JDUB - Postasaurus

[charlesebrownjr]

You are so right. My sincerest apologies Jon. I forgot, after all I am just a dumb ass Country Coach owner. What else would you expect.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Jerry, I will give my testimony here also. Injured my back years ago and periodically get in situations where my muscles are weak and over do it. Last episode was--couldn't walk, dragging leg, and severe pain except when flat. Anesthesiologist gave me an epidural once a week for 3 consecutive weeks. Did the job and Haven't been in the situation since. That was 3 years ago. Sure there are days where you tweak the back but nothing like pain down to the toes anymore. As a nurse, just ask your physician to refer you for this. At least ask for the consult with an anesthesiologist.
Sorry you are having to go thru this. Everything is miserable with this type of pain!!!
Sandy

[Jerry Winchester]

Sandy,

That is just what I did. Got thru the second epidural and was really doing well. I had a small sinking spell, but they gave me the third epidural. First day was good and it's gone downhill from then. That was last Thursday and now I'm back between the bed and the bathroom. Follow-up visit this Wednesday to sort it out.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

As long as we are acting like old farts and talking about health issues I will share my back pain story.

I used to manufacture and install concrete burial vaults in the ground. Very hard physical work, but never a problem. Getting 3000 pound concrete boxes across cemetery lawns into a hole in the ground through mud and snow was hard physical work but it never affected my back at that time. Then I buy a manufacturing business's assets and while welding conveyor track I apparently did something to my back. Nothing immediate, but that evening I had pain like I never experienced before.

I got the muscle relaxants and pain pills and the pain got worse. I was in bed and could not find any position to lay that wasn't painful. When everything below my belt shut down and I couldn't pee, poop, or move I knew it was time for an ambulance. I forced them to drive 20 MPH because every bump was like an ice pick in my back and left leg.

As soon as I got to the emergency room I got a shot of something that knocked me out. Darvon I think. In the middle of the night I woke in pain again and the nurse gave me another shot. When I woke up in the morning, no pain. I had to pee so I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and put my feet on the floor. I could feel the cold on my right foot, but no feeling on the left foot. I walked to the bathroom and did my thing and felt zero pain. The only difference was I had no feeling along the outside of my left leg all the way down to the foot. Still don't. But I didn't have pain, and to this day I have never had a recurrance of pain which was in 1984 so I guess the issue was resolved.

The lack of feeling has made some changes in how I function. I can't feel how much pressure I put on my foot so I flat spotted a tire on the plane. I now use my eyes to gauge how much brake pressure I apply. The bottom line is I will accept a numb leg and foot for that pain any day. Until I had back pain I thought my employees that complained about it were malingerers. Not any more.

[merle&louise]

Sorry to hear about your pain Jerry. Have you tried chiropractic?

[rmboies]

Jerry,
back pain is relentless, I know I am stating the obvious, but I agree that strengthening your core (ab muscles imparticular) will help hold your back. They have made great strides in back surgery procedures. That being said, I would only go that route as a last resort. I would also look for a certified muscle release therapist. This has proven to be extremely helpful in situations like yours. My niece has three ruptured discs in her back from a car accident and MRT has helped her tremendously. Believe it or not, so will ubiquinol (the only form of CoQ10 to use). Meanwhile, keep us all entertained as only you can!

Debi

[GDeen]

Jerry,
back pain is relentless, I know I am stating the obvious, but I agree that strengthening your core (ab muscles imparticular) will help hold your back. They have made great strides in back surgery procedures. That being said, I would only go that route as a last resort. I would also look for a certified muscle release therapist. This has proven to be extremely helpful in situations like yours. My niece has three ruptured discs in her back from a car accident and MRT has helped her tremendously. Believe it or not, so will ubiquinol (the only form of CoQ10 to use). Meanwhile, keep us all entertained as only you can!

Debi

I am in the process of trying to rehab a re-injury of a knee on which I had ACL reconstruction 5 years ago. My therapist is working on my core to try and straighten up my frame. He is using muscle release in the abdominal area, along with muscle excercise throughout the core and it is pretty amazing the difference it makes in realigning things.

Honestly I was skeptical at first but I am fast becoming a believer. Favoring the knee was causing me to stand and walk crooked, which in turn was causing back and neck spasms. This all in turn continued to aggravate the knee.

We will see how the knee responds to all this but at least the therapy is working to remove additional stress on it, and stress caused by favoring it.

[rahangman]

Having back surgery (L5 removed) in 1991, both knees replaced in 2006 (one at a time) and Cancer Surgery in 2004, I feel that I have spent my time in the Hospital and under Medical Care. Improved procedures , diagnosis , and therapies have greatly improved. End result ? Some reduced activities one of which is not recurring pain such as has been described. Seen my share of it, tried as much as I could to stay out of "Under the Knife" situations, but had to make the difficult decisions and go on with my life. Have I done the best thing? I think so, I don't have the pervasive pain that over rules any life style, some difficulties, but we live and evolve. Stay strong Jerry, you will come around it. I remember too well, in recovery room from the back surgery realizing that the constant excruciating pain was gone. Go get em.

[rmboies]

I am in the process of trying to rehab a re-injury of a knee on which I had ACL reconstruction 5 years ago. My therapist is working on my core to try and straighten up my frame. He is using muscle release in the abdominal area, along with muscle excercise throughout the core and it is pretty amazing the difference it makes in realigning things.

Honestly I was skeptical at first but I am fast becoming a believer. Favoring the knee was causing me to stand and walk crooked, which in turn was causing back and neck spasms. This all in turn continued to aggravate the knee.

We will see how the knee responds to all this but at least the therapy is working to remove additional stress on it, and stress caused by favoring it.

Gordon, glad to hear this is working for you. I always prefer less invasive means when possible and have seen enough through nursing to know that keeping an open mind is a good thing!

Debi

[Jerry Winchester]

Tuga,

My first trip was to the chiropractor. Went three times and I was only getting worse. When the MRI came back I could see why; I don't know how he could have coaxed that disc out of that canal away from that nerve. And now my back muscles are so tight trying to protect my spine, which seemingly has nothing wrong withit, that the whole reason for the epidural was to get the steroids and pain meds right to the spot where they could do the most good. Even the skin on my shin hurts like hell, so I'll see the pain guy tomorrow and let him know he is about to go off the clock, see the electrode needle poking masochist in the afternoon to see if he has any bright ideas, then to a neurosurgeon on Thursday about trimming this disc that's rubbing on the nerve. I'd piss on a spark plug if I thought it would help.