I never could imagine the pain........

[Bravo52]

So....this as been a very interesting month in my life of roughly 47 years. Probably the most interesting. I pulled a muscle in my back and it is the most painful thing I've ever experienced. It even out-ranks the sharp searing pain I feel when some California politicians are speaking on TV......but I digress.

I did the most stupid thing of trying to lift a flat screen TV from the box. :bang: We just moved cross-country and we were finally settling in our house. The family was anxious to get everything unpacked because we've been in a hotel for the last 30 days or so. I wanted to start working on a new rocket but knew I couldn't until we got house livable....yes, that includes a TV set up....

I thought I was lifting "with my legs" but that apparently wasn't the case. I immediately went down. I hit the floor and couldn't move for about 5 min. I couldn’t breathe for the first minute of that five.....I thought I was going to wet my pants right there on the floor....I'm talking pain. My wife said I cried but I think she is just saying that cause she knows I can't catch her right now if she runs

The wife convinced me to go to the doctor. So after about an hour we went to the base. He did an X-ray and said that my spine looked straight and even but there might be a little "narrowing" between L4 and L5. Not sure what that meant but he didn't want to give me anything for the pain if there were other issues that the medicine would mask and cause more trouble. I think I cussed or something when he said that so he finally gave me Loratab. So now the pain is like down to a 9 on a scale to 10..... anyway, we went off and got an immediate MRI to make sure the spine was ok.

I've never had an MRI so that was interesting. I've got 4000hrs in a B-52 so the noise was kind of comforting. The downside was that the technician had to stay late to scan me so she was ticked-off and not gentle....at all... The whole time I was laughing because I was in so much pain, it was either that or crying and well, you know.....that won't happen! That and they tried to get me to use a wheelchair...yea right.

So, what have I learned? Well, 1) my spine is in good shape. 2) Every part of your body is in some way connected to the pain muscle in your back (that is a special muscle that will make you weep like a little school girl when pulled....no offence to school girls). 3) Never underestimate the power of narcotics ( I still don't have any). 4) It can hurt to fart :y: (gives a new meaning to "bringing tears to your eyes). 5) I love my wife (even more if thats possible).

I guess I'll be horizontal for a while......and am still thankful. I now have a better appreciation for others in pain. Something I thought I knew about but was way wrong.

 

[sunward]

When lifting heavy items or even doing a lot of lifting in the day, good idea to wear the weight belt. They really do help.

As for the pain, ouch. Take care.

 

[dave carver]

Google Canadian Pharmacy. Talk to their doctor, Visa card and your pain killers are in the mail. I know this because one of the few PK's out there that works on the pain and nothing else, at least for me, is Tramadol aka Ultram. For me, anyway, I don't know about others, there is no "dopieness" or feeling of being drugged. Just no more pain.

 

[n5wd]

...I pulled a muscle in my back

Jerry,

Sorry to hear about your trauma - I've loaded a lot of folks onto a backboard and taken 'em to the hospital for doing that kind of thing - being able to deal with it as well as you did shows you're in a lot better shape then most folks (aren't you glad the Air Force still does PT! ).

Are you still on flying status? If so, the flight surgeon might be a little more understanding regarding the RX.

Guess the PCS move is about done, now.. but, did you ever get anyone to put up the TV for you? :shock:

 

[MarkII]

Well, getting nerve impingement from TWO bulging disks on your NECK is right up there in the Pain Top Ten as well. Along with getting two simultaneous pulmonary emboli.

But I have done the lower back injury thing too. Taking care of a terminally ill relative, having to lift and reposition him and even carry him - it took its toll.

Baby yourself. Do absolutely nothing to cause pain in that area of your back. If you are sitting in a certain chair, for instance, and you are feeling pain in your back, don't just sit there and try to endure it. If you are experiencing pain, then damage is occurring (or is not healing) and your number one job right now is to heal your back. It won't go away on its own; you have to do the things that your doctor and PT tell you to do or else you will always be plagued with pain. And remember, it takes time.

Been there. In fact, still there, slowly getting better.

Oh, and don't go for surgery. It worsens the problem as often as it helps.

