poor me

linsen

I have had the MRI scan and been to see the doc.

My disc between L4 and L5 has degenerated to the point where some of it has bulged out, pressing against the nerve root and causing the pain. There is no room for the nerve to go anywhere, not enough disc to remove any of it and not much hope that it will get better on its own, as it is a mechanical thing, not a swelling. So he has proposed removing some of the bone to make room.

In the meantime he has suggested an injection of local anaesthetic - more to satisfy himself that he has located the right spot than as a cure I think. He did say that some people have this and then never need any other treatment, but reckons it is unlikely in my case.

I am NOT a happy bunny.

Long-term prognosis is good, however, and should be back cycling and walking (my two real passions) at some point.

Anyone wanna borrow a road bike?

DonDaddyD

I'm actually very very squeamish (I can't watch Casualty :oops: )

I got to the bottom of the second paragraph and nearly passed out....

Hope you get better soon Linsen!

linsen

DonDaddyD wrote:

I'm actually very very squeamish (I can't watch Casualty :oops: )

I got to the bottom of the second paragraph and nearly passed out....

Hope you get better soon Linsen!

Thank you DDD

For the meantime at least I shall maintain my presence on BR as a heckler - you lot amuse me far too much for me to defect to "knitting radar" (or similar)

cjcp

Sorry to hear this, Linsen. Hope you're back on your bike soon.

Cafewanda

Hi Linsen, sorry to hear about your back but pleased to know there is a good prognosis.

Stay here and keep heckling

always_tyred

I think you should take to drink. Spirits, from a brown paper bag. Then mumble to complete strangers about the pain (I also suggest sudden changes in volume).

From that point, things will only get better.

linsen

Always Tyred wrote:

I think you should take to drink. Spirits, from a brown paper bag. Then mumble to complete strangers about the pain (I also suggest sudden changes in volume).

From that point, things will only get better.

But what should I do differently?

tailwindhome

linsen wrote:

For the meantime at least I shall maintain my presence on BR as a heckler (or similar)

*tries to think of witty comment linking Linsen, AT, sciatica, cycling and the muppets, to be delivered without causing offence to any one and amusing all. Fails*


Get well soon.

lost_in_thought

Ack, you poor thing. That's dreadful.

girv73

Ouch ouch ouch linsen. I can't offer any advice, just sympathy from a fellow back and nerve pain sufferer.

I don't think mine is as bad as yours, but annoyingly it manifests as a semi-dead right leg which seriously affects, you know, that whole cycling lark. Sounds just like marcusjb in fact.

Aguila

linsen wrote:

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.

They cannot possibly say whether you need surgery without the MRI first. They cannot even say you have a disc prolapse till the imaging is done. Wait and see what it shows.

Porgy

Take lots of Vitamin B.

I don't know if it will help - but it does make your pee go bright yellow.

il_principe

Arh poor Linsen. Assume you'll not be riding the New Forest Challenge then.

Hope this gets sorted soon and sorted properly. Best of luck.

linsen

Il Principe wrote:

Arh poor Linsen. Assume you'll not be riding the New Forest Challenge then.

Hope this gets sorted soon and sorted properly. Best of luck.

Seems I am not, no. But hotel (well, B and facilities still available - I shall come hurl abuse at you all for being so slow

linsen

to revive the "all about me" thread....

After a hideous episode of lower back pain (I have witnesses who will testify that I was the one who loooked like she had ridden 95 miles last weekend, not the others), and the intermittent sciatica, I have woken up today and spent the day walking like a normal person and even smiling on occasion. I haven't pushed my luck and gone out for a massive ride to celebrate, but I can all of a sudden touch my toes again.

All very strange.

Now, the question is, do I go and have this treatment on Monday (a nerve root block) if the nerve seems fine at the moment? From the MRI scan it looks like teh problem won't go away on its own - except it seems it sort-of has.

