L4/L5 Central Disk Herniation

Hi

I totally understand how you feel. I have a prolapsed disc L4/L5 too. I have had this on and off for 10 years. After a fall last year my symptoms worsened and I had pins and needles, numbness in my left toes, pain down my legs. I am now due to have an operation any time.

My advice is that when you see your consultant, you should have an MRI scan, usually they will test to see how far you can raise your legs without pain when lying down. Depending on the result from the scan will determine what your consultant will do. If you have any problems with your bowels etc contact your consultant immediately dont wait for them to contact you.

Try to keep active but just do what makes you feel most comfortable. I have a tens machine sometimes it helps, plus ibuprofen gel and hot water bottles. Its no fun but it will get easier as time goes on.

Wish you all the luck with your consultation and I hope that you have some relief from the pain. Take care

Hi there,

I really appreciate the advice you have given me. I am really sorry to hear that you have had a fall and now that you need an operation. I hope that goes well for you. Please keep me posted.

I wanted to know over the 10 years that you have been experiencing this what treatment did you have and how successful it is?

I am asking this because when I am walking or standing I feel within minutes that I am in agony and I must sit down. When that happens it makes me feel so down and helpless.

Hi

Over the past 10 years I have had very varying experiences. Up until I had my little girl who's 4 my back went into spasm on almost a yearly basis, and treatment varied from physio to traction infact I had everything, I used to go into hospital screaming in agony so I know how you feel all they did was pump me with strong drugs that did nothing, to be honest nothing worked for me, but everyone is different.

I only had it diagnosed when I went private and was told I needed an op, but by time the op came round I was pregnant with my little girl which helped the condition.

My specialist at the time said the only thing to help with the pain was epidural, maybe something to ask for if the pain isnt being helped.

You said you started in April with the symptoms and you sound like your still really bad I would imagine your consultant may advise an op but depends how significant the prolapse is. It will get better just keep doing what you are doing, if you find it hard to walk get a wheelchair trust me I've been there infact I was being pushed around at christmas cos I couldn't walk or stand for more than 5 mins. Now 7 months on I can do normal things but feel limited, but not taking pain killers.

Its nice talking to someone of similar age going through same sort of thing cos it gets so lonely, noone truly understands the impact it has. Keep in touch and if you want any more info dont hestitate.

Hi

I wanted to know with the problem I have, can I claim esa benefit? If so which one -

ESA with a work-related activity component or

Support group?

Hi

To be honest with you I don't know if you can claim any benefits, I've never heard of ESA, you can always try and see what happens. I have just had my back operated on and actually wasn't as bad as I anticipated. Hopefully i will be fully recovered and be able to do so many more things without being scared. :lol:

Hi

I went to my first consultation at the referred hospital. The doctor gave me 3 options -

-Leave it and hope it sorts it self out

-Epidural Injection

-Operation

I decided on epidural as leaving it won't help as am already in severe pain and have difficulty in walking. And not having normal life.

The doctor also thinks we should give this a try as operation should be used as last resort.

I will be attending the assessment at the hospital on Monday and then they will put in the waiting list. :shock:

The told me it can take upto 8 weeks before treatment!

At least I am getting somewhere with this now.

Hi

I'm so glad you are getting somewhere. I think epidural is a good option I never had that as an option, but I know my previous consultant mentioned it for pain management. Let me know how you get on, on Monday. I hope it sorts the problem out and your disc is ok. Some consultants don't look at the affect it has on your daily lives and it's so hard when you have little ones cos your forever bending and carrying. Just keep emphasising that fact take it from someone who knows.

Take care

speak soon.

I am female 54 years old and have a lot of experience of managing low back pain and resultant disability. I have had 3 operations on the Lumbar disc between L4/L5. Currently I am waiting for an MRI result and an appointment with a consultant. I am unable to work. Have debilitating pain all down my right leg. Keep feeling depressed and frustrated about how long it all takes. First lesson. If you have agonising sciatic pain (see below) and have been suffering more than 8 weeks you will probably need an MRI scan and an appointment with a consultant. This will take a very long time. The first time it happened to me I waited six months after first seeing my GP before getting a scan and then two weeks later an operation.

First It is important in both helping yourself and in communicating with your doctors and physio therapists if you do a bit of homework and familiarise yourself with the basic anatomy of the spine, how it moves and the terminology they use. Please believe me when I tell you that this is not difficult stuff to grasp. Use the internet. Use simple search terms like How does the lumbar spine work? What does the spine look like? Go for drawings not x ray images. Avoid getting drawn into anything too complicated - it will only confuse and confound you. Be disciplined and stick with the simple stuff.

