***Sigh***....oh, me.....

[sugarbee]

I had an MRI done yesterday.  The nurse called me today and said I have a degenerative disc, arthritis in my back, mild edema, a bulging disc, and a bone spur...all with the Lupus thing....

I will probably have to get injections in my back    She said it may take up to a year to heal....

Plus Beekeeper and Magoo are on their way to Tucumcari....without ME   

I'm having a pity party....serving margaritas....

Anybody else have back problems?  Hope do you cope?  Will I ever be able to ride again?     

[junior]

i have back problems, i see a chiropractor several times a year,sometimes more often if i do something really stupid, at times i live on advil, but i ride every chance i get.

i dont do margaritas...................but i do like my yukon jack and coke

[Serk]

L5-S1 is herniated to the point of being totally blown out, and L5-L4 has multiple herniations as well...

When it all hit, woulda been 2003 I believe, there was about a 2 month period I literally couldn't get off the floor. Many times I was reduced to just laying there crying, hoping for death to come to end the pain...

I turned down surgery, and the injections, and just stuck with physical therapy, and lots of ibuprofen. I still have to watch my back, but I know the warning signs now and know when I just need to stop whatever it is I'm doing.

Ever when my back was at it's worst, doctor's orders were to ride my Valk as much as possible, said the sitting position on the motorcycle was better for my back than my car. Ya' do hafta be on the look out for sudden bumps in the road or such, hitting one at high speed can screw your back up again, but overall, it's not a problem anymore, I just buy Ibuprofen in bulk, and do my physical therapy regularly, and it gets me through the day...

So... Yeah... it sucks BIG time, I know... Been there, done that, but if ya' take your time, take it easy and do what the docs and nurses (Especially the evil EVIL Physical Therapy people!!!) tell ya' to do, you'll be back up on two in no time...

Oh yeah - The thing about Advil/Ibuprofen, it's not so much the pain killer effect, it also has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect (NSAID, Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory) that, for many people at least, can cause the inflammation in the spine to go down, removing the pressure on the nerves, which is what's causing most of the pain...

[RTaz]

...lot's of people have back problems and continue to ride...I have T11-T12 vertebra wedged, L3-4 and L5- S1 disc. herniated , a few bulging disc. ,degenerated disc. disease, arthritis ...at times when I'm sore, riding actually gives me some relief...the important thing you need to know is when to stop doing things when your back tells you to stop ...some days forget it, your going to be in pain...take your meds. and take it easy period...

I am now laid up after tearing all of my quadriceps tendons in my left leg...doctors did a great job of sewing me up, double layer of sutures and two screws I know this season is over for me but next year I plan on riding again on two wheels...that is if my left hand gets better (nine surgeries at U.M ) and 8 screws are backing out now...woohoo ain't that going to be fun...so I have 4-6 months on crutches then PT  then maybe more surgery...

the point is, please don't give up...sometimes things sound real bad and they are but they can be overcome.... ...keep a good attitude... you are entitled to have a pity party every once in awhile...but remember things could be worst....

[Clark]

I had an MRI done yesterday.  The nurse called me today and said I have a degenerative disc, arthritis in my back, mild edema, a bulging disc, and a bone spur...all with the Lupus thing....

I will probably have to get injections in my back    She said it may take up to a year to heal....

Plus Beekeeper and Magoo are on their way to Tucumcari....without ME   

I'm having a pity party....serving margaritas....

Anybody else have back problems?  Hope do you cope?  Will I ever be able to ride again?     
[/quote.. 2 suggestions. google prolo therapy.. It was a miracle for me and several people I know.. if there is a doc close that does it and he is honest as mine was he will tell you whether or not it will help in your case.. avoid back surgery at all costs if possible.. they are like potato chips.. ya cant have just one.. if ya have to have surgery definetly check into laser surgery.. you can google it too. good luck

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

***Sigh***....oh, me.....   

I wish you only the best Donna and hope we can all get together in 2010 for a ride.

[Devl]

Damn girl...sorry to hear that!  A pity party every now and then is O.K.  At least your still breathin!  What don't kill us makes us stronger, love those old cliches!  Have a Margarita for me, or hey... just a shot or two will do.  Tomorrow is another day, but now you'll have a hangover!  Keep your chin up girlie...Take Care!!!

[highcountry]

Yeah, the back thing sucks.  I have been a back patient for the last 13 yrs.  I had the same disk rupture twice.  The second time crushed the sciatic nerve and paralyzed my right leg partially, ankle and foot about 50%.  Cannot ride with forward controls because I cannot safely operate the rear brake.  And I have had big-time sciatica in my left leg and butt for the last 6 months, off and on.  But fortunately, riding a bike is pretty comfortable especially when I can stretch out my left leg to the highway peg. 

So Sugarbee to answer your question, you should be able to ride.  Just be careful muscling the machine around in the garage and parking lots, lifting off the stand, etc.

[bigdog99]

L4 - L5 discintegrated on me too, same thing. got the shots, kinda like cortozone, did not help at all, Dr. said he could operate but would be last resort. i finally BEGGED him to cut me, had a 1/2" scar, 4 hours after surgery i was 9" taller and wanted to walk home. 6 years later the rest of the disc was not happy where it was and wedged into the nerve. Dr. took out the disc, (@1":x1 1/2") and cleaned some scar tissue. been standin tall for about 8 years now. would do it all over again if i had too.

