Has anyone ever had/delt with a Spinal Hernia before? [Archive]

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king2005

11-08-2006, 02:27 PM

I just found out whats been causeing all my back issues. I have a Spinal Hernia. I was helping move a new stove in & an old stove out. Chad did most of the work, but what little I did set off my back, which was a good thing in a way. I had it looked at & my friend had an easy time finding it.. she looked at my back & said my gosh & poked it. Yep that hurt! SO now I have to go to the Dr. Which I don't want to do, cause my Dr. is evil. I really disslike her, but I have to go, cause my back has been sore for about 4-5 years.

If anyone recalls me going into shock about 4-5yrs ago due to back pain, this is the same spot. The Stupid ER Dr. must have missed the amount of damage I had done to my back. My back has never been the same.. I cannot bend backwards without wanting to scream & cry... I'm starting to feel the same way I did back then.. it started with a heat flash on my back in that area & then my tummy felt ill, then the pain was really bad to the point I couldn't walk... right now I have a heat flash, & I'm not interested in my IceCap...

Has anyone ever gone through this before?
What did the Dr.'s do?
Did it get better?

This really sucks. I have a wedding to plan & I still need to finish cleaning the place I'm staying & then move all my things in.

GreyhoundGirl

11-08-2006, 02:36 PM

I'm so sorry, (((HUGS))) I've never even heard of it.

king2005

11-08-2006, 02:40 PM

I'm so sorry, (((HUGS))) I've never even heard of it.

Thanks,
I never heard of it before either. Didn't even know the Spine could get a Hernia.

GreyhoundGirl

11-08-2006, 02:44 PM

Thanks,
I never heard of it before either. Didn't even know the Spine could get a Hernia.

I don't even know what a herina. :o

king2005

11-08-2006, 02:52 PM

I don't even know what a herina. :o

A hernia is when the Intestine is stressed & breaks through its sac, & is buldging under you skin (looks like a bump). I've never had one of those, but thats the only hernia I knew about..

I read up a little on a Spinal Hernias & its pretty much the same kind of idea. The spongy thing inbetween the bones of the spine, rupture & the stuff inside leaks out & causes swelling around nerves.. Perfect spot for it to go eh? It has to swell on nerves :rolleyes: However the site said that the nerves are not only cause pain in the spine, but effect the nerves that go to other parts of the body.. This "could" explain my freaky pains & random numbness in my left arm.

RedHedd

11-08-2006, 02:58 PM

JenBKR

11-08-2006, 02:59 PM

Oh Jess, sorry to hear about that. Get to the doctor and have it taken care of as soon as you can! ((((hugs))))

king2005

11-08-2006, 03:08 PM

I had a small cyst removed from my back L4/L5 a few years ago that was pressing on nerves - really minor surgery; I just had an epigastric hernia repair - also a very minor surgery I bet it's a simple surgery, but just sounds scary. The physical relief was immediate and I was back up and around in no time. Don't sweat it - go to the docs and get it taken care of.

Really?
Wow that made me feel a whole lot better. I was so worried it was going to be a huge deal because its my spine.

How long did it take you to recover?
how long was the surgery?
Was your back really sore afterwards?
Can you do basic house chores after the surgery?

I have 3 people that can do heavy lifting when I move, so I'm not overly worried, but I still like doing my own work & not pawning it off on other people.

I think I'll go tonight for sure.. well after I feed/water my pets.. their cleaning can wait an extra day or 2.

king2005

11-08-2006, 03:09 PM

Oh Jess, sorry to hear about that. Get to the doctor and have it taken care of as soon as you can! ((((hugs))))

I'll go tonight & you'll be the first to know what the results are.

RedHedd

11-08-2006, 03:20 PM

Really?
I was so worried it was going to be a huge deal because its my spine.
Me too - I FREAKED when they told me I needed back surgery.

How long did it take you to recover? I was off work for two weeks, and then back as if nothing had happened.

how long was the surgery? Less than an hour, done under a spinal anesthesia which was really weird because I was awake, but completely numb from the waist down.

Was your back really sore afterwards? Not at all; the relief from the pain was immediate. They had me on a morphine drip, which I really didn't need, and sent me home with Percoset which I ended up throwing most of away.

Can you do basic house chores after the surgery? Not immediately afterwards; friends helped. Within two weeks I was back to "normal."

GreyhoundGirl

11-08-2006, 03:25 PM

Not immediately afterwards; friends helped. Within two weeks I was back to "normal."[/QUOTE]

And you've got lots of two and four legged friends here ! :D We'll see ya through it. Well, maybe not see, but you get the picture. :rolleyes:

king2005

11-08-2006, 03:37 PM

2 weeks :( Thats not cool at all.
During the 2 weeks, were you able to site & type on a computer? If I can atleast sit, then I'll no issues with work, because I can work from home. If I can't sit, then I can lay in bed & type...

This is really going to suck, BUT YAY 2 weeks off!

Oh crap, How am I going to do the wedding stuff... Oh man.. How long was it until you could be in a car?? My car is VERY smooth & I never get to drive it, so being in the passengers side is fine with me. I just need to be able to get to places to sign for things.

But atleast I know I wont be sore any longer :D

king2005

11-08-2006, 03:41 PM

Not immediately afterwards; friends helped. Within two weeks I was back to "normal."

And you've got lots of two and four legged friends here ! :D We'll see ya through it. Well, maybe not see, but you get the picture. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the support, it is kinda scary just thinking about this...

