bummed out

[Fast92RS]

This is just a rant. Well I hurt my back at work 3 weeks ago and I haven't been back to work since. The workers comp doctors thought it was just muscle strain. So they sent me to Physical therapy and said I will be better soon. Well when they realized my condition has not changed in three weeks, they sent me to a Spinal surgeon. Well here is really gets me. I see the surgeon yesterday and I apparently have a condition that only 5% of the population has. Lucky me . In my lower back my lowest joint has no disc it is fused with my pelvis, but that alone is not why I have pain. The reason I have pain is because I cracked that joint. . Now Im basically F**** for life. He said he has no idea when I can return to work. I have to basically go to Physical therapy and hopefully my joint will heal. If it does not in a certain amount of time, they will have to change there treatment. So all this has me really bummed out.

[Knipps]

that's intense dude, hopefully everything heals up right and you can get back to work soon

[MonmouthCtyAntz]

That sucks, wish you the best and a full recovery...I have a lower back problem that seems to pop up every few mths and sticks around for a week or so, so bad that i cant even get outta bed (from doing heavy leg presses/squats w/ no belt when I was younger ). I need to load up on advil just to limp around the house. Its the worse I know how it feels

[ShitOnWheels]

Originally Posted by Fast92RS

This is just a rant. Well I hurt my back at work 3 weeks ago and I haven't been back to work since. The workers comp doctors thought it was just muscle strain. So they sent me to Physical therapy and said I will be better soon. Well when they realized my condition has not changed in three weeks, they sent me to a Spinal surgeon. Well here is really gets me. I see the surgeon yesterday and I apparently have a condition that only 5% of the population has. Lucky me . In my lower back my lowest joint has no disc it is fused with my pelvis, but that alone is not why I have pain. The reason I have pain is because I cracked that joint. . Now Im basically F**** for life. He said he has no idea when I can return to work. I have to basically go to Physical therapy and hopefully my joint will heal. If it does not in a certain amount of time, they will have to change there treatment. So all this has me really bummed out.

I think my dad has the same condition. His lower disks have fused, causing him pain. He's been on anti-inflamatory, light duty, and PT for 8 months or so (maybe longer) and getting better. Less pain as long as he keeps up the meds and PT.

Forget the name of it though, but it's some long name that starts with an "A."

[Fast92RS]

thanks guys

[Ian]

wow that rough! hang in there man, if you need anything there are a lot of able and willing people here. just let us know.

[12secondv6]

Always explore 2nd opinions - you never know what modern medicine can come up with.

Sorry man

[jola]

Right 2nd opinions are very important. I'd recommend one if that is possible at this juncture in time. Other then that, just have to remember to take everything one day at a time. Healing can be all sorts of frustrating.

[WayFast84]

good luck man, hope for a full recovery!

[enRo]

My dad has a fusion cuz he ****** up 2 discs in his lower back in '95. That is rough. A co-worker of mine also had a fusion done a cpl months ago, and he is just starting physical therapy now. Hope u make a speedy recovery.

[Blacdout96]

A sawzall will get that unfuzed right quick, and a lil gorilla glue and som duct tape will fix that crack so well you'll never know it was in the first place But seriously bro, im sorry to hear that, I hope the best of luck to you. I hurt my back my freshmen year maxing out the crunch machine, Ive never been the same since. i cant stand long cause my back hurts after so long, my seats have to be reclined when I drive for long periods of time, adn every once in a while my back will freeze up ( thats the worst out of all of them, takes the wind right outta ya!!) actually the first 6 months outta 18 months that I was in thriving pain everyday, if you made me laugh hard enough wile I was standing, my back would stiffen up, knock the wind outta me, and basically make me fall to the floor. at first it was scary, and my friends thought it was funny, but then they realized and stopped making me laugh, but then I thought it was funny lol. But afterthat, I couldnt play goalie really anymore, being in a hunched position in rock hard skates killed my back.

