[dshobbies]

Hi Guy,

Welcome to the forum and glad you found us. The first thing you need to do is breathe and calm down. Worst case scenario is some type of surgery and you don't appear even close to that. Ultimately, if you do need that, it's here for you but you are so jumping the gun.

The horror stories you've read are from people, like me, who tried conventional therapies and surgeries and there was nothing left. The advent of new procedures opened up a whole new world to spine sufferers and many of us got our lives back. I don't know your circumstances but if rest doesn't minimize your pain, you might want to look into a consultation with a neuro or ortho surgeon who specialize in the spine. Mark may be able to recommend a doctor in your area or ask your wife. I'm sure your internist is a fine doctor and getting an MRI is the first step but now that you know there is indeed a problem, you want someone who deals in those problems on a daily basis. Even then, we often recommend more than one opinion but you don't even have any prognosis yet.

So for you, take it easy. No twisting and bend from the knees. Reaching for things is a no-no. Brace yourself when sneezing or coughing. If necessary, minimize standing and sitting times. A zero gravity position takes the pressure off your tailbone. Let common sense rule your world. Make an appointment with a specialist. I'm not sugar coating but you're panicking without cause. I'm not blaming you, just telling you that things aren't necessarily as bad as they seem.

Please don't hesitate to let us be your sounding board. We all know about the pain and panic but sometimes worrying is nothing more than a waste of time.

Good luck to you and I hope it all turns out well, Dale