L5-S1
What is an L5-S1 you ask? Well, let me tell you. It's a very important vertebrae and disc in your back that often goes unnoticed...that is, until you herniate it.
I herniated this disc in my back 8 years ago by simply bending, picking up a small home fax machine and twisting the wrong way. The pain I experienced when I did this was incredible. I don't know what labor feels like, but I imagine this has got to be close. I couldn't stand, sit, lay straight, my body went into complete tension and my mind was blinded by pain.
Fast forward 8 years - I've been married for 3 whole weeks and I'm enjoying this whole being a wife thing. Shaun and I are scurrying around to get ready to go to a friend's graduation party last Saturday when I run into the laundry room to check the dryer and transfer a new load. And that's when it happened. I bent over to check and see if the towels were dry and I felt that horrible pop and shift in my spine as though a bone had physically moved out of place. My mind flashed back to 8 years earlier. I saw my body curled up on my office floor all alone and scared silly with this blinding pain. Back to present...I let out a small wincing cry and Shaun came rushing in to find me. I tried to convince myself that the rising pain and inability to stand straight to walk would surely subside and I didn't actually do that again.
Shaun helped me into the bedroom and just inside the door I laid down on the floor. I couldn't sit up or stand and I just laid there assuring him it would pass and we would still be on time for our party. Inside, my heart was sinking...I knew. Sure enough, 30 min. later with no improvement, and much discomfort, my husband made a decision that the party was out and we were staying home to take care of me. Thankfully I still had some muscle relaxers and an anti-inflammatory from last year when I had a small flare up. I quickly popped both and within a few minutes I was fast asleep...for the next 18 or so hours I would drift in and out of consciousness. By Sunday morning, I was in no condition to go to church and shortly after noon, my back was still hurting so badly we decided it was time to head to the outpatient emergency care center.
Dr. Thompson was amazing! After hearing my history, watching me walk in and wince in pain as he attempted to get me to sit instead of lay on his table, he agreed with me that I had probably herniated my disc again. He wrote me a stronger prescription, gave me a shot of Demerol (talk about going dizzy and feeling amazing) and sent me home with an order to have an MRI done the next day.
I had my MRI and the results showed that yes, I had in fact re-herniated my L5-S1. I can't even tell you how upsetting this is. Ever since my original injury I feel uncomfortable 85% of the time, but I quickly learned to ignore it unless it just truly hurts. In which case I baby my back to hopefully prevent another flare up.
I spent the next few days laying around the house on heat pads. I was only on a narcotic for two days. Which ironically enough, made me feel worse and sleep less than the regular anti-inflam. so I ditched it and just stuck with the Naproxen.
I'm doing a lot better now and am actually back at work full time. Full recovery is slow. I'm stiff (with absolutely no curvature in my spine) and sore, but moving forward and regaining strength one day at a time. Dr. Thompson recommended that I keep moving forward and be as normal as possible but that I should just be certain to not put any stress on my back. Full recovery and re-strengthening my muscles will take a good amount of time. So, if you think of it, I would greatly appreciate your prayers.
I'm supposed to follow up with a Neurologist in the next week or so to establish a relationship with a Dr. who can follow me through life and know how to treat my flare ups in the future. For now, there's no surgery on the horizon as all medical professional agree that I am too young! (Praising God greatly over here!)
God is good, all the time. I don't understand why He allowed this to happen again, I just know that He is always good and He has shown me that through my sweet precious husband who has been constantly at my side taking the most wonderful and tender care of me.
I herniated this disc in my back 8 years ago by simply bending, picking up a small home fax machine and twisting the wrong way. The pain I experienced when I did this was incredible. I don't know what labor feels like, but I imagine this has got to be close. I couldn't stand, sit, lay straight, my body went into complete tension and my mind was blinded by pain.
