Hello

I am a 33yr old male of average height/weight and for the past 2 years have had recurring back and right buttock pain which usually subsided on it's own within a week to 2 weeks but my last episode has lasted 2 months now and is different then the rest in that for the first month and a half the pain was only
in my lower back and right buttock but about 2 weeks ago the pain seemed to lessen in my back and moved from my buttock down to the bend of my leg which in the past week has again moved from the bend of my knee down to my right calf and I do have some slight numbness in my right foot but for the most part it does not really bother me.

Anyway about a month ago I left my job because of the pain and a week ago I had my first MRI which showed I had a herniated disc on L5/S1 and was told I should go see a neuro but after shelling out over $2000.00 on the MRI (I don't have insurance) I cannot afford to go to the neuro so I found this forum while search the net for some advise and so here are my questions.


1.) Is the pain moving down from my buttock to my knee area and finally to my calf a normal thing ?

2.) If so does that mean it's getting worse or better ?

(I must say I can tolerate the pain in my leg better then I could when it was in my buttocks and I only take tylenol PM at nite to help me sleep and I don't take anything during the day on most days but I have been taking it easy for the past month or so)

3.) I would really like to go back to work but I am concerned because my job entails that I sit at a desk and my shifts are 10 hours long. I can get up and walk around every hour or so and I have the normal 30 min lunch break so I guess my question here is what can I do to during my off hours and during my breaks to keep my condition from getting worse or is it to soon to consider going back to work ?


Finally I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that does take the time to read this message and offers me some advise I do appreciate it tremendously.

Cheers,
Mike

Hi Mike

I dont have info on your condition but I did want to welcome you to NeuroTalk

I am sure others with more knowledge on spinal matters will be along soon to offer insight

Cheri

Mike,

Without citing the city where you live, would you mind sharing which state? There are several areas that offer low to no cost health care; some, base services on ability to pay (sliding scale) and others, some services are free.

Do you have a copy of the MRI report/the radiologist's notations?

If so, please post the section under Findings or Impressions.

It could be sciatica, nerve compression or radiculopathy, but, only a medical professional would be able to determine that for sure.

The answer to your #1 Q.: No, it's not normal.

The answer to your #1 Q. may also answer your #2 Q.: Is pain "normal"? No. It's an indication that something isn't "normal."

You might want to do some reading at ChiroGeek's site, i.e.:

http://www.chirogeek.com/000_Sciatica_General_Infor.htm

I don't mind sharing my location. I live in Tennessee and I have already tried to apply for Tenncare (our states medicare system) but was denied and I went to the only free medical clinic in the city and the Dr. there was to say the least a joke. I went to him on 4 different occasions in the past 5 months and he told me there was nothing wrong with my back and to just do some stretching and I would be fine of course he was wrong and now my back is worse then it was when I first went to see him.

As far as the MRI report goes I was never given one however someone from the hospital I had the MRI done at called me on Monday to tell me that I did have an herniated disc on L5/S1 and I was given a cd when I had the MRI done which has images of all my scans and on them they do show herniation at that disc. Here is a sample of one of my scans

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I don't know if that helps answer any of my questions or not or if you can tell me if that is a mild herniation or a sever herniation just by looking at the image because I certainly don't have a clue.


Anyway my other question still does stand which is if I would be ok going back to work or not considering I sit in a chair for so long everyday and what can / should I do to minimize my chances of making this worse (like exercises or stretching or anything that I can do to keep things from getting worse but still having a somewhat normal life)


Thanks again in advance for your replies they really are appreciated.

Mike

First off Greetings from Alaska!

I visit your state a lot. I know that at the University of Memphis you could possibly talk to someone in the Human Performance Laboratories...if you are near Memphis that is. They could look at the pics and talk to you about your question regarding work.

You have one plus - a cd picture of your injury. If I were you and that free clinic were my only option I would show him a copy of the MRI. What I see from your picture is a L4-L5 herniation - (need a closer pic) but looks like your L5-S1 diminished space too -but cannot tell.

If you want to learn more about herniations - go to http://www.chirogeek.com/001_Tutorial_Birth_of_HNP.htm
This website helped me in learning about my back issues.

First off I am not a doctor but I would like to try to answer some of your questions -

1.) Is the pain moving down from my buttock to my knee area and finally to my calf a normal thing ? No - this sounds like you have a pinched nerve at the L5-S1 area of your back....called Sciatica.

2.) If so does that mean it's getting worse or better ? From what you described - and your pain levels combined with inability to work sounds like it is getting worse. There are stretches and heat/ice therapies that can help alleviate the pain - but you need to get this looked at. Sciatica from herniations is very very painful. I understand how you are feeling.

(I must say I can tolerate the pain in my leg better then I could when it was in my buttocks and I only take tylenol PM at nite to help me sleep and I don't take anything during the day on most days but I have been taking it easy for the past month or so) Taking it easy is the one of the right things to do along with keeping well hydrated, eating right and moving your legs if you can get physical therapy that would be helpful as well as chiropractic care. Tylenol PM would not cut it for me - I am on an NSAID, Muscle Relaxant, and a mild opiod.

