I have always suffered from back pain, even as a kid. When I was about 8 or 9 I even had a spinal tap. I don't know really the reason for it but it was done. Sometime in the 90s I started seeing a chiropractor because I had trouble walking without pain. I was also a waitress so you can imagine the stress on my back. With the help of this chiropractor I was able to walk upright and pain free after suffering for many years.
Flash forward 2005 - Life is good. I work out, competed in a couple of bodybuilding shows, go to the gym etc. One day while cleaning, I bent over to pick up some laundry off the floor and felt an immediate pop. When I stood up, there was intense pain on the right side of my back. Couple of days later I go to my Chiropractor and he works on me. The pain continues to get worse and now is going down my right buttock to my knee. At my chiros urging he suggests I get an MRI to rule out a herination. This is a year and a half later.
2007 I get the MRI and alas it is confirmed that I have L5-S1 herniation and L4-L5 bulge. Dr. Vaccaro at the Rothman Institute recommends a discogram by someone in his office. July 2007 I experience one of the worst procedures I have ever had to endure, the discogram. Oddly enough, I was in pain for a couple of days but after that my pain went away for 2 YEARS! There is no further talk of any surgery since I am pain free. What a glorious 2 years they were . I worked out, lost weight, started running and even did a 1/2 marathon. Before that, I hated running.
I think sometime in late 2009 (October/November) my lower midback started aching to the point it would keep me up at night but I continued on because it wasn't an earth shattering pain then. By mid 2010 the pain was becoming unbearable and all conservative treatment was not helping. I go back and get another MRI so I can do surgery consults. This new MRI showed pretty much the same thing as the 2007 MRI. I consulted an ortho group near my hometown. The surgeon looked at MRI report that was faxed to him (not the disc itself) and said I wasn't really worth his time because he had me see his PA who looked at the MRI disc and said I wasn't a candidate for surgery so I should get the steroid injections first. Did the complete round of all that stuff and nothing has helped.
I had an initial consult with Dr. Balderston in Philly on Jan 25, 2011 and he said I am a candidate for surgery but he needed to find out how many levels of pain I have before he can proceed so he had me see Dr. Maurer in his group for another discogram. I had that done last Wednesday. I am going back to see Dr. Maurer and Dr. Balderston on 2/22/11 to get the results of the discogram and to see what options I have at that for my back.
Sorry this is so long and possibly much more information than you ever wanted to know about me.
