RE: got a prolapsed disk
Good evening Kev,
There is no firm evidence on the number of injections or dose. I tell my patients that they can be repeated 3 times a year but, to be honest, if they need them more often than that the injections probably haven't worked and I don't want these patients coming back every few weeks and blocking up my clinics. (This applies to private patients too-there are too many rip off merchants around who would be too happy to have patients come back every other week just so that they can take their money). The dose I use is 20mg Triamcinolone (a long acting steroid) per joint- 10-20 mg is the dose for smaller jionts elsewhere so I just chose this dose- no scientific evidence to back it up. The joints are small and the steriod is mixed with anaesthethic giving a volume of 1 ml. It is difficult to get even this amount into the joint so some must squirt back out when the needle is pulled out.
It sounds like just the x-ray and MRI still pictures were used to plan your injections rather than real-time x-ray screening. You would have had to be under an x-ray machine for x-ray guided injection. This is how they are often done because the radiologists are a bit possessive about their machines and the surgeons are possessive about their patients so the patients and the x-ray machines never meet up. I started doing them in the x-ray department because it freed up theatre space for more complicated operations but it works well for us. If it was done without x-ray screening all the more reason to have another try with it when it wears off.
RE: got a prolapsed disk
The real time x-rays are what i meant for when he decided where to put them. They came up on the screen in front of him so he could see where they were going. He left me a copy of one of the x-rays to show where all six had gone in. I was bent over on the bed and the machine was hovvered over me to take the pictures. It was done in a private hospital through medical insurance so i guess they were not bothered about how much it cost for the procedure unlike if it was done under the NHS.
Thanks for your advice on what they inject and how often it can be done, i dont see the point in going back every couple of weeks for more injections to be done, like you said if it hasnt worked the first few times its not worth keep re-doing the procedure and its time to look at other options.
RE: got a prolapsed disk
My unqualified opinion would be to get a decent bed, when I changed my bed to a harder bed it cleared up my pained back
RE: got a prolapsed disk
ORIGINAL: herbie
My unqualified opinion would be to get a decent bed, when I changed my bed to a harder bed it cleared up my pained back
Ive been and ordered a new one today and its coming within two weeks. Its a divan bed with a nice firm matteress. I layed on it and the springs supported my back loads more than my current bed. Its quite high too so when i get out of it i dont have as far to stand up, ive currently got my matteress on the floor which is better than on the bedstead for some reason but getting out of it means having to use my back a lot more first thing in the morning which is not easy.
RE: got a prolapsed disk
Hi
I too am relatively young...26 and suffer a prolapsed L5/S1 disc. I found out yesterday but have been in agony on and off for at least 3 years
Im frustrated and annoyed and mad!!
I guess i just wanted to find out how other people cope with this in every day life and things that have worked for them
I am trying to drink lots of water, im trying glucosamine and zinc and when Im able to i will try to walk. I seem to ahve episodes or weeks where im bad then weeks when im ok and weeks when im fine.
My doctor also said he would expect to see this amount of prolapse in a 80 yr old whats with that??
Regards
Bec
RE: got a prolapsed disk
Hi bex,
IVe tried glucosamine and chlorontin (sp?) tablets and they did nothing for me, except try to choke me with the size of them. Ive had my tablets changed recently to dihrdrocodine,baclofen,amitriptline,arthrotec,omaprazole and basic paracetomal. The paracetomal does nothing on its own for the pain but with the cocktail of other drugs it does help.
Have you been having physio? My new physio has had me doing core excersises to strengthen my lower back and it seems to be helping more. It is only a basic excersise, breathe out/pull in stomach as far as you can/hold for ten seconds but keep breatheing, but it helps to strengthen the muscles of your natural corset which supports your back.
