Colette
Hi. My name is Colette and I am a 32 year old mother of two. I hope that I can help you find the proper help before it is too late. I understand the pain you are in as I was in the same boat 8 months ago. If you are numb and are experiencing muscle weakness then you must- and I cannot stress the must enough -get proper help. You have probalby been told that surgery can help. This is true, but you should not wait until it is too late. My herniated disc (L5) fractured off, and was pushed lower in the spinal canal where it damaged a group of nerves called the cauda equina which control all kinds of different muscles including the bladder and bowel. To this day I no longer have use of my bladder and bowel and I have to self catherdize and am on a laxative bowel routine just like spinal cord injury patients. I do not feel anything from the tailbone down in the back of both legs and my left foot, and have no feeling in the perineal area either. The hospital I was in waited 6 days after I was admitted before they did surgery. It was already too late. My symptoms of numbness and incontinence started within a few hours of admittance and I have learned upon researching the condition that surgery done in the first 24 hours would have had me good as new in a few weeks. 24 to 48 hours would have resulted in recovery within around six months and surgery done within 72 hours results in recovery in up to two years. Here is a real scary number for you.....it was 144 hours after admittance before surgery was performed. My message to you is not to wait. I have suffered permanent nerve damage because the doctors I was dealing with did not pick up on the red flags I presented. Good luck to you, write back and let me know. I have found lots and lots of informative info that I could share with you to help you make this important decision.