Fast forward 8 years - I've been married for 3 whole weeks and I'm enjoying this whole being a wife thing. Shaun and I are scurrying around to get ready to go to a friend's graduation party last Saturday when I run into the laundry room to check the dryer and transfer a new load. And that's when it happened. I bent over to check and see if the towels were dry and I felt that horrible pop and shift in my spine as though a bone had physically moved out of place. My mind flashed back to 8 years earlier. I saw my body curled up on my office floor all alone and scared silly with this blinding pain. Back to present...I let out a small wincing cry and Shaun came rushing in to find me. I tried to convince myself that the rising pain and inability to stand straight to walk would surely subside and I didn't actually do that again.
Shaun helped me into the bedroom and just inside the door I laid down on the floor. I couldn't sit up or stand and I just laid there assuring him it would pass and we would still be on time for our party. Inside, my heart was sinking...I knew. Sure enough, 30 min. later with no improvement, and much discomfort, my husband made a decision that the party was out and we were staying home to take care of me. Thankfully I still had some muscle relaxers and an anti-inflammatory from last year when I had a small flare up. I quickly popped both and within a few minutes I was fast asleep...for the next 18 or so hours I would drift in and out of consciousness. By Sunday morning, I was in no condition to go to church and shortly after noon, my back was still hurting so badly we decided it was time to head to the outpatient emergency care center.
Dr. Thompson was amazing! After hearing my history, watching me walk in and wince in pain as he attempted to get me to sit instead of lay on his table, he agreed with me that I had probably herniated my disc again. He wrote me a stronger prescription, gave me a shot of Demerol (talk about going dizzy and feeling amazing) and sent me home with an order to have an MRI done the next day.
I had my MRI and the results showed that yes, I had in fact re-herniated my L5-S1. I can't even tell you how upsetting this is. Ever since my original injury I feel uncomfortable 85% of the time, but I quickly learned to ignore it unless it just truly hurts. In which case I baby my back to hopefully prevent another flare up.
I spent the next few days laying around the house on heat pads. I was only on a narcotic for two days. Which ironically enough, made me feel worse and sleep less than the regular anti-inflam. so I ditched it and just stuck with the Naproxen.
I'm doing a lot better now and am actually back at work full time. Full recovery is slow. I'm stiff (with absolutely no curvature in my spine) and sore, but moving forward and regaining strength one day at a time. Dr. Thompson recommended that I keep moving forward and be as normal as possible but that I should just be certain to not put any stress on my back. Full recovery and re-strengthening my muscles will take a good amount of time. So, if you think of it, I would greatly appreciate your prayers.
I'm supposed to follow up with a Neurologist in the next week or so to establish a relationship with a Dr. who can follow me through life and know how to treat my flare ups in the future. For now, there's no surgery on the horizon as all medical professional agree that I am too young! (Praising God greatly over here!)
God is good, all the time. I don't understand why He allowed this to happen again, I just know that He is always good and He has shown me that through my sweet precious husband who has been constantly at my side taking the most wonderful and tender care of me.
I Google searched L5/S1 after i just saw it on my X-ray . Which led me to your blog.
ReplyDeleteCan I ask if you had kids after. I dont have any yet , and im afraid this may affect that. Only going to see my doctor tomorrow .
Hi there! Yes, I did! I have an 18 mos old and am pregnant with my second. I worked outand did a lot of core training to rebuild the muscles around my lower back and it helped a ton! Walking and light exercise during pregnancy help a lot. If you want children, I say go for it. They are the beat thing that will ever happen to you! I had some minor issues post baby, but a few trips my chiropractor corrected it. So far this pregnancy is going well too. I'm 16 wks.
DeleteI also have a 5 s1 herniation..I am 25 and also worry about not being able to have children when the time comes..because already I have a hard time carry things around. My condition and pain however was not as bad as yours. How did you carry the baby to term with the extra pressure on your discs and spine? currently I am trying to lose weight and get strong...I hope I will be able to have kids in the future...the pain worries me..and also taking medications.
ReplyDeleteis the pain really bad when you deliver? Did you take any medications while you were preg for your back ache..or nerve pain.
ReplyDelete