Hello, this is my first post. But I have been a long term reader. I am at the stage on near desperation. So please hear me out. If you can help I would be the most grateful welshman on this planet!!
I was completing a ski season in Canada from the 16/01/12 till 13/04/12, when two weeks in I felt a strange tight pain in my left buttock, thinking it was due to muscle tightness I stretched it out. This seemed to work, but then it came on the right buttock, deep in my right buttock, like piriformis tightness. Im not the most flexible so thought it might be due to this and my lack of stretching from skiing 5 hours a day. However this side didnt go. This started to get worse and worse. However I just rolled with it. The pain wasnt there when I was skiing, only after and before. The continued to get worse over the next few months.
By this time I was in SE Asia as me and my partner had packed up everything to travel the world and possibly settle in Australia. The pain didnt go away and I had started to rely on my one side alot more, could walk properly, kind of a limp. Lying down I couldnt lift my leg up more than a few inches and bending over was painful. After this went to Australia to start our years visa, working as a ski patroller/ instructor. Again pain free on skis, but limping when off them. Got through the 3 months of skiing and headed to sydney, this is when the pain started to get worse day by day, to the point of not being able to walk for periods over an hour. So I saw a chiropractor, he basically did tests and xrays and come up with sacro-illiac dysfunction. Told me to wear a belt, which actually worked and got me walking a little better. Then the pain got worse, real bad gluteal pain, going down to my calf and outside ankle. Not the back of the leg though. So had a CT done, and then an MRI. Saw a specialist in Brisbane who said I have 2 bulging disc, l3-l4 and l4-l5. L5 showing compression on the nerve root. He said my options would be to either have surgery, have an epidural, or simply ride it out.
I opted for the epidural, did nothing. I am taking panadine forte (30/500) which gives me some relief. But since then I am slowly getting worse. I can cope with about 10 mins standing up, then I am in pain looking for the next seat. It feels pathetic, as I used to be fit. Triathlon, skiing, surfing. Now I cant even kick football or walk properly. I desperately want to get my life back.
I think it may be due to spinal stenosis?? as it only becomes unbearable when I stand, sitting and lying is pretty much pain free. What I want to know is the best cause of action before thinking of surgery. I have been in constant pain (on my legs) for 15 months.
Firstly I am worried about permanent nerve damage , as it has been there a long time, but then the specialist said I could ride it out??
Would a nerve ablation do the trick?? Given there was no significant trauma, and it slowly came on, what would be the best treatment for this??
Sorry for babbling on, but that was a snippet, I could carry on with details all day. Just wanted to give details of injury in the hope someone can come back with good advice. Im lost.