RedHedd

11-08-2006, 04:12 PM

It was totally cool. They wanted me to walk to help with the healing, so I stayed home, yes you can sit at a computer, took walks, naps. My car battery died because I didn't think to start it once in a while; it was fine after a jump start and driving for an hour. Yes, no driving for two weeks for me; your case may be different. Do what your doctor tells you so you'll heal properly and NO, you can't fudge with that (because I know you from these boards) :p

NoahsMommy

11-08-2006, 09:35 PM

What kind of doc are you seeing?

You really should get to a specialist if you're dealing with something so specialized. You need to see an orthopedist, orthopedic surgeon or even a pain doc that can guide you on the surgery if needed. They can also give you injections to make you feel better.

Lots of luck! I hope they're able to help you soon. :)

RICHARD

11-09-2006, 02:24 AM

Think of your spine as a bunch of hollow cans with a donut in between each one (the cans are the vertebra and the donuts are discs that cushion the vertebra and make your back flexible.,

Your spinal cord runs up the spinal column inside the vertebra.

You have compressed (squished) the donuts/discs and it is pushing out from in between the vertebra and pinching your spinal cord.

I am not a doctor...I don't even play one on TV!

Maya & Inka's mommy

11-09-2006, 05:45 AM

Go to a good neurologic surgeon! An operation will give you back your old life!!
I did had back surgery 3 years ago. I had a spinal hernia too, but I had waited to long, so the disc was ruined. They removed it and replaced it by a artificial one. My back is better, but I wish I had know about the hernia sooner!!
Wishing you all the best!!

king2005

11-09-2006, 08:06 AM

I have some good news! Its not a Spinal Hernia WOOHOO! I let my friend look at it better last night when I got home. It was a turned/shifted disk & was swollen because of that. That was mostly fixed last night. I need to get it worked on 4 more times & the muscles might go back into place. She said it looks like someone kicked me in the back. I don't remember being kicked, punched yes, squeezed baddly yes, but not kicked.

There is also some bad damage to my pelvic/spine. She touched me there & I screamed in pain... I had no idea it was sore until she poked me there. My spine there isn't even in the right place, its all messed up. Thats being worked on tonight. I know how that happened & I don't even want to think about it anymore. All these flashbacks suck & my friend feels horrible for making me think about them again.. sigh

I did shock my friend however... When she finished with my back lastnight, she asked if I was going to puke on her floor. I giggled & said no, why would I puke on your floor. She said most people puke when they get a disk put back into place... I said oh, well I feel fine in the gut department & ate dinner. She was even shocked that I handled the pain so well. Chad said just looking at her working on me was making him sick. hehe It didn't hurt that much... well the pelvic are is a different story.

I yelled & burried my head, THAT hurt, & still does... I was up 1/2 the night with it being sore... Sitting here isn't helping with the pain either... I think my bus idea would be a quicker fix for my pelvic area... my god it hurts... it feels like it was hit with a hammer.

I hope I have the strength to fight the pain thats coming tonight, as its going to be far far far worse.

I really do thank everyone for the support, its helping a lot.

RedHedd

11-09-2006, 08:13 AM

Is your friend a doctor? Seriously, don't mess with your back! Get thee to a doctor NOW!

king2005

11-09-2006, 08:21 AM

Is your friend a doctor? Seriously, don't mess with your back! Get thee to a doctor NOW!

She went to school for bones & muscles. When she thought it was a spinal hernia she didn't want to touch me. Now that I let her have a closer look, she was able to see what was really wrong.. I am already more flexable & it doesn't feel like there is a wedge stuck in my spine anylonger... I haven't felt this good in sooo many years. Sure my back kills from the work, but I can bend backwards more & it doesn't hurt like it use to...

Edit: My friend is 32 & shes been doing this for years.

JenBKR

11-09-2006, 08:25 AM

Jess you still need to see a doctor sweetie, maybe have some x-rays done or something.

king2005

11-09-2006, 08:34 AM

Jess you still need to see a doctor sweetie, maybe have some x-rays done or something.

Just had a chat with Jen (aka mommy) & I'm going to go to the ER tonight after my meeting.

RedHedd

11-09-2006, 09:59 AM

Just had a chat with Jen (aka mommy) & I'm going to go to the ER tonight after my meeting.
Whew! Mommy = the voice of reason.

Dorothy39

11-09-2006, 11:43 PM

K9karen

11-10-2006, 01:32 AM

Sorry I just saw this.
Your spine is nothing to mess around with. I had surgery on my neck in Jan 2005 and then on my lower spine in June 2005, after over 30 years of suffering and misdiagnosis. I came close to paralysis as my spinal column was completely misaligned and pressing on nerves, leaving my arms, hands, legs hot and numb.
Steroid shots worked for a day or so.

You need to see a neurologist and get an MRI. That's what I did. He recommended a orthopedic spine specialist and frankly, he saved my life.

With my spine, I had to wear a huge brace while standing or walking for about 6 weeks. I was able to sit at the computer for short periods of time, since you put pressure on your hips/spine when you sit. No driving, lifting, bending. Stairs 2x a day only. Lots of walking to rebuild muscle strength.

Was it worth it? You betcha! I still get achy now and then, but it's bearable.

Never go to a chiropractor with first consulting your doctor, as some adjusting can cause further damage.

When in pain, ice pack first for 20 minutes off and on. Then you can switch to MOIST heat..ie: hot water bottle (wrapped in a towel). Bend your knees when lifting.

Dr. Karen..signing off....no charge!

RedHedd

11-11-2006, 11:19 AM

<bump> So what happened at the doctor's office?