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Old 08-01-2016, 09:43 PM
Chris9702L Chris9702L is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 21
Default Beware, a long intro!!!

Hey guys/gals,

Just want to introduce myself. I am pretty sure I am going down the path for a double/triple level ADR.

My back problems started in college when I got addicted to racquetball. I got quite good but after about a year my back started to hurt. I got an MRI, found out I had a moderate bulge in the L4/L5 and a slight bulge in the L3/L4. The first doctor wanted to fuse but the second and third said no because I didn't have any symptoms going down my legs (it was just pain in my lower back). I got some exercises to do and with rest I recovered.

But about every year I would do something (usually a small twisting motion or bendover) and throw out my back. The initial symptoms were crookedness (upper torso lean to the left), lightning bolts, spasms, and sensitivity to movement. After about 3 days this would subside into just being tight and soreness that would last another 4/5 days. But I would always recover back to normal. Chiropractic care and laying down would help out alot.

This year I don't even know what I did. In the middle of April I noticed the back of my left knee was tight (thought I pulled a muscle). Then a couple days later I came down from a ladder and felt a tweak after a couple steps. Well, the tweak turned into a throwout. But this time it didn't recover after a week. I got an MRI which showed the same moderate bulge and moderate DDD in L4/L5, slight bulge L3/L4, and another slight bulge L2/L3. All these discs were black on the MRI (facet joints and lumber curve was fine). Then I went down the road of alternative treatments.

In the beginning I couldn't sit for more than 10 minutes at a time, couldn't walk that long, did not want to make any movements because it would bring on a lightning bolt, and would just need to lay down for 20+ hours a day and not move.

My chiropractor recommended spinal decompression and off I was to chiropractor #2 and the DRX9000 machine. In all I had 26 treatments. Ever so slowly I improved (don't know if this was do to time or the treatments). Somewhere in there I developed a severe tightness about two fists up from my belt line. It felt like there was a super tight knot in my back. About a month in I found out about laser therapy and gave that a try (no success here). I then tried 10 sessions of acupuncture with no success. Toward the end of the spinal decompression I started to see a couple surgeons to get their opinion. Both basically didn't want to touch me because I had nothing going down my legs and recommended physical therapy. I gave up on spinal decompression and started PT.

The back has gotten better along the way. I can normally get around with no pain. I started being able to walk (now I walk about 2 miles x2 a day). I can bike on pavement for a long period of time. I can finally sit more than 10 minutes at a time (now around an hour) and stand more than 15 minutes at a time (now pretty much unlimited). My problems are I am very hesitant to bend over (warning flags go off in my head when I do). The tightness two fists above belt line has turned from a super tight knot, to a knot, to a moderate tightness when I try to stretch or move (if this damn tightness would go away I would kinda feel normal). I would say I am about 60%. I can do the basics but that is about it. When people look at me from the rear as I bend over they say my upper back starts to arch fine, then my lower back just stays flat, and then I bend at the hips. I am thankful that I am not in any pain and don't really need any medicine.

Right now I am still doing PT (don't know if it is helping) and stretching x2 daily. I just started with a guy who does soft tissue therapy (he said I just have loads of adhesions on my muscles in my lower back and a nerve impinged in my left hip). I am soon to try an epidermal shot to see if that helps.

I am heavily researching ADR. I got my info in a dropbox for Dr Bierstedt to look at. I filled out the contact form for Dr Clavel (no correspondence yet). Next Monday I have an appointment with Dr Blumenthol. The one advantage I do have is being a pilot, so I can go wherever on the cheap.

That's about it for now, sorry it was so long

Chris
__________________
1990 - MRI - moderate bulge L4/L5, small bulge L3/L4 (pain in lower back but not down the legs)

after 1990 - would throw out back every year. Spasms, lightning bolts, and crookedness for 3 days followed by tightness for 3/4 days - would recover back to normal in about a week

April 2016 - a small tweek that developed into a full blown throwout is slowly, slowly getting better (back to about 60% in the beginning of Aug)

Last edited by Harrison; 08-02-2016 at 07:08 PM. Reason: Added line breaks for reading ease
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