Degenarated disc, do you have any info?

[alko]

I just went to the doctor to follow up on my MRI, and he said that I have a degenerated disc in my lower back. Now I wonder if any of you guys, or girls, have any experience with this?
The doc said that were pretty much 2 choices maybe 3.
1. Cortison shot
2. Partial disc replacement
3. Full disc replacement, which apperantly can't be done in the USA. I have to fly to Germany and do one?

He also said it would be a big ordeal due to my size, so he would like to stay away from choices 2 and 3 as much as possible.

Does anyone have any experience on this or some general information. I am too lazy and busy to research it on my own.
thanks--alko

[Bigun]

You arent going to get much help saying that you are too lazy to research it. I was diagnosed with having 4 degenerated discs in my lumbar 8 years ago. I play pro sports and dont get me wrong, at times it kills me but almost everyone has some evidence of degeneration in their discs.

Now stop being lazy and get some resarch done

[alko]

Yeah, it came out wron, sorry about that. I mean I am a little bit too busy right now to do a in depth research, but not too busy for AR, and I am not actually lazy

I know that most people around 30 and older have some evidence of degenerated discs, but I was hoping for some 'miracle cure'. For example if stretching your hamstrings will help in the long run? Or doing some special exercises? A couple of years back the doctor ordered some physical rehab, without doing a MRI. I did a bunch of exercises for 6 months, but they did not help at all.

As long as I can sleep at night I am pretty OK with it. The pain is bearable (sp?) during the day if I do not:
1. run
2. walk for a longer period of time (10 min+ or so)
3. doing house chores, cleaning, doing the dishes, mowing the lawn, etc.
4. no heavy or high reps of deadlift, squat, leg curls and some other stuff.

I pretty much want to know if someone out there have any tips or tricks? So I can run and lift heavy again.
thanks--alko

[alko]

By the way Bigun, did you get some cortison injections or some other type of treatment.

I should also add that the pain got 10 times worse while eating some dbols.

[Bigun]

I would never use dbols anyway but thanks for the warning. My back is generally worse after lifting on legs. I love working my legs so I have got to put up with it. For me the soreness comes from the hamstrings being tight the next day so you have got to work on their flexibility.

Also swimming pools offer a really good rehabilitation, not just swimming itself but the compression of the water on your muscles.

Working out on a swiss ball is also very effective. You need to cover this from many angles.

With regard to steroids I have used HGH to try and aleviate my problems and will use deca when I retire fromn sports. This is what I would try.

I hope this helps as I know what a bitch this can be. I have had a spinal fusion in my neck also at C5, C6 so I know a bit about the procedures.

Take care

Bigun

[daem]

stay away from the cortisone shots...i read this one study from UC berkeley that more than 2 in a year can results in brain tissue degeneration...cortisone isn't a permanent solution anyway.

go get another opinion from a more accredited doctor because i seriously doubt that a full disc replacement couldn't be done here in the US.

so glad i let the team doctor give me one before i stumbled onto that gem in JSTOR...

[Bigun]

There was an article in Muscle & Fitness is the last 3 months showing a new form of disc replacement being experimented with