Ok, pain is subjective, one person's 9 is another person's 6. About a year ago woke up with lower back pain, out of the blue, MRI showed bulging discs. After a regimen of prednisone it still hurt but tolerable. Few weeks ago woke up,pain moved from lower back to hip and thigh. Prior back pain a walk in the park. Slightest movement of leg was so intense I actually screamed.

Another MRI.Ortho guy says it's referred pain, origin is in disks. Refers me to pain management ctr a the street, get guided epidural.Assured within a few days, no more than a week, pain would be gone from hip and thigh. Pain so excruciating have to sleep in recliner. Lying in bed sheer agony.

Everything closed today. Pain worsening, few days ago I could hobble around house, today I'm using a walker. Entrapped nerve? Faulty injections? 5 days of unmitigated he'll.

PS doppler showed no DVT,but fluid in knee. Another pain point.

Good Lord, Rog, that sounds like hell on earth

Hope you can get it mitigated somewhat soon. Wish I had something I could suggest, but I got nothin' for stuff like that.

I know how you feel; it can be hell.

I hope you can find some kind of relief. If not immediately, then long-term you and the pain clinic can find something that works. If they're anything like the folks I've been seeing for my back and my head they're absolute saints.

I’m sorry to read this; at 52 years old I am still relatively pain free.

The occasional back-tweak or random kidney stone puts me down hard, I don’t know how those of you with daily chronic pain do it.

You need a second shot. You can get up to 3 LESI in a year. Physical therapy and strengthening core will help as well. I would call them back and ask for a second injection. He should be using contrast and Fluor to verify site.

I had 3 bulging discs about 10 years ago. Wrong move would put me on the floor sitting on my ass as the pain shot down my legs.
Cortisone shot 1st and then I found a reputable chiropractor. I know there's bad ones out there but a friend recommended him. 3x a week for adjustments for a month and I was feeling ALOT better. Some core exercises and stretching helped immensely.
Just a thought to help you.

Mrs. Flash had intense back pain. She'd wake up crying in the night.

She got two operations where they put in plates and screws in two different places and she's now been pain free for over 5 years.

But you need the right doctor or you can get really messed up.

Eventually you may want to visit a neurosurgeon. Ask around for a recommendation.

Seems back pain can remain even after getting the problem fixed... has something to do with the signals getting stuck in your brain and such... look it up...

As for pain... the two I can't decide which was worse... when I did a backwards dive off a two story roof and broke two vertebrae or when they pulled the temporary impeller out through my fimeral artery....

The most pain I've ever experienced was a Doctor debriding 144 square inches of 3rd degree burns on my body every day for a week or so.

Had major back pain at times throughout my life. Used to think it was most severe. Then i spent a month in a burn unit. From that point forward anytime somebody asks my pain level on 1-10 I never go higher than 7. When asked i tell then 8, 9, and 10 are reserved for burn pain.

Rogb, I hope you find a solution to your pain. I have an arthritic and bulging L4/L5. Had the steroid epidural but having regular chiropractic therapy has really helped me the past 3 months.

I have been where you are. I take the epidural injections every 4 months. I can tell you that from what I have read, these things get better. It may come back, but at least there is comfort knowing it is not constant?

You may very likely have neural impingement in your lumbar vertebrae. The nerves for your legs all branch out from there. With your hip and thigh hurting, I start to think about sciatic nerve. (does it feel muscular?)

I had a nueral tube down to 7mm when it was supposed to be 21. Compression frac when I was a young man.

Went through everything for 40 yrs, even doing steroid epidurals at the end (from a guy who had done well over 10,000… He was really good; experience matters) … avoiding lower back surgery until I couldn’t endure longer. Ask my primary back Doctor who he would send his daughter to for the referral.

Was touch and go for a month postop, but much better now.

quote:

Originally posted by Spudgun:
Eventually you may want to visit a neurosurgeon. Ask around for a recommendation.

This is great advice. I feel for you, having gone through 18 months living in a recliner before and after my back fusion.

I am now pain free and have a new lease on life. I hope you find the same relief.

I have no idea how you continue on with such pain. Prayers for a good solution.

quote:

Originally posted by 1flynDO:
You need a second shot. You can get up to 3 LESI in a year. Physical therapy and strengthening core will help as well. I would call them back and ask for a second injection. He should be using contrast and Fluor to verify site.

Actually, according to my ortho doc, that used to be the old rule, but they can do more. Sadly for me, the injections don't do much, but I'm nowhere near as bad as Rog. But mine is every day, all the time, never gonna go away and will one day get worse.

Man on the moon = check

Mechanically impinged nerve 3/4" below the skin = "Sorry dude, you're gonna need to eat these, get these shots, and wait for it to get so bad that we decide (not you, we) to cut it all up and bolt your bones together".

I had an unguided lumbar puncture back in July that led to a meningitis diagnosis. I was so sick, he had no time to send me up to radiography for a fluoroscopic guided procedure.

Now I know why Spinal Tap's amp went to 11.

quote:

Originally posted by RogB:
...pain moved from lower back to hip and thigh.

In my experience, hip and lateral thigh pain is more indicative of referred pain from facet arthropathy than from spinal nerve impingement. Without seeing the MR and being able to do an exam it is, of course, not possible to tell though.

It is certainly worth trying another ESI as they can have a cumulative effect (make sure they add local to the injectate - if you have short term relief from the pain then you know they hit the right spot), otherwise I'd have them look at your facets and either block them (diagnostic) and/or do an ablation.

In the meantime, you might invest is an inversion table. They can help a lot.

Hope you are feeling better soon. As someone with it, I know back pain can be miserable.

RogB, have you found any relief? I've been where you are and I'm praying for you. I hope you found some comfort.