got a prolapsed disk

[Skalite]

Hi Bert
So sorry to hear of your problems, but you are in the right place for advice and support.
I had to have a replacement chair at work and my physio very kindly came in and did an assessment to determine what would be suitable. She only charged me the cost of her usual physio appointment fee, and has been an absolute godsend.
There are an array of chairs and you must get one that will suit you and your needs. Things to take into account are your height, weight & length of your upper leg to knee.
If you know a friendly physio I would suggest roping them in if possible.
Best wishes and I hope you find something suitable.
Maz

 

[Young Mills / Milla]

Hi
so, ive posted before but im not sure it was in this thread.it's a long one,thanks to anyone who reads and can advise.

Im Lisa and i was diagnosed with a slipped disc at L4/L5 middle of april, and was told by the ortho and my gp that it would probablt need operating on,after reading a few of the recent posts on the actual surgery,not sure i want surgery but that is not the point of this post.
after waiting till yesterday to see a surgeon, i was told that my pain is unlikely to be caused to the buldging disc pressing into my spine but the fact the at im 'very overweight' and scoffed at when i said i was on a diet but couldnt exercise due to the sciatica and weakness in my left leg.
now for a bit of history for you.
Sometime in the spring of 2009 I started to get a bit of pain in my left hip when sitting or standing.at the time i was a student nurse so i was working 13 hour shifts mixed with uni. wasnt bad enough that i mentioned it to my doctor. had to pause my course beginning of june for unrelated reasons. when i stopped work it got a lot worse so i mentioned it to my doctor and she said it was probably the working and then stopping work,so i didnt worry about it. end of july i go to see my mom in cali and it really hurts when i sit or stand,still just in the hip area. i start exercising every day to try and get rid of it and it calms down alot but not gone.skip to fall 2009 and im having trouble putting weight on my left leg ang having to limp around by days end. so i go see the doc and he gives me cocodamol and says take it easy a few weeks and come back if its not better in 3 weeks. 3weeks later i end up moving house and by the time thats done by left leg is really killing me,i mean its screaming!hurts to sit but hurts more to0 walk so im back at the doc and he gives me stronger tablets,diclofenac and orders an xray og the hip.quick trip back to cali for xmas and i need a wheelchair for the airports.fastforward again and i get back to norfolk for new years and have just missed a xray apt. i get another and realize with this pain i cant work so i start getting esa.xray comes back normal,blood test shows inflamattory markers(whatever they are) so i get referred on to ortho triage.meanwhile the pain has morphed into a stabbing burning b@:>? from hell all up and down my leg,cant sit,stand or do anything but lay in bed, so bad the doc has to come to me. she does her thing and gives me amitriptyline,which works so im happy,but have to get a wheelchair to the doc apt. he examines me and orders an mri,which finally happens in april and i have a prolapsed disc,blah,blah and it probably needs surgery and here we are to yesterday. no by the time i was diagnosed id started having low back pain and had been bed/house bound since mid-jaunuary. since last week started getting pain in my right hip also and the tramadol,diclofenac,amitiptyine combo wasnt working so i'd been uped to morphine. was still in a bit of pain and could only manage the stairs once a day and i get a letter saying i was fit for work althou i was restricted to walking 200 metres,sitting and standing for 30mins only. I was quite confused as im not aware of jobs like this. I got a copy of the doctors assessment and an appeal form and the doc says that i would be ready to return to work in 6monthes and after surgery! have sent that back anyway.
right. After an 1hour getting ready to leave,another wheelchair trip on public transport and over an hour laying down in the waiting room to see the surgeon, he tells me that its unlikely my pain is being caused by the disc prolapse and im very overweight. Hello,like i dont know im overwieght? i have been since adolescense and i dont see what that has to do with anything.
I mean obviously it's not good for my back or my health,but what are the chances the pain im in is because of my weight? I say a woman in the waiting room who was easily twice my weight and it wasn't her that was the patient. The only thing he would say was that surgery was unlikely to help my pain and he could refer me to a dietician. he also mentioned an epidural. In an effort to make a point and because i was really angry,i came home and decided to write a food diary and stop taking the meds. slightly more than 24hours later my back hurts a little but not loads, my feet still go numb/pins and needles. both my lefts hurt near my hips,left side hurts more,still not unbearably. my shoulders really hurt though around my neck. i think this is the reason,or one of them,that the surgeon said what he did, but i dismissed it as too soft of pillows. he also mentioned an mri of my upper back.
now im wondering. id quite like the mri to see whats been happening since april but surely the disc hasnt just fixed itself after about a year? anyhelp greatly appreciated. many thanks,lisa

posted this on the 16th but think it put it in the wrong thread as have gotten no replies,hope its not something ive said.
quick update-havent gone back on anything but diclofenac twice a day and morphine 10mg, once every 24hrs(cuz the withdrawl was rough). back pain is managable as long as i dont push it, leg pain is better than it has been in mpnthes but still getting pain in the hip areas and numb/tingling feet. Am gonna get ahold of my gp monday and ask for a physio and osteo ref.
appreciate any help/advice,
Lisa xx