Possible prolapsed disk - cocktail of meds, recovery time! Anyone else?

[blueskiespls]

Is anyone else in this situation? I did something in the gym just over a week ago and as the night went on I started getting agonising pain around lower back, sides and down leg. Seen physio and osteopath, pain subsides for a day then I will do something minor (pick up a hairbrush for example) and the pain is back.
When it's bad I can't walk, stand sit or anything.

Saw out of hours today as it was excruciating- he's given me co-drydamol, neproxen and diazepam.

Gym and weight training is my passion and I just want to be able to do this again!
Gp said most probably prolapsed disk can take6 weeks to sort itself out. In the meantime just pain manage. Unfortunately I have googled and seem to have read too many long term chronic pain stories 😔

Anyone else in this boat?

My Husband has a slipped disc, he had it for about about 8 weeks, but he couldn't walk at all for the first week or so, then it gradually got better. He had physio through the NHS which he found useful.

swimming and pilates are your friend
if you do not let it recover it will be bad for ever

Can you afford to see a physiotherapist privately, or get an MRI scan privately?

I had a prolapsed disc that eventually burst and required surgery to fix. The painkillers can help with life-management, but if you want a long term remedy physiotherapy to gently push the disc back where it needs to be may be the best bet.

I can't do weight training, even though I would love to, as it puts too much pressure on the spine, you may have to compromise.

Has the GP also told you that if you have any incontinence at all you must go straight to Emergency care ? It's really important as it can cause incurable incontinence if the disc damages the nerves in that area. I wasn't told this until I'd had a slipped disc for many years! Thankfully my disc was the one above the more serious one.

These are the exercises I did to control the slipped disc

link here

I got better over about 8 weeks , was very careful over the next month or so and the completely back to normal. It has never recurred( over 25 years) .

Thanks @beenandgoneandbackagain I've just woken from my first decent sleep in ages (I am in uk btw!!) diazepam and co-dryer have knocked me out.
I do actually have private healthcare through work who I will speak to tomorrow. So I most probably can get physio. Especially as this is now on my medical notes etc.
The go I saw today in out of hours was actually an orthopaedic surgeon! I just got lucky. He reiterated to me to not have any high expectations of the new week or weeks.

@beenandgoneandbackagain he said if I get any numbness tingling or in continence at all to to to a&e so I am clued p about that.
This has knocked me for 6... i gym with my dp 3/4/4 times a week, he teaches fitness classes. We are a very active family :(
Pilates was mentioned and swimming
Before my sleep I sorted our school pick ups etc for the DC next few days.

@mrsed1987 how is he now? It seems most people take 6-12 weeks recovery

@yikesanotherbooboo thanks for your message- I am getting married in June. I've never been one to sit around so finding this really tough. It's the relying on others thing! As well as the pain obviously

blueskiespls His back is fine now, this was in early december however, his was caused by sitting on a train for 10 hours! random really as he goes to the gym ect so you would think that is more likely to damage your back!

However, he did have the same thing back in April, no where near as bad, but unfortunately i think it is going to be a reoccuring thing.

He had MRI and physio on NHS and was all organised pretty quickly! But if you have health insurance may as well use that!

Don't worry- long term you will still have your muscle-memory and it will all come back very quickly. The only exercise I can't do is weight lifting (thought can do bench presses).

I found that a strong core really helped too, though you may have to take it easy whilst you're healing.

I also do the Cobra (similar to the exercise I shared earlier) after every exercise session as part of my cool down to ensure that the disks are encouraged to be in the right place.

@mrsed1987 I think the thing I worry about is long term problems. I am 35 but a very fit one with a fiancée of 26 so I have to keep up with him!
Everyone has told me that it's alway silly little things that set it off- the dr did his by picking a pencil off the floor...

Physio, meds, walk. My physio treated me and on the 4th session watched me walk in, refused to touch me and sent me for an MRI. She saved me from paralysis

Any change go to a&e, I couldn't lift my leg when lay down, had numbness and tingling and was ok. But the change was it felt like water running down my legs and I went to a&e and had a 5hr op
I had a giant herniated disc, got cauda equina and needed emergency surgery age 32

@beenandgoneandbackagain I've heard that doing 'safe' core stuff like plank is a good idea.
So just stick to bench and have some decent pecs then

I've just started on a bag of prunes as apparently these meds cause constipation. Gets better and better

@YesQueen you poor thing... what a drama. And the recovery must have been hard work.
I really appreciate all these replies. I don't know anyone in my position. Too say 'back pain to people and its like "oh yeah that.." fortunately work have been great. I have my laptop so can do some work from home when I've got the pain under control

I'm a lot better now - I was on naproxen, dihydrocodiene, morphine, diazepam and still screaming with leg pain. The op took a lot of recovery but I can lift again. No deads but I can use a trapbar!
The only things I can't do is high impact stuff, and running except on a treadmill. I was up to 10k walking 8 weeks post op

That's fantastic to hear. I can avoid high impact! It's just the early days so I am feeling a little upset by it all. How long ago was your surgery?

A good quality [high strength] TENs machine will really help with pain, op.

Thanks for that tip @PorterBella I didn't know that!

2 years this may

@YesQueen that's good. Your anniversary in May then!💪🏼

My surgery was back in 2004. I made a very quick recovery thanks to good preparation beforehand

Push for that MRI so they can see what's actually going on rather than guessing.

@beenandgoneandbackagain I'm awaiting a call from the gp and have made a claim on my private medical, but it has to be referred by gp. I do just want to know exactly what is going yes x