u/annacooperbooper

Hi there! Today I had a double back injection! They placed the steroid at my L5 and S2. I am writing this because a lot of what I found online was scary, granted I’m 8 hours post injection, but so far so good.

For reference I have a moderate disc extrusion at my L5/S1 that hasn’t made much progress in over 6 weeks. In the last 2 weeks my pain has ranged from 3/10 to 10/10, so while progressing there are still very bad days. Oddly enough I just switched from not being able to walk to now not being able to sit.

Procedure took 3 weeks to get scheduled. The actual injection took about 20 minutes. I laid on my stomach in street clothes. The doctor explained everything he was doing step by step. I was 2 shot locations but 4 fluid injections into each, lidocaine, contrast, steroid, lidocaine. I could feel the lidocaine burn, but it wasn’t that bad - Maybe a 1/10 in pain and a 7/10 in awkward anxiety driven thoughts? Total appt time was 45 minutes. I needed a driver because of how long the lidocaine lasts. I walked out but they did not recommend driving.

No idea if it’s helping yet but so far I’m glad I gave it a try. I’m limited on meds I can take (just Tylenol), so this felt like something I really had to try.

Will update later this week if anyone is interested!

What tests did you take to come off meds? I had an ultrasound for my DVT which came back clear. I also stopped taking Eliiquis 10 days prior to my D Dimer which unfortunately came back elevated/just over the normal range. I resumed Elliquis until I can see my doctor in a month. For those that have come off meds do take D Dimers in the future? Are they elevated for a while? I had two DVTs in my calf and small PE in my lungs and have been on Elliquis almost a year, which I was told was longer than most. I am hoping to come off the meds but am wondering when the D Dimer would read clear? Maybe I’m a future lifer?

One more question, how did you all get around? When I stand and put weight on my spine I can stand /walk for no more than 5 minutes a few times a day. By the time I get to 5 minutes I can barely mutter words and need to sit so bad. My posture starts off ok and by lunchtime I’m very clearly bent over. One time I pushed it and walked for 10 minutes and the pain was so bad I thought I was going to pass out.

So, did you get a cane? A scooter? A wheelchair? How did you get out and about?

I’ve had temp disability parking in the past, should I plan to get a temp permit again?

I’ve leaned into grocery pickups and Amazon for nearly everything. What else should I try?

I’ve got 2 kids 12 and 10 and we’re an active out and about family, especially in the summer. I’d like to leave my house and do things.

Just got my MRI results. I won’t see images until my follow up. Wondering if this calls for a shot or something further?

Impression
IMPRESSION: 1. Degenerative changes in the lumbar spine most marked L3-L4 through L5-S1 interspace levels. 2. At L5-S1 there is a moderate-sized broad-based central and right paracentral disc extrusion which contacts the traversing right S1 nerve root and could correlate to right S1 radiculopathy. Moderate right S1 lateral recess narrowing. This is seen key image series 5, image 43 and series 2, image 10. 3. No severe canal compromise or severe foraminal narrowing at any lumbar level. 4. Lower cord, conus medullaris and roots of the cauda equina are normal.

FINDINGS: Nomenclature is based on 5 lumbar type vertebral bodies. Satisfactory lumbar vertebral body height and alignment. Interspace narrowing most prominent L4-L5 and L5-S1. No evidence for marrow infiltrative process. Small benign chronic Schmorl node endplate deformities without loss of height lower thoracic and upper lumbar levels. Normal distal spinal cord and cauda equina with conus medullaris at L2. No retroperitoneal solid mass or adenopathy. Normal caliber aorta and IVC. Symmetric psoas contours bilaterally. Mild degenerative changes lower lumbar spine articular pillars at L4-L5 noted. No free pelvic fluid.

T12-L1: Normal disc height and signal. No herniation. Normal facets. No spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis.

L1-L2: Normal disc height and signal. No herniation. Normal facets. No spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis.

L2-L3: Normal disc height and signal. No herniation. Normal facets. No spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis.

L3-L4: Mild-to-moderate loss of disc height. Shallow broad base central disc protrusion with mild canal narrowing. No foraminal narrowing. Articular pillars are satisfactory.

L4-L5: Mild to moderate loss of disc height. Annular tear/disruption the central zone with annular bulge. No disc herniation. No canal narrowing. No foraminal narrowing. Articular pillars are minimally hypertrophic right more than left.

L5-S1: Moderate loss of disc height. Annular bulge with a superimposed broad-based central right paracentral disc extrusion series 2 image 11, series 5 image 43. Mass effect upon the traversing right S1 nerve root could correlate to right S1 radiculopathy series 5, image 43 with moderate right S1 lateral recess narrowing. Mild defective canal narrowing. No left foraminal narrowing. Mild-to-moderate right foraminal narrowing and very mild facet arthropathy noted bilaterally.

Anyone have experience using a scooter in Alaska? Are scooters able to go on/below the bus into town? Is there a better transport option? Were you stuck on the ship? I can walk just not for an extended time. Any tips or thoughts are appreciated!!

Hi cruisers! We are traveling with our 12 and 10 year old. Does FAS+ include guests 3 and 4, our kids? Or is it truely for just guest 1 and 2 and we should expect a gratuity bill for the kids?

My daughter’s options this year were a Youth 2 Elite or a Senior 2.1 prep. Last year she was on a Youth 2.2 prep. 80% of her team was moved to either the new Y2 Elite or even higher. 2 other kids were moved to the senior prep with her (1 doesn’t have tumbling so made sense, 1 has a family member on this team so again sorta makes sense).

My kid is sad, she isn’t with her friends and she doesn’t get to tumble level 2. I know friends aren’t a big deal to most but my kid is shy, so having to make all new friends isn’t an easy task for her. She’s also been working incredibly hard on her tumbling and she’s now doubting if they thought she wasn’t good enough.

We had no advance notice that the gym was redoing teams, so we went in thinking she would make same or maybe even higher only to get moved lower.

She’s got all sorts of plans, she’s talked taking team placement and sorta being bored (which she has done before), she could take a year off cheer to just work tumbling, she could see if another gym needs her.

Thoughts?

Also, she doesn’t want to be a leader, she’d be the youngest on a senior team - different story if it was a younger team - but there’s simply no way my kid would try to lead high schoolers that drive.

She loves her gym but I worry shes been moved off an elite path to a rec path. She wants the opportunity to do a year end Florida path and I feel like that is getting harder and harder out of reach for her.

If you made it this far thanks for reading my rant.

Parenting through this is tough, feels like most parents want me to have her stick it out and do what’s best for gym and trust that she will be happier with next years placement, which is hard when it’s a very long year and also not inexpensive and also not sure how many years left of cheer she’s even gonna want to do….