end of town to cash my cheque but the pharmacy is back near the doctors (by now im about ready to keel over) so i hobble back to the pharmacy with my money and get my tablets and then a taxi home (remember i have my bike with me) the driver says "Oh youll have to put it in the boot im not lifting it" OO!!!! but on the good side i got vallium Mmmm

BRD3) this was only a few weeks ago i had a major job interview coming in 2 days time and was due to start an IT course this very day at 12:30, so i go in to town early and buy some new interview shoes get home and think "Hmm ill be really good and hoover up before my course starts" (btw ive been waiting for this course to get organised since july) so im hoovering (or should i say dysoning) and i trip over the cord and .. yep POOF! i hobbled as fast as i could to the bedroom and gobbled down some anti infalammatories then phones b2 to get home because by then the back had totally siezed lol but i still made it to the interview!


backs dontcha just love em!