OT: Anyone tried VAX-D treatment for back trouble?

Zoe · March 14, 2005

OK, I've had it. This *&%$ sciatica has kept me from walking (other than a few blocks) for three weeks now, and it's not getting much better. I am sick of lying around with a bag of frozen Beans on my back! (It's about as comfortable, not to mention exciting, as it sounds.)

I had an L5-S1 laminotomy about eight years ago which was a total success, but in the last few years the L4-L5 disk has given me occasional grief. I don't want surgery again if I can help it, but I'm desperate. Chiropractic treatments have helped only a little. So, bandsters, have any of you with back & disc trouble tried VAX-D? Supposedly it places vacuum pressure on the disc -- a kind of traction -- to encourage the disc to go back where it belongs. Any reports, pro or con, welcome! Thanks.

Gimpily yours,

Z.

New Hope · March 14, 2005

Zoe, I haven't, but I wanted to let you know that I was thinking about you and hope you soon get some relief. Wow, when your back hurts, your whole body does! I sympathize w/someone like Michelle's husband -who lives w/back pain 24/7. (((Hugs)))

Shegill · March 14, 2005

Zoe, like Marie I haven't tried VAX-D for sciatica, so unfortunately I can be no help with that. I wanted to tell you two things, as both my sister and I have suffered from fairly debilitating sciatica at different times. Mine seemed terrible to me, although I am likely a big wimp. I took an anti-spasmotic medication that helped enormously--methocarbamol 500 mg, and you take one or two every 8 hours. For a while I had to take it every day, my back was so bad, but it never seemed to bother my stomach and it REALLY helped. (I did chew the tablets as I do all my pills and took it with hot tea). But the thing that really helped me on a long term basis was yoga (if you knew of my horror of exercise, you'd know how shocked I am to even be writing this). I took a gentle yoga class once a week and my back improved so so much! You have to be sort of careful with the positions and make sure to tell your teacher about your back, but I can't stress enough the difference this little thing made in my back life. Also, the yoga environment seems to me really condusive to larger people exercising comfortably---very little of that competitive energy one often encounters in the more traditional gyms.

My sister was more immobilized than I and she recently had an epidural on her back. She has disc degeneration. Apparently the procedure numbs some of the nerves and can be really helpful--it certainly was for my sister, thank God. She went from being in constant pain to being very occasionally uncomfortable.

Just some options to consider. I hope your back improves soon.

Sheila

Zoe · March 14, 2005

Thanks, Sheila! I start a five-day course of steroids today. Like your sister, I had an epidural several years ago when I could barely move; it did help for a while. I like your yoga suggestion. I do need to increase my flexibility, so once I can move again, I think I'll check out a class at the nearby yoga center. I have two large friends who've found that yoga helped their arthritis.

claraluz · March 15, 2005

Zoe, so sorry you are still in pain. Yuk. I've had sciatica, but never that bad. It's definitely hard to lose weight when you can't exercise. I guess the only thing you can do is to try to stay focused on eating healthy foods. Keep us posted on the back. I hope it improves quickly.

Nancy