Herniated Disk :(

I feel for you, I really do. I've never had back pain but my best friend (who also lives in Florida) has gone thru a rough time and ultimately had to have surgery. They say that the majority of people recover without needing surgery, so I hope that's the case for you, especially considering the insurance issue. My friend went thru P.T., acupuncture, a chiropractor and epidural injections but none of it helped her. On a more positive note, my dad herniated a disk when lifting a bag of rock salt into the back of his SUV and was taken into surgery only a few days later. He was 100% better immediately after surgery, so I'm not sure what the differences are in the injuries or methods of treatments. It does seem that most Dr's will take the most conservative route first, which is probably good, but it does require a good dose of patience. I'm sorry you're going thru this and truly hope you feel better soon.

 Ouch!  I'm so sorry, and I know how bad the pain can be!  I ruptured one disc and had another bulging in my low back years ago.  I luckily was able to go with conservative treatment and did not require surgery.  I was laid up in bed unable to walk for a month.  Then, after steroids and bedrest, the doctor cleared me for short bouts of 15 minutes of easy swimming for 6 weeks.  Then he cleared me for 6 weeks of very gentle yoga and stretching.  Then 6 weeks of slow careful walking on a treadmill.  It took a long time and if I moved or twisted the wrong way I set myself back.  I still can end up in a bad way if I lift incorrectly or twist the wrong way so I try to be very aware of my body position and I do lots of yoga to stay flexible and to strengthen my back muscles. 

From what my doctor told me, with a herniation, the body forms a hard covering over the portion that has ruptured out and that takes time.  It's also never as good a protection as when the disc was whole and healthy, but sometimes it's manageable if you're careful.  I'm able to run with very good shoes on a treadmill, do yoga, yardwork (carefully!) and ski (again carefully!) but lifting Woobie the wrong way put me out flat on my back for a month.  It's definitely not a fun injury to have.  I hope you're able to recover without surgery but be prepared for it to not be a quick fix.  I also wouldn't advise becoming completely immobile, it's just so much harder to get back on your feet if you stop moving.  I didn't have much choice, but in retrospect, I wish I'd started moving a little sooner because my muscle just wasted away during that period of bed rest.

Good luck, it's really an awful thing to go through!   

Sunshinegirl

I'm wondering if the land owner would be responsible and would have coverage for something like this.

Definitely check on this.  It's quite possible that you are covered.  I know if anyone gets hurt at my house or in my pool, my homeowners insurance covers it. Years ago a friend was over with his daughter and one of her friends.  The girls were just swimming slowly beneath the surface and one of them accidentally chipped her tooth on the steps.  I called the insurance co. and they said to have her go to the dentist and they'd take care of everything. I can't imagine that a business/property owner wouldn't have that type of coverage, especially if they're having huge gatherings of people with bands.

Joyce

If someone went to the hospital SOMEONE should have made a police report.  You may want to contact an attorney -- if there is a local one who advertises on the television that may be the one to go to.  They won't take your case unless they know they can win.  But it won't cost YOU out of pocket money -- going to a smaller firm might net you more in your pocket at the end, but you'd have to pay 'costs' as you go along (from copies to filing fees, deposition fees, etc.).  The ones who advertise "no recovery no fees" are going to take a huge chunk of the end result but usually they will get enough to cover their fees. 

Don't just ask ONE ... talk to several because it all depends on how 'good' the person is who is doing intake.  I don't know down where you are (you're in Ft. Myers?? If you will PM me with your city, I'll ask Andy when he comes back from vacation if he knows someone good down there.  If he doesn't know there are others I can ask (remember I am a legal secretary). 

 Ice will likely help -- it hurts like a sonofagun but it will reduce the swelling and pain.  I would send you some White Flower OIl but you really need to get it stabilized first.  Make sure the ortho people know you're experiencing pain in lower extremities -- that likely means the sciatic nerve is pinched also.

