Back Trouble

mr8ball

mr8ball

Active member
Well guys I had it done today. Just a week trial period to see if it helps. Seem more like a ting unit implanted in my back. It is a constant stimulation of the nerve's. This is the first day so I should know in a few days if its going to help. It was a fairly painful process with all the mussel spasm's. Still having a lot of the. Just got the mussel relaxers so maybe it will ease up in a bit. A few things I can understand about this trial period is that you have to continue to take the pain meds. You cant lift, bend or do anything to really see what happens. Pretty much all I was told I could do is walk to see if that area of it changes. If it helps it would 30 to 45 days before the final implant. Well I will continue to pray and hope for the best. Some of you might think about giving it a try. After a while anything is worth a try. Here is a link for anyone interested in some pics of it. None of me of course Hope everyone had a Happy Thinksgiving

Some of you might think about giving it a try. After a while anything is worth a try

https://www.google.com/search?q=spin...in;150;172
 
mr8ball said:
Well guys I had it done today. Just a week trial period to see if it helps. Seem more like a ting unit implanted in my back. It is a constant stimulation of the nerve's. This is the first day so I should know in a few days if its going to help. It was a fairly painful process with all the mussel spasm's. Still having a lot of the. Just got the mussel relaxers so maybe it will ease up in a bit. A few things I can understand about this trial period is that you have to continue to take the pain meds. You cant lift, bend or do anything to really see what happens. Pretty much all I was told I could do is walk to see if that area of it changes. If it helps it would 30 to 45 days before the final implant. Well I will continue to pray and hope for the best. Some of you might think about giving it a try. After a while anything is worth a try. Here is a link for anyone interested in some pics of it. None of me of course Hope everyone had a Happy Thinksgiving

Some of you might think about giving it a try. After a while anything is worth a try

https://www.google.com/search?q=spin...in;150;172
Click to expand...

I hope it works for you, I have a bad back also mighty hard to play well when you are in a lot of pain . keep us updated please
 
I have had a bad back for years now (28) and I know what you mean. I have lost a 1/3 of my game in the last year. Mostly because I just can play enough to keep my game up.
 
Hello, I also have had back problems!!! I've been working at UPS for 28 years and my back is shot!! I have been getting trigger point injections for a while now and they seem to help!! What exactly did you have done?? the link you posted did not help.
Hope it works for you!!

My game has fallen off by about 60%!!! I haven't been able to play an event in over a year!
 
A word or 2 of caution....

mr8ball said:
Well guys I had it done today. Just a week trial period to see if it helps. Seem more like a ting unit implanted in my back. It is a constant stimulation of the nerve's. This is the first day so I should know in a few days if its going to help. It was a fairly painful process with all the mussel spasm's. Still having a lot of the. Just got the mussel relaxers so maybe it will ease up in a bit. A few things I can understand about this trial period is that you have to continue to take the pain meds. You cant lift, bend or do anything to really see what happens. Pretty much all I was told I could do is walk to see if that area of it changes. If it helps it would 30 to 45 days before the final implant. Well I will continue to pray and hope for the best. Some of you might think about giving it a try. After a while anything is worth a try. Here is a link for anyone interested in some pics of it. None of me of course Hope everyone had a Happy Thinksgiving

Some of you might think about giving it a try. After a while anything is worth a try

https://www.google.com/search?q=spin...in;150;172
Click to expand...

PM sent. My response got a bit long! Just for everyone's benefit, I'm not a fan of the implanted spinal cord stimulators. I have had one in my back since 2008 and it has been completely worthless in treating my pain. I haven't even turned it on in 3 or 4 years. It's one of the only things I regret having done during my struggle with back pain, because at some point I'll need another surgery to remove the battery back, electrical leads and stim pads on my spinal cord. Regardless of what you decide, I wish you the best of luck. Living with daily pain over a long period of time is truly a tortuous experience (and it's WAY worse when it interferes with your pool game). :)
 
Toncam said:
I tried preaching that to people, but i wont anymore. People just want the quick fix and wont do the work to keep themselves in shape and out of pain, so whatever.
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While I totally agree that stretching and staying in shape goes a long way to prevent back problems, I was in the best shape of my life and very limber from exercise and stretching when my back problems began. I was always amazed at how many people I saw in the doctors' offices that looked like me. I just expected most back pain patients to be older, overweight, deconditioned, etc., but many of them were in tremendous shape. My superior conditioning (at the time) actually became an obstical to getting an accurate diagnosis. Although I had a torn/perforated disc, I had little to no compression of the disc at that level because my core muscles kept the discs in place.

