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OK, I don't run or really do anything that would cause a back injury, outside of bending over turning wrenches or other home improvement, but here I am with an annular fissure in L5, which is putting pressure on the nerve endings in my right leg. I'm trim enough, 6'1" 195. Started in early December, major stiffness, major hitch in my giddy up, and has settled in to a tightness, some varying degrees of discomfort, but definitely not a normal stride most times. When it started, I couldn't raise up on my right leg (calf raises), now I can without issue.
My doc is an orthopedic surgeon, says 1/2 of the people heal on their own, 1/2 need the knife. I'm ever so gradually making improvements in how much I have to medicate to function. That's the kicker, functioning, and clarity. I will never turn down a miller lite after hours, and I don't smoke left handed ciggies, to give you an idea of what constitutes a buzz/good time and what doesn't, but I can't handle the prospect of being quasi faded by a super-strong anti-inflammatory (etodolac). He wants me to heal, doesn't want to cut on me.
Doc has me prescribed to 3 things for different reasons on this issue. A muscle relaxer, hydrocodone, and the etodolac (anti inflammatory). Originally, I'd take the etodolac (400mg) at 6am, noon, and 5 pm, and I wouldn't have the irritability that comes with the pain from this deal. At night, I'd take a hydrocodone and one or two muscle relaxers. Doc said two would make me drowsy, and I get my best sleep with two. Anything short of two and I wake up at 3am and toss around trying to find a comfortable position. Very hard to find. In the two months since I've had this cocktail, I've probably taken the two muscle relaxers at bed time 20 times. Taking the anti inflammatory on that schedule makes me sleepy, woozy and forgetful.
Lately, I can just get by with breaking one of the 400mg etodolacs in half, in the afternoon, and I'm ok. Limping a bit, but still very active and lucid.
I've had one epidural, supposed to get another this Friday.
All of my friends seem to have had some degree of major back pain, debilitating; I didn't realize how common it was.
For those of you who have similar issues, did you get surgery? Did you avoid surgery and you dodged a bullet because you stretch regularly to address this?
My doc is an orthopedic surgeon, says 1/2 of the people heal on their own, 1/2 need the knife. I'm ever so gradually making improvements in how much I have to medicate to function. That's the kicker, functioning, and clarity. I will never turn down a miller lite after hours, and I don't smoke left handed ciggies, to give you an idea of what constitutes a buzz/good time and what doesn't, but I can't handle the prospect of being quasi faded by a super-strong anti-inflammatory (etodolac). He wants me to heal, doesn't want to cut on me.
Doc has me prescribed to 3 things for different reasons on this issue. A muscle relaxer, hydrocodone, and the etodolac (anti inflammatory). Originally, I'd take the etodolac (400mg) at 6am, noon, and 5 pm, and I wouldn't have the irritability that comes with the pain from this deal. At night, I'd take a hydrocodone and one or two muscle relaxers. Doc said two would make me drowsy, and I get my best sleep with two. Anything short of two and I wake up at 3am and toss around trying to find a comfortable position. Very hard to find. In the two months since I've had this cocktail, I've probably taken the two muscle relaxers at bed time 20 times. Taking the anti inflammatory on that schedule makes me sleepy, woozy and forgetful.
Lately, I can just get by with breaking one of the 400mg etodolacs in half, in the afternoon, and I'm ok. Limping a bit, but still very active and lucid.
I've had one epidural, supposed to get another this Friday.
All of my friends seem to have had some degree of major back pain, debilitating; I didn't realize how common it was.
For those of you who have similar issues, did you get surgery? Did you avoid surgery and you dodged a bullet because you stretch regularly to address this?
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