All I’m getting for Christmas is Crippling Sciatica Again

[Joe (SoCal)]

OK just got an injection of Toradol in my ass. Now I’m gonna go on a cycle of steroids and Tylenol with codeine.
I have a referral back to my orthopedic and I’ll probably have to do another MRI with lots and lots of Valium.

The other option to go over is possible micro surgery on the L4-5, in and out and some PT and problem solved.

[Tom Montgomery]

.
Damn. I wish you relief for the Holiday Season and the coming New Year.

[wizbang 13]

Cut Drug Burn

[LeeG]

Good morning morning everyone after a mostly painful night with little sleep and some screaming I'm up and I have to crawl on all fours to the bathroom to climb reverse cowgirl style just to take my morning piss. Then God knows how, but I'm going to attempt to get to the car and I promised to pick up my buddy and drive him to the airport ( for whatever reason sitting in the car I have no pain and the heated seats sooth me )

.

crippling pain and time off for taxi service. Something doesn’t make sense there.

[Paul Pless]

damn man you look ****ing awful
i now feel bad for cracking jokes earlier in this thread

At the doctors I couldn’t walk from the car so they got a wheelchair

Attachment 125868

[Joe (SoCal)]

crippling pain and time off for taxi service. Something doesn’t make sense there.

What can I say I'm a good friend , the hardest part was getting to and then into the car, after that I was more comfortable than in bed and after I was going to the doctors anyway so I had to get into the car in the first place. The good thing was the doctors office came out with a wheelchair because I could never make it from the parking lot into the office.

[skuthorp]

One heck of a life change Joe, how is your head holding up?

[Paul Pless]

so, yet another tesla fanbois thread. . .

[epoxyboy]

so, yet another tesla fanbois thread. . .

At one with the machine - he'll be assimilated, full-on Musk Neuralinked.

Pete

[Paul Pless]

joe
his tesla
his iphone

we are borg

[beernd]

joe
his tesla
his iphone

we are borg

Not funny

[Joe (SoCal)]

Not funny

It might be the Tylenol with codeine talking but It's funny

[bluedog225]

Anti-inflammation diet. Hardcore. No sugar, no cheese, all the anti oxidants, raw vegetables, raw leafy greens(lots), no white food(bread, rice, potato, etc). More involved. Need to do your research. Core strengthening as has been mentioned. Dropping some weight in the process will help. Hope you feel better.

[Paul Pless]

Anti-inflammation diet. Hardcore. No sugar, no cheese, all the anti oxidants, raw vegetables, raw leafy greens(lots), no white food(bread, rice, potato, etc). More involved. Need to do your research. Core strengthening as has been mentioned. Dropping some weight in the process will help. Hope you feel better.

yah, because joe's a fat assed sugar fiend!

[Besserwisser]

Side effects is why
cost is why
safety is why

Zero side effects for me; cost is minimal ($5/100); they've fixed my similar injuries for yonks. In contrast, Tylenol & chiros did zip. But YMMV and I respect that.

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[Paul Pless]

[Besserwisser]

^ hey that's funny, thanks

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[Geftb]

I found this book very useful years ago
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-back-sufferers-bible-sarah-key/book/9781760295097.html

[Joe (SoCal)]

Hey I’m on two Tylenol with codeine, six prednisone, first part of the steroid pack, and a pain injection in my ass, two glasses of red wine and I’m not feeling any different

[Besserwisser]

^ More wine. And turmeric.

Further to above YouTube, it's not only personal trainers; I know an ENT specialist who's been trying vainly for years to prove the inflammatory virtues of that curry spice.

Indication, perhaps, that all folk are bags of mixed lollies - or should that read mixed bags of lollies?

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[LeeG]

Hey I’m on two Tylenol with codeine, six prednisone, first part of the steroid pack, and a pain injection in my ass, two glasses of red wine and I’m not feeling any different

What kind of different do you want?

[Joe (SoCal)]

What kind of different do you want?

A small infinitesimally less pain and the ability to walk from the car to my daughters tomorrow for Christmas

[CK 17]

Avoid surgery as long as you can. I know no one who’s happy with their back surgery.

[Joe (SoCal)]

Avoid surgery as long as you can. I know no one who’s happy with their back surgery.

There is now a microscopic surgery with a small incision and out the same day and then PT. I will find out if thats a possibility when I see my orthopedic referal and get another MRI ( )

[Joe (SoCal)]

Ugh. I deleted my previous reply because I hate being a blabbermouth and sounding like a know it all and giving advice.

But…

I severely damaged my lumbar. Not a pulled muscle. Not an old man back. Not “lumbago”. Damage. The discs that aren’t herniated or ruptured are bulging. The sciatic nerve was actually nicked and physically damaged at the time. I still struggle with feeling and movement in my left foot; a few of my toes don’t move voluntarily, still.

I spent more than a year in agony and unable to move normally. I was physically unable to touch my feet for nearly two years. The MD told me I’d never walk normally, run, or ride a bike ever again, and prescribed me drugs.

The drugs made me feel ****ty and didn’t help.