My point is that while staying in shape and stretching are generally a great thing to do for back health (and overall health), it's certainly no guaranty against back injury or some degenerative back disease or condition. It can happen to anyone.
 
Toncam said:
I tried preaching that to people, but i wont anymore. People just want the quick fix and wont do the work to keep themselves in shape and out of pain, so whatever.
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I was in top shape as well. I play A level soft ball just about everyday from 1985 to 1997. I was a top notch athlete. It is true you can preach it but at some point you hurt so bad you just can not do it anymore. Anyway here is my story.

Hello and thanks. I hurt my back in 1985. L4 & 5 Had a bulging disk and developed what they call limp foot. I had 13 epaderiol shots in my back with the promise it would get better. LOL. I only got a couple of weeks of relief. The trimmed the disk off the nerve and over the next few years all the fluid leaked out of the sack. Then the bones cut through the sack and started to splinter. In 06 they went in and put an artificial disk along with 6 screws and 2 plates. I have been through about 9 years of rehab therapy. The pain has never got any better only worse. In 2011 i was playing pool at the expo and had a heart attack right in the middle of my match LOL. Up to that point I was on Methadone for about 15 years. The day of my heart attack my back for some reason just quit hurting. For a year and a half I never took another methadone pill. Things were great. Then one day it just started hurting again and they have yet to tell me why it stopped or started again. They say they can not find anything. I have been to Dr after Dr with no results. I have pretty much run out of money at this point and am sick of taking pain pills. I cant play pool or do much of anything anymore. To be honest I need a life to keep me sane anymore. I went to a pain man. clinic and they told me about this stimulator thing and thought I have tried everything else so why not this. I do agree a week is not enough time to try this thing and I am planning on talking with them about it. Thanks again for your replay and here is hoping and praying that we both can find some kind of relief. Keep in touch, Doug
 
mikefingers said:
Hello, I also have had back problems!!! I've been working at UPS for 28 years and my back is shot!! I have been getting trigger point injections for a while now and they seem to help!! What exactly did you have done?? the link you posted did not help.
Hope it works for you!!

My game has fallen off by about 60%!!! I haven't been able to play an event in over a year!
Click to expand...
My game as well. Unless you have lived through this kind of pain no one can understand it.
Maybe this will help
http://www.controlyourpain.com/spinal-cord-stimulation/how-does-scs-work/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S9IZkC8xvQ

You can search and find so many things about it. It might not work for everyone but at least you get to try it first.
 
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I herniated L4&5 when I was 21 from a motorcycle incident. My lowest point was being stuck on a floor and unable to get up, my second was needing two canes to walk. Both of these where for very short periods, but still long enough to examine my life. I quit drinking alcohol, smoking, drinking coffee, no fast good, no greasy good, no gluten, but I did start smoking and eating lots of cannabis. I got my medical card, and through a regular diet of homemade cannabis cookies and exercise, I was able to regulate my pain. I went to a holistic chiropractic school in Portland, and they adjusted my back, but I kept needing to go back. It want until my hips got adjusted, then my back, then following it up with exercise and stretching and a healthy life did I start to see improvements.
My father has the same problem , L4&5. Unfortunately for him, he has had three back surgeries, now he has rods and screws, and finally the nerve interrupter implant. He to developed "drop foot" for awhile. He really likes his implant, but overall life is better after he had a stint put in his heart.
A few things that you may want to look into is the Soaz muscle and Piriformis syndrome. While this may sound funny, the greatest things I have done for my back was to: change my pillow, get a harder bed, ultra firm contoured insoles, new shoes, "Backjoy" seat that sits in my car and goes with me for extended sitting, I cannot carry anything in my pants pockets, exercise and the number one thing so far has been to stop wearing belts and underwear and go to suspenders. I would always feel less pain when in the nude. Let me say it again, suspenders are amazing. I honestly feel like it helped my pool game too, as there are far less restrictions when bending over to the table. Mind you, you need to dress around the suspenders, as it is easy to look foolish, but again, I'd rather look foolish than be in pain.
I wish you well.
 
