Hey Heidi I read your post I understand how you feel!! There is nothing worse than being in pain and trying to someone to listen. If I can ask how did you hurt your back?
I did not have a disk herinated disk I broke 3 vertebae in my back 10 years ago they put in 2 rods but I reinjured my back 6 weeks ago falling down the stairs. My pain is the left hand side of my back, my right hip and down my whole right leg. Luckily its only 1 leg so I can even imagine how you feel. I wanted you to no your not alone if you want to talk or SCREAM. I am at the end of my rope the pain is draining I am waiting to have surgery to the rods out, but my doc says that the leg and hip pain might be something else completely but I have to do something. You dont have a neuro doc yet?? Have you had surgery or you still on the long road of TREATMENTS?? You can email me at Shefairmom@aol.com anything I can do let me no I have learned alot about this stuff, my brother is on Workers comp for hurting his back and I no they can be hell to deal with. I hope you get some relief soon..
Cathy

I just needed to see if anyone else out there that is getting surgery or had surgery has the same symptoms as I do?! Yes, work comp is horrible, I havent had surgery yet. Thanks so much for writing back to me. I hope that you start to feel better soon also!!!! How did you hurt your back? I hurt mine while lifting a resident as a cna.

I understand how you must feel with the mystery pain that is so intense. I lived like that for several weeks when my hip and leg pain came out of the blue. My doctor told me it was likely sciatica and gave me a steriod pack to take and put me on pain pills. It wasn't until they saw the MRI that they realized how bad the disk was pushing on the nerve. There was no other option for me besides a microdisectomy.

In your case, it could be several possible things, and I would hate for you to worry about each one of them. How soon can you get the MRI done? Once you have the results, don't hesitate to send them to your NS to see if he can work you in. In other words, you don't always have to put up with the NS appointment the receptionist gives you. Make sure you get the MRI in front of the NS asap and ask to be worked in.

Do you have any pain in your butt, like to one side or the other? I had it in my right hip, my right butt, and shooting down my right leg. Have you ever had a charlie-horse in your neck from sleeping wrong? That is the pain I had in my hip and leg. I also had muscle spasms. The pain I had made it impossible for me to sit or stand. It was that intense.

I hate that you are delayed by workers comp. Would scheduling an MRI without going through workers comp hurt the WC claim? It might be worthwhile to pay for it yourself if it would speed things up. (Just an idea). Also, I am curious if anyone knows if going to the ER would speed things up? If a person is in intense pain, will the ER schedule an MRI immediately? Will they get a NS involved more quickly? I wondered about this in my case where it took so darn long to get the MRI and the surgery scheduled.

If you have it down both legs, it may be more than one disk that is affected, but again, please don't worry until you know for sure. Try everything you can to get in to the MRI and NS, but otherwise focus your thoughts on something else. Easier said than done, I know, but it's better for you in the long run if you don't worry yourself. Save your emotional strength so you'll be prepared if you have to have surgery. If it's a herniated disk or two, the good news is surgery like the microdisectomy will have you walking with 90% less pain as soon as it's done. By far, the hardest part is the pain and waiting before surgery.

Hang in there!

Hugs,
Haylie

Hi hun,
I read your story last night and it was to late for me to answer. So here I am!!
Of course as you already know we cannot give you medical adivce only personal experiences.

BINGO!!! I have had this for over a year now. It has progressed.
I have had 3 spine surgeries. And one on hold at the T1 area.

I just had my 4wk post op checkup.
He said if my leg pain was my back thoracic area it would be causing weakness/paralisis.
Your pain your describing sounds exactly like mine.
BUT before I get into alot, can you tell me is it sharp/dull/numbing/tingling etc????

When I start of walking no matter if in the house or outside, my ankles start to feel twisted. Then the pain travel up to my hips. Of course low back pain assoicated with it.
Feels like walking on twisted ankles and dislocated hips the pain is so severe it takes my breath away.
So I pretty much stick to inside.
Just even going from the kitchen to the bathroom to upstairs I feel like a 5K run has been done. My legs feel like complete charlie horses and I have to lay or sit wherever is closest before I collapse.
Feels like a rope is being tied around me tighter and tighter.
Then after a few mintues of rest like say 15 it starts to subside. BUT IT HURTS LIKE THE DICKENS. Sometimes it feels like the nerves on the outside of my legs are being stretched to the MAX. but other times it feels like the whole leg (both) its never just one.

Now I will be posting later today. I am going to the heart dr. They are going to run tests for PAD and PVD.
To see if it a circulation problem etc.

If its not that, we are back at square one for another cervical MRI with dye and a brain MRI.

You hang in there. If this is anything like mine I know what your talking about. And not one pain med helps while walking.
So I just keep on stretching and going up and down the stairs all day long. To prevent blood clots.

So if you could tell me a bit more that would be awesome.
I won't see it till this afternoon as I have to leave for the heart dr THANKGOD I just want some answers. I do not want it to be this, but if it is at least we will know and meds can be started. Which I guess take 3 months or more to start working. UGHHH.

Ok enough of me. Tell me a bit more about your pain.

Terri

Hi There,

Have a careful read up on symptoms of stenosis.
Read carefully the stuff on walking up and down hills and relieve when sitting / lying down.
The pain, one or both legs depends on where the and if the disc is herniated and where in the spinal canal it may be blocking/ pushing into.

I am sorry you are feeling so awful and have to wait for WC.
I hopeit all goes away soon!!
Good luck.

Hmm, I am trying to figure out my leg pain. It is like a dull ache 24/7. I have it in both legs like I said and it goes all down to my toes, the pain begins on the right side from my hip down. The left side, it is from my back that is hurting all the way down. I have this front and back. I used to have the tingly feeling all the time before, but it is not like that all the time now.

I have just started getting muscle spasms in my upper front of my left leg also. The pain in my back is becoming more overwelming, it is like a stabbing, nagging pain. When I had my mri the first time, it just said that I had one herniation. I have also been to see a neuro to rule out a muscle disorder. It often times does feel like my muscles are killing me. Right now as I sit, I have the back pain and the tingling from the bottom part of my left leg to my foot.

It is almost like I have ran and ran and my legs are about to give out, that is how I tend to explain it. I cant sleep on or lay on back flat, that kills me. I am also getting the butt pain on the lower left and lower right. It is like in the middle of one side of the butt cheek, lol.

I am trying to explaine and it is hard to do! It is just getting worse . I feel like I have put up with this long enough. It is starting to get very old, and I am getting a lot of the newer symptoms now.

I know that you guys cant give medical advice, but I am just here to get ideas, and I am happy to have people to talk to! My pain management doctor said there is nothing more he can do for me and I need to get in to see a neurosergon. UGH