[sugerbear]

there there, you poor dear.............................now quit feeling sorry for yourself, kill the rest of the marguarita, and look foreward to some "queen" time. make everybody step and fetch for ya, as long as ya can.

soak it up while you can

then, get back out there.

L5-S1 DDD in 1992, couldn't walk in my yard. no surgury, waited it out. just have to watch turning w/load in my arms now, but it's muscle memory.

[woody]

Did my back in 10 years ago.
L3,4,5
Was partially paralised for 8 days.
I exercised as instructed by the doctor..........little relief.
Lost 32 kilo....................limited relief, then the back went out again.

Started on Green lipped mussel extract..........little relief.

The trick I found was to keep mobile.
I was working on my old mans house, moving stuff, laying floors, painting etc, always careful to consider my back and never lifting more than I could comfortably lift and move.
My back was sore, but not the sicky feeling that you get when it goes out (those with a bad back understand) it was a good worked sore. A hot bath and all was great.
Over a couple of months I found I slept better and had little or no pain in the morning, I could even tie my shoes and move around a bit better.

Now I have finished the old mans house, Im getting lazy again and the back is playing up.

Im goint to take up some areobic exercise, light to start and never doing anything that could hurt my back, hopefully it will get good again.

Keep carefully mobile and the back will look after you, do nothing and you will soon be able to do nothing.

[Jess from VA]

Sugarbee, at a certain age, almost everyone has degenerative changes/arthritis at certain levels of the spine... usually L5-S1 and L4-L5.  And bulges are NOT herniation (HNP).  The edema (swelling) should be temporary.  The injections of steriods almost always provides good but temporary relief. 

If you can do bent knee situps or crunches, strengthening the stomach/ab muscles can greatly relieve low back pain (do NOT pull on your neck doing them, leave your arms down).  I also do the Thompson maneuver, but you must do it correctly and often to train your back (like a self chiropractic treatment).

http://www.miraclepainrelief.com/thompsonmaneuver.htm

If you don't have a driver's backrest, get one.

Do not let them talk you into surgery/laminectomy (until and unless all else fails..... and even then).

[RoadKill]

It all boils down to mind over matter....we dont mind, but to us...you matter! Do what you can when you can. I am a couple yrs junior to most on the board but having abused my body severely in the shorter time frame and I do have some empathy. It is all about LIVING ! What else are you going to do? Show yourself how strong you can be and do NOT think for even a moment that any of your VRCC family would see weakness in you. We all have our days and I'm sure there is not one out there that could not relate in some fashion . Fight the good fight Donna,you are not alone. Valkyrie is the best therapy I have found next to this group of AWESOME friends on the VRCC!

[flamingobabe #44]

Donna...what you have been through...your foot...lupus..now your back....you are one tough lady...pity parties are good...now and then....I have pity parties even without anything bad...hang in there you will win...fb

[sugarbee]

Thank you all for the encouragement, advice, and information.  I had to look up the L-terms, I had no idea what ya'll were talking about, I understand it a bit better now, and I have added some questions to the list.

Joe-I'm hoping for a get-together this year, too.  It's still in the works, just nothing definite yet.

Thanks again 

[G-Man]

i have back problems, i see a chiropractor several times a year,sometimes more often if i do something really stupid, at times i live on advil, but i ride every chance i get.

i dont do margaritas...................but i do like my yukon jack and coke

Chiropractic care is fine for the once in great while acute spasm or something else mild, however, for chronic back ailments, it only masks the problem.  I have seen too many patient's who swear by their chiropracter (my Dad included), only to have to undergo a lumbar laminectomy (Dad) or some other surgical proceedure because their problem was allowed to exacerbate.

[gcook1]

I've had L5-S1 laminectomy surgery twice... first in 2001 then again in 2004.  The first time was after months of shooting pains in my leg and back and finally partial paralysis in my right foot.  The paralysis was why my doctor immediately recommended surgery.  Woke up from surgery with no pain and 100% use of my leg & foot.  WHEW! 

In 2004, same disk blew out causing almost instant paralysis again.  I was in surgery within 10 days.  This time the damage to the sciatic nerve was permanent.  I can hold my right foot level but can't lift it much above horizontal.  Toes can sorta wiggle...  maybe 20% feeling in them.

I still had occasional back pains until I started doing palates.  Basically not much different than yoga if you don't know what palates are.  Since then, I've had no back pain.  I'm able to run again (even did a marathon last Oct) even if I do run a little gimpy.  Another plus...  with only 20% feeling in my toes, it doesn't hurt so bad if I stub my toe!  You gotta find the positives in things you can't fix. 

[Clark]

Thank you all for the encouragement, advice, and information.  I had to look up the L-terms, I had no idea what ya'll were talking about, I understand it a bit better now, and I have added some questions to the list.

Joe-I'm hoping for a get-together this year, too.  It's still in the works, just nothing definite yet.

Thanks again 

DOOOTADOOO.....P.M SENT