Back surgery and still diving?

[lv2dive]

Sciatica sucks. Oddly, one of the few things I have found that helps relieve my issues with sciatica are deep dives (that require multiple hours of deco). I assume that there is some sort of informal / unstructured HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) going on that is helping my nerves. I'm very happy to have gotten back in the water lately (after a knee replacement last Sept), and I'm working my way back up to those "healing" dives.

Marie, I hope that you find something that works for you! I do feel for you, I know how bad that pain is.

 

[Marie13]

@lv2dive

Thank you. Pain is so bad I’ve cried more than once today. Trying to decide if I go to chiro or regular doc/urgent care (they’re in the same office) tomorrow.

 

[Compressor]

I sympathize with all of you that have back, knee and other orthopedic pains. Hope you all feel better.

 

[Marie13]

Decided I’m off to urgent care tomorrow (in same practice as my GP) to get something for the pain and they’ll give me referrals to other docs from there.

 

[Marie13]

Update on my situation: went to my GP today. Turns out I have shingles not sciatica! :O Happens to be in the exact same spot as my sciatica-type symptoms. GP saw my butt today. Urgent care guy didn’t. LOL. I’m much better. Can walk upright and pain is much, much less.

No longer contagious, so GP told me to get back in the pool tomorrow. She was very happy with my weight loss and activity level. Had to show her Great Lakes shipwreck pics as she didn’t believe there are wrecks down there! LOL

 

[scubadada]

Update on my situation: went to my GP today. Turns out I have shingles not sciatica! :O Happens to be in the exact same spot as my sciatica-type symptoms. GP saw my butt today. Urgent care guy didn’t. LOL. I’m much better. Can walk upright and pain is much, much less.

No longer contagious, so GP told me to get back in the pool tomorrow. She was very happy with my weight loss and activity level. Had to show her Great Lakes shipwreck pics as she didn’t believe there are wrecks down there! LOL

Glad it turned out not be nerve compression. You are on the younger end of the age spectrum for developing shingles

 

[Marie13]

Let me tell you it hurts like heck. I did my mile in the pool today. Being back in the water felt wonderful (it’d been about 10 days). I sat in the jacuzzi for a bit. I do not like the possible side effects of the med the doc gave me for the nerve pain (Gabapentin). They do not go well with diving. My first dives of the season are April 14. I’m going to take it for two weeks then ask doc to step back dosage so I’m only taking it at night (current dosage is 3x daily).

@scubadada yes, I’m aware I’m a bit young for shingles. However, I’ve read that stress can trigger it, and I’ve been under enormous stress at work the past few months.

 

[Resqdivemedic]

Nice to see it's not sciatica. I had back surgery over 10 years ago, I had pain pretty much every day after surgery then 2 years later a switch flipped and no more pain. Been good ever since. Be grateful it's not sciatica or a back problem.
De-stress, go diving! Have fun and be safe.