windchymes
Posts: 9410
Joined: 4/18/2005 Status: offline
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Yep, I had the same degenerated discs, L4 & L5. I tried all the conservative approaches... 4 months of physical therapy, which was beneficial because it made all my muscles, especially back and stomach muscles, strong. I was determined not to get the epidural injections because I'd heard the horror stories.... My physical therapist talked me into trying them, and they worked great, and I felt like I had a new back....for about 3 days. What they do is relieve the inflammation from the inside out, but they don't cure the CAUSE of the problem, and the irritation will come back along with the pain. Eventually, my discs degenerated/crumbled away into nothing and my vertebrae were sitting directly on top of each other and the L4 started slipping downward over the L5, compressing the spinal cord. My only option at that point was having the surgery, having the artificial discs put in and the L4 & 5 plus the S1 fused with rods and screws, etc. I'll tell you, the recovery was grueling at first, but I'd do it again tomorrow to feel like I do now. It's like I really do have a new low back now. I have NO pain and take NO pain medication for it, ever! It's not something to jump into, but it was my last resort and I am really glad I did it. I went to the neurosurgeon in my area with an excellent reputation, so I trusted him completely. I still was terrified, but once again, I am really glad I did it. Good luck to you, whatever you decide! P.S. DV, your father couldn't drive himself home probably because they gave him an IV sedative for the procedure. I had that the first time, but found that with the local anesthesia injection they give you at the epidural site, I really didn't have that much discomfort, and the cortisone injection itself really wasn't all that bad, and I declined the IV sedative both other times I had the epidurals done. The second time, I got in my car and drove from the hospital 3 hours up to visit a friend :) I was a little tender around the site, but that was it.
< Message edited by windchymes -- 7/2/2007 7:21:08 PM >
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You know it's going to be a GOOD blow job when she puts a Breathe Right strip on first. Pick-up artists and garbage men should trade names.
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