Hope you feel better soon.

I am waiting for my MRI to be schedulted... back issues. I, too, will finally be happy to know the problem. This has been going on for years and dr. finally decided to do an MRI.... can't believe he told me I had never mentioned it. I told him he must not have listened...as it has been an ongoing issue for about 10 years.

Well, now you know you aren't alone. Theres something about back pain, if you've never had it you wouldn't understand. It does get to you after a while. Hopefully, you'll be getting some relief soon. I have an appointment next week with my pain management, I've gone to long between injections. They have worked well for me. Hope you will be pain free soon!

My DD just had one fixed. I was freeking out. Surgery on your back!!!! Just sounded sooooo scarey. Guess what, she is doing GREAT!!! The pain before was unbearable, gone now. It was a disc close to the top, like #2? They went in through the front, she was home the same day. Just couldn't lift anything for 4 weeks. Make sure you find an orthopedic doctor that has a good track record with YOUR particular situation. Good luck and lots of prayers for you.

Same here, only Left 5th lumbar pinched. I start out in the morning, relatively pain-free, but as the day wears on and I am on my feet too much, the compression gets worse and worse and by 5ish, I can sometimes barely walk. At my age and condition, surgery is out of the question, so live with it.

For all of you who have had pain for a while, who have been told nothing else can be done, or who have not had the pain fixed let me suggest that you get a second opinion from the orthopedic clinic in your state that treats your professional football team. They will have the best doctors, the most up to date training, the latest equipment that money can buy and they charge the same as the other doctors - what the insurance companies tell them they can charge. They are accustomed to patients who have to have the problem solved quickly so they can go back to playing football. They will give you the same fast treatment. In Dallas the Carrell Clinic will arrange a MRI the same day as your appointment, if you need one, because they don't wait to begin. They get the tests so they can give you a diagnosis. Then you have the choice of treatment. Take advantage of what those football teams have available - all you need is an appointment. We just called on the phone and made ours - they take medicare. I think all football teams have the same quality of care.

I see lumber injections in your future. Hopefully they will work for you if that is what the doc recommends. I have had bulging discs for over 10 years. Last procedure I had was a risotomy (sp?) which deadens the nerves that transmit the pain. The nerves eventually regenerate so this is not a permanent solution. I do feel 90% better!

The pain management doctor also said that if I lost some weight :-( that would also help.

I suffered with a bulging disc L3/L4 for over seven years. I had surgery one year ago - microdiscectomy (sp?)- and it was the best thing I could have ever done. I will tell you this, DON'T RUSH INTO SURGERY. The advice to make sure you are being treated by the BEST available doctors is the best advice you can receive. Epidural injections do work and at times I gained relief for over 18 months between injections, so I highly recommend Pain Management. I know what you are going through and I wish you the best. You are welcomed to PM me if you just need to talk. Like an earlier post, no one understands the pain unless they have experienced it.

My back problems started about 8 years ago and didn't know what caused it. My Dr. at the time would not do anything for quit a while. Then I compained so much, he finally sent me to have an MRI. Discovered that I had a compression fracture in the spine in the middle of my back plus my disc in the lower back down by the tailbone did not have any disc left at all - so was rubbing bone on bone. Finally went to a spine specialist who sent me to therapy and put me on Celebrex. Now I am relative pain free. Only hurts when I stand to long or sit to long. Exercises do help but the pain will never completely go away.

I live with leg and back pain everyday no insurance, somedays I hurt so bad but just keep plugging away.