Herniated disc recovery

[curious75]

I have or had a herniated disc between my L-4 and L-5 vertebras (MRI was in March 2009). I think I have been living with some degree of this injury for over 10 years with flare ups decreasing when I maintain a strong physical condition which I had done for most of my adult life. I am 34 years old 5' 11" 190 lbs at about 15% body fat. My diet is clean with some room for improvement. I have not been training for the past 18 months due to the injury work and excuses...

My history of athletics and 20 years of gym experience leaves me ignorant when it comes to this medical issue. Previously I had no back problems when I spent 6 months working on balance based training on medicine balls dyna discs and ply metric movements. Does anyone have any experience or advice on training and or supplements that will help or hurt my condition?

[KAEW44]

Well man if you have had pain for a long time now you need to go back and see the doctors or chiropracters to either get medication or surgical treatment.

Its probably expensive to do all this stuff so i hope you have health insurance coverage.

A herniated disc you must be very careful when training because twisting movements or any that involves the back could lead to re-injury or worsening of the current condition.

In my family herniated discs are very common we have bad backs, and solutions i have seen doctors do are:

1-Pain medication or cortisone shots
2-Surgery to remove the spinal fluid that is pushing on the nervers
3-Surgery to move the nerves so they arent being aggrevated
4-Freezing of nerves or cutting them off so you wont feel any pain in that area
5-Artificial disc i have seen rubber tube types and plastic ones they completly replace the herniated disc
6-Removing the herniated disc and fusing the spinal bones above and below it using a bone graft. Limits motion a little bit but the problem is releived.

You must see your doctor to recommend one of these, tell them you want to be active and do sports thats why you want the less conservative treatment

I have never heard of any supplement that can help with a herniated disc.

[Twist]

wrong forum. don't use aas.

[lovbyts]

Admins,
Move this to INJURIES & REHAB
Read that section. You will find you are not alone.

Do you have an MRI picture you can post also. There is at least one back specialist on here and many of us who have been through it.. Myself. L3, L4 and L5 with possible fusion in the future but I'm holding out for insurance to cover stem cell soon.

[curious75]

Thanks guys. It has been a while since I was posting on this site and just saw the injury section. Guess I never looked there cuz I was never in that much pain. How do I move the post? I do have the MRI on CD and the report can be posted that tells the story. The surgeons want to operate and I have head horror stories about spinal fusion which is what I have been told by one Neurosurgeon. My GF is in the Nuro Biz and the Nuro I got the fusion recommendation was a prick but supposed to be the best in so cal. $$$ not an issue I don’t care how much it costs I want to be healthy. Going for first cortisone shot next week. May start spinal decompression in 3-4 weeks aft 3rd shot. $5K for the spinal decompression and no insurance for it at this point. will try to move this post or jump on another thread in the injury section already running....

[The Deuce]

I have the same INJURY... It sucks.. it hurts.. its a pain.. but ya know what?? You learn to live with it.. on flare up days its almost impossible to move but I HAVE FOUND !! That the more time I spend in the GYM training my body especially my CORE !! The less pain I deal with on a day to day basis...

Mind you I am still Squatting over 500, Benching Almost 400, and Deading 600... all with a Herniation of the l4-l5.. it is just one of those mind over matter things ... UNLESS ... it is severely HERNIATED !! Then you wouldnt be getting out of bed or doing ANYTHING !!

[curious75]

Do you know of any gear that will help hydrate the discs and promote recovery? I have attached my MRI report and I am told the herniation is fairly bad and mushroomed out form years of having this condition. I just picked up an inversion table and the first time I was on it my right leg definitely seemed to be shorter than my left due to the pressure on the right foot. After three days of inverting three to four times a day I am feeling much better however when I get out of bed in the mooring I am tight in the low back. Putting my socks on in a real struggle. I think I attached my MRI report. I am researching this injury form a number of different angles because I don’t want to have my back opened up if I don’t have to but on the other hand if that’s what it takes I am ready to go there....

[curious75]

http://forums.steroid.com/attachment...1&d=1245704193

[kickinit]

I have the same INJURY... It sucks.. it hurts.. its a pain.. but ya know what?? You learn to live with it.. on flare up days its almost impossible to move but I HAVE FOUND !! That the more time I spend in the GYM training my body especially my CORE !! The less pain I deal with on a day to day basis...

Mind you I am still Squatting over 500, Benching Almost 400, and Deading 600... all with a Herniation of the l4-l5.. it is just one of those mind over matter things ... UNLESS ... it is severely HERNIATED !! Then you wouldnt be getting out of bed or doing ANYTHING !!

No offense but all injures are not the same, and also people accept pain in different ways. It's like women giving an all natural birth and others needing epidurals (spelling). I know with my herniated discs for the first few months I was rather dangerous even to myself legs would go numb, sending me to the ground sometimes. Pain so much I couldn't get out of bed sometimes or had to roll until my feet would hit the floor and use my arms to push myself up. I was messed up for nearly 5 years, still nervous about doing too many leg or back exercises but I do what I can. I have a job that is physically demanding and if my back is messed up well thats no good.

I guess what I mean are your accomplishments are cool, but its not ALL about mind over matter, granted that helps but its not ALL.

