EMG & Nerve Conduction tests this morning…novel experience for someone who hates needles!!! Offf the record, this neurologist thinks no sciatic involvement BUT some pathology at L5/S1 in her opinion.
MRI in 1 hour; follow-up visit with back specialist/neurologist in 1 week. My limp on R side worsening; now my left is starting, possibly from compensation, or whatever. Betty is afraid of me squatting and DLing…I promised to stay under 400 in the squat and under 500 in the DL & I never make a promise I can’t keep!
[quote]QuarterTonner wrote:
EMG & Nerve Conduction tests this morning…novel experience for someone who hates needles!!! Offf the record, this neurologist thinks no sciatic involvement BUT some pathology at L5/S1 in her opinion.
MRI in 1 hour; follow-up visit with back specialist/neurologist in 1 week. My limp on R side worsening; now my left is starting, possibly from compensation, or whatever. Betty is afraid of me squatting and DLing…I promised to stay under 400 in the squat and under 500 in the DL & I never make a promise I can’t keep![/quote]
Those tests are uncomfortable. I think sometimes the tester just likes to see the patient jump.
Hope it all gets sorted out relatively painlessly. I’ve spent a good 24 hours in airplane seats this last week and walking quite a bit and was seeing a lesser version of your symptoms - the weakness and limp on right side and subsequent compensation on the left with escalating soreness and limping on the left as well. Interesting to try and limp on both sides, I must say. I also have L5/S1 issues. It’s getting better with increased protein intake and staying out of spinal flexion as much as possible.
Definitely can’t give up the squatting and DL’ing completely.
QT,
that is some rough news sorry to hear it,
I dont like the MRI’s either but I dont know who does.
I agree about the EMG tests, I would say that uncomfortable
is accurate.
crazy as it sounds I had a chiropractor take care of, hiatal hernia, for me.
Women are always afraid, 'cause they’re the ones with all the brains. Our thinking originates from a head a lot lower. I said it once before, bodybuild for a while. Drop the weights and concentrate on getting all pretty. At least til after the tests. Then you can go back to being ugly strong. Praying for you.
All the test results are in…my lumbosacral spine isn’t what it should be…in fact I nearly threw up when I saw the x-rays and MRI…I was literally sickened by what I saw!!! No disc spaces, bad arthritic spurring, herniated/prolapsed discs. stenosis, you name it, I have it except for Fx’s. My doc gave me 3 options…PT for a month; Mylegram; Surgery. Said while surgery itself was “simple”, cutting through all my muscle would mean longer healing time. I’m gonna get a second opinion. Betty refuses to let me squat, so I’ll try belt squatting for awhile. I will continue to DL, but concentrate on less weight and higher rep ranges(8-12). If indeed the surgewrrty they propose will aloow me to be “normal” again, I’m gonna go for it. My limp right now is worsening on the R side and am noticing a slight limp on the L now.
Most parts of my quads, hams, shin and foot are numb most of the time & my muscles are atrophying quickly no matter how hard I try to work out! I think the PT is bullshit in my case; I only think corrective surgery will bring me close to my goal(s). If you don’t hear from me in awhile, don’t worry, am still hangin’ in but just not posting these bullshit workouts. My best to all my T-Nation brothers and sisters in Iron.
QT… all the best to you brother. For every door that closes, another one opens. Don’t be a stranger around here, your knowledge and experience is an asset to all of us, and would be greatly appreciated.
11/06/09 - TGIF
Started training this week after a long forced layoff due to physical problems. Along the way, some mental issues became apparent, as well. The mental issues, I think, are behind me now that I’m training heavy again(relativly speaking).
Workouts posted on HT’s What the Hell Am I Doing Part 2 thread. I would like to compete in the USAPL NJ States in 02/2010.
Take care my brothers & sisters in Iron!
Proud as hell to know you and call you a buddy. Enjoy your training, make it fun. We will all compete in February. I’m going with Jimmy T to East Texas in Feb. Tell your better half the Misouri Mule sends her his love, a quote for ya:
All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
We know you will give it your all, because you’ve led us to expect it!
More as a joke, than anything else, I thought I would start this thread off on page one for the New Year, even if it only stays there for a day…
May the New Year bring all that you wish for, & then some!
