So Discouraged

No symptoms of arachnoiditis, thank heavens. I do have a bit of radicular (sp) pain but not a lot. Most of it is in the lower back and it hurts when I walk and sit. Sometimes, once I sit for a while, the pain eases out but sometimes not. Heat helps and think I'll take my heating pad to work today. Walking is painful and gets worse the longer I walk. That I find very discouraging because I am a walker and was also running some. I know this will get better somehow and I think the depression over it isn't helping. I'm trying to get positive and give myself pep talks but not so good at that. I'm not a good person with pain or at least pain at this level. Definitely, bookmarked information. The 1st 2 epidurals were very successful for me and lasted a year. MRI on Monday.

I'm sending up prayers for you. I hope you soon get some answers and pain relief.

Thank you. I believe in the power of prayer, for sure.

I'm a ding dong. The injection was between the L4 and L5 lumbar spine. The CNP said the x-ray pre-injection showed a lot of arthritis, disc narrowing and bone spurs in the lumbar spine and the sacrum???? Said the arthritis was in the facet joints too and several things I wasn't sure I understood. Guess that's what happens when you carry around too much weight for way too long. She said something about another kind of injection that isn't as invasive into the spinal cord and if I understood her, works to kind of numb the nerves. There are 4 injections. I really didn't understand that well. Will cross that bridge when I get there. I'm way leary now of shots and will do the research before I get it. Hopefully, an MRI will help. At least, this one is open. The 1st MRI I ever had was closed and I'm claustrophobic. That wasn't fun, at all. None of those symptoms, just severe pain in my back to the point, sometimes, I feel I'm going to fall because my back seems like it's going to give out. Walking and sitting are most painful. Thank you again for the information. I'm going to review it more over the weekend.

My happy trick for any MRI -and I was once in the dang thing for 2 solid hours with only a 5 min break!!!

I always relax when they lay me in position, close my eyes, before they send me in, and remember vacations I especially liked, special moments, and I do not open my eyes until after I am out again. I am not particularly claustraphobic, but I would recommend planning on something to help yourself, few are open design MRIs. Don't add to your nerves by fretting over something that will help your health!

Hoping you feel better soon! It is so easy to let it get to you, believe me I know. But they will figure it out. Just breathe...

Thank you.

It's great that you're getting an MRI. I recommend asking for a prescription for physical therapy. A physical therapist will be able to give you specific exercises that should help to alleviate pain and also be able to use other treatment modalities such as traction, ice/heat, massage, etc.

Depending on the actual diagnosis post-MRI, physical therapy might not be able to fix the cause, but it might be able to mitigate some, or all, of the pain.

Sweet lady- God heal and comfort you. May this pass quickly, resolve completely, and get you back onto the walking trail. Hugs to you this morning. Bonnie.

Thank you so, so much.