PDX said:
I herniated L4&5 when I was 21 from a motorcycle incident. My lowest point was being stuck on a floor and unable to get up, my second was needing two canes to walk. Both of these where for very short periods, but still long enough to examine my life. I quit drinking alcohol, smoking, drinking coffee, no fast good, no greasy good, no gluten, but I did start smoking and eating lots of cannabis. I got my medical card, and through a regular diet of homemade cannabis cookies and exercise, I was able to regulate my pain. I went to a holistic chiropractic school in Portland, and they adjusted my back, but I kept needing to go back. It want until my hips got adjusted, then my back, then following it up with exercise and stretching and a healthy life did I start to see improvements.
My father has the same problem , L4&5. Unfortunately for him, he has had three back surgeries, now he has rods and screws, and finally the nerve interrupter implant. He to developed "drop foot" for awhile. He really likes his implant, but overall life is better after he had a stint put in his heart.
A few things that you may want to look into is the Soaz muscle and Piriformis syndrome. While this may sound funny, the greatest things I have done for my back was to: change my pillow, get a harder bed, ultra firm contoured insoles, new shoes, "Backjoy" seat that sits in my car and goes with me for extended sitting, I cannot carry anything in my pants pockets, exercise and the number one thing so far has been to stop wearing belts and underwear and go to suspenders. I would always feel less pain when in the nude. Let me say it again, suspenders are amazing. I honestly feel like it helped my pool game too, as there are far less restrictions when bending over to the table. Mind you, you need to dress around the suspenders, as it is easy to look foolish, but again, I'd rather look foolish than be in pain.
I wish you well.
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I did invest in a sleep number bed & pillow about a year ago and it does help. I have tried just about every shoe out there. I need to look into the back joy seat thing for my truck. I had to sell my car because it got to hard to get in and out of. I bought GMC truck and it really makes a difference. I have had 2 surg's and am trying to not have another one. I have 6 screws and 2 plates with an artificial disk in my back now. That was in 2006. I hate to ware a belt to and might have to check into the suspender thing. Like you anything is worth a try at this point. Thanks for all the replys. Here is a pic of my back now
 

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Otterman said:
PM sent. My response got a bit long! Just for everyone's benefit, I'm not a fan of the implanted spinal cord stimulators. I have had one in my back since 2008 and it has been completely worthless in treating my pain. I haven't even turned it on in 3 or 4 years. It's one of the only things I regret having done during my struggle with back pain, because at some point I'll need another surgery to remove the battery back, electrical leads and stim pads on my spinal cord. Regardless of what you decide, I wish you the best of luck. Living with daily pain over a long period of time is truly a tortuous experience (and it's WAY worse when it interferes with your pool game). :)
Click to expand...

I have a friend with the same experience, and he's not using it anymore. He said that the stimulation didn't help with the appeasement of the pain; instead he's managing the pain through positive thinking and some non-narcotic meds when it gets bad.
 
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What finished me off was major seizure attacks and a 6 month hospital/nursing home stay. I was on life support for a week. Then a month in intensive care. Then almost 5 months in a dump of a nursing home. I am just now weaning off of seizure meds. They kept me in a total fog. I have had a bad back since 85 or so. I took up pool to strengthen my back. That worked fairly well after I slogged through getting the muscle built up. The seizure problem blew away any good done for my back. I wound up with some heavy duty arthritis pain and sciatica.
 
As one with chronic back pain for the last 30 years I feel for ya. Unless a person has had a chronic back issue, they have no idea of what a peson goes through. I used to think most were fakers, didn't take care of themselves, and so forth till it happened to me. My issue is from birth, and the doc told me years ago when I got older, most likely, there would be some issues. He was correct unfortunately.
 
It seems to be a lot of bad stories about this thing. I have a couple of tens units but they just don't give the same affect. As for me on day 3 my pain is really much better. Of course this is a trial period. My main issue are the mussel spasm's. They started during the install of the leads and I could feel it every time e touched what ever is causing it. The Dr called me today and I was telling him about it and he said the cannel might bot be big enough for the leads to fit through to stop from touching what ever is causing it and they would not be able to do the implant if it continued. The mussel relaxers don't help much but one good thing about it, It is a trial thing. Anyway Thanks for all the info on this. It has really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I am like anyone with a bad back. Just looking for a better life so I ca enjoy what life I have left. Thanks again to all.
 
Last update. I had it removed yesterday. To be honest it did help with the pain in my lower back but because of the mussel spasms I will not be able to keep it. No need in having to take another med to stop them. One good thing. It was a trial period. At least with that I am not stuck with the hardware in me for the rest of my life. Anyway thanks to all for the thoughts.
 
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