oh the fun. my first MRI today... My backs been jacked for 2+ months. I think it all started when I got my jet boat! lol Well, just have to wait and see. Might have to sell the boat and the blower motor to pay the bill  Hope it doesn't get to that. But should sell them any ways. They just sits around getting dirty

I had a bad experience where the Ortho kept my scans and wouldn't give them to my primary then they magically disappeared all to avoid doing surgery on my knee. If you have the opportunity, hang on to your scans. We think mechanics can be shady... Doctors are way worse.

I get a little "claustie" in those things. I have to keep eyes closed the whole time I'm in there. Hopefully the one you use has music, it makes a world of difference. Last time I went in, the stereo was busted so I had to sing songs in my head to keep myself distracted. Figure that it takes about 10 three minute songs to do the procedure. As far as the back thing, try getting the injections first (done with xray and injected into spine joints) and pt. I haven't had to go under the knife yet, but I know it will happen eventually. I gave up riding dirt bikes to hopefully make it till I retire to get surgery. I also need to drop a few pounds, that would probably help a lot. Lodine is one of the best meds I've taken. It's an anti-inflamatory drug (like motrin or aleve only much better). I just had to stop it though because I had taken it daily for 2 years straight and it was burning out my kidneys (all anti-inflamatories are hard on kidneys). So now Dr tells me to take Vicodin when I get flair ups! I hate narcotic pain meds so I rarely take em. The other med that works really good is Zanaflex (its a muscle relaxer) just make sure if you take that one, you position yourself where you want to be for the next 4 hours cause you aint movin lol. It also tricks you into thinking its not working because it takes over an hour to kick in! Hope that helps. There are a few of us here that suffer daily from back issues. Good luck today. Don't hesitate to call if you have any questions!
Sam
760-234-6776

sounds like you have been thru alot already. Ditto on the injections. Inversion is nice, but there are decompression set ups availible that work IMO alot better. I bought a neck one on ebay for cheap (a professional rig like th one the doctor rented me at PT).  Since I knew how to use it, I could use it more frequently than the 3 times a week i was going to therapy. Very helpful. Also, lose the gut and get into an excercise program that works your back (walking ferqunetly short distances maybe to start) is really helpful.

Good luck. If you need to chat drop me a pm and I can try to help. These back problems become debilitating and ruin your joy in all the things you "use" to do. You gotta adapt and still move forward and do stuff that you DO enjoy, maybe modified (I have switched from racing Motocross to boating for example) and still do mild trail rides, but the days of full on 6 motos is over officially for me. I still do special events and like to go out to the track with some buddies for fun practice at the track ,but I dont do doubles and I pull off BEFORE my back starts to feel tweaked.

Good luck.

tell me about it. Mri sucked, not bad. but no tunes

Dont eat Mexican food before you go...LOL!   

well it fell small in there, I'm 6'2 and 250...arms where hitting the side..lol