Ive just had my new bed delivered with a firm matteress and ive been getting a better nights sleep with less pain in the morning due to being properly supported. When i lay down i dont get instant pain/spasm of my back anymore so its been a good investment. With having less pain during the night i wake up feeling more relaxed and the day goes much better without all the aches that i used to get, i still get good/bad days just more are good now 🙂
I dont know what causes the early onset on the back problems but my consultant thinks it could be genetic but he cant say for sure. Go to 10 different consultants and they will all tell you something different caused it.
Facet joint injections might be worth while for you, they are availabe on the nhs, you have to ask for a refferal from your doc to the pain clinic at your local hospital. Im not sure if they worked for me or if the physio has helped to sort my back out, its probably a mix of everything that has got me feeling better. Im even able to do the decorating in the house now, a few months ago i struggled to wash the pots so ive come on a long way from when it all started last may. Ive got three+ dehydrated discs from L5/S1 upto L1/L2 and a prolasped disc mixed in and i seem to be getting better so there must be hope for others with similar problems.
Try to not let it get you down, that can be the worse part of it. Just try to take it easy during your good weeks and the bad ones should get fewer and fewer.
RE: got a prolapsed disk
Hi! found this site whilst looking for something else. . . . .
I was a Marie Curie nurse for years and decided at 40 that working and lifting terminal patients on my own was getting a bit heavy for meand maybeit was time to give it up and go work nightsin a Sue Ryder home. ( 29 patients versus 2 staff members ) Had been there 3 months and even tho lady I worked withwas 6 inches taller than I we lifted great together andfor us it worked. Loved the job. Unfortunatly my work partner went of sick and they got a replacment in. NOW! this girl had on a staff nurses uniform. . . We went to turn James. We placed our hands under him I said ok then ? she said yes. I said 1 2 3 lift. . . . . I lifted she stepped back.James went into spasm and feel on me. Itwist as we went down. James landed on me so he had a soft landing 🙂 I look at the other nurse and saidwhy did you let go. Her reply was. . I have never lifed anyone before this is my first time nursing. So she had, hadno training just the uniform! For me, that one moment changed my life. I lay in a drugged haze and looked at theceilings for 2 years. At first, just someone moving near me was terrible. Up shot was lost my husband. Missed out on the growing up of my youngest 2 children. BUT the spirtual lesson I learnt was huge. Learnt to communicate with and work for spirit.
BUT. . . DIHYDOCODEINE ( DF118 ). Prescription only and isvery good at controlling the pain. Although be warned it can make you constipated which has the knock on effectof making the pain worse. (So sort the diet.) AND take VERY gentle exercise. . Yoga is good, which I now teach. Good luck!
Namasat Gillie
RE: got a prolapsed disk
Hi all,
I too have a prolapsed disc and sympathise totally with everyone, it's horrible. It's been4 months now. Tried Chiropractor and acupuncture before I had a Cortisone injection 7 weeks ago and am on anti inflammatory pills, Paracetemol and Diazapam. The drug haze is bringing me down and I am still in pain...aching buttocks and sciatica. No doubt I am much better than I was around Christmas but any length of time on my feetleads tonumb legs and dull ache in one or both legs. I also have an occasional daggerlike hip thing going on.
I figure I have two options. Take to my bed forever or dig deep and face up to it. I really want to fight this thing and feel like throwing caution to the wind and at the very least getting back in the pool for some exercise. Can I do myself more damage by ignoring the pain and start getting back to normal? My physio says It's normal to still have discomfort and that I should get active but it really really hurts and to be honest I am scared.
I would appreciate anyone's advice. Is it normal to still be in pain? How long can it take to heal? Do I have to accept that pain is going to be a way of life from now on?
Thanks so much
RE: got a prolapsed disk
Many excellent feeds from those in the field, and from those with DIRECT experience.
I work as a movement therapist/ health practitioner, who has had a prolapsed disk, and would like to offer a different perspective.
Of course, many of the conditions (outlined above), have different causes and levels of severity, so the response will be different in each case.