My best to all the gang in 2010!
Ain’t no joke. You’re getting ready for a comp. Besides, it’s linda like the Brigadoon of the over 35 forum. Comes, disappears for a while, then comes back.
After seeing a Podiatrist, who recommended a Back Specialist, who saw my a total of 3 times and had no clue what was wrong with me. Referred me to a colleague for EMG/NCV test…inconclusive…says I need surgery, but doesn’t know what for…“see ya later, alligator!” Decide a different tactic…big city doc…back specialist in NYC sees me for 12 minutes($500 poorer), refers me to Neurologist colleague, spends over an hour with me examining me and shaking his head…asks me to come back with new MRI…still shaking his head…
come back a third time, HE does the EMG(hurt pretty bad)/NCV and says, "I have some kind of ‘neuropathy’ but he is not sure what kind…Me, “How many kinds are there?” Him, “A few.” Go back to NJ and get over 15 different blood tests done(9 vials of blood total)…Calls me up on phone…“Rush to the hospital, I think you are having or had a heart attack!” Run to my family doctor who assures me my heart is fine(ruined a good pair of shorts in process)…says blood tests not showing cause of neuropathy…Go get a Spinal Tap, he says…I say, “A what?”…He says, “You know, like an epidural!” I say, “I don’t like needles/Ihave needle anxiety attacks!” He says, “5-10 minute procedure; painless.”
I give in/cave in. Spinal Tap morning get to hospital, says they have to start an IV(another fucking needle and it took him 3 times to get it in a vein, ouch)! …wheel me in, roll unto stomach and wait 30 minutes like that for missing doc to insert needle into my spinal canal…finally shows up…sticks me about 12 times with anesthetic and promptly inserts the needle which I felt go all the way in(ouch, again)…leaves for 30 minutes as I was a ‘slow dripper’…comes back for 5 secs and removes needle(ouch yet again)…hang in recovery area for 4 hours to stop a headache I never got…results few days later/phone call from NYC Neurologist - “We found protein in your CSF!” “Yeah, WTF does that mean?” “Means auto immune disease has been casuing my nerves to degenerate over about an estimated 2-3 year time period!”
My body is attacking my motor nerves as if they were some kind of bacteria/virus! “Can you stop it???” “Yes, non-traditional treatment called IVIG!” “WTF is that?”…long explanation, none of which I understood, but I began to hope I might finally have a road to some kind of recovery…get another blood test…“Kidneys aren’t up-to-snuff enuf for IVIG therapy!” “HUH???” Dangle the carrot in front of the ass(me) and take it away(WTF!)…family doc convinces NYC Neurologist kidnesy can handle it…waiting on insurance co. approval($40,000) for infusion therapy(3 hour IV in home 2x/week for 2 weeks, take a month off and repeat)…IVIG cost $50/gr…I need 100 grams each time!
Finally have explanation for my strength deficit over time and hope for recovery so I don’t end up in a wheelchair!
Damn Art, you’ve been having a good time. That is some serious shit. Hope eveerything works out. Try and keep us up to date. Hint: Anytime anyone remotely connected to the medical field says “painless”, it’s gonna hurt.
Chin up my friend. It’s unfortunate that Doctors, and I’m not bashing them, tend to specialize too much and have to continually refer you back and forth. We go through that with my wife’s Crohns Disease. One doc says one thing, another says another…blah blah blah.
Hi to anyone visiting my page! Many things transpired over the last month… a ‘definitive diagnosis’ - Demyelinating Poly Neuropathy(DPN). Tried the first course of IVIG infusions with no noticeable improvement. Doctor now squashing second course of infusions…refers me to s surgeon(a colleague) who can’t see me till mid-July - FUCK THAT/FUCK ME!!!
I surf the Internet and find a Philly doc that can see me 1st week of June…still feel like a hand-me-down piece of clothing. I wanna get better so bad, but there always seems to be obstacles blocking or impeding that path to health. I’m not so sure the medical profession has got my back, so-to-speak.
I will see that Philly back surgeon and my NYC neurologist both next week and hopefully come up with yet another game plan for me…I hope I never get to 4th down, because I’m ready to PUNT! have a great and safe Memorial Day weekend my brothers and sisters in Iron!