Through strengthening, stretching, and PT (which I had to pay out of pocket, because drugs are covered but PT isn’t…) I was able to return to competitive form. As in, winning races. Being barefooted helped tremendously with the feeling returning to my leg and foot.

I’ve since completed dozens of marathons and half marathons, 3 Ironmans and a handful of bike races. I podiumed a local road race and MTB race. I was age croup competitive in the final two Ironmans. I am still in BQ marathon shape.

I can tell you what worked for me, and advise you on stretches and strengthening exercises to alleviate your pain. I don’t make any of it up, but learned them from a PT who was on my bike racing team. Those that know me IRL will attest to the hitch in my giddyap to this day. It’s constant work and vigilance to stay healthy, but movement is life.

My advice is to avoid the knife as long as possible, especially on the spine. Of course, as with anything, my advice is worth about what it’s worth.

I DO keep my cane handy, still. I almost had to use it a while ago, when I spent a few weeks literally digging ditches, but stretching and the foam roller saved me. As did the tennis ball. Usually I just look at the cane to remind me of when I depended on it.

Anyway. Good luck. If you can’t get comfortable in bed, try sleeping on your stomach with a pillow or two under your pelvis. I slept that way for months on end.

I'm saving this because Rob you and me are in the same boat ant your advice is the most dead on that I've heard from a non medical professional

THANK YOU and Merry Christmas to you and yours my friend.

[Bob (oh, THAT Bob)]

I just posted the following on another thread a couple days ago. Relates exactly to your pain. Check with your doctor:

My two cents, based on experience: Chiros want you back twice a week, forever. Certified Physical Therapists, especially doing occupational rehab, don't, they want you healed as quickly as possible.

I had pain going down back of leg, triggered by getting in and out of a low sporty car incorrectly; Went to chiro 2X a week for a year, did nothing. Down the road some, had recovered, bought a nordic track (cross country ski machine) to keep weight under control in winter when not biking, discovered that would also remedy pain mentioned above. During visit to Japan with boss, he came down with same pain, I did some stretches for him, and loaned him my nordic track once back home; He got better in a week, promptly bought his own. These days I don't have space in my dwelling for the machine, but I reasoned out why it helped, it was the long striding, so I do the same kind of stretching, one leg forward and one back, lowering myself from a standing position with two canes to not strain my knees. Reverse legs and repeat.

Years later, I got terrible pain between shoulder blades, and past chiro visits didn't help that either, would usually take over a month to go away, and nordic track didn't help. Went to doctor, they sent me to a physical therapist, I was better in a week, plus he showed me exercises to prevent and treat quickly; Whenever the pain has popped up, maybe every few years, I do the exercises and am 100% by the next day.

Based on the above experience, I avoid chiropractors like the plague. Go to doctor, get a referral for physical therapy, get healed, and learn how to prevent pain in future.

P.S. - Nordic tracks are often dirt cheap and even free on craigslist. I prefer the original model; Oak frame and skiis, dead-simple nylon band over iron flywheel for friction (I've heard the magnetic resistance ones fail), tilt adjustable via movable posts in front. Will probably need small maintenance, just clean and lube in a few spots, message me if you get one and need info.

[Gerarddm]

^ I have high respect for physical therapists, they have always righted my muscular ills in the past pretty quickly.

[mizzenman]

My physiotherapist used to roll me upp like a ball. Strethed my back out so good without any weird cracking or twisting. I used to walk on clous for half an hour aftherward

[FishoutaFlorida]

An inversion table can change your life, BTW.

Spinal traction provided the only pain relief I ever got! I used to hang from a door jamb!

[Joe (SoCal)]

Merry Christmas, I'm about a week into this back pain and about three days into the mind bending sciatica searing pain running down my left leg. Yet another restless sleepless painful night. The shot of Toradol in my ass basically did nothing, The first round of the steroid pack done nothing, I'm the taking second day's does of five 4mg Methylprednisone pills, two Tylenol with Codeine. With everything I'm about 9% improved. So on a pain scale of 0-10 I was at a 10 yesterday today I'm at a 9.91

The worst thing is the constant searing chronic pain is affecting my personality, I'm just getting mean and angry, which is not fair to my wife who has been nothing but an angel helping me through this. Just the sheer wearing down and constant pain is making the basic tasks impossible. We are supposed to go to my daughters today and I'm worried I wont be able to walk from the car up to her second floor apartment.

I appreciate all the advice but I can't even move so I'm not at the place where I can even think about doing anything yet, when all this subsides hopefully I can get on a program of PT, stretching, and inversion but right now I'm basically immobile.

Thank you all for your kind words and advice.

This sucks.

[Ralphie Boy]

Merry Christmas Joe, to you and Renee. Hope you heal up soon!

[Canoeyawl]

Have you tried ultrasound?
It was the only thing that really helped my injury related back pain (aside from opioids) which effectively crippled me until I learned to live with it.

[Ted Hoppe]

Dude looks miserable. His health insurance in Whoville might not be happy either.

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[Joe (SoCal)]

Made it

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[Joe (SoCal)]

Tess crushed making Christmas dinner. She inherited my cooking gene ��

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