My suggestion (again dependant upon how drugged up one is), is this: When lying down (rest), whether in bed or on the floor, FOCUS on your breathing. If possible, bend the knees to 90 degrees (or a position of comfort); this will have a de-compressive effect on your spine, and may go some way to pain-relief. Now, place both hands on the belly (lower tantien in tai-chi/ taoist practices). This WILL create an energetic potential between your hands and belly (abdomen). This personal sensitivity, will enable you to deepen your breathing, and willcreate elastic movement of breathing, more deeply than is the norm'. This postion is most similar to the basic lying position, found in Alexander Technique. When practised regularly, you may find that your belly becomes warm & you FEEL a sense of energy growing there (belly-button area). What now? Well, in Taoism/ tai-chi, this would be labelled chi; which then with practice of INTENTION, can be directed to the area needing it most (disks et al). Again,it is impossible to focus on anything else, if you are focused on your breathing (pain aside). Although this may make the pain more apparent, I would suggest this IS part of the healing process. Call it BECOMING AWARE of your/ the pain. Only if we are aware of something, can we heal it.
NB: When in pain, the muscles spasm to control & suppress movement, AS DOES PAIN. It is there (PAIN), as amessage to get you to STOP & PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY. THINK about that!!! Before we experience this type of pain, how much attention we DO pay to OUR body. In general, not much...
Exercise methods, such as tai-chi & yoga teach help you to re-member your physical energetic potential, and sustain balance/ life... naturally.
On a final note, I use this breathing method (embryonic breathing) with every client, as it forms a foundation for excellent posture... breathe precedes movement.
Wish you all well ~ M
RE: got a prolapsed disk
Hi guys,
I am 24 and been suffering with a prolapsed disc for 2 years now.
I cannot tell you how relieved I am just to find this discussion board!! Finally feel like I am not alone in my illness!!
I have been in physio for 2 years on and off, and that has not really helped me much at all.
I've also been taking DICLOFENAC and CO-DYDROMOL and DIAZEPAM for the pain and they help me but only temporarily and they all have side-effects I hate - the diclofenac give me SUCH bad heart burn it's agonising!
Anyway, I have been to the doctors this morning and cried my eyes out saying I felt helpless and now, after TWO YEARS, the NHS are sending me to see a specialist at the hospital...I have never even been given an MRI scan and I have been in A&E 3 times!!
I have come to the conclusion that the NHS in my area (North London) is SOOOO drastically exhausted and that this is making me worse in that my back is a lot worse now than it was 2 years ago, and id I'd been on private healthcare I'd've been sorted right from the start.
I went to see a private oesteopath, which is £40 for half an hour, and that helped me but I only went 2 or 3 times and I cannot afford to go again.
The oesteopath said he thinks that the nerve has irritated my joint and that that is now also a cause of the pain - does this sound correct to anybody?
When I walk and I put my hand on the back of my hip I can feel a VERY disctinct clicking and this is worrying me also.
Any advice would be great.
Thanks guys.
