degenerative disc disease (human not horse)

[showaddy1]

Just wondering how many (if any) riders are diagnosed degeneration of the discs, particulary lumbar, and whether you are still riding and how you manage your pain??
Ive ignored sciatica for years, even the numbness, but slipped disc following a relatively minor incident at work last saturday, and been in agony since.
Seen chiro, who was not happy to manipulate until MRI, which I paid for myself Thursday. Being out of action with 4 horses in and 3 children to care for isnt really an option.
Im currently feeling super sorry for myself... mainly because I cant get away from the pain, but with the thought that my riding days are over, and my job at risk (nurse)... I just need to hear some positive stories.

 

[Mince Pie]

I don't have DDD bit have had a discectomy and the remainder of that disc, plus the disc above it have slipped, causing a spondylolythesis of my L4 (I think). I take tramadol, gabapentin, naproxyn, omeprazole, propanalol, diazepam, nifedipine and cymbalta. I ride when I can but I have ME/CFS and fibromyalgia as well so that isn't often I'm afraid, I also had to give up working but again I have other issues as well as the spinal issues. Probably not what you wanted to hear I'm afraid ��

 

[Pilatesclare]

Sorry to hear of your problems. I teach many people with all kinds of back problems including degenerative disc disease. Degenerative disc disease is not really a disease at all, but rather a degenerative condition that at times can produce pain from a damaged disc.

The pain should settle in time but in the meantime the consultant should advise you on the best pain relief. Do you know how many discs are degenerating? It's also worth noting that although the name suggests it will continue to get worse it isn't always the case.

The right exercise will help. Pilates is very useful in this respect. If you can find someone who teaches Pilates using the large apparatus (reformer and Cadillac in particular) and have one to ones you should find it helps enormously. It is so important to strengthen the 'core' (which encompasses far more than our abs) but this will support your back the most.

 

[showaddy1]

Mince pie.... Im sorry to hear youve had a real crappy time... my daughter has cfs, which is debilitating enough without your other complaints.. I rarely take analgesia due to being sensitive to opiates, but currently taking Naproxen 500mgs and Cocodamol 30/500...Diazepam if I am desperate but try to avoid with the kiddies to care for. Not sure if they are doing much, other me being squiffy and not really caring...
Pilatesclare - a good friend ( chiro but sadly lives the other side of the country) has already stressed the importance of pilates, but I think Im not 'stable' enough just yet..
I have only seen gp, and the chiropractor, I will ring gp Monday and ask for ortho referral, esp now i have had the MRI scan..

 

[ycbm]

Some good news I hope. Husband has three degenerated discs, identified on MRI a long time ago. He has had several acute episodes of almost unbearable pain. The worst of caused by a flakey chiro. But over the last couple of decades they have settled and he is able to bend, stretch and lift and carry really quite well. He has a permanently numb half foot, has ongoing aching and early day stiffness, but he takes no pain killers and lives a full life.

 

[showaddy1]

Yes, thats positive news.... maybe should have added that multiple falls the past 10yrs, plus nursing for 20... I guess my MRI wasnt going to show a healthy spine! Im 38 btw, but suffered off and on for years, but this winter has certainly taken its toll....

 

[ycbm]

Yes, thats positive news.... maybe should have added that multiple falls the past 10yrs, plus nursing for 20... I guess my MRI wasnt going to show a healthy spine! Im 38 btw, but suffered off and on for years, but this winter has certainly taken its toll....

At thirty eight my husband was lying on a bed face down, crying, waiting for a doctor to arrive to give him pethedine. At sixty four, he's more active than most sixty four year olds (currently hand digging a large septic tank soakaway) and tells me it hardly ever bothers him. There is hope, but he does advise you to give up playing semi-pro football

 

[showaddy1]

Huge thankyou to you and hubby for making me smile, the thought of being in forever pain isnt good for emotional wellbeing! ps Im crap at football

 

[Red-1]

Another full of hope, I had a terrible back for many years, and left hip too. I would regularly have a numb left leg, and when I would get off a horse it would frequently collapse. There was no pain, it just felt like there was no leg there to support me. If I worked really hard both legs could give way and I would quite literally fall to the floor wherever I happened to be. It certainly got me to plan carefully where to dismount!

The pain killers did little, I would frequently sob on my way to work as the pain was dull but ever present, and driving exacerbated it.

I had many different physios, chiros, accupuncture, whatever, but the most successful one was a physio who I initially thought was less good than the others because he used no apparatus. He said my numbness from the bulging discs could be righted to a large extent. He was unrelenting in simple exercises. He pushed and pulled at my hip, made me bend backwards but never forwards, and gave me leg exercises that initially I had no clue how to do. I mean, I knew what he was asking me to do, I could see him doing the exercises, but I had no idea how to make my leg move like that.

Initially I could not even stand facing a wall and move my left leg backwards. Nothing there. He pestered me until it did move.

I still had to retire from riding horses full time, but now, after 2 years of rest, I am getting proper fitter. I still avoid painkillers, and last summer I had a full spine X ray and although it was not perfect, it was workable in that the spinal cord had space. It was a huge celebration, and I started running, although at first I struggled with 400 yds!

Interesting to me, all this time I also felt awful, really tired, fed up. I have since had my lbloods tested and I had no measurable level of Vitamin D. As I dosed up on that I have felt an awful lot better and I do wonder if it was partly connected, as Vit D and Vit K are needed fr calcium in bones, and Vit D deficiency can cause muscle weakness, joint pain and numbness.

It certainly was a spinal issue, from an accident, and if that part of my back was manipulated it would temporarily improve. But, I do think Vit and Mineral deficiency exacerbated the issue.