sometimes knowing the problem is a beginning of relief. Up until they find the problem many DR's still look at femalesand think our problems are in our heads.
I've had difficulty getting my Dr to take some things seriously and I'm an RN!!! But insurance keeps me from going elsewhere. :(

I PRAY YOU CAN GET HELP I HAVE 4 AND 1 SLIPPED VERTEBRAE IT IS OUT OF LINE I NEVER GO WITH OUT PAIN IN MY LOWER BACK AND HIPS.MY AUNT HAD SURGERY IT DID HELP HER A LITTLE GOOD AND HAD TO HAVE 2 SURGERY TO REMOVE SCAR TISSUE FROM 1ST SURGERY SO PLEASE BECAREFULL IF YOU HAVE SURGERY.I WAS TOLD THERE AIN'T MUCH HELP FOR BULDING DISC AND SLIPPED VERTEBRAE.I WILL PRAY FOR YOU.

Hi Vickie,
So sorry about your back. I have 2 bulging dics and 1 ruptured. So can feel for you. My prayers are with you. Take care.

no surgery for me,,,,,, I go to a pain management clinic, and have epidurals. works for aboaut 6 months, If I need them sooner;?? just call clinic and set up another appt.... what an answer to prayer! I can shop for long periods of time, push a shopping cart, but to stand in line to pay just kills me,,, why??? oh not the money part, just standing still.......... hope you find some relief soon...

I'm glad you were finally diagnosed and hope you get some relief from your pain. Back pain sucks! I have degenerative disc disease and some stenosis and a cyst on my spine. Have only been in pain for about 8 months but I feel like I've turned into an old woman in those 8 months. Got some relief with epidural injections and physical therapy but not enough and will be seeing a neurosurgeon in October. I know what I want for the rest of my active life and it isn't being in pain or limited by pain or drugged because of pain. When I told my pain doctor that she said "Good for you--great attitude" and referred me to the surgeon. Now, just hope he has a treatment to fix it. I will be thinking of you and hope the best for you (and everyone else on the QB dealing with back pain).

Let's hope good old physical therapy and muscle strengthening will do the trick.

Surgery = absolutely the last option...and if it is suggested, get not 1, not 2 but 3 "second" opinions.
If it's just buldging exercise and time is the best treatment - or so I have been told by a number of specialist treating my DH.

Good luck to you and I know what you mean about finally having a diagnosis to put with the discomfort. Pain, being subjective can be so very frustrating to get people to believe what you're going through.

Best of luck to you. I have had this years ago but it will heal. Just be careful.

i feel the same as you, once you know and you're happy (coz now you know) people thinkk your crazy coz you're happy, but realize how frustrating it can be when you don't know.
i'm going in on Nov 28 for my next set of surgeries on my back. good luck to you

Thank you everyone for all the well wishes! I see a specialist tomorrow so I'm hoping I'll be on the road to recovery. I would really like to get some time in on the long arm but it's almost impossible when you can't stand up for more than 5 minutes. BOO!

Mine was C-4/C-5/C-6... problem solved with Physical Therapy and some (not much) steroids... I still have to take it easy (no heavy loads, good posture, etc.) but no surgery!! Hang in there, it gets better!!