poor me

linsen

Went to see consultant neurosurgeon fella about this sciatica and he reckons it is a disc prolapse which if it has been causing me grief for this long needs chopping out.

I do NOT like the sound of that.

Can anyone reassure me it won't come to that?

He also said if I cycle by leaning forward too much (moi?) then I could push even more of it out, and it won't go back in of its own accord.

Grr

Moan over. Lovely weather.......

Stone Glider

Oops, haven't anything funny to say about that Good luck, backs are funny things but absolutely serious.

Chaz.Harding

linsen

Tough break mate. All the best for a speedy recovery back to full cycling strength.

I have a dodgy knee at the moment (how original...), just hoping it will last 2 more races tomorow, then I can rest it for a while! Yay!!

jimmypippa

Having had sciatica four years ago, you have my sympathy.

I don't find an upright riding position too bad...

il_principe

Argh, Linsen you poor thing. Hope they can get it sorted with minimal fuss. You gonna get a second opinion?

-spider-

Best of luck, mate - hope you have a speedy recovery.

simon_ramsey

Will your bike be going cheap

No seriously wishing you a speedy recovery also.

Roastie

That sounds horrid. (Based on zero medical knowledge) I'm sure there must be a non-surgical solution. The idea of cutting bits off makes me shiver.

This might sound a bit odd, but have you considered Yoga to ease it back to health?

Kieran_Burns

Sounds like a very poor situation to be in....

Might I (half joking / half serious) suggest:

linsen

Thanks guys.

I am having an MRI scan and after that will give it another while to settle of its own accord - I would rather have some spells of discomfort every so often than have surgery. Just need to know that I am not doing myself permanent damage by not getting it dealt with.

jonginge

Linds, that sucks. Backs are tricky things, just ask Mr 66.

You could ask your consultant chap about inversion therapy. Heard anecdotal reports that it can allow prolapses to revert but best to check with an expert. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_therapy
Other than that some gentle core conditioning may be in order...

Hope it gets better without surgery :shock:

marcusjb

Hi there

Non-medical answer, but from my own experience of having a prolapsed disk about 8 years ago with a lot of loss of feeling in my left leg etc.

The consultant I saw said that getting in there with the Black and Deckers was usually not the first course of action.

After MRI scans, I was sent for a series of physiotherapy sessions - and that got things all sorted out pretty well in a timely manner. I occasionally still have a little pain there, but the excersises given to me there still help me out.

Certainly position sitting (be it at a desk or on a bike) makes a huge difference to the recovery of it.

I hope it doesn't come to neurosurgery - but wait until after the MRI and push for physio!

Good luck

Marcus

bledington

Had a microdiscectomy done four years ago after 12 months of sciatica that left me effectively paralysed.

It was the best thing I've ever done - full recovery with no pain after 6 weeks and as long as I keep up the exercises no problems since.

Good luck

Greg T

Lins,

That's rubbish - unlucky.

Good luck with getting your back sorted out. I quite like the recumbent idea - then you'll be a proper nut job.

LDN-Flyer

Oh dear, my fall on tuesday has left my knee in agony. I had to get the tube today

To top it off its my knee i have to wear a patella strap on to ski so already dodgy. Plus i'm going to Glasto in 2 weeks, and Borneo in 4. If this is a fracture i'm not gonna be a happy bunny.

PinkPedal

Linsen that sounds horrid, I hope that the docs have some better news soon.

On the not getting it seen too, my Mum had seriously prolapsed discs that weren't seen to when they should have been and she had to have a major operation and permanent side effects from it. She had leg numbness etc so may have been a fair bit worse than yours to start with, but do take notice if it becomes worse.

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

andytheflyer

Hi Linds,

If you have got to this stage, the winning post is in sight - really! I had the same problem for 5 years (increasingly painful, made me irritable, irrational and bloody-minded, tried doctors, osteopaths, physio, excercise, Pilates, accupuncture you name it - I tried it and nothing worked), and only when I became unable to walk, sit, lie down or anything else, my colleagues out abroad where I was working at the time took me to a local private hospital. Fortunately, I was able to pay for a private MRI scan (£100) and a consultation (£25), both of which within 12 hours. The surgeon said I needed the op (spinal decompression - like you) and if I gave him my credit card (for £10k....) I could have the op 3 days later.....

Sense prevailed and with the scans I went to my local A&E on return, they saw the problem, got in to see a surgeon 2 days later, and 3 months later I had the op. A day after the op they had me up and about (with a zimmer frame!) and 3 days later I walked (slowly) 2 miles to walk off my Christmas pud. Two months later back at work and I feel better now than for years. Surgeon told me to get some excercise, so went back to a bike.

The trick is to get a surgeon to take notice, once you have his attention don't let him wander off! That's why I say you are nearly there. Keep going - get the op and you won't look back (other than watching for numtpty car drivers trying to wipe you out..)

All the best for a speedy resolution from here.

lost_in_thought

Linds, that's dreadful, you poor thing. I don't know what the better option would be, but I hope you get it sorted out in the way you want to.

roger_merriman

Greg T wrote:

Lins,

That's rubbish - unlucky.

