From perimenopause to Back Pain

Well, all I can say is that the plot thickens! I think the last update I gave I was talking about finding a new alternative treatment center with doctors I like and approaches that fit with my lifestyle. I went in to address the complicated symptoms of perimenopause and have been making progress there. I had a series of magnesium treatments to get my magnesium levels up and started a supplement routine that included hefty vitamin D, a probiotic and omega-3 acid. It's hard to judge the impact of all of this, but the science indicates that this is good for my body and I'm willing to keep taking it.


The part that does make a noticeable impact is the cortisol manager I take every night along with melatonin. The cortisol manager impacts the body's process that releases cortisol when it thinks there is reason for stress. Perimenopause triggers this response randomly so that I was feeling stressed, edgy, and irritable, all for no reason. The cortisol manager has most definitely relieved this for which I am incredibly grateful. I have been more myself and on an even keel with regard to how I wake up and greet each day. This has been quite significant.

Then, enter the next health concern.

I have been having lower back pain that comes and goes for a few years. It use to be the case that when I exercised regularly, especially building up my core muscles, this back pain was relieved. It’s also true that I have fallen a few times and landed directly on my butt while navigating a narrow and uneven median to get to my bus stop for coming home from work. Falling forward isn’t an option as I’m walking between an extremely busy DC street and an equally busy service road. About four months ago, the pain came and didn't leave. It wasn't severe, but it was constant. Then about two months ago, it became severe and started making it painful and difficult to stand from a sitting or lying position and I was taking a lot of ibuprofen.

When the pain became acute and started shooting down my left leg and making my big toe numb, I interrupted my ongoing visits to the doctor who was helping me with the perimenopause issues to see her colleague whose expertise was in musculoskeletal pain management. He tried a couple of manual manipulation treatments, kind of a targeted and intense massage/flexology/chiropracty, and while it provided some immediate relief, it didn't make the problem go away. He gave me a short run of oral steroids and a medicine for nerve pain which helped, but again when the medicine was stopped, the pain returned with no lessening.

I then had an MRI which showed a herniated disk in my lower back (L5) and a free broken fragment which were pressing on the nerve bundle that goes into my left leg. I was referred to another clinic specializing in back pain and have now started a series of three injection treatments along with a hefty oral anti-inflammatory and the same but stronger nerve pain medicine and I'm hopeful that this will work out. Apparently, the idea is to reduce the swelling of the herniated disk, let it absorb the free broken fragment and remove the pressure causing the nerve pain. I currently have periods of relief, but I'm still waiting for noticeable improvement.

All of this means that I'm not exercising. I'm also not always being smart about what I eat. That is to say that my core diet is still quite good, but I'm supplementing that with things that aren't all that good. I've gained weight back and while I'm not exactly happy about that, I'm allowing my body time to heal without obsessing over the weight thing.

So as much as it irritates me to have to write such a message, (I never wanted to be one of those old people who complains about health issues!), they are in fact very real and this is my health and fitness blog where I want to be honest about my health and fitness!

Here are my goals:

1. Complete the treatment regimen currently underway.

2. Continue to be aware of what I eat and work to keep it sane.

3. Allow Tom to do all the lifting even though I'm having a definite bout of spring cleaning fever!

Here's to wishing us all good health. Who thought it would be so difficult!