Those warnings about the rides? Take them seriously!

[QueenElinor]

Long story short- I blew off those warnings about the rides and went on The Drop Zone at Great America after watching it and figuring "Oh, it's not a very sudden stop.". After that, my back hurt a little, but this is not unusual since I have arthritis. Also, it is my neck that I have the most problems with and that was fine. It got progressively worse (with leg pain and numbness) until I went in a week ago and got an MRI which showed a ruptured L 4-5 disc.

Now, could it have been something else? Possibly, since I did do some lifting & carrying between that vacation and now. But all I have to say is, don't ignore the warnings if you have back and neck problems. Sometimes we just have to admit our limitations, even if we don't want to.

So now I'm going in for a foraminal epidural steroid injection, and hopefully will avoid back surgery. But no more rides for me.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Long story short- I blew off those warnings about the rides and went on The Drop Zone at Great America after watching it and figuring "Oh, it's not a very sudden stop.". After that, my back hurt a little, but this is not unusual since I have arthritis. Also, it is my neck that I have the most problems with and that was fine. It got progressively worse (with leg pain and numbness) until I went in a week ago and got an MRI which showed a ruptured L 4-5 disc.

Now, could it have been something else? Possibly, since I did do some lifting & carrying between that vacation and now. But all I have to say is, don't ignore the warnings if you have back and neck problems. Sometimes we just have to admit our limitations, even if we don't want to.

So now I'm going in for a foraminal epidural steroid injection, and hopefully will avoid back surgery. But no more rides for me.

Oh wow!! Good Luck!! Probably the Worst procedure I have ever Endured and I had Versed for it! I can still remember the whole thing like it was yesterday and mine was at the same location. I really wish you well!!! Feel free to PM me because I have LOTS of experience in the area of a ruptured L4-5 disc and surgeries and the procedure you are about to have done. Please take care of yourself.

 

[SueM in MN]

A very good reminder that the warnings are there for a reason.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

It's interesting because you said this and I was just thinking about my own thrill ride preferences before I had my surgery (cervical & skull issues). I'd never liked rides that dropped suddenly, but there are plenty of rides with warnings that I could do without any symptoms showing up. I could ride most rides that had a back that went all the way up that I could rest my head on it and that had mostly fluid motion. I rode RnR, EE, Mission Space (both sides), and some of the coasters at the NJ Six Flags (of the sort where your feet dangle and there's an over shoulder harness (some of those did go upside down) without symptom flares or symptoms getting worse; EE and Mission Space I rode after we knew I probably had cervical instability & Chiari, in fact. Space Mountain was a mistake when I rode it, but we didn't know I had cervical problems then. Test Track and Kilimanjaro Safari were iffy due to the sharp bumps and stops; I wore my soft neck collar on the Safari which helped and Test Track wasn't so bad that I felt like it caused further problems, it just wasn't as fun. Thinking about it, I really wonder if my aversion to sudden drops (I refused to ever ride ToT and didn't even like coasters with drops) was self-protective since I subconsciously self-protected in all sorts of other ways (and with other health related issues, as well) before being diagnosed.

 

[QueenElinor]

It's interesting because you said this and I was just thinking about my own thrill ride preferences before I had my surgery (cervical & skull issues). I'd never liked rides that dropped suddenly, but there are plenty of rides with warnings that I could do without any symptoms showing up. I could ride most rides that had a back that went all the way up that I could rest my head on it and that had mostly fluid motion. I rode RnR, EE, Mission Space (both sides), and some of the coasters at the NJ Six Flags (of the sort where your feet dangle and there's an over shoulder harness (some of those did go upside down) without symptom flares or symptoms getting worse; EE and Mission Space I rode after we knew I probably had cervical instability & Chiari, in fact. Space Mountain was a mistake when I rode it, but we didn't know I had cervical problems then. Test Track and Kilimanjaro Safari were iffy due to the sharp bumps and stops; I wore my soft neck collar on the Safari which helped and Test Track wasn't so bad that I felt like it caused further problems, it just wasn't as fun. Thinking about it, I really wonder if my aversion to sudden drops (I refused to ever ride ToT and didn't even like coasters with drops) was self-protective since I subconsciously self-protected in all sorts of other ways (and with other health related issues, as well) before being diagnosed.