Stretching, rest, core exercises, trying to stay as active as possible too, and granted in which order and moderation is all depending on how you feel but just dont let is get you down and push yourself, but dont push yourself into something worse or you will have it for the rest of your life.

[yannick35]

Not sure if glucosamine and collagen could help you, I have been taking theses for a year now for dark disc that have lost water.

Drinking lots of water too.

[curious75]

So I have seen two neurosurgeons and three orthopedic surgeons and in the process I have picked up this inversion table. Every chance I get I will hang in it and work on my blackberry. Initially my right leg was shorter than my left. That pulling sensation on my right leg has almost completely gone away after two weeks of hanging 3-4 x a day for 10-15 min each time. My constant pain has almost disappeared and I am working out again. I am working on balance based movements alternating single leg standing on a solid medicine ball and dyna disc with a 10lb plate on top. These really make me use my core and legs to stabilize myself. I still have some discomfort when I wake up in the am. The neurosurgeons say fusion and the orthopedic surgeons say surgery is the best option if I can’t deal with the pain. Pain is taken care of now I need to get stronger. One guy form this site was nice enough to take the time to provide the following information. What do you think about the cycle? It will not be my first and I don’t want to gain a bunch of weight. Again I am 5' 11" 185-190 at about 15% body fat. I would like to drop some fat and gain some muscle to maintain a weight of about 190 lbs. I am not exited about sticking every day, once a week was hard enough for me.

If I were you brother, do a short burst cycle of Test propinate 50mgs Everyday, and Nandrolone Phenylpropinate at 100mgs everyday.
This will flow the needed rbc count you need to heal and also the added bonus of the NPP WILL lubricate all joints including everyone of your spinal disks !! Run this cycle for 8 weeks and asses how you feel. BUT !! You can't be scared of needles. These are compounds that of to be injected every single day. No oral will be able to what these will do for you. Will it 100% heal you. No. Will it make you feel a lot better. Hell yah !! Now, it doesn't stop there. You chose to go down this road then you need to be prepared.
Would you go on a mountain hike without a pair of hiking boots and a canteen of fresh water?? No you wouldn't. You also need a chem called Cabergoline. This will fight off the prolactin sides from the NPP so you dont haave leaky nipples and you will need arimidex so you don't have bloat related estrogen sides. Now 3 days after your last shot. Do a very aggressive PCT, post cycle therapy.
Nolvadex, Clomid, Aromasin, and HcG.

The first 2 weeks Dose the Nolva at 40mgs Every day, Clomid at 150mgs Everyday, Aromasin at 25mgs Everyday, and HcG at 500iu's everyday. The next two weeks drop the hcg completely. Nolva at 40mgs ED, Clomid at 100mgs Everyday, and aromasin 25mgs Everyday.
The final 2 weeks you drop the aromasin so you are just running Nolva and clomid at 20mgs ED of the Nolva and 50mgs ED of the clomid. So that is 6 total weeks of a PCT. This is actually MORE important than the cycle itself. It returns your body's natural hormones to their regular homeostasis levels. so here is what was reccomended....

"If you are not prepared for this 14 weeks of following it exactly like that with no interuptions then DO NOT EVEN THINK OF EVEN PRICKING YOURSELF ONCE WITH THE FIRST DOSE !! It is not worth it, this is a serious game and you can seriously mess up your endocrine system forever.. no erections ever again.. so yah.. there you have it.. i just gave yoou the best advice in the industry. The rest is up to you. Use it wisely and follow my exact protocol and you will be very successful!!"

[guardian72]

I have had the same issue.
L4/5 L5/S1 disc herniation.
I went through 3 full series of epidural steroid injections.
Every single conservative measure imaginable.
I had a microdiscectomy and now I am almost 100% pain free.
There was no way I was going through a fusion procedure.
I also take Cissus ( an OTC) supplement that helps a ton!!!

G72

[jonnsbig]

SEE DOCTOR SURGERY MAY BE NEEDED. Im not a doctor, I will tell you though if your disc is compressing your spine and if it compresses more from a quick or accidental movement you WILL BE IN VERY SERIOUS TROUBLE. SEE DOC IF YOUR PAIN AND MOVEMENT ARE IN TROUBLE and as you said your MRI tells it all.

[curious75]

To all that have had this disc injury there is hope after all. It has been about three weeks that I have had little to no pain in my low back. I highly recommend the inversion table. It has been a life saver...

[lovbyts]

Ive been using the inversion table for a couple weeks now also. So for no real change for me. I have 3 herniated discs also, L3, L4 and L5.

How long do you stay on the table? My back actually hurts more when I first get off if it but I still do my best to stay on at least 10 minutes 2x a day.

[curious75]

It has been a few months now and no pain in my back. I was doing 10-15 min 2-3 x per day. Initialy it was painful and uncomfortable and painful when dismounting. I ended up slowly transitioning out of the inversion table by laying on my back flat for a few minutes to allow my spine to adjust.

[Kratos]

from your MRI report it sounds like you might have more to gain from a micro-disc rather than fusion. Did any doc's mention that procedure when you spoke with them. Fusion is not good, and esp not at your age. Recovery would be much better.