Hi, I'm just looking for some advice if anyone has been in a similar kind of situation? I'm honestly at my breaking point with this whole thing and I just can't deal with it anymore.
I've had back pain for about 2 years, but about 11months ago I developed terrible radiating pain down my left leg. Its like a sharp, burning pain and sometimes I lose feeling in my leg or have that pins and needles sensation. I got an MRI back in October after I lost feeling in my leg and was taken to ER and it said I have a large herniation L5/S1, and L4/L5 as well as milder to moderate herniations in L3/L4 and L2/L3 with some microfracturing of my lumbar vertebrae.
I've been in physiotherapy since November, and on very heavy pain killers but nothing is really working. I used to be very active, I play(ed) high level competitive hockey, field hockey and rugby but now I can't make it through the day without narcotics, it's been 9 months on these pills and I'm worried that they don't even seem to help.
I'm only 19 years old, and I'm terrified about the possibility of back surgery, but I can't keep living like this (if you want to call this a life). It feels like I'm just going through the motions-I can't sleep, my grades have dropped from straight A's to B's and C's but because I don't have a cast, or a visible problem, nobody seems to really care or believe me when I say I'm hurting.
I'm supposed to be going to university in September, but at this rate I just don't know.
I'm sorry if this comes off as whiney, but I'm just not sure I want to keep on living like this if this is the best it's ever going to get. I really miss my sports and my teammates who are like family to me-but going to sit on the sidelines at practice just breaks my heart to not be on the ice/field.
If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it-I just want my life back.

Bad luck mate.... Is there any reason why your lower spine is in such poor shape? 19 is very young to be starting with this crap. But at 19 you may be young enough to make a good recovery, so don't give up all hope yet, it took me nearly 2 years to get over my first slipped disk.

I started with similar problems to yours 6 years ago when I was 49. my discs at L5/S1 and L5/L4 have loads of problems and the vertebrae in between them is all out of shape with arthritic changes. (the rest of my spine is apparently fairly healthy though) So I have a good idea what sort of pain you may be experiencing, at one point I spent 3 months crawling around on the floor unable to sit or stand for pain in the leg.

I too was very active until that point with hill walking and climbing and it was a real wrench having to give them up. Luckily I found cycling was something that I could do that did not cause pain so I took that up as my hobby - think I have done 13,000 mile since.

I would guess you are going to have to give up contact sports, but I am sure there are loads of other stuff you could get yourself into, from what I understand keeping fit and active is the best thing you can do for back problems - try starting off with something like Pilates to get some good core strength and get some good medical advice of what activities you could get into.

Docs think it's So messed up because of all the contact sports-And the positions I play. In hockey I'm a goaltender so it's relatively high impact (I get run into a lot) and rugby, well that whole sport is hard contact..
The only medical advice I'm getting right now is a spinal fusion surgery-but I'm only 19 and back surgery is kinda completely terrifying..not to mention I would probably miss out on ny first year of university..My doc doesn't want me doing any kind of physical activity, not even working my job (I work filling propane tanks at a gas station)..and it's completely frustrating because all I want to do it be able to play with my teammates again!
Did you find anything specific that helped with the pain? At the moment I'm pretty much at the "crawling awkwardly on the ground" stage..

Some things that are often posted is to get more than 1 opinion..
Get copies of all tests and copy of MRI films or report at the very least..
Perhaps make a list of all symptoms , so nothing is forgotten..


I know teenager that had a 9 level fusion and they are doing well. It's been 4 yrs now I think..

I wouldn't go back to playing those sports though even if you get feeling better.

Seek out the best surgeons you can find..if you go forward with surgery..

Indeed, Rugby is not the game if you have spinal problems, it is the big sport where I live and there is a lot of very hard contact (for any USA-ers its a bit like your American football but without any of the padding and helmets - its tough a game that would fail all your health and safety stuff).

I find cycling very good, plenty of non load bearing movement - I think it is good to keep every thing moving, keep fit and healthy and keep the weight down.