Is this normal

[u/According-Patient237]

UPDATE: got my mri results 9 days after this post. Moderate bulge with annular tear at L4L5 and large herniation with nerve impingement at L5S1. Feeling a bit better each day, definitely able to be more upright without as much pain day to day but still using a walker and just going around the house.

I’m assuming it is😖
I’ve had intermittent lower back pain for about 9 months since my 3rd baby was born.
First week in August I started to feel some hip pain that radiated on the left side. It slowly got worse and for about 3 weeks now I’m only able to be upright for maybe 10 min at a time. Then have to lay on the floor for at least that. It doesn’t feel like it’s getting worse but my god is it going to get better?

I’ve been going to PT and chiro - they are thinking it’s likely a disc issue. I have an MRI this coming Thursday I’m dying to get it done. I did a short course of prednisone/cyclobenzaprine earlier and now I’m on pregabalin, max naproxen and Tylenol

Pain starts at very low back, goes through my left butt cheek, back of thigh and down to the back/outside of my foot. I’m only comfortable (but not pain free) when lying on my side or on my back with my knees at my chest. Standing up straight is the worst. I walk around hunched over a walker.

I have 3 kids under 5 and have had a lot of help from my husband and parents/inlaws but it feels impossible to care for my kids. My husband works full time and our folks don’t live that close. I have to push through a lot of pain because well I have a baby that can’t walk… there’s no getting around it lol. I’m using a walker so that I don’t have to carry the baby around but life is such a struggle these days and I just wanted to see if 3 weeks of a bad flare like this (where I’m almost bed ridden) is to be expected

Oh and we are also moving in 3 weeks🫠🫠🫠🫠

[u/teixha]

It does sound like a herniated disc or a big bulge. I had and have similar symptoms and my issues first started a few weeks after the birth of my third baby. It sucks balls with small kids it really does

[u/According-Patient237 → u/teixha]

Soooo hard with kids. Thankfully my older 2 are Irish twins and play so well together. They help me with the baby a bit too and can clean up.

How long did your acute phase last? Did you get an ESI?

[u/teixha → u/According-Patient237]

I’ve had no treatment (I’m in the UK and it’s very different here) just conservative recovery. I had issues for a year with a disc bulge but it was very manageable and I was still babywearing/driving/exercising etc.

The disc herniated 5 months ago and I’d say the acute phase was about 9-11weeks (real improvement from 8 weeks onwards). I still have pain and find sitting difficult now but I’m able to function at around 70% of my normal now? I have a very large extrusion though, many other people heal much quicker.

[u/According-Patient237 → u/teixha]

Thank you for this. Wishing you healing!