l5 s1 injury

[ImInPain]

I live in Alabama. I was bending and wrapping a pallet at work. When I stood up my back spasmed and I was in so much pain I could hardly walk. This happened in Nov. 07. I filed a report and went to the dr. He said I just over exerted a muscle. He give me some muscle relaxers and sent me home for two days. Since that time,I have always a small amount of pain but a couple of months ago I started losing feeling in my left foot and the pain in my lower back kept getting worse. I dont remember doing anything to injure it again. I went back last week and the Doc sent me for an MRI, they concluded I had a herniated disc in L5-S1. He seems to be worried the W/C company is not going to try to day it is not from my previous injury even though he believes it is. We are now waitng for approval for me to go to a neurosurgeon. He put me on light duty at work. The problem is my work requires 10 hrs of standing(extremely painful). I just wanted to know what to expect and how long to expect this to carry on before the company takes care of it. I work for Advance Auto Parts. If anyone has had to deal with workmans comp through there please let me know how it went. I am in alot of pain. Sitting hurts, standing hurts . even having a bowel movement hurts.

[AQA]

What WC does is one thing. What a dr. says is another. WC is not a dr.. They base their decision in this case on medical evidence and the oppinions of drs.. I am not a dr.,but from what you are saying, it leads me to believe you have something preesing on a nerve/s. All you can do (in my mind) is wait and see what WC says and take it from there. There may be a need for an attorney, but I would wait until I hear from WC. You may want to check and see what the time line is for them to approve or denie treatment. that way you have a date in mine.

Take Care

[sparkey]

I would say if it is to difficult to work go to your own primary care doctor and let him know that this happened at work and that you cannot stand/sit without pain and need to be off work. You will only be making yourself worse by standing all day. That I do not think is " Light duty" for anyone that has a back injury. You need to be treated and if you cannot get help right away from WC I would use my own insurance and when accepted/if accepted, you could have the insurance co. reimbursed for care. Get a doctors note and take it easy till they can set you up with a doctor. You should not be working in pain and could only make things worse. If you keep working, they will think it is not that bad for you to stay home. If it gets to be to painful at work, ask to leave and go to the ER. No one should have to suffer.

[bagpussinamerica]

I am hoping that I read your message correctly. But from what I can see, it is most certainly from the first injury. What I don't understand is why you weren't referred to a surgeon to get some feedback and an MRI. Did you file a report with your employer origionally? Did w/c pay for the first doctors appt and for your medication? If so, then at least you have a starting point that they can actually refer to.

Again, at the moment, all you can do is wait for that clearance from W/C before you know what you need to do next. I understand the pain you are going through since I have basically the same thing. And muscle relaxants don't help a great deal. I really feel for you. Keep in touch with your doctor and keep getting that input from him. Sounds like you will need someone on your side. Keep posting here as well, the information pool here is fantastic. There is always someone who can give you feedback.

[Tuffy]

I had/have the same exact injury site, was caused from lifting a patient and then aggrivation a year & 1/2 later. The pain was so bad I could not sit, stand, lay I could not even drive my own car to get to my Dr. My claim was denied for a year. I lost my job after 12 weeks. I have sinse recovered again using conventional methods, no surgery but have no idea when that may happen. I have relapses often, but keep pluging away. I went to my own Dr untill my claim was accepted and then WC had to settle with my personal ic. WC said I had DDD and a sprain. My Dr ordered a MRI and then the trouble was found. It was work related.

Good luck and check back often and let us know what is happening.