MarkII

 

[SwingWing]

Sorry to hear about your pain, but when I saw the thread title, I thought you were going to say your favorite rocket was up in a tree!
Interesting about the doctors reluctance to give you the meds. They usually seem to give them fairly freely. My wife just had minor foot surgery, and they gave her two big bottles of the heavy stuff. Knowing that she would never use all of them, she asked the nurse how she should dispose of the extra. The nurse said "no one has ever asked that before"!. I got "the look" when I offered "Craigslist"?

 

[rokitflite]

Wouldn't have happened if you stayed in Maryland... But seriously, I'm REALLY sorry Jerry! I'll give you a call tomorrow.

 

[kelltym88]

Lesson learned #6) Get help next time.... Yeah, and I know the feeling, although not as intense as yours, but I have had occasions where I've been completely immobile and in severe pain.

 

[cobra1336]

Sorry about your back. Some years back I did the same thing. Nothing hurt right away but in the middle of the night I woke up screaming from the pain shooting down my leg. The best way I can discribe it was that I had a cramp in my leg and someone drove a knife in it. Took a ride in the ambulance and found L4 / L5 disc damage. No lie, I spent almost 6 months in the hospital. It was nerve damage. They tried to send me home a couple of times but I was right back the next day. I never had surgery and I believe all of the rest I got healed it. I am fine today. My wife hurt her back and had surgery that lasted about 2 years and she still gets pain from time to time. My advice is to rest but if you get pain down your leg(s) seek options. I had 2 steroid spine injections and they helped a lot. All I can say is that lower back pain is nothing to mess with. Hope all works out for you and have a speedy recovery.

 

[MarkII]

Sorry about your back. Some years back I did the same thing. Nothing hurt right away but in the middle of the night I woke up screaming from the pain shooting down my leg. The best way I can discribe it was that I had a cramp in my leg and someone drove a knife in it.

That's it exactly. I know the feeling well.

Took a ride in the ambulance and found L4 / L5 disc damage. No lie, I spent almost 6 months in the hospital. It was nerve damage. They tried to send me home a couple of times but I was right back the next day.

Never went to the ER, and never had a scan to locate the actual site. My symptoms were enough for a diagnosis, and locating the exact site would not have told my doc any more than he already knew. I saw my doctor (when he was still around) a few times for it, and got a SHORT course of pain pills and some PT. Since then I have been healing it myself; it's gradually getting better.

I never had surgery and I believe all of the rest I got healed it. I am fine today. My wife hurt her back and had surgery that lasted about 2 years and she still gets pain from time to time. My advice is to rest but if you get pain down your leg(s) seek options. I had 2 steroid spine injections and they helped a lot. All I can say is that lower back pain is nothing to mess with. Hope all works out for you and have a speedy recovery.

That's the key - rest. Cortisone injections help, too, for awhile. My PT used the analogy of getting a cut on your knuckle. As long as you keep bending your finger, the cut keeps reopening and never heals. The damage to your back is like that too; if you try to bend or do anything that stresses the area, it never heals. You have to avoid all of that for awhile. Get physical therapy if you can. Even if you only get a few sessions, and it doesn't completely rid you of the pain, a good PT will teach you what you can do to continue to heal your back.

MarkII

 

[Bravo52]

Thanks to all for the kind words. Things are better today than yesterday. That is good. Looks like I will be on "bed rest" for two more days. The medicine they are giving me makes me a little loopy.

OK Scott.....a little "more" loopy.

However, it does make the pain less intense. I'd say today was more like a 4 or 5 depending on what I was doing. Just laying there doesn't cause any pain at all! I did have a spasm or two during the Saints game. That was strictly self-induced.

I think I really dodged a bullet this time. The Doc says I'll recover 100% but it will take about 6 weeks. He did say as long as I don't do anything stupid. My wife responded with; "it will probably be 99% and 7 weeks......" (she is still banking on my lack of agility at this point). My kids found my Rockets of the World book for me to read while I lay around.

All in all, I'm feeling very lucky. Wayne, you're right! I just past my annual PT test (it isn't too hard) so I guess I had that going for me in terms of being in a little better shape.

The PCS is about complete....TV is still in the box though...I think it will stay there a while.....does anyone want to buy a 30" Samsung Slimfit HDTV....cheap! Oh, you have to pick it up :y:

 

[jadebox]

When lifting heavy items or even doing a lot of lifting in the day, good idea to wear the weight belt. They really do help.

