Bad discs & Walking

[Judi]

Anyone have 3 bad discs and they could still walk like 10 miles a day? Just wondering. One doc said I have 3 bad discs after the discogram, and I just don't see how that's possible when I can walk so much

[mmglobal]

I used to play soccer fine, but could not stand in line at the grocery store. The doctor wrote into my record, something like; "the patient plays soccer without restriction. I am beginning to believe that there is not physical problem at all. I am ordering a full spine MRI to rule out HNP"

After 2 of the 3 MRI's, I could not lie on the table any longer. I told the tech that I had to take a 10 minute break before the 3rd MRI. I went an ran around the building several times... got warm and loose, then did the 3rd MRI.

At the time that I could play soccer and run, but could not sit or stand still for 5 minutes. The MRI showed a 15mm protrusion at L4-5 with severe nerve root compression.

You are not alone!

Mark

[Juli]

Judi, what symptoms do you have then? I have DDD of the lower 3 discs as well and have had it for over 10 years. I had to stop any type of impact such as running or jumping years ago, that would cause an immediate response but I was able to walk fair distances (I never tried 10 miles!) and bike up until about a year ago.

[Mariaa]

Wow...not me. I have 3 bad discs and can walk maybe 7 miles with the help of a lumbar epidural steroid, opioid medication, neurontin, some rest stops along the way... lunch/a beer (joke)~

No, actually walking, sitting, standing any length of time are things I definately cannot do with my 3 bad discs. Then again, L5S1 is just about "shot", L4 is pretty bad, and L3 has an annular tear which has been deemed an outrageous source of my lumbar pain/and not.. So???

All I know is if I could walk 10 miles any given day or time, I probably would really rethink any surgical intervention unless I had something else really severe going on like neurodeficits or loss of functioning of extremity, tone, muscle, or progressively deteriorating condition that will only worsen w/o surgical intervention..

Do your bad discs interfer with your lifestyle in general? In the years of my spinal endeavor (20 plus) I've always been told by radiologists that a person can have bulging discs that are much more significant than what I had/have and never even know it or hardly feel it at all, and I had small disc bulges and had very severe pain...

[wbaker68]

when my problems began to arise again, I would be able to play basketball but as soon as I stopped all heck would break loose. As long as back was loose I was good. If I had to sit down for a break of game, I was done. Things progressively got worse to where I could not do anything. I think its sometimes all a matter of time for the most part and sometimes although a disc is bad, it may only be symptomatic under certain situations.

Good luck,

Take care, bill

[Juli]

I agree Maria, if I could still do some form of exercise, I do not think I would be pursuing ADR or surgery at all. I know someone has to be the 5 percent or whatever study you look at that ends up with more problems that you start with.
I know everyone is different though and has different symptoms and issues.

As of last year I have had to stop everything, even biking and weight training. Any activity at all will usually wake up the gremlins! My doctor has stated that fusion is my next option, which is what has prompted me to start researching the alternatives.

I have also heard that if you have daily leg/foot pain and numbess that it can eventually become permanent. Is that true, does anyone know much about that? In addition to daily leg/foot pain and numbness, I currently have no reflex in my right leg and it is noticeably weaker than my left. I also have read that if you wait too long you can develop other issues which may become contraindications to the surgery.

I appreciate hearing other's issues/symptoms and decision processes. Thanks to all who have posted and continue to post, this website has been so helpful!

[Mariaa]

Juli,
the lack of reflex in the right leg (patella tendon reflex or achilles tendon) and noticably weakness compared to other leg are probably a reason for some surgical intervention.

The foot pain,numbness...that would probably depend on other factors/progression/diagnostic studies and such..

My right foot has an area of numbness that comes and goes tho has been going on since 1998~ likely involved with L5S1 situation I have going on. For a while I couldn't drive without feeling my first 3 toes and metatarsal arch going towards the ankle on the right foot was going numb when pressing on gas pedal. I stopped working at that point.

While my OSS was recommending 3 level Global fusion at the time, he also said the numbness might or might not go away... and I still had reflexes, tone so I decided against surgery~

I've not had sciatic or leg pain other than burning that came after a failed discectomy.. so the pain that I had in my legs and feet was explained as involvement of scar tissue in sacral nerve root area as the sacral nerves all clump together so likely scar tissue was causing this effect. Also was told I had Arachnoiditis for a while.

Depending on the clinical picture re the leg/foot pain would determine type of surgical intervention and probability of success for relief... I believe in the Surgical Outcome area of this forum I noticed that quite a few persons that had leg pain due to a discogenic pain generator got relief from ADR....

[dylan]

walking and pilaties are the best exercises for me. I hike 3 miles every three days, and then I stretch afterwards. It has not prevented me from hurting myself, when I overdo it but I recover much faster, and I am much stronger.
I have tried everything else, biking, swimming, light weights. Walking and pilaties are the only ones that I can do safely

[laura-w]

For many years walking fast while really swinging my hips was the only way to reduce my lower back pain. I didn't know at the time that my problem was DDD. I guess walking got rid of some inflammation. Now when I even try to walk very short distances my hips and knees get tight, swollen and painful. Very depressing. I can't seem to get a clear answer on what is causing this. Radiated nerve pain? Arthritis? Some other unhealthy inflammatory process? I'm trying to get an answer. Walking 10 miles a day sounds wonderful. Keep it up.

Laura

[Judi]

I'm definitely thinking surgery. That's all I can do is walk. I've got 2 completely torn discs, and 1 disc, L3 is 50% torn. I'm just having trouble with one surgeon saying I need a 3 level and another saying only a 2 level.

I can't sit for more than maybe 30 min. at a time and then have to lie down. I lie down to eat and can't lift more than a quart of milk. There's got to be more to life than walking.

I'd hoped to hear that if you had 3 bad discs, you couldn't walk this much. Guess there isn't a direct correlation between walking and how many discs are bad.

I've already had 2 discograms, don't really want another one. I've got 3 surgeons telling me I'm a 3 level, and won't touch me, and one telling me I'm a 2 level. Wish there was an easier way of knowing for sure.