Hi, I came to this site a few months before my scheduled discectomy operation on April 18th. To be honest reading the stories put the fear of god into me and I was seriously having to reconsider my decision. A quick history - suffered sciatica for two and a half years, primarily in right leg and varied between calf pain, hamstring pain, buttock pain, numbness in foot. Moved to left leg pins and needles. I am a personal trainer and competitive cyclist and my world was falling apart. My last MRI scan was in August 2012, showed prolapse L4/5/S1. My next appoint with consultant was in December 2012 and he recommended I bypass the injections and opted for surgery - due to me life style and limited success rate of injections. I agreed and was put on wait list. In the six weeks before for scheduled appoint. my symptoms started to change - severe pain in buttock that prevented me lying front or back, turning in bed and prolonged standing or walking or running. I was only getting pockets of sleep and moving created unbearable pain in bed. I was also desensitised across my right buttock and thigh, I had a strange sensation around my anus and numbness between my legs. I contacted my GP and asked for an urgent referral to see the consultant before my op as I did not want them to open me up without further assessment or MRI. I was given an immediate appointment, a full assessment and MRI the following day. My surgeon said I was presenting Impending Cauda Equina and would need immediate surgery.
I had surgery two days later at 6pm. At 9,30pm I was lying on my back with no leg or buttock pain on numbness. My wound was approx, 2 inches long and was uncomfortable but not painful. I left hospital walking two days later (I only stayed in that long because I had low blood pressure) The area of incision was painful for a few days but nothing paracetamol couldn't handle and I came off those after 5 days. I was up and about every day, walking but not quickly. I had NO sciatica pain. After two weeks I was driving comfortably, and now after 4 weeks have gone back to work (although no lifting) 5 weeks on and I'm walking for over an hour, squating, lunging etc etc. The only discomfort I now experience is mild back ache - but I know this is because of wear and tear on the vertebrae (as seen on the scan) My surgeon acknowledged this at the time of assessment and said it my be necessary to fuse if I still have localised back pain down the line as the inflamed vertebrae may not recover (nothing to do with prolapse, just wear and tear as a result of my job and prolonged cycling).
For those of you who have, like me, read some of the horror stories on here, please do not believe this is the only way. I am thrilled I had the op done. I appreciate had I not then I may have been a 999 call with incontinence and possible loss of bladder/bowel control. My surgeon was fantastic and I feel I have my life back again. I plan to ride 100 miles in RideLondon in August. Happy days!
hi MTB Anna
welcome here, you bear good news!
Thanks for sharing your positive experience.
People singing praises whole-heartedly happens very rarely! On the whole we are a thankless culture. NHS is a great service. We seldom hear about good stories...only the horrors and disasters.
Glad you are happy and it all worked out and maybe it will help some folks with their fears and doubts.
I too have only the best praises for staff, paramedics and the service that NHS provides....of course every system has faults and foibles and mis-management to some extent and there is always room for improvement....still it is greatly appreciated
Hi,
Good to hear of your excellent result. Hope thongs continue going well for you. Do take care and be back aware. Good luck for your race too. You have made me feel much better about surgery as a prospect.
Good to hear of your excellent result. Hope thongs continue going well for you.
Ah, the things on people's minds... hehe...
😀
Ha ha. Sorry, that's what you get when you type on a virtual keyboard. At least that's what I get.
Also Anna, before you had the operation, was your body straight? Were you able to stand upright? Please let me know because I am getting this op to straighten out. Pain isn't really that much of an issue.
Hi Hope, just to say I was walking like a duck! So no I wasn't upright.
The main problem I had was not being able to lie flat on my front or back. Waking up post op with my legs straight out and my back flat felt amazing... 🙂
Hi,
I am walking like a duck eh? I know how that feels. Of all the things? Man your description of your body post op is just amazing. I felt so good just reading that because I know exactly how that feels. In fact, when I lie on my back I feel a horrible tightness and there is almost no flexibility. I am so glad things went well for you, and I hope they go well for me too since I am so disabled at the moment. My wife is expecting our first child soon and I just want to be well. It would be nice to be able to regain some motion again!
Anyway, hope you continue to do well. Your story was very inspiring and I hope it continues to make other people feel good over the years when they visit this page. Cheers!
Hi Anna,
How long did it take you to recover from the incision. I am five days post op and things are stiff and sore down there. How long did it last for you?
I A
Hi, I had my dressing and stitches taken off 10 days after the op. The wound was fine by then. Initially it felt stiff and certainly sore to bend but after 10 days absolutely fine.
Remember it is invasive surgery so the wound area will be inflamed. I took paracetamol for 5 days after the op.
Just give it a bit more time, if the sciatica pain has gone I'd say you were doing well.
A
Dear Anna,
My problem was a little different from most. I never did have much sciatic pain. It was very mild, and that appears to have gone. However, my main problem was that I had been tilted to the left for a long time. I never had excruciating back or leg pain. Moving in that weird posture caused me a great deal of trouble because the pressure was going to the wrong joints, muscles. The surgeon said I should realign after a few months. The right side muacles have stretched and the left sided muscles are tight. This means even though the prolapse has been removed, I am still being pulled to the left. The worst thing is that thebincision area feels like the pivot point. It feels as if that is the exact point where my body needs to straighten. I am seven days post op. The arwa around the incision is quite painful and stiff. I am hoping this pain does not mask more permanent problems. In the past when I used to walk in that awkward posture, I ised to strain my back. When the swellin and pain in the lower back was too great I never felt the sciatica so until this all su sides O cannot judge if the op was successful.
Anyway, Anna, thank you for your message and I hope your recovery continues to gobwell. One question though. After you had your op, did some of your muscles feel strained (the ones that had not been used during the time of your illness?
If you have an answer it may be helpful.
Hi Anna,.
Another question. How soon did you start walking after the op, and for how long. I managed three 30 minite walks in the house today. I am seven days post op. When you first started doing the walking did you feel your back bein stiff and sore and did you have to struggle a little to keep your posture correct? If you can answer these questions, I would be most grateful. I do understand everyone is different
I have pain when I stand up from a seated position and getting out of bed is hard. I hope that goes away soon. I cannot sit for very long.