Injured elbow overdoing cycling in the summer (228lbs from 0-300 miles a week and got to 218lbs with a big muscle increase, particularly legs) and herniated a disc 2 months ago. I peaked 236lbs November @ 5'9 3/4. Disc is 90% better now, improving now I'm a back roller faggot.
I dropped 236 - 218 and stalled for almost 10 days despite a diet of fresh meat and vegetables with sriracha. 50calorie hot chocolates and the occasional piece of fruit and coffee, 3 scrambled eggs, eating raw carrots.
Today I hit 214lb and I can see my obliques and decided to pick up the free weights again. Don't get me wrong even as a 225lb fat fuck I could still manage 8 pull ups. It's just a reminder that I have the genetics that some of you guys who are in better shape don't have. I have no excuse. I was hoping for 200lb for xmas but 36lbs in 2 months without much exercise wasn't gonna be achievable. If I get 210lb for xmas I'll be happy.
I owe this new ability to self control myself to eat 1000 calories a day (not every day) if I want all to /fit.
My motivations has been to not turn into to one of you 260-300lbs fucks with tits. I respect you guys for posting those disgusting bodies of yours.
I herniated a disc over 2 YEARS ago trying to help a friend carry something way too heavy and he wasn't pulling his weight, and because I had a physical job the last year and a half, it's been hell.
Honestly, I don't even know why I kept the job (besides decent pay and benefits) because I think it's the sole reason the disc never healed.
Now I'm off the job, and sitting around more, the pain and sciatica have returned (which left for a while but not completely)
I haven't bothered with MRI or surgery, but I've looked up my symptoms enough to know what's going on, roughly.
However, besides just back pain and sciatica, about a year ago I started noticing some slight erectile dysfunction as well as slight numbness in the urethra and anal sphincter... it's not total numbness, but sort of like the total amount of feeling I used to have in both of those regions has essentially halved.
I looked at some scientific studies and it seems to be some kind of mildish cauda equina syndrome, but not full blown like when people shit their pants and can't pee or whatever. It's very likely that what is going on now since it's been over a year is permanent nerve damage, I realize. HOWEVER I wonder what the likelihood is for symptoms to WORSEN. I'm hoping if I double down on my efforts to keep the disc in place, never bend my back, AND never use chairs indefinitely if I can reverse things.
SO - since things are "relatively" extreme for me in terms of the usual symptoms of herniation, is it advisable for me to consider therapy, given what people say about full blown cauda equina, or should I just try to fix this all by myself, without injections, etc??
PLEASE RESPOND, and THANK YOU
Jason Lewis
I have a herniated L5 and slightly herniated S1 which is also causing my sciatica.I also have a birth defect known as congentially shortened pedicles so my spine is more narrow than usual and now I have laterial + central stenosis on my L4 and L5.
WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO
Connor Cook
Just walk it off bro.
Zachary Russell
i hope this isn't bait... or are you actually serious? I know walking is better for the disc than running, and hiking in the past seems to have helped
Angel Barnes
sorry, I meant to type "surgery" instead of "therapy"
Jackson Butler
>50calorie hot chocolates This was probably causing insulin spikes (even if you used artificial sweetener) and causing your body to bloat and store the other carbs you gave it. You were telling your body that resources were so scarce it tried extra hard to hold on. Gotta keep that message consistent but not alarming.
Just use butter, cream or coconut oil for taste in your coffee with a little sugarless cocoapowder if you must.
Nicholas Edwards
I thought you were baiting me and I still hope you're baiting me.
In all seriousness, instead of seeking advice on a Tibetan folk music board you should seek help from a medical professional. You know that thing you should've done 2 years ago. Better late than never schedule and appointment now.
Ethan Cox
my doctor specifically told me to go to ER if I get numbness in feet/legs, or if I lose control of bladder/intestines... but until then, try to work it out
so yes i've seen my doctor about it several times as a side conversation to other reasons I came into the office
Jose Bell
Quite honestly, once you lose control of your bladder and the numbness shows up.. They're going to put you under the knife.
I believe you'd be getting a microdiscectomy.
Colton Perry
Doctor
Carson Rivera
see
Juan Baker
What do you mean by "once"... are you saying it's inevitably going to get worse?
Things over 2 years gradually did get better, it's just that they didn't heal all that well because I constantly lifted things at work
Luke Cox
also I don't really lift at all... and don't plan to... if I'm gentle on the disc for a full year can it heal itself this far in?