[JL8Jeff]

I hurt my back pretty good about 20 years ago and found out my spine was slightly twisted. I found out which way it was twisted and since then have made a point to sleep so it helps to untwist it or relieve the pressure on it. I have pain in my back almost every day but I just live with it. I can tell my pain is muscle pain and not pinched nerve type of pain. And I've played golf 6 times the last 2 weeks so I'm hurting pretty good right now. But I've heard about bones fusing together and the buildup you can get on bones over time(ie - old age). I just try to stay active and exercise every single week no matter what. And I'm not talking about weight lifting, that's one of the worst things you can do. I hate to be negative, but your condition sounds like something that needs surgery to repair correctly. You might want to get another opinion in case you need surgery sooner instead of later. A lot of today's doctors are just in it for the money and send people through their office without really doing a proper diagnosis. Get a 2nd opinion and don't put off surgery if they say it's needed. Good luck and hope you get better.

[Fast92RS]

Thats guys. The spinal surgeon I went to is my 2nd opinion. I may be getting a 3rd opinion if it comes down that I need surgury. Also what makes my condition different than normal is my disk did not fail over time. I was born with no disk in my lowest joint. As my bones developed when I was younger since I did not have a disc at that joint it fused together. Since I never had any back porblems until now, it has went unoticed. For you technical guys what I have is the Sacralization of The Fifth Lumbar Vertabra in which I fratcured.

[jola]

When will you find out if you need surgery?

[Fast92RS]

In a couple weeks. Im praying I do not need it.

[jims69camaro]

i pray you don't need surgery, either. i had a herniation at l5-s1. none of the conservative treatments known to medicine helped me. surgery was indicated, so i went and had it done. the procedure was a laminectomy/partial discectomy. since that time i have developed scar tissue and bone spurs at the surgical site. so, the surgery corrected the problem and the scar tisue and bone spurs have undone the surgery. in medical terms, it's known as failed back surgery syndrome. nice, huh?

every person is different, and they react differently to stimulus. hopefully you don't have to be stimulated by surgery, because the pain and aggravation caused by the thought of it being for naught are enough to drive you insane or want to kill yourself. i take a handful of prescription medication four times a day. due to that, i have to take a sleeping pill in order to sleep, then wake up in a daze because of the sleeping pill.

if you can get by with therapy and exercise, and a strong will to suceed, then i say bypass the surgery. if you need surgery, then i pray it is successful. i would not wish my condition on my worst enemy (or even osama bin laden, and you know how i feel about him).

[Fast92RS]

Well after 4 months of PT and seeing doctors. I finally get to find out if I need surgery and return to my normal life or not. I have a doctors appt tommorrow morning to get my results of my cat scan and MRI I had last week. Im hoping everything checks out ok and I hope I can return to work soon.

[GrandmasterCow]

damn man that sucks, i hope you get better and all heals well.

[chrisfrom nj]

that sucks i hope you get better

[vegaken]

Sorry to hear about your condition. I ended up getting hurt at work and popped three discs out. I ended up waiting about 8 months to get surgery due to workers comp. I had L4,L5, L5s1 fused together and still have the rods and bolts in there. I ended up going to 3 different doctors. One wanted to just slice the part that was blown out, the other said to deal with it, even though I could barely walk or do anything, and the last one was the correct surgery. It sucks to get surgery and I am still in pain all the time and can't do some of the things I used to be able to. But I am better off than without the surgery. Some days are going to be better than others. Just to let you know the surgeon who did mine is in charge of the spinal trauma unit over in Trenton. His name is Dr. John Tydings, his office is in Lawrence right off of Route 1.
Good Luck

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

That sucks man, I hope it heals! How limited are you from that?

[Fast92RS]

Thanks guys.
I cant do the things I used to right now and I have pain almost all the time.

[Fast92RS]

Well the good news is I dont need surgery and I can go back to work. The bad news is I will just have to deal with my lower back pain and be carefull. He said the best thing I can do is just keep physicaly fit.

[WildBillyT]

That's good news! Sucks about the pain but hopefully it will subside.

[jims69camaro]

wtf? "stay physically fit." what a prescription. the next time it rears its ugly head, i can recommend a doctor and a lawyer to get you set straight. btw, were you receiving temporary disability payments from your work's insurance company? if not, did your company just continue to pay you, or did you lose the time/cash because of this situation? if you send me a PM i will forward you the Dr. and Esc. info.