Had steroid injection this morning for the agony in my back

Hi mimm,

Here is my 2 cents worth:-

Similar to you, I had decompression surgery at L4-L5 due to spinal canal stenosis but mine went one step further so I've been fused too. Lets not go there.

Similar to you I was walking freely for 3 weeks before I started to notice pain. Initially nerve pain in feet. Over the last year its crept up my leg to calf and behind knee. Some very minor lumbar spinal tension. Feet so sore I can barely walk. I have tried EVERYTHING.

My neurosurgeon said that the sciatic nerve was very squeezed and white due to ongoing compression when he released it and probably the spinal canal was squashed too. I also didn't have muscle tension to begin with but its increased over time. Neurosurgeon says its could be part of the nerves healing. They have been severely squashed and are very slow to recover that it can take up to 1_2 years for neuronal regeneration. In this year I've been battling to get my fitness back. Previously I did a cardio workout 5-6 times per week for 30 years (I'm 60 now) . My GP reckons the biodynamics of walking has changed post operatively so it makes sense to start at basics and build again. Finally, I've discovered the absolute best therapy is guided relaxation. I find it virtually impossible alone. I'm working with an Emmett therapist and a kinesiologist. They are good but I'm going fo try Hellaworks which is about integrated structural realignment. They look at your whole body and tell you what's out of synch.

I'm still on Pregabalin 75 mg per day but that helps me cope with pain. Sorry for long post but I see some similar issues so tries to cover all.

I really feel for the pain you are in. I had an operation after three steroid injections which did help me. Have you tried acupuncture for this at all? I know that acupuncture must have kept mine at bay for several years. Also, turmeric is said to be good and I bought a medical grade massage bed by Cyclossage and this also helped me tremendously when I could barely walk. It has a thermal technology and this really helped with the pain. At worst, I took Diclofenac suppositories and this also helped with the pain. I really hope that you can find something to help you to be able to live with it. I truly understand the pain you are going through and honestly, I would be in a wheelchair if it weren't for the things I had for it. Best of luck. I really hope the injections work for you. They really helped me with pain.

Hi Again, like @maggie301017 I had surgery. Mine was TLIF (Transformal Lumbar Interbody Fusion) at two levels, where I am affected at 3; L3, L4, and L5. 

I have heard great things about getting realigned by others who have physical problems such as ours and this comes from someone who is having osteopathy and also had acupuncture. I studied counseling and also mindfulness and awareness with meditation and so these things are with me and also Yoga and Thai Chi are also terrific, although physically, swimming is all that I can really get on with these days. I do work now, but I am aware that I will probably have to have more surgery now that I have started. I hope that you can get some pointers to help. Meditation can be very good. I know that I also found that over time I became slightly desensitized to some pain, although this is not necessarily a good thing, some pain became slightly bearable over time.

Hi Mimm, i read your post and feel so very sad. I sat down in December 2017 and the muscles in my beck  became tight i did some yoga stretches  and an hour later was in sever pain. I was in pain for 3 and a half weeks and slowly started to get better but, my back pain never went. i started physio in January 2018 and still have physio to date. I developed sciatic in both legs in May and have been in agony ever since. My right leg is the worst with awful pain from buttock to the side of my foot, my left leg it is mainly the thigh and buttock. I have finally been referred to hospital to see an orthopedic surgeon and hope to get a scan. I am on naproxen , gabapentin and co codamol but the pain never goes, the meds just take the edge off. I still work  and sometimes do not know how i do it. Sitting is bad and laying down is bad. i never sleep well as wake with pain during the night. I hope i do not suffer for years as this is effecting all aspects of my life. x