@#%#! Pinched Nerve
Well, after months of hip/back/ham/piriformis/glute pain, I finally got an answer from the MRI the doc had me do 2 wks ago: L3, pinched nerve BOTH sides....I have been having issues with bike and run times just not getting faster, and actually slowing a bit, as well as constant pain that nsaids don't help. Now I know why. I asked dr. for renwal of p.t. RX. She's going to talk to my p.t. and renew the script. Other options listed were epidural if p.t. doesn't work, and surgery, if epidural doesn't work. Sooooo, here I am with Muncie on July 10th, and IMLOU on Aug. 29th. Climbing the hills in L'Ville has been the devil, both times I've been there. Going again 7-24.
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I hurt my back back in 95 and just lived with it. I had a herniated disk that was pinching nerves. In 2009 I was playing badminton and my left calf just stopped working, which as you can imagine is very scary. No matter what I did it would not work.. Within 2 weeks I had surgery and since then have not had any issues with back, calf or anything. imagine not having pain after living with it for too long... I did two half IMs and a marathon last year. All without pain from pinched nerves/back issues... All I can say is don't put off any required work to your body for racing. With pinched nerves it can get serious real quick, and if it isnt dealt with I think they can die or never come back (can't remember exactly what the DR said). I hope that PT or epidurals work, and you are rocking the course at LV, but whatever happens do what it takes to get better first.
Wow Jason, your calf just quit working huh? That is kind of how I feel with my left leg. It hurts mostly in the piriformis/hamstring. Feels like it just isn't 'firing' properly.
if it were me, I'd go for the two-fer (injection + continued PT). if you had more time I'd say sure, give PT a 2nd chance but give it a cap (for example, no change in 2 weeks = shot). but... since it's been a) months of symptoms without relief and b) the bulk of your symptoms are in your leg still....I'd say PT alone is a longshot, possible, but a longshot. (this is based on the assumption that they've been doing massage and stretching of the legs with strengthening)
My push for the injection is to get the symptoms out of your leg and to prevent the scarier nerve stuff like muscles no longer working, numbness, etc. This will help with pain as well. From there, it's a matter of loosening up the back itself to take pressure off of the disc. So think of it this way. You want the disc to hurt because that's the problem so you need to get everything out of the leg so that only your back hurts. That's how you'll know things are working. I know, it sounds nutty, but does that make sense??
This has really been going on for months. I thought it was just all of the training making my hams tight, etc. But, my p.t. strongly advised I get into the doc and request an MRI since p.t. was not working. I hope that when I get my injection, my legs work better! I need every bit of help I can get, to climb the hills in KY!
I'll keep you posted about the injection! Thanks!
Hope the epidural works, Barb! I've had severe back problems before and it is torture.