u/rococos-basilisk

I was at a healthy weight at the time of my surgery but I’m now about 5lbs overweight per the BMI. My surgeon really stressed the importance of not weighing more than 140 (I’m 5’3) to prevent pain and injury. I’m going to lose it, but how much danger am I in of re-herniating my L4-L5 or herniating one of the other four bulging discs by being 5lbs overweight? Because of my significant ED history and current pain levels after a recent flare, it’s going to take me longer than the average person to lose this, probably 8-12 weeks.

Got the MRI report back via my portal an hour ago and have a virtual visit with my surgeon tomorrow morning. I also very stupidly carried some groceries yesterday because I was feeling better and everything flared again. Extent of nerve symptoms was some mild tingling that did not extend beyond upper thigh and has resolved at least 80 percent. But I’m scared doing that makes this MRI from the day before null and void and now I’ll need a new one that insurance will absolutely not pay for.

Original MD/laminectomy/facetectomy at L4-L5 a year ago for large extruded disc with extremely severe stenosis and nerve impingement. Surgeon deemed it an immediate CES risk and did the surgery within 36 hours of the MRI.

8/1/26 MRI:

L1-L2: mild interspace narrowing and disc bulge with normal facets without significant stenosis.

L2-L3: normal disc space and facets without stenosis.

L3-L4: disc desiccation and mild interspace narrowing and posterior disc bulge with normal facets with minor spinal stenosis without significant foraminal narrowing.

L4-L5: previous laminectomy with moderate interspace narrowing and mild posterior disc bulge with normal facets without significant spinal stenosis although there is a 5 mm disc protrusion into the left lateral recess although without direct neural impingement. Mild bilateral foraminal narrowing. Limited type I end plate signal changes to the right.

L5-S1: mild interspace narrowing and posterior disc bulge. Mild developmental asymmetry of the posterior elements without significant facet degeneration. No spinal stenosis with minimal right foraminal narrowing.

Impression: lumbar spondylosis without high-grade stenosis or direct neural impingement. Postoperative changes at L4-L5 with a 5 mm protrusion into the left lateral recess without direct root impingement.

I’ve been a fan forever and wanting a TMG tattoo for years. The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton is of particular personal significance and I’d like it incorporated, but it doesn’t have to be. I am heavily tattooed and none of them have words but I’m not necessarily opposed. Hit me with your best ideas!

ETA my unofficial TMG magpie on the day I got it. I didn’t get it as a TMG tattoo at first but I think of it as one now. I think it was maybe my third tattoo. Please tell me not to get “fresh tattoo” directly under it.

Other favorites include:

The Legend of Chavo Guerrero

Abandoned Flesh

Up the Wolves

First Blood

Great Pirates

Distant Stations

Dark in Here

Picture of my Dress

Solidarity Forever

Golden Boy

5’3 136lbs, mild to moderate scoliosis, arthritis, had spinal decompression surgeries at l4-l5 and have bulging l2-s1. Need a camping/portable chair under $175 I can comfortably sit in that won’t make things worse. Is the possible?

I (34F) discovered a 24 degree curve in an MRI for a herniated disc at 33, in addition to spondylosis, multiple bulging lumbar discs, DDD, and the extruded disc. Is the curve likely to progress, or is it relatively stable here? When I throw my back out for any number of reasons, I go crooked. It was worse before my decompression surgery at L4-L5 last year but I think I herniated at L3-L4 (waiting for MRI) and experienced the crooked sensation again. It feels worse than it looks, it’s not always visible during this flare/new injury. It definitely used to be more pronounced before my discectomy/laminectomy/facetectomy.

ETA: I feel sort of hopeless about my back in general. I did post-op PT and took it extremely seriously and even paid out of pocket for more PT after I used all those sessions. I strength train. I work on my core 6 days a week for between 30 and 50 minutes. I track my macros and get my steps and try so hard to maintain if not improve my body and nonsense like this just keeps happening.

I (34F) had an L4-L5 microdiscectomy with bilateral hemilaminectomy and facetectomy at the end of last July. I had a large, protruding herniation with “extremely severe stenosis” and was high risk for impending Cadua Equina Syndrome. Pain was severe, unrelenting, 10/10 seeing stars level. The radiologist was alarmed when he saw the MRI and called my surgeon multiple times, who brought me in the next day and then did the procedures the following morning. It was about 36 hours from MRI to surgery. It healed really well, I experienced no flares or set-backs, did several months of PT, and received full clearance from my surgeon and the physical therapist to resume lifting with no restrictions. I went slow and worked with a coach and was extremely careful, even dropping weight significantly after experiencing a muscle strain in an unrelated muscle group.