But ... still be careful. Wearing one of those belts might make you think you can lift more than you can safely handle.

-- Roger

 

[dcastle]

I can sympathize, I have a herniated disk at L2-3 which impinges on the nerve going to the front of my right leg. Last summer it went out while I was trying to find my daughter at the mall; I was almost in tears it hurt so much and I could barely walk. And I had the odd experience of watching the muscles on my thigh wiggle and squirm all by themselves because of the nerve irritation..very strange.

That episode resolved in a few days so I didn't have to go back in for another round of spinal injections...they do help a lot, by the way. So far my back hasn't been bothering me too much and I think losing some weight has helped a lot. Right now I'm dealing with bursitis in my hip and arthritis in my knees so I got the hip shot full of cortisone and am starting physical therapy this week.

Getting old kind of stinks, doesn't it?

 

[JRThro]

Getting old kind of stinks, doesn't it?

Sure does, but it definitely beats the alternative!
:hohoho:

 

[zog139]

Thanks to all for the kind words. Things are better today than yesterday. That is good. Looks like I will be on "bed rest" for two more days. The medicine they are giving me makes me a little loopy.

OK Scott.....a little "more" loopy.

However, it does make the pain less intense. I'd say today was more like a 4 or 5 depending on what I was doing. Just laying there doesn't cause any pain at all! I did have a spasm or two during the Saints game. That was strictly self-induced.

I think I really dodged a bullet this time. The Doc says I'll recover 100% but it will take about 6 weeks. He did say as long as I don't do anything stupid. My wife responded with; "it will probably be 99% and 7 weeks......" (she is still banking on my lack of agility at this point). My kids found my Rockets of the World book for me to read while I lay around.

All in all, I'm feeling very lucky. Wayne, you're right! I just past my annual PT test (it isn't too hard) so I guess I had that going for me in terms of being in a little better shape.

The PCS is about complete....TV is still in the box though...I think it will stay there a while.....does anyone want to buy a 30" Samsung Slimfit HDTV....cheap! Oh, you have to pick it up :y:

Damn Jerry what some guys will do to lay on the couch to watch football sheesh ! !

I hope you get better soon

Merry Christmas to you and your family

Jim

 

[MarkII]

Sure does, but it definitely beats the alternative!
:hohoho:

Mark Twain:

“ Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. ”
​

MarkII

 

[Fred22]

I hope you feel better soon I'm not sure if getting old is great but it beats the heck out of the alternative IMO.
Cheers
fred

 

[user 13]

Ouch, sorry to hear you are down.

Are you sure it's from lifting the TV? It could be from years of pushing on 8 throttles!

Sorry.

I would also recommend a GOOD chiropractor. But be careful, a not so good one can mess you up bad.

The only other thing I would recommend is when you think you are all better, give it a little longer. We always try and come back to work too soon.


Hope you are starting to feel better.

Mark

 

[Peartree]

Getting old kind of stinks, doesn't it?

Old age isn't for sissies.
-Erma Bombeck

 

[Mikus]

Nothing hurt right away but in the middle of the night I woke up screaming from the pain shooting down my leg. The best way I can discribe it was that I had a cramp in my leg and someone drove a knife in it.

Sciatica. I blew out L5 years ago, that by far, was the worst part.

Ugh, take it easy and hope you get feeling better soon.

 

[MaxQ]

I guess I'll be horizontal for a while......and am still thankful. I now have a better appreciation for others in pain. Something I thought I knew about but was way wrong.

Sorry to hear about this Jerry...wishing you a speedy recovery.

Guess I've been pretty lucky.
56 y/o - I've never broken a bone and yet, I've done a lot of crazy things.

However....years of heaving 8 oz with a surf rod into the wind on the point at the Outer Banks , climbing over rocks at Skyline Drive, skiing and jumping out of airplanes is begining to take its toll.
I don't feel as good as I used to when I wake up on a cold winter morning.

Of all that...think I did the worst damage to my shoulder doing some of those moves doing Yoga...(and that was supposed to be healthy?)

Rest up and use the Holidays to your benefit...take it easy

 

[RimfireJim]

Does this mean you have time to work on building rockets while you recover? Maybe there's a bright side to the situation!