I have a slipped disc (l1) For over a year please help!

You need to make sure there are no modic changes. These can complicate recovery from a herniated disc as well as present continued chronic pain. Check your MRI for this or have a new one done, since a herniated disc can cause modic changes by pulling off a piece of the endplate and allowing communication between the disc and the bone. 

I've had bad back for two years 7 weeks ago something went , they reckon that's when it herniated as before it was bulging I literally couldn't walk I had surgery last week and so far so good, but I'd say yes it would last as the surgeon told me that it never goes back in it might not be as bad but you'll always have bother with it if its compressing a nerve ... I didn't get offered any other treatment only surgery 

Poor you, it's awful isn't it, everyone that links on this site will know the type of pain you feel.

You can have your condition for the rest of your days! Only when the disc is herniated to a certain point will they usually suggest surgery. I've had many years of trouble, and I've previously had surgery too. At the moment I'm like you, disc is out but my discs are useless because of years of problems so my options are to live with it, facet joint injection (I've just had) or more invasive surgery!?

What winds me up about the "can you live with it option" is that when you do, you live your life based around your back, and if you hurt yourself again, you will probably be laid up in bed or in hospital - this is how I ended up getting surgery.

It depends if they have closed you case, after time they will. If this is the case you will need to visit your GP for a referral and start the process again. If you are still under your consultants care, I would suggest you seek further information in relation to the options, you may get the "can you live with it speech" - when you can move around, trust me, your not half as bad as you think, when it's fully herniated, you won't be able to move, this is when they will throw the surgery card at you.

The facet joint injections help with the nerve pain, but it's not a cure, although for some it can be. Try to get those to see how you get on, but it sounds like you are in limbo, it's hurting but not bad enough for them to operate (the MRI will have shown them the evidence of this). 

Its just rubbish isn't it!? :0(

My herniated disc happened c.4-5 years ago and I've only recently felt a bit more like my old self, although there's still a lot of stiffness and bit of arthritis as well there. These things do take a lot of time and a year, I'm sorry to say, is probably par for the course. Regarding surgery, obviously avoid it if you can. Epidural injections certainly did help me a lot, although some people claim that they didn't give them any benefit. I don't think that there's much harm in at least trying them.

Regarding the size of the disc reducing, this can happen. Over the past 5 years my disc has gone from filling my spinal canal to being about a third of its size. But as you can see, this is a slow old process and some peoples discs don 't actually reduce in size. Ask about the injections. They are temporary relief, but spine recovery seems to be a lot about killing time and letting the body's natural healing processes work for you.

 

Hiya! I've been in almost the exact same situation as you and i know just how frustrating and exhausting lack of progress and contiuation of pain can be, so just know you're not alone! Discs can take different lengths of time to heal for different people (i've had mine for 2 and a bit years and although teh pain has decreased immensely the physical herniation hasnt changed a bit!) BUT i can seriously recommend swimming, pilates and specialised physiotherapy. I've found that exercise (obviously not exercise that is impact eg. for me i mainly stick to cycling, swimming and core work) actually helps to decrease teh pain. If you sit for longer it can make the pain gradually build up and exercise i find really helps to sort of loosen up the muscles and relax you (physically and mentally) a bit! but obviously it's different for everyone but i would reallllllly recommend regular exercise, particularly swimming and core work/pilates!

As for progressing in recovery, i would revisit your doctor and really push for a further MRI to see any progress and then a meeting with either a surgeon or discuss with yoru doctor further options (apart form the stuff you've already done). But reallllly really push the doctors for progress, don't stop pushing them otherwise it'll will take months for anything to happen!

gooood luck, hope things get better for you soon

Hi, I can echo a lot of the above. Approaching my disc bulge one year anniversary next month

The pain was excruciating and of course debilitating at its worst. Physio never acheived anything significant as far as being able to walk around. I found prone press-ups and ham string stretches to be the two most useful exercises.

Over the last few weeks i have seen a significant increase in my ability to stand and walk and this has been due to have deep tissue massages. A friend suggested it and i was sceptical but it seems my muscles must have been pretty tight and twisted because sorting that out has really helped. People have even commented on how much straighter i am able to stand and my walking is more fluid. I start to drag my right leg a bit by the end of the day but i'm optimistic about the progress i am making at last!