I am not quite sure what to make of it. I shall now go and ponder what to do in a nice warm bath with a glass of wine.

cjcp

I have no idea, but well done on touching your toes!

DonDaddyD

linsen wrote:

Now, the question is, do I go and have this treatment on Monday (a nerve root block) if the nerve seems fine at the moment? From the MRI scan it looks like teh problem won't go away on its own - except it seems it sort-of has.

I am not quite sure what to make of it. I shall now go and ponder what to do in a nice warm bath with a glass of wine.

I am no doctor, but I had a friend with a promising (and I mean could of turned pro) football career. After a brutal tackle he had a hip pain and attempted to walk it of over the process of a few months (black people don't like going to doctors was his reasoning/arrogance) - nails!

Eventually he went to the doctors.

My friend now has three pins holding his broken hip together, which has slightly been ground away as the seperated bone was rubbing together. He also has one leg shorter than the other and it has stunted his growth, the effect makes him skip as he walks, which looks like a gangsta bop... but still... and despite all of this he is somehow still a better footballer than all my friends even those that play semi pro.... brings a tear to my eye watching him play.

I'd get the treatment.

itboffin

linsen wrote:

to revive the "all about me" thread....

After a hideous episode of lower back pain (I have witnesses who will testify that I was the one who loooked like she had ridden 95 miles last weekend, not the others), and the intermittent sciatica, I have woken up today and spent the day walking like a normal person and even smiling on occasion. I haven't pushed my luck and gone out for a massive ride to celebrate, but I can all of a sudden touch my toes again.

All very strange.

Now, the question is, do I go and have this treatment on Monday (a nerve root block) if the nerve seems fine at the moment? From the MRI scan it looks like teh problem won't go away on its own - except it seems it sort-of has.

I am not quite sure what to make of it. I shall now go and ponder what to do in a nice warm bath with a glass of wine.

chapeau young lady i'm v pleased to hear that good news use the mobility to its fullest ASAP

il_principe

linsen wrote:

to revive the "all about me" thread....

After a hideous episode of lower back pain (I have witnesses who will testify that I was the one who loooked like she had ridden 95 miles last weekend, not the others), and the intermittent sciatica, I have woken up today and spent the day walking like a normal person and even smiling on occasion. I haven't pushed my luck and gone out for a massive ride to celebrate, but I can all of a sudden touch my toes again.

All very strange.

Now, the question is, do I go and have this treatment on Monday (a nerve root block) if the nerve seems fine at the moment? From the MRI scan it looks like teh problem won't go away on its own - except it seems it sort-of has.

I am not quite sure what to make of it. I shall now go and ponder what to do in a nice warm bath with a glass of wine.

This is indeed good news, but I'd seek some medical advice if I were you!!

Greg T

Homeopathy.

No not really.

Good old hard drugs and intervention western medicine.

I have no idea but do watch Scrubs. I'd ask the quack what they think.

greg66_tri_v2.0

linsen wrote:

to revive the "all about me" thread....

After a hideous episode of lower back pain (I have witnesses who will testify that I was the one who loooked like she had ridden 95 miles last weekend, not the others), and the intermittent sciatica, I have woken up today and spent the day walking like a normal person and even smiling on occasion. I haven't pushed my luck and gone out for a massive ride to celebrate, but I can all of a sudden touch my toes again.

All very strange.

Now, the question is, do I go and have this treatment on Monday (a nerve root block) if the nerve seems fine at the moment? From the MRI scan it looks like teh problem won't go away on its own - except it seems it sort-of has.

I am not quite sure what to make of it. I shall now go and ponder what to do in a nice warm bath with a glass of wine.

I've had a similar experience in the past. To me, this screams out that the source is bio-mechanical: something is not sitting in the right place, leading to surrounding soft tissue going into spasm to protect it, and to pressure on of displacement of a disc. Something you do clicks - accidentally - the offending thing back into the right place. The pressure comes off the disc, and the soft tissue calms down.

