FallOutBoy

I'm a young guy, 23, and I've been diagnosed with protruding discs at the l4/l5/s1 with stenosis at l5/l4. My doc immediately jumped at the opportunity to cut me open and hit me with surgery and absolutely refused to even consider any other options. I'm trying to find an alternative method because I'm so young and I've seen how miserable back surgery has made some family members and close friends. The chiropractor, physical therapy, cortical steroid injections all yielded no results.

I read an article that suggested anabolics might help to heal such an injury but I'll be damned if I can't find it again.

Does anyone have any insight on the subject so I can go in armed with some knowledge? Insurance is having a ball right now making me wait to get a second opinion, so I've got some time to get my facts in line.

Lost Grizzly

Sorry to hear about your back. I don't expect you will get the green light here from any of these guys.

Do you or can you work out and lift weights?

FallOutBoy

Thanks. I'm not looking to do it under-the-table, but more for information so I can bring the subject up with my doc. I can lift weights as long as it doesn't put a strain on my lower back, which basically limits me whatever can get done laying down and pushups.

KelJu

Sorry to hear about your injury. Disc to not heal with steroids or growth hormone. You can numb the pain for a short while by getting an epidural Steroid Injection, but like you said, it didn't help in your case. Some people claimed that it worked for up to a year, but my brother had one done and his lasted less than 3 weeks.

When I drove my brother to the hospital to have his done, I got to hear him talk to the orthopedic doctor. The doctor said that there is no way to tell what the disc will do. Some times it repairs itself, sometimes it does not.

How much pain are you in? What problems do you have? How long ago did you injure it? My mother and brother have degenerative disc syndrome, so I have educated myself as much as possible, but I am not a doctor, and you should seek more than one opinion.

FallOutBoy

I'm on 40mg hydrocodone a day. I'd say my pain is a steady 7 while drugged up and laying down. Take me off or make me sit in and I just about want to kill myself. I've been in this pain for 3 months now, desperately trying to find some method of relief. After 2 months I finally got my MRI. Insurance is forcing me to jump through hoops to get a second opinion because I have to go to a doctor outside of my normal clinic. Mainly because my current doc does not instill a great amount of trust in me.

The pain began about 2 years ago. Just as a small pain in my left leg that I could stretch out. In march it started to get worse. And worse. And worse. I've been on constant bed rest since april. It's a sharp pain in my left lower back and left leg, with bouts of numbness. I go to my classes, come home, lay down. The kicker is state disability denied my claim, I can't work, and I'm going bankrupt very quickly. It's fantastic that I'm becoming paralyzed and there's nothing I can do at all because I'm tied with red tape.

But I digress.

I still want a second opinion but if you're saying steroids won't help then surgery is really my only option.

Mudge

I don't know how steroids would help in this situation, what did the article say that it would help with?

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I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

workingatit43

My best suggestion is to ask the doctor if there is any steriod or GH that can help. Sorry I can not be of more help bro I wish you the best

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Merkaba

tried any eastern/holistic approaches?

"With Omnipotence Comes Responsibility" - Merkaba
------------------------------------------------
Have you prayed to Lyle McDonald today?

Pirate!

Steroids aren't going to fix protruding discs. Sorry, brother.

Ron Paul

jchappj

I feel for you brother. Your situation is scarily like mine was a few years ago. My disc actually ruptured at L4/L5. It took about 6 months of dealing with the insurance Nazis, Chiropractic care, Spinal injections, and Physical Therapy before I was granted an MRI. I was in surgery a week later. Of course by then the fragments that had impinged upon my spinal cord had caused permanent damage. I now have chronic low level back pain that won't be going away bar some unforseen medical breakthrough. The good news, however, is that the surgery actually gave me my life back. It sucked and so did the rehab but I'm now back to lifting again with a few limitations of course. So at any rate here's my opinion:
1) STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM THE VICODIN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! From experience, it just gets WAY too easy to pop a couple of those. Especially after a few drinks.
2) Dealing with the insurance companies is horrible and is only going to get worse. Start a log now. Every doctor visit, every PT, every phone call, everything case related. Times, dates, and names. You will probably need this info at some time in the future.
3) It is easy to get discouraged when you are in that much pain, trust me I know. Try to focus on the future where you are pain free and mobile again.
4) Ask around for a well respected neurosurgeon in your area and get that second opinion.
5) Try to remember the whole process is going to take some time and it won't be rushed.
Wish I could offer more than basically a cheering section but I do feel your pain. Best of luck.

Peace!

Pirate!

Great advice Jchappj! Thanks for sharing.

Ron Paul

Bdue

I had this same thing happen to me. 2 years ago. I went through a year of PT, and chiropractic care. Lived off pain killers. I cannot do squats, leg press, and I can only pick up things that are not to heavy. But thats the only limits I have now. I know what your going through bud. I would lay in bed for days in misery and pain. I had a herniated disc in L4, L5 and S1. I found out what made it worse and I limited that exercise or stopped that movement. Sometimes it gets better sometimes it does not. Best of luck brother.

CORUM

i actually had/have bulging disc that was pinching nerves and all sorts of crap. it got me out of the army. when i was in iraq two months after i messed up my back from my jumps. i had a bad landing from one of my jumps, torn ligiments in my neck, compressed my spine all types of shit i was screwed up. but i wasnt missing my deployment in 03. so i went and delt with the pain, that was unbearable, but i did what i had to do. ran across some testosterone enthate. and loaded up!!! i was taking way too much!!! which i do not recommend, but it did mask the pain pretty well. i worked out like a mad man and i was a beast beating peoples ass in iraq. i was good, i never thought i messed up my back, but as soon as i stopped and i was about 40 pounds heavier I WAS DYING!!!!! then i did the steriod epiderals, that didnt really work. did nothing when i got chaptered sat on my ass and got fat!!! it helped i thought i was fine. so i got after it again to get back in shape to try and go back in, and found out the hard way the back injury is still there. honestly NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO YOUR SCREWED!!!! steroids can mask the pain, surgier could actually make it worse; once you have a back injury your pretty much done. just find a way to try and stay somewhat comfortable. sorry i can not give you better advice, i feel your pain!!! but nothing will really fix it, it will always come back, sorry!!

Built

I can not say enough about how important this post should be to you. Do everything jchappj tells you to do. Do NOT stop fighting their decision. You HAVE to keep the file going. If and when it gets overturned, they'll go back to when you started fighting, not to the beginning of the original claim. Keep requesting a review. Be prepared for this to take years, and you want ALL of what will come to you in that event. Write down names of people you spoke to, times and dates so if someone gave you incorrect advice (it happens, legislatiom/policies change, people get trained all the time and might be new) you can prove who it was and reestablish their culpability.

Paper trail paper trail paper trail paper trail paper trail...

gmayes

If the problem is in the low back you should check out articles by Louis Simmons about the Reverse Hyperextesion bench . I have had a bulging disk for 15 yrs now and i used the bench for 3 months in 1994 and i havent had any trouble since ..i was lucky to have gym nearby that had one.