Just checking in since I've been missing in action. I was at a conference most of last week and decided not to bring my laptop at the last moment. It spared my back.
I'm still dealing with significant sciatic pain. Turns out I've herniated a disc. What does this have to do with a jelly donut? Good question. You see, if you think of a spinal disc like a jelly donut cushioning your vertebrae, a herniation is when the tough outer dough layer gets a crack and some jelly oozes out. And that jelly is what has my sciatic nerve on high alert. Anyway, I'm seeing a specialist today. Fingers crossed that I can get back to normal life and activities soon. Sigh.
Anyway, I do have a pants reveal for the 4th of July planned. So, please stay tuned.
Update 7/3: Thanks for all the tea and sympathy. Mostly good news from the specialist yesterday! Turns out it is unlikely that I "did something" to cause this - my back is simply aging and my L4 and L5 are, apparently, stale donuts which will someday be arthritic. He's not too worried that my recovery seems slow, but I should expect significant improvement in the next 4-6 weeks. So, he prescribed steroids to bring down the inflammation and "retail therapy" for the psychological side effects. Best of all, he wants me to get back into my regular activities asap so that I don't decondition and because the activity will boost blood flow and alleviate pain (I had already noticed that the pain is less when I'm active). So, I went for a short, slow run last night with no adverse side effects or increased pain. It felt good to do something normal!
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| Anatomically correct jelly donut |
I'm still dealing with significant sciatic pain. Turns out I've herniated a disc. What does this have to do with a jelly donut? Good question. You see, if you think of a spinal disc like a jelly donut cushioning your vertebrae, a herniation is when the tough outer dough layer gets a crack and some jelly oozes out. And that jelly is what has my sciatic nerve on high alert. Anyway, I'm seeing a specialist today. Fingers crossed that I can get back to normal life and activities soon. Sigh.
Anyway, I do have a pants reveal for the 4th of July planned. So, please stay tuned.
Update 7/3: Thanks for all the tea and sympathy. Mostly good news from the specialist yesterday! Turns out it is unlikely that I "did something" to cause this - my back is simply aging and my L4 and L5 are, apparently, stale donuts which will someday be arthritic. He's not too worried that my recovery seems slow, but I should expect significant improvement in the next 4-6 weeks. So, he prescribed steroids to bring down the inflammation and "retail therapy" for the psychological side effects. Best of all, he wants me to get back into my regular activities asap so that I don't decondition and because the activity will boost blood flow and alleviate pain (I had already noticed that the pain is less when I'm active). So, I went for a short, slow run last night with no adverse side effects or increased pain. It felt good to do something normal!
14 comments:
ouch! good luck!
Poor girl! I had this problem about 7 years ago. For me, it was due to weak core muscles after pregnancy. To this day I keep trying to exercise them. Knock on wood, I haven't had any more back issues, but I still wouldn't say that they are strong either. I can't get passed level 2 on any pilates exercises, lol, but I think persevering has helped keep the back pain at bay.
I hope the specialist can help you start to feel better quickly and get you sorted out for the long run.
Thanks! That's what I'm hoping too! We'll see.
Egad, that's intense! I'm giving you all my good back vibes. I guess it's good to know what's causing all of this trouble, though. Not knowing can be very difficult in it's own right.
Oh gosh been there, had back surgery about 25 years ago for a herniated L4-L5 disc..it's really debilitating but full recovery is possible.
Eeee... Squishy things going squish is not good. I hope the specialist can help you. Get lots of rest in the mean time! I hope you feel better soon.
Ouch! Feel better soon.l
Yeah, my L5 is the culprit! Right now we're trying all the conservative options first.
YES! The good news is that there isn't any kind of tumor or growth on my spine (which was a slim, but real possibility)!
So glad to hear that things are looking up already! It's definitely a moral boost to get out and do some of the things you normally enjoy.
Oh, so sorry you are "down in your back," as elders in my neck of the woods so colloquially call your condition. Also, sorry for your brush with mortality. Mine came at a dentist, who took a cast of my teeth to determine if all those years of orthodontic agony in my teens was working itself undone. "Nope. You're just getting old. What I thought was teeth moving in your jaw is just teeth wearing away through advanced age." I was 35 at the time. 20 years on, I still have more than stubs left. Feel better. Take things slowly until you recover. Eat vitamin C tablets like popcorn.
eep. late to the party (party?) but glad to hear about the update. exceptionally vivid use of the jelly donut as descriptor.
Yeah, who knew that 36 was practically geriatric! Arthritis here I come!
It helps make it bearable to think about. LOL
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