Couple doctor appointments and I'm still not sure what's wrong with the back. They're diagnosing with small steps so it'll take a little while; fortunately, the first two appointments I got in within 24 hours. Hell, I called yesterday to tell them there was no improvement over the last week and they got me in less than two hours later for an MRI. Can't argue with that.
So the doctor says herniated disk with an ass-load of inflammation, and maybe something beyond that. NSAID injection last Tuesday helped for about 16 hours and I at least got one decent night of sleep out of it. The follow-up steroid pills didn't do squat. I've been icing so much that I'm getting tired of doing it, and nothing seems to help. Even the vicodin is pointless. Gotta wait until the 30th for an iodine injection, and then a steroid injection after that, presumably right into the messed-up disk.
I didn't get to talk with the doctor yet after the MRI so I'm not certain what they found. Hoping it's just a misalignment that can be dealt with between my inversion table and chiropractor. If it's a damaged disk, that might mean surgery.
I've been taking it easy as much as I can, which is aggravating since I feel so damn useless around here. Lots of time in front of the PC, and it's getting boring. Just want to get back on my feet but that pain comes raging back within 30 seconds of lifting myself out of the chair. Makes it tough to take a shower, get groceries, or anything else that requires me to stand up.
Kids, don't take your back for granted. If you've ever had a bad hangover then you know what I mean - you never think about it until it's at its worst, and then it's just damn horrible. Be man enough to get help lifting heavy stuff, and if anyone calls you a wimp, wuss, puss, or whatever, just tell them you'll point and laugh when they're laid up with a dicked up back.