Need some good thoughts

[WindChime]

Well I feel kinda funny talking about myself but,
I am the type of person who will ignore my pain and try to suck it up because I don't want people to think I'm weak.
I've been have sever back pain since January of 2009. I have been getting numbness in both legs and that of so fun pins and needles feeling to go along with the pain. I finally broke down and went to the Dr. last month. She sent me for a x-ray and to a specialist. The specialist put me on a 7 day steroid pack and sent me for a MRI on 4/2/09. The steroid didn't help. I went to the Dr. yesterday for my results and they were not so good.
T12-L1 is some very minimal disc bulge
L1-L2 is some very minimal disc bulge
L2-L3 is some very minimal disc bulge
L3-L4 is some very minimal disc bulge
L4-L5 is a central disc extrusion superimposed on diffuse disc bulge
(the extrusion measures approximately 1cm in transverse dimension & 3mm in AP dimension. results in a moderate spinal stenosis with the central canal measuring approximately 7mm in AP dimension. mild facet hypertrophic changes are present at this level. this results in moderateright & mild left neural foraminal narrowing)
L5-S1 is a central disc protrusion superimposed on diffuse disc bulge
(this does not result in a significant spinal stenosis. facet & ligamentous hypertrophic changes are present which result in mild to moderate bilateral neural foraminal narrowing.)
Degenerative changes involving the lumbar spine. these are primarily noted at L4-5 & L5-S1. small central disc extrusion is identified at L4-5. this combined with some mild facet & ligamentuos hypertrophic changes results in moderate central canal narrowing.
With these results my back is even to inflamed to do physical therapy. I am now on 2 new meds to try to kill some of the pain.
On 4/27/09 I go in for a Epidural Injection Procedure. This will be the first in a series of three. Hopefully the first 2 work because they do not like to do the third one.
If this doesn't help The Dr. will have to figure out what to do next for she & I have agreed that surgery is the very last option. I don't like the idea of a needle poking me near my spine let alone someone cutting me there.
I'm just tired of hurting all the time between my ankle & my back. None of the meds have really even dulled the pain so far.
So all I'm asking for is some happy thoughts during this time.

[Capt Lucy]

*hugs* you got it chicky...  I know, I already said that

[Ariyana the hugging wench]

aww sweetie.. will be sending many good feel better thoughts your way! Sorry you have to deal with this...

as for the epdiural... yu will survive it.. I have had 2 epidural and 1 spinal (in order to give birth to the last 3 babies... sigh.. because they were all C sections, plus I did my oldest with no drugs whatsoever and would never do that again! but I digress...) and If I the queen of fear of needles can handle it, you can handle it. Maybe take a small stuffed animal to hold and squueze while they do it, if they will allow you to do so. I know they will expect you to be very still during the procedure, so somethign to squueze rather than moving might be a helpful thing?
Keep us updated, please... wishing you only painfree times ahead
{{{{{{{bearhugs}}}}}}}
Ariyana

[WindChime]

Thank you for all your support and well wishes.
I'll update you guys as soon as I hear more.

[WindChime]

Got my 2 shots for round 2 yesterday.  I got a sever pain in my right leg all the way down to my toes during my injection and am still having a lot of pain in the back of my leg. my back is still hurting but they tell me it will still take about a week for this shot to show if it works.  When I go to the Dr. on the 26th hopefully I will have either some relief or she can tell me the next step. No Surgery.  I have a very strict rule on those. Unless it is life threating I do not have them after Feb. most of my surgeries require 6 months off minimum to heal so that cuts it to close to faire season plus I don't like the idea of a cast during the hot seasons.

[WindChime]

well I still haven't returned to work due to the pain in my right leg. Finally called the Dr. like mom said to to yesterday.  Her nurse took the info down and called me back in about a hour.  They said the pain is a reaction to the steriod shot and that it inflamed the nerve. So now I have a new med to try to calm down the nerve. hopefully this helps.

[Windhawke]

I had the epidural surgery in December to good result. The initial numbing needles hurt some but the actual epidural feels like a pressing till it gets to its end point. Within a couple of days you'll feel improvement. In a couple of weeks you'll be feeling better. Just don't go back and screw it up like I did. I shovelled snow during that week of deep stuff and ice. I think I'd be doing better if I hadn't done that. Take care of yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BTW, my prob is in the L3 L4 being crushed. I understand what you're going through. Hang in there kiddo!!!!!!! My prayers will be with you.

[Windhawke]

oops! should have read all of the post. HUGS!!!! I know you hurt. You're in my prayers!

[WindChime]

  Well today as my first day back to work. I was in pain due to the fact that I can't take the new med (Valium) and funtion. 2 hours into my shift and I was sitting on the floor to work on a costume jewelry modular and a customer ask me for some help, well as I was trying to get up off the floor My right leg went out from under me and I fell down. The jerk watched me fall then had the nerve to ask me when I would be getting over to help him, here I am sitting on the floor with tears in my eyes due to the pain shooting up my back and I told him I would get up off my floor when I was good and ready. He went over and got one of the managers who is my supervisor and told her I wouldn't help him and She got the keys from me to get what he wanted then they sent me to the office to do paperwork for the office girls.
Then the store manager kept checking on me cause he knows how I get when I'm in pain. They keep reminding me not to push myself. As Ben my store manager says, the Jewelry department doesn't run the same when your not there.

[WindChime]

Went to dr today and she is sending me to physical therapy for 4 weeks.  Then I go back to see her in june to decide what to do next.

[Windhawke]

Stupid, callous JERK!  How dare he act that way toward you!
HUGS you!

[WindChime]

I finished with P.T. and seen the Dr. She has done all she can do and is sending me to a surgeon. Even my mom's chiropractor said most people show some improvement with P.T. and back treatments from him. He sugested the shots but we told him we already had 2 sets of them and wasn't going for a third after the trouble of the second one did. I haven't been to work in 2 weeks going on three due to the fact that even with all the meds I am still in constint pain and can not even stand up right like every one else does.

[WindChime]

Well the Dr's office called today and gave me the dates on the 2 new test he wants done.
On 7/10/09 I get the the EMG test. Basically they put little needles on the right side of my body to find out the severity of nerve damage.
  On 07/21/09 I get the CT monogram test. They stick a needle with a dye contrast in my spinal canel to check for damage inside the spine.
  I'll give you guys more news as I get it.

[WindChime]

I had mt CT & Myelogram done on Tuesday. I wasn't in much pain until about 2 or 3 hours after I got home from the hospital.  That was when I was convinced my head was gonna explode from the pain, I was warned about possibly getting headaches but I had no clue the meant that much pain. I'm doing a lot better today with the pain from the procedures but I still have the normal everyday back pain.

[WindChime]

I go to the Dr @ 11am today. Hopefully she has some of my results since all of it was sent to the Neurosurgeon. I'm still waiting for the Neurosurgeon to call me back to see what is the next step and to see what his conclusion to all of the test are. I'm hoping for no more test.