am i alone is this normal

nh_user_41786 · October 10, 2013, 10:19pm

Hi

Been reading here for a while. Diagnosed with probable l4/l5 herniation. Been in constant pain for 8 weeks. At the Moment I get pain free well almost for about 1 hour after resting. Then it starts to come back with back ache constant dull and deep. . Hip pain leg pain. This is both legs. Constant toothache of the leg well thigh. Rarely goes below knee. Electric shocks in hips that drop me to my knees. Sleeping on floor for most of.time .just got new orthopaedic marattress as could not sleep on our soft memory foam one.

can't sit for more than that 20 mins. Stand for 40 maybe before my leg goes weak. Off work as sit at desk all day. Just wanted to know this is all normal. Hoping for mri within next 7 days. Money does talk it seems as saw consultant privately.

He said next step steroid injections.

I'm.on tramadol but I get sick. And cocodamol 30/500 not that they do much for the legs.

Am I alone.

nh_user_41786 · October 10, 2013, 10:20pm

PS this happened after falling asleep on sofa for 2 hours. Previous disc problem Oct 2011 due to go kart incident. Was nothing like this. Have also had 8 physio sessions.

Thanks.

anon53727290 · October 15, 2013, 12:47am

Hi,

Just signed up to this because of your post. If nothing else it's to say you're not alone.

I've just turned 25, started getting hip pain in June, ignored it, followed by mild-mod lower back pain which I thought was just because is been doing much more desk work than usual.

At the beginning of August I was finishing it quite sore to walk, but by the end of the month couldn't even walk 100 meters without being in tons and tons of sweat and absolute agony, felt like my leg was going to explode.

Been having really similar symptoms to you, back pain is mild but the leg pain goes right from my foot to my ankle, exactly like you said...a toothache but sometimes I move and get a huge shooting pain down my leg, which often turns in to a cramp which won't ease for hours sometimes. I gradually developed numbness too, started in by big toe but now all the way up my calf, and tend to get pins and needles too.

I insisted on an MRI which shoes I have a massive protruding disc with herniation that is impinging on L4 and 5 nerve roots, so I've been referred to the neurosurgeons.

I've heard it can take ages to get the surgery, but it's just killing me at the moment....can't sleep, can't even make myself a decent meal or pop to the shops. Completely destroying me.

So...no...you're most certainly not alone.

Just can't tell you what happens next sorrt

anon53727290 · October 18, 2013, 11:00am

Hi all,

My empathy is with you, i've been very active and sporty since a young age (i'm now 45) and about five years ago something as simple as reaching over to the passenger seat of my car with my right arm to pick up a very heavy shopping bag did something in my back which caused excruciating pain and spasms and a weakness in my left leg which was treated with diazepam and a high dose of co-codamol.

Symptoms eased over a period of time and i just thought i'd pulled a muscle.

I returned to exercise over a period of time but it's since suddenly "gone" three times in the last two years and I have a constant tooth-ache like feeling in my lower back and ocassionally an electric shock like feeling in lower back and left leg, it's more of an irritation most of the time.

Anyway, last year it went and i was in so much pain, couldn't straighten my back from a lean to the left and forward and my girlfriend took me to A&E, to be honest they weren't much help and told me to go home. rest and take some anti-inflamatories!!

I wasn't happy so saw my GP and contacted my private health provider through work who recommended physio which I went along with and I have to say it did help with the general pain. I saw two physio's who both said the same thing, that i had a disc prolapse but physio and exercise would help......

That was March/April 2012 and i continued to exercise but get a stiffening of my lower back, still the odd electric shock feeling and a numb left leg down to the foot.

On 22nd September this year after a usual regular aerobics session i came home and was just making some dinner, picked up a pan and bang, excruciating pain down my left side, down my leg and i collapsed to the floor and literally had to crawl to bed and lie down for a few hours before I could even contemplate trying to stand up.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, i phoned my private medical people who again recommended physio which I refused and said I wanted to to see a consultant ASAP, I've had an MRI which shows that one of the discs is seriously worn and prolapsed and has recommended a left S1 nerve root block which i hope to get done next week.

It's a bit odd but i was asked which was worse, the leg or back pain, well that depends really, when it goes it's both and as it eases it's more of a general leg numbness and weakness for a while which causes the discomfort, plus sleeping is a real problem.

So.....anyone had this procedure and then had to go onto surgery? The consultant said the disc is shot and it's clearly visible from MRI that its much thinner and darker than the rest, plus the prolapse.

Finally, I would recommend to anyone, be very firm with your GP that you want this taken seriously, they usually listen and i'm not sure people who've never had disc or back problems really realise the pain it causes.

nh_user_41786 · October 27, 2013, 12:02pm

Hi all

An update. Had my MRI. Results are in but apparently I have to wait for them til December !! Useless NHS. I have started a new drug. Amitripyline. Seems yo be working been on for 2 weeks now. Dulls the pain from sharp electric style pain to dull pain. Still nerves I think but its just duller. Anyone used this before. Makes me sleepy as hell.

anon53727290 · November 6, 2013, 12:38pm

Hi Nathan

Your not alone with this!! I`ve experienced all of the above symptoms!!

I`m 42 now, and first starting having back pain about 6 years ago, can`t remember exactly how it started, but i did nothing more than i had been doing in work for the last few years! Any how after a few weeks and few physio sessions, copious amounts of co-codamol, back seemed fine, although told theres a weakness and it could "go" at anytime!

Well in the intervening years it`s gone a few times, but it was always a case of pain killers taking it easy for a few weeks and it`d ease, in all that time I never took any more than a week off work, was just a bit more carefull in what i did, as they say to keep yourself active, and it always seemed to work.

Now this year it went in May, the Friday before the mayday bank holiday, went through the rountine of seeing doctor, getting pain killers, week off work!