I think I herniated at L3-L4 within the last couple of weeks. The pain is nowhere near as extreme as last time and I can walk and lay down, no red flag warnings or foot drag, but there is pain and a little bit of a lateral tilt that has gotten slightly but not completely better with muscle relaxers and some nerve symptoms in my butt and the fronts of my legs that stop above the knee. I have also learned, in the year since my first procedure, that I most likely have some sort of hypermobility spectrum disorder. My initial MRI showed a mild to moderate scoliosis curve nobody had ever told me about before, as well as arthritis and bulging/DDD that I was aware of from previous imaging. Nobody seemed too concerned about these at the time of my first surgery.

I’m terrified that I’m going to need a fusion. Or multiple fusions because of my hypermobility and bulging/DDD situation. I can handle another MD. I can, reluctantly, handle never lifting again. But I don’t think I can handle one or many spinal fusions.

I made the terrible mistake of running this by the Google AI because I’m an idiot, and now I’m convinced I’m cooked and there’s like a 40 percent chance I’m destined for one if not multiple fusions. I have a new MRI and follow up tomorrow and I’m fucking terrified. Idiots like me should not be allowed to anxiously ask an LLM about health outcomes but like, am I actually as doomed as it says? (I understand none of you are doctors, my doctor, and are not qualified to give actual medical advice, etc).

Yes, I’ve been to my spine doctor, yes I’ve scheduled an MRI. It’s almost a month from now. I hurt my back in the gym almost three weeks ago and at first it didn’t really feel concerning or like a big deal because the pain was only in the mornings and not very severe (max 3 or 4 out of 10) but I think it’s getting worse. No numbness, weakness, or tingling. Nothing in the backs of my legs. Pain and stiffness in my low back and hips, had a slight lateral tilt that’s gotten a little better with Meloxicam and Methocarbomal. Still feel like something is off, like I feel unsupported in that region and it hurts. The doctor doesn’t think I re-herniated but I also feel worse now than when I saw her on Tuesday. Just looking for some reassurance, does it sound like a bad strain/spasm I shouldn’t have kept working through, or herniation? Last time I herniated I had shooting searing leg pain, weakness, and couldn’t lay down flat. True 10/10 seeing literal stars pain. None of that is present now. If any nerve involvement at all, and if there is it’s so faint I truly can’t tell, it’s in the fronts of my legs. I am 1 year post op, graduated PT after several months, and cleared to return to lifting with no restrictions. I have followed recommendations down to the letter.

My pain does not seem to be on any sort of trajectory towards getting better, but there are also no warning signs indicating urgent disc problems. I’ve been on 7.5mg of meloxicam for 8 days and methocarbomal since Tuesday but have not been taking 3x daily yet. I will start that today. I also have 24 degree lumbar scoliosis, noted and monitored bulging in L3 through L5, and spondylosis. My original herniation was at L4-L5, 6mmx3mm and causing extremely severe stenosis and imminent CES risk, if any of that is relevant. I continued to lift through Wednesday (upper body) because I was not experiencing any pain by the time I got to the gym on training days, only some stiffness. I also dropped lower body load significantly. No popping sensation or feelings of weakness. Pain seems to have gotten worse since Wednesday, though.

Criteria:

Open on Mondays

Preferably of the Italian, banh mi, or po’ boy variety

Big enough to be dinner

Did anybody else develop Diastasis Recti after their surgery? I had an L5 microdiscectomy last July and have recently been informed by a professional that I have 2 finger Diastasis Recti. I have never been pregnant and my weight is exactly the same as it was on my surgery date.

Has this happened to anybody else, or is this just instance 5773893589 of my body hating me?

Does anybody else lift weights? I’ve had to give up on powerlifting type training and goals even though I love it, but I’m determined to stay in the gym. My plan is to keep challenging myself and building muscle, just no more squats and deadlifts. Lots of unilateral lower body exercises, more machines (my gym is a powerlifting gym and doesn’t have a ton but I’m not ready to switch yet, maybe eventually), no ego lifting, and focusing on form. Has anybody else been able to successfully keep strength training 4x a week?

I am not yet formally diagnosed but about to start the process of seeking diagnosis this week.