My story in full if nothing else.....

I've posted on a few threads but not gone into much detail as to my problem and to be honest by comparison to some of the stories i've read on here i may well be lucky, time will tell!

My story only started about 12 months ago when i started to get a dull ache in the lower back. I've often had twinges going back years so thought nothing of it if im being honest. A week or so later and it was still present so i made an appointment to see my GP. At the time i was employed and had been as a delivery driver for a small print company and no heavy lifting was involved really. It was just the sheer amount of time i would spend behind the wheel of a van with a poor posture that has become my downfall. Anyway, having met with the GP, by this time the dull ache had subsided and been replaced by a pain in the left leg, particularly in the hamstring and buttock region. Again, i must reiterate, at this point it was not too severe. Anyway the GP diagnosed sciatica as my leg straightness test that she carried out was poor. I was prescribed Naproxen and Co-Dydyramol and an MRI was arranged. As the weeks turned into months we reached July of last year and the pain although still not reaching my knee at this point had slowly got worse so the Co-Dydramol was replaced with Co-Codamol. The MRI appointment then arrived and off i went, when the results were returned to my GP i received a letter stating i needed to make a non-urgent appointment with my GP to discuss the findings. Anyway, having done this my GP explained i needed to be referred to a consultant and it was left at that. I finally met the consultant early August 2012 and he explained having looked at my MRI i had a herniation at L5S1 and early signs of a similar problem at L4 region and that i was a prime candidate for a discectomy. I explained i was very reluctant so he said i could try PT but thought it would be a waste of time, but i was prepared to try anything to avoid surgery! By now the pain had reached my behind the knee and was spreading into the calf but i would hobble to the PT sessions (aswell as continue to work) but after 4 sessions it was apparent i was not benefiting from it so they ceased and i was now back in the hands of the consultant. My next appointment with him had been scheduled for May of this year, six months later! Whilst all this was going on, and for the last three years of my life i had also been studying the London Knowledge to become a London Black Cabbie and passed in January of this year. So it was through gritted teeth and my Naproxen and Co-Codamol that i started work as a self employed London Cabbie on January 10th 2013. Having completed a little over two weeks work earning in a week what i was earning in a month previously that i woke on Saturday 2nd February 2013 to the most horrific pain throughout the entire left leg! I have not worked since!!!!!!! The first 11 days or so i did not leave the bedroom except for a crawl to the GPs to explain the situation and that the tablets were no longer helping, i was then prescribed a weeks worth of Diazepam 2mg and Paracetamol/Dihidrocodeine. These took a while to really kick in but im pleased to say they now do help a little. It was from my bed during this period of being laid up that i discovered this site and a local Osteopath who works alongside Dr Martin Knight at their Harley Street Clinic on certain days. I rang him out of desperation and he asked that i popped down. This was to turn out to be the most painful, frustrating and debilitating journey of my life to date and if i never have to go through anything like that again i'll be a happy man! On arriving i was shaking like a leaf, not from fear but the body had gone into panic mode as the pain was unbearable and i clearly could not sit or stand so was kindly taken into one of the treatment rooms to lay on the bed. After a shortwhile the osteopath came in and looked at my MRI and report and saw how severe the damage was with his own eyes. It was at this point he went through all my options with me and explained about the IDD Therapy and machine i have talked about previously. Its not cheap but paying for a block of ten gives a reduction. My grandfather paid the bulk of it and i topped it up and had my first one there and then. To expect a miracle after only one treatment would be silly but the benefit of this treatment is if you have them every other day the relief gets slightly better each time. As of today i have now had eight sessions and was explained for this to work i will probably need upto about 20 sessions in total if not more. After 3 i was able to be mobile to an extent and the pain was reducing. Now after 8 most of the pain has gone! Im from 11/10 to maybe 3/10 at the moment. (Im touching wood writing this!) There is still some pins and needles in the sole of my left foot but im happy to put up with this for now as opposed to the horrendous pain of the sciatica at its worse! Im now considering going back to work Thursday, im nto going to go silly, i know i have to look after my body and my back and will be buying lumbar supports etc and continue with the exercises given, aswell as pay for a further ten sessions of IDD. I did have a meeting with a registrar who works alongside my consultant orthopedic surgeon and still contested the surgery so the next option before surgery is a lumbar epidural which he has arranged but is probably several weeks away. I also insisted on a new MRI, so i can ask my osteopath and consultant for their opinions if the herniation had reduced in size due tot he IDD. I have already been given a date for the MRI, March 25th 2013 so only 4 weeks away but i'd be interested to know how the two images compare. Im not saying IDD is the answer long term but it has certainly given me some relief and the hope to return to work atleast in the short term but come Thursday, when i get behind the wheel of my cab again i might find out the hard way that i still am not ready but here's hoping with everything possible there is to cross i am!!!

Ive been keeping a diary since i started the IDD Therapy, if anyone wants to read it and monitor how i've progressed through it id be happy to share it. contact me via PM with your email details and ill send a copy back to you.

This site has been a godsend, reading the success stories whether it be surgery or not we all aim for one thing and that's lasting pain free backs and legs! And for that i'll raise a glass!!

Want to wish Emlou, continued recovery and Yogi the very best of luck tomorrow! As ive said before, i do believe one day i will end up right where you both are but in the meantime im still fighting this ******* all the way!

Take care, good luck and good health to you all! :):):):)