Thom
: )
Hello all, new to this forum..Im in agony prolapse disc waiting for a MRI scan..Left leg numb, intense pain top of buttock etc etc My question is this / Has anyone tried these people www.spinabackclinic.com ?? They propose a 20 week therapy which I Think they combine with some decompression round the affected area thereby lowering the pessure inside the vertabrae and sucking in the pulp which has exuded. I will ring and check them out. Been like this for 3 months and no better..Im expecting surgery recommenmdation so Im lookin at options. Next on my list is www.chesterphysio.co.uk. These guys I have rung already and they have a PAMM system (Power Assisted Micro Mobilisation Machine). I need to ring back (s'cuse the pun) once MRI rec'd.. This machine works on prolapses as well as other back problems .There are a few PAMM machine practioners round the country and they will give you the list. The other option is the Pettibon system.. http://pettibonsystem.com/ but this looks longer term. People, we need to mobilise and start phoning faxing emailing and stop relying on painkillers from an industry interested only in treating the symptoms. Bioflow magnets I know have worked for some people, put bioflow magnets/ prolapse disc into google for nearest suppliers. Prolotherapy, intradiscal electrothermal annuplasty, laser discectomy, radiofrequency decompression, chymopapain injection, percutaneous enoscopic lumbar discectomy..We need to combine here to give hope back to us all. If you have access to a computer please reply to me and we can give everybody a chance to research their own niche and comeback with statistics Invasive? Success rate %? Proof? as in double blind studies etc. Cost etc etc, WE can do this. It took me 2 hours to research on google and Im sure my resaerch is not conclusive. Good luck to you all, Sean 🙂
hello ,
I am from the United States and have seen some very good advise on here for back issues this thread alone ! I want to say Steve im very glad your back procedure worked well for you however theres a flip side and I am that flip side and i feel everyone should know before making any decisions on surgery even if they feel they have no where turn . I had hernaited disc's had discectomy in 2003 and it left me disabled i am on top notch pain meds and will be rest of my life i am 37 yrs old . (yes codein is addictive) i am currently on Methadone for pain and percocet . (yes methadone is same drug they use for herion addicts ) but in some cases they use it for pain purposes like mine . The surgery changed my life forever not only has it left me in more pain , it financially ruined me and i cant sleep in same bed as my husband etc etc , it changes everything ! Try all you can before making any decisons on surgery it does help people like Steve but it can also ruin a life and trust me you dont want to walk in my shoes and this had nothing to do with having a bad dr or malpractice or anything like that this is the raw truth they dont tell you is a possibility . I asked Odds before i had surgery it was over 81% and second surgeries even if first works out great always always are far less ! Id give anything in the world to turn back the clock and NOT have had that one surgery . Water therapy is excellent for ppl with back problems i am now seeking that myself and when u get back to atleast being able to do some things remember that walking and strengthening the core of your body is key to a good strong back i do all thes things no matter what . I am addicted to pain pills but it is what it is and without them id have no life at all , but dont let pain take you down be strong and stay strong and seek all options before considering surgery ..snakieee
Bit of an update for you all. Ive been relatively pain free for around 6 or so months and then the injections started to wear off and was getting bad back ache all over again. On monday i went to Chesterfield Royal hospital and had another set of four injections done and this time they are loads better. I had it done on the NHS this time instead of going private and it was a different experiance altogether. I was in a ward with eight others, mainly in their 60s+, and was checked in by the nurse and had to sign a disclaimer form. The doc came round and said i would be second in today so not too far down the waiting list for the day. I was taken to a small xray room and laid out on the bed, a nice flat one instead of the last one which had me bent over with my backside out for everyone to look at. They put the anithestic in and kept checking i was ok. I said last time i ended up with a bit of oxygen when they put the steroid in but they said i wont feel a thing. And i didnt!! I couldnt believe how quick and pain free it was this time, i barely felt it going in, only a tiny bit of pressure around the area. After about ten minutes of arriving in the room i was back on my up to the ward. Cup of coffee later and a nip to the toilet (got to go before you can leave) and the nurse said you can get dressed now, your wife has been called and shes on her way to collect you. I went in at eight and was gone before eleven. Last time i was in at eight and didnt leave untill half six.
The 'normal' pain has gone already but im still a bit bruised and sore from where they put the injections in. There were only four this time instead of six as the doc didnt want to spread it about too much, so this time ive got a higher concentration in a smaller area and its working.
Anybody looking at having these done, get them when you can. It makes a big difference to what you can do with daily living. Ive just had a baby daughter nine weeks ago and it was hard to feed her, hold her etc but now, only a few days after the injections, and it is loads easier to feed her, carry her around and do all the normal things i should be doing.
Its good to see a lot of people have been getting help from this thread, 4300 views and three pages of replys. Ill keep you updated as things go on, i hope these will last around 6 months and then get them done again.This thread could drag on for quite a while, i think its been over a year since it was started and still going strong.
Hi, new to this group. I am suffering from three prolapsed discs and am really struggling. Have two young kids and lost my wife to cancer 6 weeks ago and really have no idea how I am going to manage things now.
