Back issues? Looking for experience.

Hello all!

i learned I have some pretty big issues with my L3-4. Severe arthritis. He thinks I likely have severely pinched nerves. He knew all this from a cat scan on my abdomen in early June. I had visited the er for pain after surgery. It was noted on my records by the doctor at the ER but never fully conveyed to me. All it said on the reading of the cat scan I could see was degenerative disc disease. I'm hot under the collar...to say the least. Mind you I fell in July and it could be worse since that.

I had to get an X-ray today and my doctor will put in a request for an MRI. BUT he said my Medicaid doesn't approve it much. Also he said surgery is in his opinion likely. Another but...doctors here don't often do this surgery FOR Medicaid patients. I might have to travel for it.

Does anyone have experience with low back issues? I'm still doing PT and hopefully we'll be able to focus on strengthening the back some.

I had a compressed disc from a skydiving accident five years ago. The surgery took 20 minutes. They put a cement between the two disks and the pain was over with. Medicare paid for the MRI and surgery.

I just had a bandaid on it for a few days.

This summer I had severe back pain and after an MRI, it was determined that I had a bulging L4 disc that was pressing on the sciatic nerve on my right side. My L5 is also not in great shape. The pain was horrible and I actually had reduced motor control of my right foot--drop foot.

I haven't had surgery and my doctor doesn't think I'll need it. I have been treated with short courses of prednisone and I've had a targeted cortisone shot. I still have some numbness in my right big toe that might never go away, but my back pain has pretty much been gone since about mid-August. Another thing to watch for is hair loss. I just got done with a massive hair dump from the stress and pain over the summer.

Keep up with your PT and make sure to address any twinges right away. I'll have another MRI in the spring to see how the disc has retracted, so fingers crossed!

Jen

My L3 and 4 are bone on bone. My family doc said the X-ray was a "mess". I have an MRI scheduled Tuesday morning.

i get the numbness a lot. All down my behind to my left leg and sometimes my right one. I actually went to the er back in October of last year with leg pain and was "threatened" by Medicaid that it was unnecessary and it'd have to pay the bill for another unnecessary visit. Mind you I had to use a walker to get around at that point. The only test they would do was checking for blood clots.

I've been kind of off the deep end with depression. My doctor thinks I'll need a fusion up to my L5 but I'm waiting to see what the MRI shows. I'm a little scared and very depressed over it.

I'm really crossing my fingers for you! Sending good thoughts that you stay out of pain and no surgery is needed!

Just to update y'all, I'm being referred to a neurosurgeon. My back is "messed" & in "bad shape". I'm relieved to maybe start feeling better. I know it's not a magic fix.