24 April 2019: The Day Everything Changed
This was the day I got the MRI results. Diagnosis? A disc bulge in L5 and S1 (that’s the very bottom of your spine). If you’ve never had one, imagine a squishy cushion between your spine bones bulging out and pressing on your nerves. It’s like a fire alarm going off in your lower back – 24/7.
I was in excruciating pain, barely able to put on my socks, shoes, or pants. Bending down? Impossible. Even looking down hurt. It was the worst physical pain I’d ever experienced. (And yes, heartbreak still holds the silver medal.)
At first, I felt broken. But soon I shifted into solution mode. Here’s my journey – what worked, what helped, and how I healed. I’m not a doctor. This is real life, from one body in pain to another.
If You Suspect a Disc Bulge – Start Here
If you’re experiencing intense lower back pain, leg numbness, or difficulty bending, don’t panic – but do take it seriously. First step? Work with professionals. Get a diagnosis. An MRI is typically the gold standard for confirming a disc bulge.
And once you know what’s going on, don’t just treat the symptom. Inflammation is there for a reason. It’s your body’s natural alarm and healing system – bringing blood, immune cells, and repair agents to the injury site. But if it sticks around too long, it can do more harm than good.
Ask: What caused this in the first place? Was it posture? Sitting too long? Weak core muscles? Unhealed trauma or stress patterns in the body? Look at the whole picture.
This isn’t just about taking a pill and pushing through. It’s a wake-up call to heal your whole body – and often, your mindset too.
Weeks 1-2: Reset, Rest, and Respect the Pain
- Zero gym training. I had to let the inflammation settle.
- No sitting still for too long. Staying completely immobile made the pain worse. Gentle walking helped keep blood flowing.
- BPC-157 (20 units per day for 4 weeks): This is a peptide (a short chain of amino acids) known for its healing properties. It’s like a cellular repairman that helps your body fix damaged tissues – especially muscles, ligaments, and nerves. It’s not a painkiller, but a healer.
- Celebrex (200mg up to twice per day): Celebrex is a strong anti-inflammatory medication. It’s from a class called COX-2 inhibitors. It helps calm down the swelling and inflammation around the injured disc – which is what’s causing all that nerve pain.
- Why not just paracetamol? Paracetamol (or Panadol) dulls the pain but doesn’t reduce inflammation. When your disc is inflamed and pressing on a nerve, you need something deeper that addresses the root of the issue. That’s where Celebrex (or Diclofenac, which is commonly used in the Netherlands) comes in. These meds calm the storm inside your back.
Weeks 3-5: Gentle Movement and Hope
- Still no compression exercises. That means no squats, deadlifts, or anything that pushes down on the spine.
- Started light resistance training. Standing chest flys, cable curls, tricep pushdowns, light seated shoulder press – all very controlled, very gentle.
- Sauna & hot pool therapy. This helped release muscle tension and gave me a mental boost.
- Increased walking. By week 5, I was aiming for 6,000 to 7,000 steps a day.
- Acupuncture (2x/week). At first, I was skeptical. But after my first session, I felt real pain relief for the first time in weeks. I was shocked. The needles help your nervous system settle and your body reset. When the disc is inflamed, calming the whole system is key.
Weeks 6-7: Feeling Stronger, Still Being Careful
- Walking over 10,000 steps a day. This helped my spine decompress naturally.
- Acupuncture once per week. Kept my nervous system balanced.
- Light back training. I did wide grip lat pull-downs and v-grip pull-downs with baby weights. Focused on control and slow movement.
- Tried gentle yoga. Just a light stretch class. No deep bends, no forward folds. It was more emotional medicine than physical.
- Started IGF-1 (10 units daily): This is another peptide that supports tissue and muscle regeneration. It works by helping your body rebuild what’s been damaged. Think of it as scaffolding for healing tissues.
What Helped Me the Most (In Simple Terms)
- BPC-157: Helped repair soft tissues from the inside out.
- Celebrex (or Diclofenac): Tackled inflammation, which was the root cause of the nerve pain.
- Walking: Helped everything keep moving – circulation, lymph, mindset.
- Avoiding spine compression: I didn’t poke the bear. I let it rest.
- Acupuncture: Rebalanced my nervous system and offered unexpected pain relief.
- Mindset: This is not a quick fix. It’s a process. I had to surrender and show up daily.
Final Thoughts
It’s now 7.5 weeks since I got the MRI. I’m sitting here in Bali, and I’m no longer in daily agony. I’m not 100% yet, but I’m mobile, pain-free most days, and feeling more like myself.
One of the biggest lessons? I had to stop identifying as the victim. Yes, I was injured. Yes, it hurt. But I shifted focus from what I couldn’t do to what I could. I could walk. I could breathe. I could heal.
Healing a disc bulge isn’t just physical – it’s emotional and mental too. So be grateful for what’s working. Celebrate the small wins. And most importantly: be kind to yourself.
With love and strength,
Caroline
