Had my mri, and go to the doc tomorrow. After 3 years of acting like a sissy, now I will know where this is heading. I know one thing for sure, something has to change, because this is getting old faster than I am.

I am right behind you, I am waiting for the MRI to be scheduled. I think I put up a good fight but can't stand the pain any longer. Good Luck.

Good luck I hope they can come up with a game plan. My MRI showed ruptured disc at L3 and have been doing chiropractic’s for three months and it appears to be working. I can do steps normally now and could not just three weeks ago He is trying to stretch my spine so the dIsc might go back home. My right knee is still asleep some the time though and A massage therapist seems to be helping out as well in the Pain department. Still have what feels like nails being driven into my leg or knee just not as often as before

Keep a close eye on that. I did similar things for 3 years, and now it hurts like all get out, to get adjusted. Good luck!!!

Oh, and my wife asked if a new boat was a good idea, because of back issues. All I could think of was phftsst. And thats just how it came out. My back hurts woman, I ain't dead!!!

A good friend of mine can barely walk right now and is having extreme amounts of pain in his hip. His insurance company is refusing to pay for an MRI unless he does 6 weeks of therapy first, even though his doctors don't know what is causing his pain. Did you have a hard time getting your insurance to cover your MRI?

I hope they find nothing serious in you.

Keith

I have dealt with back issues for the last 15 years. More MRI than I can count. First surgery, he fused the first 2 levels. Second surgery, he fused the 2 levels above the first fusion. With each fusion, it puts stress on the discs above. The fusions are working there way up my spine, with 8 fused now. The next surgery, they will fuse all the remaining clear to my neck. I didn't realize a ruptured disc could be put back in alignment. I totally understand your pain, hope you find relief. The sad thing with all the work done on me, I haven't gotten any pain relief. $500,000 spent so far. I wish you good luck.

god bless hrdtoflw hope all goes as planned! If it don't kill you it makes you stronger! There should be half a million Hercules roaming the earth by now! LOL P.S make sure you tip your cocktail waitress! And read all those forms before surgery! I wake up in a panic! MAKING SURE I GOT ALL MY PARTS AND NO EXTRAS! GOOD LUCK HOPE ALL GOES SMOOTH!!!

Prayers for a full and speedy recover.

Prayers Sent

Keith, it took a couple of days to get approval from insurance. Thanks everyone, I am at the parking garage now. 7:15 am appointment. I must be the first victim of the day. Lol. This surgeon treats a lot of athletes, and has told me that surgery is the last option, unless unavoidable. I am hoping that I'm a good candidate for injections, or something non invasive. I will post later today. Again thanks, and take care of your backs. Sometimes our childish ways, outlive our bodies.

Pain hurts. Speedy recovery, Sent with prayer

Praying for you.
Back problems are no joke.

Well here's the skinny. Although I have several bulging disks, the doc says my pain is coming from the facet joints, which are causing problems with the nerves. He said he would recommend injections into the joints to verify this. Then the nerves can be cauterized to eliminate pain reception to the brain. I will study on this for a while. He said that surgery is not an option, due to the fact that there is no real damage. Have any of you had this done? It is called radiofrequency neurotomy! Or RFN. I really would like to find folks that have had this. I need to work 5 more years to make my retirement plan work, and am not willing to risk being disabled. I am in enough pain now!!!

On another note, to you folks that have serious back problems, you have my sympathy. I have been in pain for a long time, yet my problems are minimal compared to others!

Facet block injections work very well for some people. They did not work for me. I hope they do for you. Best wishes.

I had the nerve blocks to diagnose which nerve the pain came from. Once they find it they can burn off the nerve to block pain for a while. That usually works for a year or so. Facet joints get arthritis fairly commonly. I would try it and see how it goes. The procedure isn’t as bad as it sounds. I do it this upcoming Tuesday. I dont think twice about it anymore.

Be careful about pain meds long term. The anti-inflammatory meds are hard on your kidneys. They shouldn’t be taken for more than a few months. I finally had surgery for a bad disc. I did all the injections and then burned the nerves off. Once I found out my kidneys were shot from all the ibuprofen I finally had surgery. The surgery sucks and should be a last ditch effort. Once you start messing around in the back, you can get scar tissue and inflammation that is rally hard to treat.

I wish you luck with getting the pain source pinned down and treated. Our bodies just wear out after a while.
Good luck

Doc wants to do the facet block injections as a temporary relief of pain, but mainly to determine that the problem stems from the facet joints. He said the RFN is the final solution. I hope you do find something that helps your pain. It is very distracting to everyday life, when all you can think of is pain. It sucks!

hrdtoflw, I will be candid, forgive me but it's my way of trying to help. Dr's don't give two shakes of a rats arse about what you think or how you feel. Injections are a band-aid, and will get you through the short term, not treating the problem, but making them money. Speaking from experience, I gave them the big fat middle finger because they would not answer my question which was, will this cure me. Heck no it won't cure you or any of us, given time it will make us worse, which did me. Do not fall short of getting a second opinion, but try and find a REAL Dr who cares and will try to get you in the game. Fusion surgery is archaic and should never be done in my book. I am a living example of that amongst thousands. Research, in depth!!

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