Hon, Don't freak out. I have heard about those herniated discs..they can be uncomfortable or even a pain..looks like you have some time off ,maybe!...But then again..it might not give you any trouble.Wait and see what the doc has to say! And there is always, second opinions? I haven't heard any horror stories lately!...that's a good sign. I'm sure you'll hear and gather information from others on this. Wishing you well,...Peggy

I almost hate to post about this subject, but it's been all day since Peggy answered and no one else has followed. And maybe this might encourage you....

When my husband was in his 30's, he suffered from several herniated discs and when it caused his back to "go out" and that pain radiated down his leg, I called an ambulance in total panic. Anyway, all signs pointed to surgery. Then an older doctor advised against it. He said there were thousands of people walking around with herniated discs (that was 25 years ago) and that surgery doesn't always fix the pain (again, that was 25 years ago).

So he prescribed some muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories and stretching exercises and Rockport shoes.
It took awhile to feel better, but he had to go back to work painting while he waited. And over the years he's had repeat bouts with various backaches and stiffness and sciatic pain, but nothing a good-wifey massage didn't alleviate. For a few years, we had a wonderful little hot tub while we were his mom's care-givers and had to lift her 12 times a day. I loved that hot tub!

Now, he's 53 and still goin' strong - lifting 5 gallon cans and climbing ladders and painting all day.

Ask your doctor about stretches. There is a book called "3 Minutes to a Pain-Free Life" which not only gives a stretching routine for your whole body, it gives you alot of insight into what's going on in the human body.

Let us know how you progress. Hopefully, this is just a minor setback warning you to ease up a bit. Hopefully, you'll bounce right back and not miss too much of this wonderful spring in your garden.

Susie

Karalynn, you have asked about my field of expertise!lol I had 3 discs removed and the vertebre fused 3 yrs. ago. I have degenerative disc disease, which is different from herniated, but one thing is the same, TAKE IT EASY! Sometimes you can heal on your own. Stretching is the start. Your dr. will probably send you to therapy and they'll teach you the stretches you need. He might recommend shots and they work wonders for some, not at all for others. Sometimes heat feels better, sometimes ice. A massage always feels good!

You really have to take it easy till this heals, so you don't aggravate it. Believe me, I know that you're dying to get stuff done. You have to learn to do things in a way that doesn't hurt your back, or any other part for that matter. Get on the accessible gardening forum and post your question and you'll get more answers.

If you don't like what this dr. says, get a second opinion. I've been treating with the same dr. for over 4 yrs. and I trust him and he's up on all the latest. I mean I couldn't walk out of the house before the surgery, now at least I can function, but there's still a lot of pain. We'll be trying some new treatments this month.

Again, believe me I know what you're going through, but resting your back now might make a big difference in how you spend the rest of your life. WebMD has some good info, too. Keep me posted and good luck.
Julie

Thanks for all the advice, I was a bit upset when I first got the news from my doctor and hearing from you is helping me calm down. I'm still waiting for my appointment with the new doctor so I don't know how bad my back is yet or how he'll want to treat it. As for gardening I'm limiting myself to just some light spot weeding and dead heading so that I don't make the problem worse. A friend that I met through this forum only lives a few blocks from me and has voluteered her help in getting a few things done in my yard. I'm also fortunate that my brother lives with me and my parents are right next door so that they can help me with things like mowing the lawn (I have a 3/4 acre lot that is mostly lawn at the moment)and getting the laundry out to the cloths line. It looks like I'll have to hire someone to help get some of my home remodeling done, mainly getting the floor tiles installed.

I've also had to stop picking up one year old nephew which has really got him confused. I'm trying to make it up to him by spending more time cuddling and reading him stories. The good news is that I managed to find a new home for my sister's pitbull so now I can go into my parent's back yard without the worry of her knocking me over. Although she was avery sweet natured, the dog was only a little over a year old and didn't know her own strength.

I'm still working full time but my job mostly has me working at a computer all day so that's not a problem. The people I work with have been very understanding although they've been teasing both myself and another woman I work with about the fact that we're both limping in the same way. She's in need of a hip replacement.

Julie, thank you for your suggestions and take it easy yourself. My mother also has several fused vertebre due to a car accident she was in before I was born. There are times when she can barely get around and she has a wheelchair she uses sometimes. Sometimes she loses all feeling in her left leg which causes her problems when she's walking.

Kara, I'm sure this will work out fine for you. You're taking it easy, and that's smart. My humble opinion is to try to heal it without surgery. If that doesn't work, then surgery might be the only option. But I just hope your doctor doesn't jump the gun and say "surgery's what you need", when maybe you could try a less invasive approach first.

It's all that rock lifting, pindo palm transplanting, dry stream bed digging... girl, you need to learn to deligate to your brother! Crack that whip!

Great news! I had my appointment with the neurogolist this morning and he said that I didn't need surgery. He wants me to continue to go to the chiropractor and taking it easy. He also said that the pain will probably be gone or nearly so in about 2 weeks but that I'm to go back for a follow-up in 4 weeks. In the meantime I'm going to keep taking it easy.

Nicki, I'm lucky that I can get my brother to do things like mow the lawn and take out the garbage. He hates working outside. I figured out how I hurt my back though. It wasn't any of the rock lifting or dry stream bed digging, instead it was filling the lawn tracter's trailer with mulch.

I LOVE....that great news! I'm so happy for you! Peggy

Aaaah, mulch was the culprit...

That is great news from your doctor. Chiropractors and massage therapy do wonders for me, and I'm sure that will get you all straightened out in no time. It sounds like you caught it early, and didn't push it with too much work... although you were a digging fiend at your plant swap... I remember you saying your back was bugging you lately, I wish I had been thoughtful enough to do the digging for you! Good grief... I can be dense sometimes...

My brother's kinda useless, too. :) His poor wife does everything...
Maybe you could bribe him with beer?

Great news!

Sometimes the littlest thing can hurt your back. My neighbor did it just twisting around the wrong way. I did bending to pick up a shirt I dropped on the floor too fast, but it would probably have happened sooner or later. Be careful and buy a Gopher, one of those grab-it tools that pick stuff up for you when you squeeze the handle. They sell them in Walgreens.

I go tomorrow to the back dr. to see what new stuff he wants me to try.

Julie

Yes, it is great news! That ol back can give you a fit....and the older you get...you'll start hurting in places ...you didn't even know you had! LOL Take care! Peggy

I am so happy you don't need surgery!!!!!

Relax and take it easy.
or as my kids say "chillaxe"-meaning chill out and relax!

"Doctor says I need a backiotomy!"

Glad to hear that you don't need surgery, and also glad to know you have people around to help you! That's what family's for right =)

Tim