I have to admit that whenever I've explained this idea to any health professional, they say "well, maybe", with a look in their eyes of "Oh dear. Another internet doctor. Give me strength".

However, this much I'd say is certain. Right now is the time to start on your core muscle work. The best thing I've found to do is plank, plus left sidde plank, plus right side plank. To begin with I could hold each for about 30 secs - just. Try to work up to > 1 min on each.

always_tyred

Greg T wrote:

Homeopathy.

No not really.

Good old hard drugs and intervention western medicine.

I think if you found god it might help. Its been scientifically proven that a combination of homeopathy, god and astrology is more effective than feng shui.

linsen

Always Tyred wrote:

Greg T wrote:

Homeopathy.

No not really.

Good old hard drugs and intervention western medicine.

I think if you found god it might help. Its been scientifically proven that a combination of homeopathy, god and astrology is more effective than feng shui.

give over!

Christophe3967

Well that's good news - but you do need to get advice to find out why it happened and, as has already been said, get to work on core strengthing. Pilates, physio, osteo, chiro - whatever - can all be effective in different scenarios, so be prepared to try lots of things and be patient.

always_tyred

I'd go on Monday and at least talk about it. The specialist might, for example, say "Oh, they often come and go, but never go away completely unless you re-arrange all your furniture"

Or, you might be able to postpone doing anything but still be "in the system" and not at the back of the queue again.

You know what caused it to flare up - cycling. I'd suggest not cycling again for now. If it stays away, then you might be in a position to explore ways to strengthen/balance to see if you can cycle again without it flaring up.

Whatever you do, don't listen to idiots on a cycling forum.

linsen

Always Tyred wrote:

I'd go on Monday and at least talk about it. The specialist might, for example, say "Oh, they often come and go, but never go away completely unless you re-arrange all your furniture"

Or, you might be able to postpone doing anything but still be "in the system" and not at the back of the queue again.

You know what caused it to flare up - cycling. I'd suggest not cycling again for now. If it stays away, then you might be in a position to explore ways to strengthen/balance to see if you can cycle again without it flaring up.

Whatever you do, don't listen to idiots on a cycling forum.

I try not to

I am well aware of the benefits of core strength - mine is actually very good. I will see what the specialists say - have to say the sciatica is creeping back today, so fear that furniture will indeed need to be re-arranged.

For now, I am being a good girl and just looking at the road bike. The MTB goes out to the shops on occasion, but that doesn't count

Greg T

Work on your pelvic floor and core stability.

I saw a show once involving ping pong balls, a basketball hoop and a pint of lager. If you can master that I'm sure your back pain will be forgotten, by me certainly.

Have you considered some sort of teepee and chanting therapy?

Jen J

Hey stranger

Nothing to add that hasn't already been said above, go on Monday, see what they say, blah blah.

Just wanted to say hello and sorry you're still not fixed

fossyant

So what's involved in a nerve block..... eek....

I've got my appointment with my consultant after my MRI and nerve scans (two months ago) this coming monday (caused by a car way back in December)... the knackered AC joint is knackered, but it's nerve damage I'm currently interested in as that's giving me all the pain in my arm, fingers and shoulder blade area....

Do take up the treatment, especially if you want back on the bike. Good Luck !

marchant

Good luck with the appointment; after 4 years under a Urologist I got referred to a specialist pain consultant, who was worth his weight in gold. Those four years were spent in not inconsiderable pain (male forumites, just think of what it felt like 10 minutes after you last received a injury in the nether regions. Yes, there. For four years) but three nerve blocks later I'm pain-free (two coeliac plexus blocks and one splanchnic nerve block, if you're interested). The cause of the pain wasn't cycling related, but it certainly kept me off a bike.
Nerve blocks are generally injections of local anaesthetic into nerves, although sometimes alcohol or other techniques may be used. It may hurt, mine were done under sedation 'cos ithey didn't want me to move.
Edited once, for spelling