Ridecamp: [RC] Synovial cyst

I was just diagnosed with a probable synovial cyst at the L4-L5 nerve root, 
after a week of excruciating pain with every step on my right foot, and 
visits to a DR who convinced every other DR in his office that I was faking 
it for the drugs.  For those who don't know what this is, my picture of it is 
that it's kind of like a windpuff, except in my back.  It's a stretching of 
the synovial membrane around the facet joints of the spine, that is filled 
with joint fluid, and is pressing on a nerve.  I have pain in my right hip 
and buttock and down the outside of my calf and into the ankle.  Has anyone 
else ever had this condition?  Could you ride?  I'm thinking that riding 
won't make it any worse, and flexing the hip joint seems to take pressure off 
the nerve root, so riding should be okay.  What kind of treatment did you 
have for it, and how long did it take, did you end up having to have surgery? 
If so, how long was the recovery and was the surgery successful?  

Biggest problem is that after working all day and just having to tolerate the 
pain, all I want to do is lie down and take drugs!  I miss my horse already, 
and haven't figured out how I will survive if this continues or if I can't 
ride.  Please give me some hope and encouragement.  Luckily, I only had one 
more ride planned this season, and it's at the end of Sept. so I'm not 
worried if I have to take a couple weeks out of my conditioning program.  Any 
longer though...  Please email me privately unless you feel your reply would 
benefit the group.   thanks,   jeri

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