You could always write to any junior officer mess they get there spines removed when they accept a commision some never claim them back......probably lots going cheap lol                                                                                                                                                                             

JTB are they Yetis too then .............. o i feel a slap coming lol                                                                                                                                                                              

hi matt a know exactly what pain u in, a had such a thing 8yrs ago and it was the worst time off ma life pain was unbeleivable i had great pain killers though ( a rather dodgy co-worker said they give me £3 tablet a told them to f...k off coz a needed them more)   when a saw the surgon he said that most fix them selfs but it might take  while in the end a was 2 and  half years before it got betta but i still need to watch what i do, my right side still numb,r than the left ( ok for all that waxn malarky that us women do lol)   i used to set my alarm in the night to take my tablets say half an hour before they were due cos if the pain woke me that was it a was in agony for hrs till a had taken maybe 2 more doses.   a hope u got good pain killers and sent  cos a wouldnt wish that pain on any1   an bj athought a saw an angle xxx                                                                                                                                                                             

Sympathies mate.   Suffered with my back for the past 4 years, wouldn't wish it on anybody.                                                                                                                                                                             

Hey Matt.... what have you been doing to yourself?   I'll add my experiences to the list, but as Sandi said, we are all different....   I have a slipped disc in my lower back, done when I had a nasty fall two years ago.... this was not discovered until I had an MRI through the rheumatology clinic...and I am still waiting for a pysiotherapy appointment for that. I also have a crumbling vertebrae in my neck. When that was diagnosed five/six years ago, the doctor told me not to lift anything, not to ride a motorbike, basically, to do nothing but wait for an operation to rectify it. The odds on the op working at that time were 50/50! I said no thanks lol.   For a year I lived in fear, and stopped doing a lot of things that I enjoyed until I realised that the quality of life was so bad, I would rather take risks and have a good time than sit around doing nothing!   These days, I go to the gym and work the muscles around the injury in my neck, I swim, of course I ride a bike.....I won't say the pain has gone away, but with gentle, controlled exercise, it is better, more manageable. So I am with those who have said keep moving!   I wish you a speedy recovery!                                                                                                                                                                              

Ohhh looks nasty Matt, but I am sure you will receive the best of care. 

Just remember one really really important thing 

DO AS YOUR TOLD !!! 

And I am sure you will be back to your old self , well almost.                                                                                                                                                                             

  PML as if!! I can't really see Matt relaxing, that word isn't even in his vocabulary.                                                                                                                                                                               

awww.poor Matt,   I do hope you get better soon! I know what its like being in that sort of position,not being able to take care of things,having my own bits to run,but,I'm sure you have a good admin team,that can and do take care of things whilst your incapacited! so relax and enjoy the free time.   you get well matt,and take care.                                                                                                                                                                             

madhat - that sounds terrible!  I really hope I don't get to that stage, cos the only exercise I do is weight lifting - so that's me screwed! Thanks for all the comments.  I showed my GP this morning who said "the size of the hernia isn't the problem, it's the pain that you feel you have to be worried about".  Basically if your leg starts hurting a lot and you can't walk then it's time to operate. But that's typical in Holland.  They wont help you until your head is falling off.  Even after showing him the MRI he still didn't prescribe me any pain killers or anti-inflamatory meds!!!   The dentist here is the same.  Starting pulling out my wisdom tooth without an injection first.  When I asked him to numb it he looked really surprised and asked me if I'm sure.  "YES i'm bloody sure you fool!"  lol                                                                                                                                                                             