Only this time it wouldn`t go, infact it seemed to get worse, went back to the doctor in june who just signed me up to physio, although there is a waiting list! but i carried on working, popping co-codamol like smarties, taking over 20 most days just to get through! so back to the doctors, put on stronger pain killers, tramadol, and the list for a mri scan!!

Another month goes by and the pain gets worse, so by mid August, i`m put on morphine, tramadol, naproxen,for the swelling, and amitripyline, to help me sleep, apparently this and gabbapentin are used for nerves, but they don`t work for everybody, they never for me, seemed to heighten the pain when i used them! was signed off on the sick, as i have been ever since, it`s now November!

so I`ve now had physio, for a few sessions, had my mri scan, which showed 4 prolapsed discs, 2 were healing well,but the other 2 aren`t going to go back on their own, not my words, the spine specialist from the physio department of my local hospital words!!

Anyway put on the waiting list now to see the specialist surgeon, apparently i`ll get seen quicker seeing as though i`ve been seen by the specialist in the physio dept, but was warned that even then i`ll have to wait 4-6 months!!

so this is where i`m at, physio will do me no good, pains not to bad now most days, still on the pills, still on the sick, been humilated by the local council whilst trying to claim housing benefit, and still waiting to hear freom the specialist!!

nh_user_41786 · November 6, 2013, 12:52pm

Hi All

i have had my MRI, and then had to beat the results out of them, apparently there are only minor degenerative disc changes and the canal is capacious (spacious i had to goggle it)

i cannot believe this is the case, i still get tremendous amounts of pain in my right hip, and thigh, my back locks in a morning and i have quite a pronounced limp.

i had to get the MRI results faxed to my GP so someone would tell me what was going on, He basically said there is nothing wrong on the MRI and wait to see your consultant in December.

I don't understand, how am i meant to tell work that there is nothing wrong yet i cant sit or stand for very long at all.

The GP said discs move and i could of been having a good day, is this true ? i am meant to believe them i guess.

so no answers, just told to keep on with pain killers Cocodomaol daily, amitriptyline daily and tramadol when needed.

i just want answers !!!

consultant appointment 11 December. More waiting !!!

hope we all get what we need

anon53727290 · September 28, 2014, 4:42am

HI

i was hoping to find answers here but appears that this back problem doesnt actually go away. i am 42 and first had a bad back which was after I picked two toddlers up........... have two children 15 months apart and work full time. went to a chiropractor who eased the pain but had to be horisontal for a while to get the pressure off my back. in the last 12 months i already had 5 incidents of electric shock sensation in my lower back and down to my knees when it happens. cannot stand straight thereafter and walk with difficulty wiht a bent back. cannot sit either as it hurts so feels like hell!

had a cortisone injection yesterday (back went again on Friday) and slowly getting better but not without pain. taking painkillers too which make me sick. with two very active boys and a full time job I really don't know how to get this back better. Went swimming thinking this would help but it helps while i am in the water and mild pains in lower back continue all the time thereafter.

had an MRI back in 2011 and will have one in October and hope there are really specialists who understand what has to be done. difficult to explain pain so sometimes i wonder if doctors even bother to listen.

anyone who had a success story i woudl lovel to hear to at least get inspired!

Thanks

nh_user_229746 · September 29, 2014, 4:19pm

I am in exactly the same boat MRI only shows degenerative disc and facet joint disease. Which the consultant said anyone else could have this scan and be in no pain what so ever.

Just wondering as your post is a few months ago how your journey has been?

I'm at my wits end with pain and pills that don't work!

nh_user_437514 · October 7, 2014, 3:19pm

What some GPs and surgeons don't seem to believe is that disc prolapses can get worse, quite quickly (or maybe it's NICE guidelines!). I had NHS MRI scan in April 2013 after 2 years of pain, neurologist said I had slight prolapse "irritating" my nerve. Ha ha! Had to walk with a stick and only for up to an hour. By December 2013 pain especially in leg was unbearable, tried to be referred but GP just read surgeon's report and said it must be referred pain from an occasion when nerve had been "irritated!). I insisted on referral, but as heard nothing by June I paid for MRI - prolapse at L5/S1 was completely crushing the nerve root!, tried the NHS referral route again and my 1st consultation came through for end of September. To cut a long story short-sorry, I paid for

Private consultation with surgeon agreeing to do microdiscectomy on NHS. All done and dusted before GP referral.

I just want to say that I'm not rolling in cash, but for the price of a cheapish holiday (total about £370 for both scan, which btw is much better quality than NHS, and consultation) was money well spent

nh_user_437514 · October 7, 2014, 3:41pm

Hi Tara,see my waffly response to Nathan above. If your MRI scan was more than 6 month ago, insist on another!!!

Consultant said almost exactly same to me "75%" of population's scan would show same. Poppycock!! It hurts because something is making it hurt.BTW having seen different quality & clarity between the MRI scanner my Health Authority has, and the private clinic's one, it does make me wonder if maybe the consultants just cant see enough detail to read them?

[And another thing your hospital has to give you your MRI CDs if you ask for them useful compare the 'speed' of degeneration]

Anyway pre my op I was on cocodomol (great for zonking out, but not much pain relief), amitriptyline (ditto), gabapentin (not really sure this had any affect, and didn't really like idea of taking an epileptic drug) and butrans patch 10mg (no effect at all!!!) Oh yes, I also had 2 epidural steroid injections (1st hurt like billyo, but gave 2 month relief, 2nd didn't hurt and didn't )

I've accepted microdiscectomy probably wont cure my lower back pain but my twice yearly facet joint injections probably give me at least 6 months of varying levels of relief a year

Sorry all, I don't half go on.. ..

nh_user_437514 · October 7, 2014, 3:42pm