Hubby went thru this with his lower back, and as Callie said, it was that pinched nerve that was causing him all the pain in his leg.  He ended up getting 3 injections in his lower back and that has helped for two years, but is wearing off.  The doctor called it surgery and chargd the insurance company $2700---and told us he was giving them a break and only charging for two shots instad of three.

 I know how much pain he was in so i trul feel for you and hope you get elief soon.

Thanks you guys.....Callie, I'm in Sarasota and haven't heard back from the attorney I called yesterday, but I would appreciate any info or recommendations.... I should mention that I have been under the care of a pain management specialist for about 2 years now for upper back, neck and shoulder pain from previous car accidents and being hit by Keaunu Reeves tour bus (back in 1995). I am going to see my Dr. at 3:00 today. Pain is not new to me, but this is not something I've experienced before. It is constant....if I sit too long it's a problem, if I try to walk it's a problem (I can't straighten out my leg, my knee locks up on me, but yet, I can bend it when sitting - weird)....I cannot get comfortable. Seriously, it feels like someone shot me in the leg and now the pain is creeping into my lower back and left buttock. I did find out today that I am covered with long-term disability thru work, but only thru the end of July. I printed the form and will take it with me to the Dr. All I can do is ask him what he thinks and if he will fill it out. I know with this type of injury it can be difficult to guess how long a person will be affected by it and to what degree. I know I can't work like this.....I am so bummed out right now, all I do is cry and look around my house at all the stuff I need to do and can't.......not because I don't want to...... I guess I've forgotten what that feels like becuz I went thru this back when I had my other injuries, I think I'm just over it....... I guess I never thought I'd be injured and have to go thru it ever again.... Sorry, I'm just really throwing a big time pity party for myself right now. It's times like these that I wish I had a boyfriend or husband to lean on....... the smallest things that we do on a daily basis ~ that I think we all take for granted, become these huge mountains to climb. UGH, okay, thanks for listening.....I have to go finish getting ready for the dr.....a task that normally takes me a short time now takes 4 hours!!! Any other suggestions, ideas are greatly appreciated.......

 I've had a herniated disk before and believe me, I feel your pain. It was the WORST pain ever and yes it does cripple you.

 I went through physical therapy for weeks but it didn't help. Finally I saw a neurologist. The neurologist was no nonsense and had no bedside manner either. He said "You have 2 choices: You can not have surgery, risk further injury and end up paralyzed, or you can have surgery and risk being paralyzed because your injury is in a dangerous location. You decide." At that, he walked out of the room. My jaw was on the floor! The nurse walked in and I was still speachless. She said "don't worry about him, that's just the way he is. He is the best surgeon out there though for this type of surgery".

So, I had surgery. It was the best decision I ever made. I'm pretty much pain free now unless I don't get enough exercise (walking).
 

Sunshinegirl

I'm wondering if the land owner would be responsible and would have coverage for something like this.

I live in Texas and my insurance company is Farmers. My policy covers injury of a third party on my property. If you walk onto my property, invited or not, and trip over the garden hose and get hurt, my insurance company pays your claim. So, the land owner in question should have insurance and that insurance should cover damage and injury to a third party, such as yourself.

 

 My injury happened on someone else's property and I did make a claim and got some money. Not a lot but every little bit helped when I couldn't work and was only getting 60% of my salary on LTD.

I'm sorry that you are going through this. I could have written your last post concerning sitting, standing, pain, not getting comfortable. I have been through all of that and it really is terrible - not only physically but it mentally wears you down as well.

That pain that is radiating is nerve damage. To heal that you are going to want to walk - a lot. 

Jewlieee

So, I had surgery. It was the best decision I ever made. I'm pretty much pain free now unless I don't get enough exercise (walking).
 

 

That seems to be key in back injuries (probably most injuries, in fact).  A friend's husband had a bad injury but the same doctor I went to said conservative treatment was possible.  He needed to lose about 100 lbs and start moving.  He sat and gained 50 more.  Even after the surgery, he continued to have problems because he did nothing to address his physical condition. 