quote Scorpio54 On the up side after the initial invalidity period I gradually strengthened my back to the point that I can occasionally get a "twinge" if over zealous but have not had re-occurrence in 30 years despite, like you, spending the majority of the day hunched over a computer, so take heart there is light at the end of the tunnel   confirmation pics of S54's ability to 'rock and rollin ' are on 'Events: 'Future brom nights out' but only havin just met him, (a stranger is only a friend waitin to happen) i cannot confirm the extent of his injury in the first instance. however i can give you an account of my own experience in 2 parts; (only tryin to be helpful ) 1 i've never known a 'man' without a 'bad back', and they all have been advised in particular exercises, and they all couldn't be ? to  take this advise (no, not goin there ) 2. afew years ago now (when i was in my 20's ) i splintered a bone in my hip joint through running, (was addicted/inappro foot wear), i asked the powers that be "will i run again" reply; you can run by all means.... that's if you can stick the pain! so..... had to find an 'alternative' and i fear it may be simular with you and your passion for weightlifting. ( now im thinkin should i delete this post  )                                                                                                                                                                             

sorry Matt hadnt seen this, i injured my back 22 yrs ago and a few repeat performances since then.It`s always best to keep moving if you can it will really aid your recovery and also do all of your physio, def dont stay in the same position for any length of time.Think most of us injure our backs at some point and it does scare you in case it happens again,the pain can be horrendous,last post was a while ago,have you had any improvement?

well ive been weekly to the physio.  Been swimming as often as possible, almost everyday.  Walking to places I would normally drive to... but no improvement.   Doc gave me some pain killers which made the pain worse!  Also stopped me from sleeping which was very kind of kim.   In a lot of pain today, though yesterday wasn't as bad.   Today I ordered an inversion table, as if my life wasn't already turned on it's head - now my body will be too lol.  Also ordered a nice crosstrainer.  Unfortunately both will take 2 weeks to arrive  :*-(                                                                                                                                                                             

go for a massage! sure us girlies will come and give you the once over when we get flight clearance!                                                                                                                                                                             

lol that sounds good!  Ur all definitely welcome then  ;-)                                                                                                                                                                             

oohh matt ..i hope you recover soon. i have been for traction on my back today! it went pop last october and all i was doing was taking my pj's off!!! the physio's keep telling me to do the exercises to try and loosen up my back.. thats the best advice i have had..... do the exercise!! plus, i had a few sessions of accupunctur that realy helpd too.............. mins you ,, being out all day yesterday on my cbr600 probably didnt help much ! take care ride safe xx                                                                                                                                                                             

Matt my back is gone again exactly same as yours except a few vertibrae higher it feels as if I can't stand up straight so bloody uncomfortable. Keeps going into spasm and it is instant pain sweat, however there is a tablet mix someone is sorting out for me tonight she says it will ease the swelling thus the spasms will stop and pain will go and in a day or two I will be back on the move. I'll let you know the mix of tablets and if you can buy them in the chemist give it a try.

mmm a would be very careful with the cross trainer matt as thats not a natural movement, if you go to a gym ask them if they have a varial machine (think that how u spell it) its the very latest machine and a natural movement lot of people who have knee/back problems use it as there no pressure on joints like u get from the treadmill and cross trainers.  And what your doing at the moment should be helping? u do need to keep moving and dont sit for long periods get up and move if only for 5mins   have you try,d a chropractor but that only if it ya disc if it a hernia than a would say that need surgery,                                                                                                                                                                             

physio has me on crosstrainer every week and it feels great, really helps.  Have to get a good one though with smooth skiiing movement.  I'm getting the Satura E Ext, i tried it out first also. had a physio/chiropractor who was massaging and figuring out what was wrong. Once she heard it was a hernia she said there's nothing much she could do then referred me to the gym physio next-door who are making me exercise every thursday under supervision.   I was going to the office for 2 months with the pain before taking some time off this past week or two.  2 weeks of exercising and resting hasn't helped a single bit though, if anything I feel worse!  Really starting to $^(@ me off now cos I can't do anything.  Had to hire a bloody cleaner and gardener - and if you knew how tight i am with cash then you'd know how shocking that is lol                                                                                                                                                                             

$^(@ is that Latin ?????                                                                                                                                                                              

You,ve either got a pelican in there Matt or you,re pregnant!! Either way it,s gonna be painful