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My 2010 Prius Causing Me Back Problems!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Steve Cebu, Jun 7, 2009.

  1. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    bad back defined as I slipped on black ice and flew into the air and my spine came crashing down onto the edge of a concrete stair from about 7 feet up! :eek:
    I was lucky not to be paralyzed for life! I fractured my back between the L4 and L5. I have almost constant Sciatica in my left leg. Yep I'm a bit overweight at about 200 lbs. But I used to exercise a lot even after the accident, until my back locked up and I was housebound for almost 3 months and had virtually no help at that time. Once the pain subsided since I can't have pain killers I was able to get pool therapy. But my back has locked up a few times and it's pretty scary since I basically can't move. This happened when I was sea kayaking in the Charles River in Boston! Not fun. So it's a bigger issue that just being overweight. :) Losing weight certainly would help and i'm working on that. :D
     
  2. msirach

    msirach Member

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    Bummer that it bothers your back. The Pri III feels much better on mine. The lumbar support helps a bunch. I have degenerative disc disease and scoliosis. I also cracked a couple vertebrae when I had a car crash at 16. (t-boned a guard rail and 10' deep ditch at 100+ mph.) I have had the lock up problem several years ago along with sciatica. I feel your pain. I was recommended therapy by a neuro-surgeon and it helped. I'm not limited by much, but the therapist recommended what I could and could not do. It helped. Everyone's back is different and no doubt you are in misery more ways than one. I'm sure the back pain is miserable, but the need to sell the Pri III must be cause as much pain.

    Good Luck with the pain.
     
  3. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Man that is terrible. I wince just thinking of it. Back pain scares me more than anything. :(

    Steve I wish there was some advice I could offer or even buy your car from you so you don't lose out. This is just a bad position to be in. :(
     
  4. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    Thanks I do appreciate the thought. :D
    You're welcome to buy it but I think you're holding off for a while and keeping your older model.
    Back pain is a killer for me and I can't take pain killers.
    I just have to hope my title comes in soon, so I can sell the car and find something else to buy. I have no idea what at this time.
    The 2010 Prius was my 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice!
     
  5. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    Thanks :)
    Wow you've been through some very rough stuff yourself!
    My gosh I know exactly how you must have felt! :eek:
    Did they suggest fusing your back? They wanted to do that to me but I refused, after reading up on it.
    I had about 5 months of therapy after I was able to move somewhat.
    I hate to sell my Prius II but sitting here in pain is a big motivator........
     
  6. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Steve, during an acute back pain episode you are not going to be able to fit your seat with much success. I suggest getting your back back to baseline, and then finding seat fittings that are comfortable.

    And don't go on extended drives anymore without frequent breaks to stretch and limber up.

    Good Luck, Eric
     
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  7. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    +5 on that one! :D
    i can barely move, can't type or use my left arm. trying to get better but it's going to take time. you are right you really need to get better before you adjust things but everytime i drive the car i get worse no matter what i do. my wife is going to be driving me in her honda fit this weekend when we go out.
    gotta take a break can't type or sit up any more.
     
  8. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    It sounds to me like you need some immediate pain relief. I'd suggest some ice on your lower back, a liberal application of a strong arthritic cream, and some strong anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants. After lying on your back on the floor with your knees up for awhile, somebody should drive you to the doctor. A more comfortable seat may not cause you any further pain, but it's not going to relieve what you're going through now.

    A harder bed would probably help over time, too. Not that I'm a doctor, but I've had back pain before that left me unable to walk, and these are the things that helped me recover. Ultrasound helped with the sciatica, but in the long run, the cure for me has been more stretching and exercise to strengthen my back and stomach muscles.
     
  9. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    good advice! i've been trying to replace our old mattress with a new one for almost 2 years now. my 84 year old aunt doesn't want it replaced. :(
    it's difficult taking care of her because of things like that.
    i need to get to the doctor and find out what to do. i'm hoping next week. they usually have me do pool work but i'm not a member up here and it's hard to find the time to do it everyday.
    i will have to do something soon.
    thanks :)
     
  10. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    You're welcome, Steve.