Hi I sympathize with you. I also live in Sarasot. here is a little about what I have going on. I can't take this pain much more. I am 31 years old 5'9. My neck and back hurt all the time. My back and neck are always tight never relaxing. I have knots throughout back and neck that have to be rubbed out just to get some temporary relief popping back. My muscles throb. It feels like bone on bone. For the last two weeks my shoulder blades throb and feel like they are rubbing together. The muscles in my butt are tight and hurt. My calfs and feet have knots and tightness to but not as noticable until touched. I ache all over. I have to pop my knuckes and rub my hands or they knot up. The best relief I get is when my 6'4 -320lb boyfriend rubs and kneads real hard on my back, butt, legs, and by the time he gets to my calfs I can feel tingling numbness. Then he rubs my feet. OMG it feels like he rubs everyhting out my feet. Then the pain comes back hour later. Let me say Florida has the worst Medicaid in the world, they make it impossible to do anything. I just got good insurance and went to back dr. They took x-rays and he said. He saw disk degenration and some arthritis. He said I asked if my joints swelled up. They are swollen on the inside but not outside. I am skinny so why wouldnt they be swollen on the outside with the way it feels inside. I can't sleep at night because I am hurting and my back won't let up till I finally fall asleep at 5am- Then I can't wake up till noon. I have been on the same amount of pain meds for years. I take 15 mg of Percocet and 2 Aleve 4 times a day. I dont want to switch to something higher but feel like I dont have a choice. I am going to start Physical Therapy again but that only provides relief while I am there. When I wake up in the morning I can hardly move. I feel like an 80 yr old woman in a 31 year old body. My Mom has Fibromyalgia, Lupus, which is now affecting her lungs, Bipolar- Which I was diagnosed with but have been off all meds for 1 month and feel better without it right now. And some form of Arthritis. She takes no pain meds like me- So that makes me think whatever is wrong with my back is more serious. I have an appt with a neurologist next week. Oh and my eyes always have gooey stuff in them- which blocks my sight. I dont know if this could be related to anything but it is annoying everyday. I have to take a cutip and long, long things of clear goo. My quality of life *****- I have had to make my own way. I can't have a normal job because my body won't allow me to. I am very active but don't leave my house much. I do everything from home. I work 6 to 12 hours a day, depending on when I just have to lay down and turn heating pad on high- Oh and this will burn you have done before on accident. I didnt notice how hot it was because pain in back. I have been doing less and less the past 2 weeks and I need to be busy all the time- I say go Body says No it *****

Tonight my tooth fell out while eating-It has been hurting for a while. I am out og meds till Mon and dont know what to do. I hope we can chit chat. I hope you are feeling better. Rebekkah You can write my email rebekkah1436@yahoo.com. I just somehow find you looking for Dentists. Felt we had a little in common PAiN.

Sunshinegirl

t is constant....if I sit too long it's a problem, if I try to walk it's a problem (I can't straighten out my leg, my knee locks up on me, but yet, I can bend it when sitting - weird)....I cannot get comfortable. Seriously, it feels like someone shot me in the leg and now the pain is creeping into my lower back and left buttock.

Neural pain is like that -- it makes no logical sense externally -- but when you are 'sitting' something is hitting or not hitting the nerve that is different when standing. 

Even the chair you SIT in can make a huge difference.  There are some chairs that will literally cripple me in under 3 minutes.  (and I mean, long long TERM problems from sitting in the wrong chair for 3 minutes!) 

You know those folding chairs with the plastic seats and backs (usually everywhere at picnics, etc.?) THOSE -- they are the bane of my existence -- I carry my own folding chair in the car simply because I can't sit on those darned things for even the briefest moment -- they kill me. 

I emailed you with a list (a short one) -- I wish I knew the attorneys down there better but I just don't.  But don't give up at one -- call several.  They're like doctors (only worse) in that they get comfortable in an area and that's ALL they do.  So just because one says they do "PI" -- might be a completely different kind of PI, or the message may have gotten lost on their desk (and trust me, if they get busy it happens!!)  But DO persist ...