Had a long visit with my doc the yesterday. Lots of pain with the back. Pain radiating from the thoracic and lumbar spine down the legs to the feet. Also burning and numbing. When I move in my sleep the pain wakes me up. I end up cat napping instead of getting good restful sleep. I also have to sleep sitting up most of the time.
I have to be very careful lifting anything at work. The maximum one man lift is 40 lb. In order to stay qualified for my job I must be able to lift that amount. I can do it but I can really feel the strain in my back. All of this occurs even after taking large doses of ibuprofen. We tried Celebrex but it doesn’t work for me. The doc wants me to take Vicadin at night along with minimizing the ibuprofen as much as possible because of what it is doing to my stomach.
Well she also told me it is time for me to go to the neurosurgeon. I know I need to loose weight especially after what my thyroid has done to me but she told me even though that would help a little my latest M.R.I. shows the damage is to the point where a neurosurgeon is needed. She was really encouraged by my hiking again but also said she doesn’t know how I do it. I said it hurts like **** but I just take my time, lean on my hiking stick and do it.
I can’t fly fish anymore. Can’t stand for long periods of time plus it just isn’t any fun when I have to deal with the pain caused by casting. If things don’'t get better you will likely see some of my gear up for sale here on the board. I will wait and see what the specialist can do so it may be a while before anything happens. I am heading out to the trails today too.
In the light of all the aches and pains Eric, I suggest a pontoon boat and a small electric motor on some stillwater. Not as satisfying as fishing drys to rising trout, but fun nonetheless. And sometimes you can still fish the drys. Hope things work out well for you. Lew
Good luck with the MD’s, I have had enough back pain to know how painful it can be. I am lucky that I have been able to keep my issues in check with exercises (stretching and strengthening) it sound like you may be beyond that point. Weigh lose is a real bear too, especially when exercising is painful. I have a friend (a little skinny guy) who is an avid hiker, he uses two poles and is a big proponent of them, something to consider. I was told I need to lose 25 ugly pounds, but I refuse to cut off my head.
Eric we will put you on the pray list and wish you the best. Just a thought but I used to find fishing from my doughnut tube was therpeutic for back pain. It was in small lakes but 3 - 4 hours would work the pain out of my back.
Sorry to hear you’re still in pain, but hopefully this next round of consultation will provide some options that haven’t been tried yet. Thinking of you and hoping for the best outcome possible.
Eric,
You’re always in my prayers. Don’t give up on the fly fishing just yet. Obviously, you won’t be fishing for awhile, but you never know what the future brings. Hang in there. I’ll call soon.
Mike
Eric,
I’m with you brother. I feel your pain. (literally) I have bone spurs in my lower back that are all tangle up with my sciatic nerves. I know exactly what you mean when you say rolling over in bed is so painful that it wakes you up. I spend a lot of time sleeping in my recliner. I’m waiting for the VA to look at my MRI, then possibly sent me to Portland Or. for surgery to fix me up. I haven’t been able to work since July, and I’m starting to run out of retirement money. I feel like I know precisely what you’re going through. I’ll keep you in my prayers as well. If you feel so inclined, a little whisper prayer for me would be very much appreciated.
Isaiah 40:31
nighthawk… luckily we live in a time where the medical industry can do some pretty miraculous things. I should know after having a 9.7 CM abdominal aortal aneurism fixed this June through small incisions, a brain aneurism filled with platinum coils through a small incision (instead of then opening my thick skull and performing brain surgery, much to the chagrin of the would-be surgeon) and back surgery years ago that toltally repaired a very messed-up back.
I hope and pray all is well after the surgery and we get some good fishing reports out of you once healed.
Good luck with the doctors and I hope they are able to help you with this. I did want to mention one of my coworkers injured his back several years ago. Surgery wasn’t an option, but the pain got increasingly worse and he was eventually on so much pain medication he almost couldn’t think straight. He finally found a doctor who suggested a Medtronic pain pump. This is an implanted device which delivers timed doses of medication directly to the affected area. This ensures your brain isn’t affected by the medication, but does provide relief. Today he can pretty much do everything he did prior to the injury and does so without pain. So depending on what the doctors say you may want to see a pain management specialist and see if they can provide you with similar relief.
i also feel your pain, i hurt my back in june - 3 ruptured discs in the lumbar region. i take vicadin daily to control the pain along with the ibuprofen. i’m scheduled for pain injections into the spine at the end of the month, hope they work, if not then it’s surgery.