    And no offense, but who cares what your Aunt thinks? It's your back. Besides, in your condition, you should be sleeping on the floor anyway. :)
     
  11. brad_rules_man

    brad_rules_man Hybrid electric revolutionizer

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    I had back pain so bad that I almost threw up. I will admit that it can be treated with good exercise. I'm unable to leave the house for extended periods of time, as I provide in home health care to my Great Aunt. It's ok though, we're building a gym/video room onto the house within about a month's time. I'm just recovering and trying to work some exercise into each day, but I can't push it because if I go past the threshold I am stuck in bed for a week on several medications. I hate being doped up and watching the days creep by. I'm also just 23 years old.. really sucks. Wearing a back brace is a gamble for me too, because sometimes it helps a lot, but if I'm not too careful, when I take it off my back isn't ready and that throws it out. It's just stupid. With me it's also hereditary. My mom has had 5 back surgeries so far and still isn't fixed. I really hope that doesn't happen to me. Hopefully if I train my muscles up good enough it will compensate.
     
  12. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    well it's my aunts house as much as it's mine. that is a factor and as some people age they tend to nag a lot and be very difficult. that's my aunt every day! :eek:
    if i laid down on the floor i'd never get up, i have no use of my left arm and had maybe 2 hours sleep last night. :(
    my poor wife would wake up every time i'd react to the pain from moving my arm too much. good news is my back feels a bit better, my arm is worse.
     
  13. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    wow brad that's really terrible! i can totally understand what you are going through and i know how it feels when the back goes out. i was out for 3 months because of that. i also had a brace but it was such a hassle and even worse afterf 4-5 hours it would hurt to wear it! in my house being laid up with back problems means you're lazy. :mad:
    back pain can't be seen and that makes it harder. my aunt is intolerant of such things. i hope you are able to control your back problems through exercise. i tried that but i worry i might lock my back up again.
    also i had a lot less back problems when i lived in the philippines. the heat and humidity helped a lot and i walked a lot and i lost 30 lbs. since the heat makes you not want to eat. i'm more than twice your age and i can't imagine suffering like this at 23 years of age! i hope you are able to findsome strategy that works for you. at least you have a supportive family and that makes a huge difference. my wife is ultra supportive my aunt seems to find problems to stress me with.
    what kind of prius do you have or are you looking at a gen 3?
     
  14. ursle

    ursle Gas miser

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    I have an 06 with package 9
    I coudn't sit in the seat for ten minutes comfortably
    picked up a small memory foam lumbar support cusion, the seat had absolutly no lumbar support, with it I can easily put in 14 hour days driving (nh-fl)
    when I take it out 10 minutes and I'm done
    it's not attached, I position it each time I get in

    fer yer back. yer lucky
    newport. nh maxfield clinic 863-3434
    osteopath, do yourself a favor and make an appointment
    it doesn't get any better
     
  15. ScarGo

    ScarGo Common Sense Conservative

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  16. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    And not with your 84yr old aunt! :eek:
     
  17. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    thanks i will give them a call on monday.
     
  18. Steve Cebu

    Steve Cebu New Member

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    i'm not sleeping in the same room. :D
    it's just that she hates any kind of change done to the house. it took a year to get a new couch in here, the old one was 40 years old and was painful to sit on, i felt like it was made of concrete potato's. :eek:
     
  19. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    Steve,
    one more piece of possibly useful info. I am one that needs extra lumbar support. I don't have a 2010 Prius yet, but on my current Toyota product, a Scion Tc, it was easy to unclip the seat fabric and slip more padding between the fabric and the existing cushion, then reclip it.

    I used a loose cushion first to get the right feel. You cannot tell by looking at it that anything was done, but it is much more comfortable.

    Roy
     
  20. ursle

    ursle Gas miser

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