My experience;

20 years ago I suffered occasional low back pain and stiffness. Ignored these warning signs. Did not change my lifestyle habits; carrying a heavy camera bag on one shoulder, and very importantly slumping a lot when sitting down: I call this banana back syndrome because if you looked at it from the side my low back was curved backwards. I did not sit up straight. This is very very bad. The discs between the bones in your spine are like a fruit gum with a tough outer casing and a jelly like substance inside. Contained in the middle of this jelly substance is a hard pea shaped object. When you sit slumped the pressure down the spine pushes the jelly substance backwards distorting the shape of the disc, the pea shaped object is also pushed backwards against the outer casing of the disc. Now then when this pea pushes hard enough up against this casing it bulges it outwards then you are in trouble because this can then make contact with nerves running behind the disc and when this happens you can get pain, pins and needles, and numbness in the leg or legs depending on which nerve is being irritated. ( there are other reasons a nerve can be effected; look it up, but this is the most common cause). Like I say I ignored it. I was young and fit and my body like all bodies sorted it self out. Bodies always want to be well, they will work away at keeping us healthy and operational despite our best efforts to undermine this process - like continuing to slump when seated and carrying a heavy bag one sided on a daily basis. Then in the mid 90's I had a really bad experience. I'd been swinging small children, arms outstretched, spinning around, upper body leaning backwards. then went to pick up a a bit of paper from the floor - Agonising, couldn't straighten up. Sorted it with massage and stretches. Still I ignored the warnings and didn't change my lifestyle. It happened a few more times. I was careful about lifting heavy weights and stopped carrying my heavy bag. I did not stop slumping. I did not train myself to sit up straight. Then in 2001 I collapsed in agony. The pain in my right leg was unbelievable. I could not sit ( try going to the loo when you cant sit, my loving partner had to help me) I could not lie on my right side or back, I could barely stand for more than a few minutes. I spent three months lying on my left side, the slightest movement was agony. I was prescribed Diclofenic to tackle the inflammation, and dyhydracodeine to help with pain. Neither was effective. It took five months to get an MRI scan but the upshot was that when I did get scanned I had not only bulged the disc I had actually split

Hi,

Update on my situation, I will be given treatment in 2 weeks time(epidural injection). Fingers cross, I hope I will be ok after treatment.

Anyone who have had epidural, if you don't mind, can you please post your experience so I can understand what you have been through.

Many thanks

Hi

Just an update really. I have now had my surgery 6 weeks ago and feel fantastic except for a bruised kind of feeling near where the surgery was.

I am taking heed of the advice mentioned by Susan about no slouching. I have been doing a bit of this since feeling better, but I wont risk it anymore. I see my consultant tomorrow which hopefully will sign me off. I am also still having physio and I will be contacting my pilates instructor to help strengthen the all important core muscles. I am determined to get fit as I have now wasted 10 years of my life through back pain.

My heart and thoughts are with all who suffer this because its not always your fault, I know in my case it was part of my job at a young age to pull very heavy trolleys often against gravity on trains, this is what I believe caused my problems.

I hope everyone who is posted on here gets speady treatment and a pain free life.

Take care

Hi

I wanted to know with the problem I have, can I claim esa benefit? If so which one -

ESA with a work-related activity component or

Support group?

Hi if you were working and no longer get ssp then you can claim esa it all depends on your income and whether you have paid enough NI, because if your household income is too much is contributory based if not its income based.

Hi everyone.

Yesterday I had my epidural injection which was L4-L5 Codal injection and nerve root injection. It only took 10 min. They first put a needle in my left hand vein so that the can insert the fluid to put me to sleep. Then the next thing I knew treatment was complete. Since then my lower back been very sore. Difficult to bend down(they told me this will be normal and that if it all to work it will possibly take more then 3 days to to gets some pain releive). I suffer from constant pins and needles on left foot and when that happens my buttock hurts. I hope this works and works for everyone.

I will keep you guys posted if success.

Hi Guys,

I am actually \"Guest\" I can't remember password so opened new account as \"Bablegpain\".

An update since last September when I had the Epidural done. I did not get any relieve from that at all. Still have the same symptons. Since then my left leg has got weaker, my knee and ankle feels so sore all the time. I always feel some sort of sensation down my leg even sitting and laying down now. I sometimes need to use crutches to get to places.

I have decided to have Discectomy done as the back problem has affected my mobilaty. The consultant advice this will be the best option as no releive from pysio and epidural

I wanted to know if anyone here had surgery and was successful and anyone with no succces as well.

Apprieciate any replies!

Hope everyone is pain free!