trying to roll with the punches

fsmalley

So I've had this pain in my hip for about two years. It's the strangest pain in that, for the most part, it only hurts when I sit (driving as much as I do is a real *****). It's very uncomfortable when I'm sitting, but when I try to stand the pain is unreal. It's a sharp pain in my left hip and it aches on the top of the thigh from my hip to my knee. 6-months ago I finely went to the doctor (I know... 18-months with pain before I went to the doctor... Dumbass!) Doctor did x-rays and said it's severe arthritis in the hip and sent me to see an orthopedic surgeon. Orthopedic did x-rays and said there's no arthritis and that the hip looks great. He said that he thought there was a tear in the joint and did an MRI. No tear. In the end the orthopedic surgeon said it's a pulled groin. Okay, that seems to be good news... Do some walking and drop some weight.

Flash forward to this past week. Pain is just as bad as ever. Now that I've joined Planet Fitness I was concerned that I may hurt something even more. So for the first time ever I followed the advice and talked to a doctor before starting. I've never thought much about chiropractic medicine, but say an office next to subway when i was going to lunch. I went in, saw the doctor the same day and, WOW, someone who actually sounded like he knew what he was talking about. In the end he said that he is fairly sure I have a herniated disk in the lower lumbar. The guy pulled out a textbook and showed me a drawing of the human anatomy with my area of pain identified exactly as I described it. Did x-rays (results next week) and said we'll need to get an MRI of the lower back.

I've got two problems with this whole thing. #1: I want my money back from the doctor and the orthopedic surgeon! After looking online at herniated disks this seems to be a no brainer. How can these two medical professionals not have even considered that, especially when they took a look at my fat *kitten* (all of the text says that excessive weight is a contributing factor).
#2: Now I'm scared that I will not be able to workout properly because of my back.

I guess I'm just whining a bit and having a pity party. Truth is I'm wondering if anyone here has dealt with a herniated disk and the outcome.

Drenched_N_Motivation

Cant say that I have. But one time I had such bad lower back spasms that I couldnt get out of my car for two hours. I thought about calling an ambulance, but my brother drugged me up on pain killers and muscle relaxers and eventually I was able to crawl int the house. Good luck with your groin.

manderson27

Cant say that I have. But one time I had such bad lower back spasms that I couldnt get out of my car for two hours. I thought about calling an ambulance, but my brother drugged me up on pain killers and muscle relaxers and eventually I was able to crawl int the house. Good luck with your groin.

@ JohnnyBravo78 That sounds just like a flare up of SJD (sacroilliac joint dysfuntion) I suffer from this and it is horrific I often find myself crawling.

manderson27

I am sure that once it is properly diagnosed as a disc there will be various options that will help and you will find there are excercises you can do that help to strengthen things up and help you become more mobile in that area.

I have back problems myself (SJD) but with physio it can be managed and recently I am at the gym working my little heart out.

Good luck with it all :flowerforyou:

jgondor

my fiance had a herniated disk but it sounds like his case was very different than yours. he got his by slipping and falling at work, and on the way down he hit his back. his pain was clearly coming from his back, but it shot down one leg all the way to his foot. the doctor said the lumbar was pressing against his nerve causing the pain in his leg. long story short he had to have back surgery. scary surgery but he was up and walking the next day and is better than he was before he hurt his back

ball858

firstly - sorry to hear about the doctors, but glad you have a diagnosis

secondly - a herniated disc will not stop you completely, I have Spondylolithesis grade 2 & a bulging disc just above with arthritis due to no disc space. I run for hours and do all sorts of activities including Bootcamp - I have to be careful with sit-ups and press-ups at times but it has not stopped me.

I was advised by the orthopaedics to stop exercising and lose weight (ha! great one without the other works really well NOT) so I spoke with my physiotherapists and as long as I took it easy I was fine. Well 18 months later i'm about to go back to the orthopaedic doc and laugh in his face (even funnier is that he is a rather large man - telling me to lose weight)

steadk

good luck getting your money back , but i will say that chiropractics has helped so many!!! I have always had bad back problems in my lower back that i thought was weight related, turns out my neck has no curvature and my spine is leaning to the right a bit... who knew?!!?!?!? SO i would suggest doing an aggressive corrective action plan if that will help. but also don't kill yourself on the exercise because it will make it worse.

fsmalley

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not going to give up on the exercise, may just have to focus on cardio, with light weight training, until I get this thing worked out. I wish I could go get me $ back. What I will do is report the situation to my insurance company.

hallie_b

Good luck getting your money back. I always go see my chiro when it comes to any issues like this. He loves to talk about my activity level and how I am planning to stay in shape/ get in shape. I went to him after a knee surgery and he was happy to recommend exercises I can do at home that would be safe for my knee and get results so I could get back to running without pain (he also suggested vitamins to take). Just make sure you look into the guy before you let him mess with your back.

fsmalley

That's what I'm doing now, looking into the guy. It's a hell of a thought that someone will be snapping and popping the bones in my back, especially considering that the nerves may be exposed to the bone. I'll have to have that warm and fuzzy before I let him start "adjusting".

hallie_b

That's what I'm doing now, looking into the guy. It's a hell of a thought that someone will be snapping and popping the bones in my back, especially considering that the nerves may be exposed to the bone. I'll have to have that warm and fuzzy before I let him start "adjusting".

I am sure to say up front, "Please do not adjust my neck." I never let anyone adjust that, it was a tip I got from my old chiro (moved away). He said too many are ready to give the neck a go when they are far from qualified. You atlas and Axis are very sensitive and important apparently.