3.) I would really like to go back to work but I am concerned because my job entails that I sit at a desk and my shifts are 10 hours long. I can get up and walk around every hour or so and I have the normal 30 min lunch break so I guess my question here is what can I do to during my off hours and during my breaks to keep my condition from getting worse or is it to soon to consider going back to work ?
Before you do anything else - appeal the decision by Tenncare - and go to Social Security as well. You really need to get to a doctor that would listen to your symptoms, look at the mri, and give you the right diagnosis.
If you decide to go back to work there are a number of strategies you can use to help with the pain. First request a orthopedic chair, 2nd have plenty of ice packs in the communal refridgerator and use religiously, 3rd during your breaks find someplace to lie down flat on your back and stretch it out and put your legs up on a chair, 4th get up and walk around frequently, 5th have a pillow to stabilize your back while sitting, and 6th have plenty of fluids - to keep joints and body hydrated. I know of some collegues that use the 8 hour heating pads that you can buy but those get quite expensive - and others that use aspercreme.

Good luck to you - and welcome

Kim

Thanks alot for your reply and I don't live near memphis so thats not really an option although I do live about 20 minutes away from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus so I might try calling them but I am not really sure what I need to say to the receptionist or what department to even ask for but guess I will find out when I call.

As for the free medical clinic goes I can no longer go there since you have to be working in order to go so as long as I stay out of work I can't go there either.

It's interesting you say it's the L4/L5 disc that is herniated and the guy from the hospital said it was L5/S1 herniation so which one is it or is it both. As far as pain goes I am not really suffering very much at all for what I expected with a disc herniation although I am in pain I have never felt that pins and needles thing most people talk about the the leg pain just feels like a bad cramp most of the time which is why I don't take anything other then a tylenol PM at nite I also don't have alot of numbness in my foot which is another thing I read alot about. I know I am one of the lucky ones when it comes to that or I have not had it long enough for it to get to that point, either way I don't have the same feeling most people seem to describe when they have a herniated disc.

I would also like to thank you for the advise about work. I have a heating pad that is built into a belt that I wear sometimes it doesn't seem to do alot but it does help a small amount. As far as ice goes I have tried it and it does nothing for me but make my back cold and sting so don't know bout that one.

The finding a place to lay down I think I can do on my lunch break in my car and like I said I take 5 minute breaks every hour and go outside to walk around so I could do some mild stretching at that time.

As for the water I have that covered I drink it like a fish (about 100 ounces a day) so I think I am pretty well hydrated. Eating hmmm thats a hard one because I barely eat anything these days because I have really bad stomach problems but I do eat healthy when I eat.

Finally I have a massaging back pillow that I bought about 2 months ago when I first started having the pain and use it most of the time so again I have that covered.

I will try to call the university in the morning to see what they might be albe to do for me other then that I think I am pretty ready to go back to work and even if I can't get the university to look at my charts I can at least go back to the free medical clinic once I have my job and show that Dr my scans and then he will not have a reason to not send me to a specialist.

I have rambled on enough it's time to take action and hopefully everything will work out in the end. I don't expect a miracle or anything I just want to be able to work and support myself like the majority of the rest of the world does thanks for the advise and allowing me to vent you all have been great.

Cheers,
Mike

Hi LikeMike,
I think I need to join this forum, and am starting with your problems.
I'm going through the process of finding out what is wrong with me too.
I have a good clue as I fell full force on my tail bone a number of years ago and have always had problems with my back, hips, neck.... A few years ago I started having problems with a shoulder so bad I couldn't get more then 2 hours of sleep. Sleeping pills and aspirin didn't cut it. The doctor gave me a muscle relaxant which helped till the pain got worse.
The reason I'm answering your post is that, 1. I have similar doctor problems and yesterday the doctor said my current problems are stress. I have almost all the symptoms for either syringomyelia or something similar.
2. and most important, my pain is so bad since I slipped on the ice about 6 weeks ago, I'm also now on 800 mg of Ibuprofen 3 x/ day along with the other pain meds etc.
The doctor is probably not believing you because you are not in need of enough pain medication.
I hate taking so much medication, but the pain is so bad, I'll go crazy if I don't. AND, not calming the pain down causes it to get worse.
The doctor also told me I might have herniation, but she doesnt really believe it. She really thinks I just need anti-depressants.
They all treated me the same when my shoulder was so bad. Finally I pushed enough to get an MRI. I had calcium deposits in it. Once I FINALLY got the surgery I was in such bad pain, I was ready to cut my arm and shoulder off.
I also was so bad, the doctor extracted enough calcium to make a nice size cookie. That's what he said. not me. He said I had an advanced case, and now I pay for it by continuing to have trouble with that shoulder along with my back etc.
I'm not trying to belittle your problem, just telling you what I KNOW about some (many) doctors tendencies.
Some people are able to withstand more pain too. Don't wait, please get the help you need.
I'm here for support while the doctor tries to say I'm stressed or depressed or both. The x-ray even shows the previous damage to my back, a few disk compressions, a schmorl's node and comparing an x-ray from 5 years ago, some curvature beginning. But only a chiropractor would compare those.
I'm on medi-cal, sort of thankfully.
I have the prescription for the MRI finally and now I have to fight with my own feelings of being able to deal with it if the MRI doesn't show anything.
You definitely should read the information about herniated disks. I never realized a herniation could be a really bad thing!
Don't underplay your pain, and realize that you could have some numbness that keeps you from feeling all the pain. And...find a different doctor.