I think you're absolutely right, there is a great deal to be said for subconscious behavior. And that highlighted piece about Space Mountain- I didn't know I had disc problems when I got on the Drop Zone- I have always been worried about my neck, which is severely arthritic, but never about back disc problems whatsoever. I have always avoided rides with severe lateral motion- Test Track, Dinosaur, etc. I think the take home message to me is that one can have significant ride-caused problems without any warning at all- and it's best not to push it.

 

[justtobeme2]

I've had L 4--5 surgery like years ago. Best thing I ever did. My BIL just had it recently and he said sorry he waited. He had the steroid shots and they ruined his back for life. Have a young friend 40 that had the shots and she is crippled for life now and walks with a cane. I believe she is filing suit. Those steriod shots in your spine can congeal the nerves together and they are stuck forever. They never come apart. My BIL can no longer perform his manly duties (my sister told me) and never knows when he has to go to the bathroom. Please please be careful with those shots. He took them over 2 years.

Back pain is SERIOUS!

 

[QueenElinor]

I've had L 4--5 surgery like years ago. Best thing I ever did. My BIL just had it recently and he said sorry he waited. He had the steroid shots and they ruined his back for life. Have a young friend 40 that had the shots and she is crippled for life now and walks with a cane. I believe she is filing suit. Those steriod shots in your spine can congeal the nerves together and they are stuck forever. They never come apart. My BIL can no longer perform his manly duties (my sister told me) and never knows when he has to go to the bathroom. Please please be careful with those shots. He took them over 2 years.

Back pain is SERIOUS!

Wow, that sounds terrible! I had my epidural injection and it has been great so far. Because of my other drugs I'm not a very good surgical candidate so I'm trying to avoid that.

There is risk with every medical procedure, and everyone is different, so the right thing for one person probably won't be exactly the same as for someone else.

I'm just happy to be able to tie my shoes again!

 

[stitchlovestink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by justtobeme2

I've had L 4--5 surgery like years ago. Best thing I ever did. My BIL just had it recently and he said sorry he waited. He had the steroid shots and they ruined his back for life. Have a young friend 40 that had the shots and she is crippled for life now and walks with a cane. I believe she is filing suit. Those steriod shots in your spine can congeal the nerves together and they are stuck forever. They never come apart. My BIL can no longer perform his manly duties (my sister told me) and never knows when he has to go to the bathroom. Please please be careful with those shots. He took them over 2 years.

Back pain is SERIOUS!

Wow, that sounds terrible! I had my epidural injection and it has been great so far. Because of my other drugs I'm not a very good surgical candidate so I'm trying to avoid that.

There is risk with every medical procedure, and everyone is different, so the right thing for one person probably won't be exactly the same as for someone else.

I'm just happy to be able to tie my shoes again!

QueenElinor,
So glad your procedure went well for you!! That is awesome!! I just hope it has long term effects for you and you don't have to keep getting them repeated. If you don't mind me asking, are you trying to avoid a diskectomy or a fusion or what type of surgery? Usually, if you have to keep getting injections (more than a series of 3) you are just prolonging the unavoidable. But glad it is working for you!! Hopefully it will the relief it gave you will last!


Posted from Disney Forums Reader for Android

 

[QueenElinor]

QueenElinor,
So glad your procedure went well for you!! That is awesome!! I just hope it has long term effects for you and you don't have to keep getting them repeated. If you don't mind me asking, are you trying to avoid a diskectomy or a fusion or what type of surgery? Usually, if you have to keep getting injections (more than a series of 3) you are just prolonging the unavoidable. But glad it is working for you!! Hopefully it will the relief it gave you will last!


Posted from Disney Forums Reader for Android

Thank you for your kind words. I'm trying to avoid a discectomy. I take a fair amount of immunosuppressant drugs due to RA, so they would have to be stopped so as to avoid serious infection. I've had a few weird drug-related infections already so this is not just a theoretical concern.

Also being a former surgeon myself (not an orthopedic surgeon, though!) I know that things can and do go wrong with major procedures even in the best of hands. So, in my situation I think it's prudent to attempt a less invasive cure. Since I'm not working and have help around the house, I can afford to wait and see. But if I were a working person, or if this were much worse, I wouldn't put up with it for very long- back pain is TERRIBLE and I could completely understand why some people would prefer surgery.
Also, I can see why people get hooked on painkillers because of bad backs.

I've always said I wouldn't wish back problems on my worst enemy, boy was I right about that!