Good luck with getting your back sorted out. I quite like the recumbent idea - then you'll be a proper nut job.

indeed some of those bents are seriously quick though the ones plodding around RP are well slow, but more seriously sounds rubbish as other have said hope it can be sorted pronto.

DonDaddyD

Linds all the best and hope your back gets better.

Don't try to dodge the surgery though, a friend of mine did that in his teens. Months/year later went to the doctor and found out he had a broken hip and because he was walkig on it for so long (now this guy is nails) he wore away the bone and needed pins to hold it in place.

He now has one leg longer than the other...

Would a back rub help? I can arrange for the Greg's to give you one at the same time....

prawny

That is cack poor you, I especially don't like the sound of th no leaning forward thing, you might have to get a hybrid :?

tardington

Ouch, hope it all works out.

Recumbents are kinda cool. And apparently safer than other bikes (I read a while back).

greg66_tri_v2.0

prawny wrote:

That is cack poor you, I especially don't like the sound of th no leaning forward thing, you might have to get a hybrid :?

But that can come and go. In December, I couldn't ride a bike. By early this year, I could sit right on the nose of the saddle, bolt upright, and rest my fingertips on the bars (braking was reserved for emergencies - I kid you not).

Slowly I've got better and better, and now I can ride in the drops again without any problems.

So sure, back then leaning forwards was certainly doing me no good whatsoever. But there comes a point at which the damage repairs and the muscles strengthen each day a bit more than the day's riding causes damage. And then you're on the road to recovery.

@Linsen: wait to see what the MRI shows. One step at a time.

I know only one person who's had disc surgery, and she was bent double for six months (in her early 30s) before she had it done. Pretty obviously, if your quality of life is that impeded, then you've got to do something radical. But there's a lot that can be achieved by improving posture and core strength.

linsen

That's what I want to hear

I will think it better (and be sensible too)

prawny

I was only joking about the hybrid - poor choice of emoticons methinks!

Get thee well soon, whatever method it takes. I'm sure the Docs will make you better they aren't going to surgerize you unless it's the best option, and besides anaesthetics feel lovely mmmm

doog442

Did I not tell you ?

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... highlight=

serious post as i cant compete with the comediens on here

See your GP ASAP....you 'may' have a prolapsed disc...sciatica is a major sign. If your GP says you do....ask for an MRI ASAP...and when you are waiting dont see a physio,chiro or anyone else...stay off your bike until you know the score. Please dont let anyone mess with your back until you have an MRI scan

I didnt do any of the above and 9 months later after 2 epidurals im just getting back on the bike..had a prolapsed disc..try to run/cyle through it and paid for it also 12 courses of useless physio

just to add...my sciatica was down through my buttock, down my right thigh and 'pinched' on the right of my knee...down through my calf and into the small area to the right of my ankle bone..then down to my two smallest toes.....

classic symptons of L5/S1 prolapse[/quote]

ps you may get temp relief by lowering the saddle and raising the drops slightly

linsen

You did tell me and it seems you were right.

Physio was sensible enough to discontinue treatment after two sessions as he could see it was making it MUCH worse.

I will let you all know when I have had the MRI what the damage is - then you can all give me conflicting advice on what to do next

Luckily I have listened to my body and not done any madcap stuff lately. Even got the knitting back out :?

jimmypippa

Might as well post the obligatory warning about chiro...

http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=chiropractor+sued+death+neck

It can be a really bad idea to move the neck around based on a set of ideas that lack any connection to reality.

andrewjoseph

I had back pain for years, when it was eventually correctly diagnosed, it was too late to save the disk, the remnants had to be removed and various bits of bone packed in the space to fuse the two lower vertebra together.

this did the trick until another incident caused further permanent damage to my sciatic nerves.

get it sorted as soon as and listen to the surgeons advice.

doog442

linsen wrote:

You did tell me and it seems you were right.

Physio was sensible enough to discontinue treatment after two sessions as he could see it was making it MUCH worse.

I will let you all know when I have had the MRI what the damage is - then you can all give me conflicting advice on what to do next

Luckily I have listened to my body and not done any madcap stuff lately. Even got the knitting back out :?

anyway welcome to the club .... :roll: .ask your Doctor for Diclofenac..its an anti inflammatory that may assist your pain

I couldnt actually sit down for six whole weeks, in a chair on a bike , in a car...my life was either stood up straight or lying down..surreal

My Injury was 11 months ago...last week i put the saddle up towards its correct original height (before the accident) and my sciatica has returned with a vengeance

Ive been riding around on a dropped saddle with rasied drops but at least i can get out on the bike..

best of luck anyway

spursn17

I ruptured a disc paying golf (don't ask, we were playing for a meat pie!), I knackered my back pretty badly and gave up cycling. My physio was a chiropractor as well, fixed me good and gave me the methods to ease my back probs during the last 20 years.

Might be worth seeing one.