Charles Robinson
Sorry bud. Eventually it'll probably get worse again. Keeping active and everything is the best you can do to keep pain relief up but if something happens that exacerbates the issue.. You're kind of out of luck.
I'm . I was told the cold hard facts as well. I figured I may as well tell you.
We're kinda fucked now m8. We're basically playing the back surgery waiting game where the snip off part of our spine or fuse discs together.
Wyatt Smith
Do you have any actual studies to back up this claim, or are you simply being pessimistic (I mean even if it's 50/50 that's not a reason to be unrealistically assume the negative outcome)?
You may get lucky if you never feel worse pain but if you do, you start down the slippery slope.
Landon Carter
I'm not seeing the part that says "you're fucked".
>thanks Veeky Forums and your inherently pessimistic bias - I recognize this bias, because I myself and generally pessimistic.
I do think there's hope. Good luck to you user. Key is just keeping the pressure off - the easy thing is that I finally understand how important to take the advice that "if it's causing ANY pain, it's not what you should be doing" lesson
in other words, "no pain, no gain" does NOT apply to disc issues.
Wyatt Flores
OP here.
I'd go to the doctor if i were you. I must admit I haven't been... I was considering a chiropractor, when it started to improve, but realising that an adjustment isn't going to solve the problem I have decided not to. After I got the back roller the relief I felt immediately was great. Nothing topped that day using the roller. I will probably get around to going to a doctor eventually but the more I read the more confident I feel. I don't think mine is as bad as yours. I bring this up because this was the turning point for weight loss. I don't want to be carrying a 25kg plate on my belly with a bad back. I think the weight loss even if minor is helping reduce the strain on it a lot.
I was completely bedbound for 2 weeks and spent half my waking time lying on the floor. After 2 weeks I bought a back support and that helped immensely for the following month. There is no way I would have been able to do any physical activity the first 2 weeks. There was a point where I felt like I was going to throw up, an immense sickness like from opiods. Also I am now scared to go jogging, or get on my rowing machine. Although I can now cycle again and row no problem. There is no way I'm jogging anytime soon, and I have ran a half marathon a few years ago.
Henry Howard
Oh I love my coffee black. There is a particular shop that sells a blend that I can taste chocolate/hazelnut notes in.
I just drink the 50 calorie chocolate when I feel the urge to eat a few oreos... Which normally would end up finishing the packet in a day. If it is causing problems I'll try to stop drinking more than 1 or 2 a day.
Michael Ross
So regarding my 2 week immensely bad pain, followed by a months discomfort, which is now improving and a little lump that's shrinking and improving little by little. I might recover... I realise how careful I have to be.
I'm gonna be OK right? I literally don't lift things now. I might be moving next week... That's gonna be a fucking joy.
I guess I'll be bossing my friends about doing my lifting.
Chase Taylor
I herniated my L4 and L5 when I was 19, fell 30 feet out of a tree and landed in the sitting position, was kind of weird not being able to feel my dick for 6 months but still having the urge to masturbate
Ethan Kelly
do you have permanent nerve damage around there? i'd imagine you would
Benjamin Sullivan
I still worked out with stuff like limited range pullups and triceps skullcrushers (lying down with a dumbbell) a few weeks after I pulled my lower back out from doing darn kettlebell swings.
Took months before I felt comfortable doing chest again but I was determined so I did flies. It's still gets sore for a few days if I go too hard on my rows but it's mostly manageable.
Angel Collins
Breh. You can't heal a herniated disc. The best you get is pain relief. What I was trying to say is that if anything happens and it becomes worse, you have to increase your methods of pain relief. This will happen over the course of the rest of your life until you most likely will need back surgery. Age does play a rather large role in degeneration issues.
That's good. Generally you can get back to a relatively decent mode of movement. When it first happened to me, I could barely move for a month or two. I can do exercise rather normally now but bending over tightens my leg pretty painfully. Sitting for long periods of time is also an issue. Things I will probably have to deal with for the rest of my life.
If either of you somehow manage to fix your herniated discs, I would recommend applying for some medical studies so they can figure out how to save us all. Otherwise just.. take the best care you can and hope things don't get worse. Back surgery is a last resort in my honest opinion.
Asher Taylor
>if anything happens
I've become a much more cautious person, so I think that's a big IF.
Cameron Howard
currently "retired" so I can sit down whenever I want, but yea, just imagine cold blood oozing down your hamstrings through your back everytime you stand for too long, it's a horribly painful feeling, not sure why it feels cold or like a downward drip.