I am particularly interested to know if Supersister got anywhere with www.spinabackclinic.com. I had disc decompression in Thailand which appeared to improve two of the discs but made the third worse. I only returned to the UK 6 weeks ago and amazed how little there is about it. So Supersister please keep us posted. Also has anyone tried the Backrack www.backrack.co.uk)? Again really interested in any feedback.
I found this forum last week and tried to post a message, but it does not seem to have got through. I feel I should give some background first.
As a 54 year old male (not overweight and otherwise in fairly good general health, although have suffered from nerves, probably Clinical depression since 1986, a condition which has worsened considerably from a couple of weeks after the recent back problems started; until being recently prescribed antidepressants, I was sleeping very poorly) I have suffered from lower back pain on and off for 30 years, although on only 3 occasions (1978, 1988 and from late July 2008) has it been really bad; the present time has been the worst by far in terms of how long I have been in pain (c. 2 months now) and also off work (off for about 6 weeks, then back 2 and now off again as the pain, aggravated by sitting down, bending and twisting, etc, has got worse again, although I did try to get up as much as possible. I believe that the present bout was a delayed reaction (by a day or so) to overdoing it at the gym (doing exercises which may strain the back such as hyperextensions and sit-ups, etc). I also have a numbness in my lower left leg and foot, and some pain (sometimes shooting or neuralgic) in the right side, spreading at times to other parts of the body, which I never had before. As well as attending the gym regularly until the recent problems I spend a lot of time I dont smoke and rarely touch alcohol or eat excessive junk foods, etc.
Although I am no doctor, from what I have read about back problems, the symptoms (pain radiating down the left back, buttock, thigh and foot, and at times around the front of the groin) does seem to indicate a prolapsed disc.
My late father suffered from similar back trouble for many years although no-one else in my family seemsto have suffered with disc problems.
Using ice-packs does give some temporary relief. I have also gone for private physiotherapy (as there is a longish wait for NHS physiotherapy) in the form of massage of back and buttocks, which does seem to give temporary relief although still have to watch my movements and also cannot lift substantial weights. Walking and swimming (on my back only) seem to help somewhat but during one session of the latter (just before I went back to work) I felt a twinge at the left side of the buttock(this was when I was well warmed up), since when the pain has got substantially worse again (this also happened in bed the other night); I now feel I have to be very careful about over-doing things, even though the amount of walking and swimming was fairly moderate.
Before the recent re-lapse(s) the physiotherapist gave me 1 session of Pilates type exercises (he was loath to prescribe exercise for the first few visits) but after the relapse he has continued with massage.
In 2002 I developed dropped arches (aka "flat feet); could this have contributed to the problems, in that it may have stretched certain muscles or tendons beyond their proper length? I went to a chiropodist who got heel supports made, which certainly helped. I went to him again recently and he said the supports needed replacing; he took a plaster cast and I am awaiting new supports soon).
Some years ago I bought a "Backswing" (a gravity inversion device which enables you to hang at about 45 deg. to the vertical or so) from Health at Home, and more recently the "Flexibak", a wooden structure on which you lie flat and which decompresses the spine, from [DLMURL] http://www.flexi-sports.co.uk [/DLMURL] ). Both seem to help to some extent (I suspect would help more at the prevention stage, or if one had recovered to a large extent). In the manual of the latter it says that one should consult your doctor, etc, if you have a prolapsed disc, before using it. I didn't notice this at first!
I would be grateful if anyone can confirm that I indeed have a prolapsed disc, and make any comments on the 2 decompression items (Backswing and Flexibar) if they have direct or indirect experience of these.
I also came across a link on the Internet describing the "Mobiliser" http://www.backinaction.co.uk/mobiliser
It apparently costs £2,495 (THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE VAT, SO MUST BE NEARLY £3.000), though can be hired at £150 per month). There was a fairly favourable review from the Ministry of Defence who were using it to treat injured soldiers. According to http://www.backinaction.co.uk/mobiliser-condition it can be used to treat prolapsed discs.