Back Surgery! Steriod Shot?

**MotorBoatin' SOB** · 04-21-2006, 12:17 AM

I just injured my back and I have 2 Hereniated discs. My L4 L5 and S7 discs I think.(3mm and 4mm exertions). I dont have the read out from my MRI yet.

My Doctor said SOME of people dont go with surgery first but have a series of
(3) STERIOD shots in my spine where the damage is. They are spreaded out 1 to 2 weeks a peice. Im sure its not the exact same as AS but has a healing agent in it also. Shots are supposed to cost 1500$ a peice under insurance.

Has anyone ever had to go through this?? Thanks for the help.

And Im hoping it will work so I can start my 1st Test cycle!

**dtr98** · 04-21-2006, 07:57 AM

my wife had her two bottom (L-5,L-4 i think) disk fused. did the epidural shots b4 and after. helped for a few months and pain returned. was only a $15.00 co-pay with my insurance

**Ufa** · 04-21-2006, 08:11 AM

Make the knife your last stop. I have never heard of any one JUST HAVING ONE back operation.

**dtr98** · 04-21-2006, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by Ufa

Make the knife your last stop. I have never heard of any one JUST HAVING ONE back operation.

yeah, her next 2 disc are going to need to be fused, did the dye/cat scan and can see where the dye is being blocked.

**Ufa** · 04-21-2006, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by dtr98

yeah, her next 2 disc are going to need to be fused, did the dye/cat scan and can see where the dye is being blocked.

Sorry to hear that. Hope all goes well. Sincerely, they are getting better.

**dtr98** · 04-21-2006, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Ufa

Sorry to hear that. Hope all goes well. Sincerely, they are getting better.

thanks bro!!!

**longhorn814** · 04-21-2006, 09:28 AM

my dad gets cortisone shots for his back problems, im not sure if you're getting the same thing

**love 2 lift** · 04-21-2006, 10:11 AM

Was this a "Sport Doc" or one of those "Pain" Doctors?

My wife had a car accident and injuried her back and she was sent to one of these Pain Doctors. He was a quack! He wanted to do something like what you are describing, but we looked at the possible sides<I believe paralization was one> and said "No Way!" I would check into it.

**DEVLDOG** · 04-21-2006, 10:59 AM

i have 3 herniated discs in my back..L3/4 L4/5 C/5..its been 2 1/2 yrs now (car accident) I still go to a chiro 3 x week and see a pain specialist every 8 weeks for shots.this is a PERMENANT injury..I would,t consider surgery until you cant get out of bed bro..you will just need to learn how to work around it.there are certain exercises I cant do anymore...squat,deadlift,bent over rows..just need to work around...I also have a constant supply of soma(muscle relaxers) and perks.
goodluck

**2bshredded** · 04-21-2006, 11:06 AM

I've had herniated discs in my back L4&5 and just recently bulging discs in my neck.....started out with Facet joint injections and went to the epidural. 4 weeks and so far so good...still have a litlle loss of left arm strength due to possibe nerve damage.
For the back I had the same over a 1.5 year period, that was 4 years ago....I'm 46 and deadlifting and all else, back still is a little uncomfortable but for the most part OK.

I went to a Sports and Spine specilalist, it is also good to get a couple of opinions if you're uncomfortable. Good luck

**DEVLDOG** · 04-21-2006, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by 2bshredded

I've had herniated discs in my back L4&5 and just recently bulging discs in my neck.....

a herniated disk is a permenant thing bro....unless you had surgery,it didnt heal itself.the shots you get just mask the pain.just because you cant feel the pain it doesnt mean its not injured.those epidurals are great,but i would,t run to the gym to do deadlifts right after.only gonna do more damage...are you sure they were herniated and not just bulging.a bulged disk can be put back in place through spinal manipulation but that takes time and plenty of trips to the chiropractor.

**2bshredded** · 04-21-2006, 12:11 PM

Yea they were supposed to have been herniated, those were the one a year and a half ago....and I didn't lift for quite sometime after

The neck deal that I just had were bulging, pinched a nerve and all that good stuff, still trying to take it easy but the epidural lasts....???? I'm just 5 weeks and it seems OK, little discomfort.

My Dr. told me they were herniated, I'm just going off what he said. Phyical therapy helped a great deal, after 8 months of that I started doing light back stuff and eventually went back full time with it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still not pain free but I'm not in agony anymore and finally got off the Mega doses of Hydro's I took for years.

**MotorBoatin' SOB** · 04-21-2006, 01:36 PM

This was a pain Doctor. I have actually seen 2 different doctors about this problem and both of them have been through 2 back surgerys for the same problem. The shots are supposed to have some cortisone in them for the pain and the steriods .

I know that it would mainly just mask the pain so Im not gona jump into doin anything strenous to my back. I actually got locked out of my friends appt last night and we had to jump the fence to get back in and when I landed from jumping it felt like I hurt my back even more... sigh. I have a really high tollerance for pain tho. Ive been gettin alot of muscle relaxers and some Vicodin so Ive been alittle throwed off haha.

These shots will be the 1st thing I try before I go under the knife. My next visit is comming up soon and Im gona go get some more info out of the doc. Im not sure if they were just bulging out like some of you stated. But he did say this was something I was going to have to deal with and take it easy for the rest of my life I guess.. No more HEMAN squats and shit anymore lol

Thank you for all the info and help people

**MotorBoatin' SOB** · 04-21-2006, 01:39 PM

my wife had her two bottom (L-5,L-4 i think) disk fused. did the epidural shots b4 and after. helped for a few months and pain returned. was only a $15.00 co-pay with my insurance

What do they do when they fuse them? Did she have to have surgery for that or is that another procedure?

**Ufa** · 04-21-2006, 02:19 PM

These back suregons fuse disc's, they burn the hell out of them killing the nerve and they also replace disc's. They have made their pitch to me and
my answer was. "NO THANKS"

**guns626** · 04-21-2006, 02:56 PM

Bro, the kind of steroids you are taliking about are called gluco-corticoid steroids, these are mainly used for inflammation. They reduce it. This is not to be confused with anabolic /androgenic steroids. The steriods you are taliking about are quite hepa-toxic and are usually not administered for prolonged periods of time. Usually a dr. will try you on nsaid's or no-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs first. If this does not give the patient adequate pain relief then the next course of action is steroids such as cortisone or methyl-prednisalone. Steroid injections are given quite frequently for spinal problems. Some of the time this alleviates soft tissue inflammation which is enough for a patient to be comfortable without having to go through surgery. Good luck I hope this helps. Guns

**MotorBoatin' SOB** · 04-21-2006, 04:13 PM

Bro, the kind of steroids you are taliking about are called gluco-corticoid steroids, these are mainly used for inflammation. They reduce it. This is not to be confused with anabolic/androgenic steroids. The steriods you are taliking about are quite hepa-toxic and are usually not administered for prolonged periods of time. Usually a dr. will try you on nsaid's or no-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs first. If this does not give the patient adequate pain relief then the next course of action is steroids such as cortisone or methyl-prednisalone. Steroid injections are given quite frequently for spinal problems. Some of the time this alleviates soft tissue inflammation which is enough for a patient to be comfortable without having to go through surgery. Good luck I hope this helps. Guns

Thanks Guns, ya I know its not like AAS. The doc tryed giving me 2 different types of anti-inflammatory drugs and they did not seem to help much. One of the pills made me have really bad stomach cramps and I could hardly get out of bed. I hope they work for me and my back heals or gets to a point that I can work out without fear of getting re-injured.