Been a while!
Hey all, just posted up a separate thread but thought i'd swing by and say hi to everyone, old and new. Hope we arent all too back with the cold snaps and bad backs!
I am now 6 years post~first microdiscectomy and 5 years post~second because the poxy disc slipped out again only 8 weeks post first op!
I'm one of the small number of patients to go on to develop early facet joint arthritis in 3 lumbar levels and an arthritis knee at the grand old age of 34. I'm back on opiates and crutches but....I might be down but not out....I've been giving these doctors a hard time trying to access proper pain relief, and i'm demanding to be referred to a surgeon in regards to a rhizotomy procedure where they sever the nerves leading to the facet joint, i'm just swotting up so the doctors can't fob me off, like they have the last few months.... i always make sure i know what i'm talkin about lol!
Anyways, be careful guys what with more snow forecast and it being freezing n al! Take care 😎
My experience L5/S1 discectomy
Back in 2009 I had had severe sciatica. Initially had a CT Scan that showed nothing was wrong. I went away with back exercises to do but pain increased over the weeks til one day I woke up and the pain was so intense I couldn't bring myself to standing. What followed was a week of lying on the floor literally couldn't hardly look after myself even sitting down on the toilet was excruciatingly painful. Went to chiro, Physio, acupuncture, GP etc it eventually eased enough for me to be able to walk a little but in excruciating pain. No sleep, lists lots of weight lost appetite from the pain etc. it wasn't until I went to see a sports medicine doctor who ordered an MRI. I had also started to feel numbness, tingling and had a slight foot drop in my foot (all on left side).
So the MRI showed the disc bulging into the nerve/herniation whatever you want to call it.
Went to see surgeon his name is Dr Andrew Cree in Sydney (Australia). I decided to get the surgery ASAP. It was an easy decision I was essentially disabled and I couldn't see how else it would improve. The pain was so extreme.
I went to the hospital hardly unable to walk or hold myself up straight then 3 days walked out of there with a small cut and slight soreness around the wound area, otherwise I'm saying the pain was completely gone from my leg! Amazing!
I woke up from the surgery and immediately noticed the relief. I did experience numbness and tingling in my foot for a little while like if something brushed my foot it felt very strange and icky but it went away after a little while, can't remember exactly but maybe a week or so.
Now it's 2013 and I can tell you my situation is that I still have to be careful with my back. No heavy loads. I can manage carrying my small laptop in a backpack but anything else and I will notice a pain in my foot return. And if I sit for long periods at my desk working it comes back too. But the intensity is nothing like it was before. I hardly need painkillers. I take it more as a message that I need a break from the bag or desk.
I can run, swim, cycle just fine. I must say though that my left leg took a real beating and I have much less strength, doing lunges or step ups reveals the weakness.
These days I am attending clinical pilates instead of physiotherapy. I go several times a week. I also swim 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. I find that if I have been sitting for a while and it's sore just 30minutes of gentle kick boarding in the pool is all I need for it to ease off and then I can get back to work.
I am very happy with the surgery and tell everyone that I consider it to be very successful.
One thing that really helped me in my recovery was getting a new mattress. I got a tempur memory foam type mattress and it also helps. After a physical day if I'm a bit sore and aching a good nights sleep on that mattress fixes me up too. (Unfortunately I can't really go camping or sleep on blow up mattresses anymore cos the muscles in my back tighten up causing pain as well).
So my message is, yes you can see success with surgery but you need to realize that it's a long term situation you are in once youve done your back in like this and you will still need to be careful and take care of yourself afterwards, do the exercises, swim keep moving. One last thing to mention, taking strong painkillers and going into surgery try to keep your diet clean like fruits and veg mainly as constipation is a real issue. The last thing you need when you have sciatica and can't sit is to be in extra pain from constipation. Painkiller constipation is like none I have ever experienced. I just asked for bowls of fruit and salad when I was in hospital.
Goodluck everyone I know what it's like. Stay calm and do what you can to help yourself get better.
discectomy
hi.
i have been reading on what you have been discussing. i had my op in mid oct 2012 @ l3/l4. had part of my disc removed because of the same symptoms as you. it was my left leg also.
now in march 2013 i get minor pains, pins and needles, and abnormality in my left leg. mostly in the carf and hip. when i do my excercises and i lift my right leg i get a pull in my left hip.
now i am coming to wounder if its going bacl to the fisrt pains i had when it started.
wht advice would you give. should i go for an mri and consult somebody to go for the the new operation with the 7mm hole. by the way where would i get that operations from if i was to go for tht option.
kind regards
umair naheem.
also hope all goes well for u guys.
what to expect?
Hi there. I am awaiting a discectomy and I have a lot of questions and I was hoping people might be able to help?
To be honest it is the recovery side ofvthings that are making me anxious now. Will I be able to bend, sit, carry things? I will be honest in saying I am really terrible at resting but I do realise I need to post op. I am mum to 2 children and I am also a childminder. How long until I am well enough to do normal mummy duties? How long until I feel well enougb to work? How mobile will I be after the operation?
Any advice would be very ,much appreciated.
Maybe I should say I have a S1/L5 (I think!) right paracentral extrusion. Dont know if that means anything to people!
TIA
ecp112
Hi, Im hoping she doesnt mind but SALIMALI would be the best person to ask. Shes approx 6months post op and had her discectomy after her birth so would be a good yardstick. She posted on the 2nd page of my thread so you should be able to PM her.
8 months post 2nd-op
This is my first time posting, however I was a regular to this thread 8 months ago after having done my 2nd micro-discectomy surgery on L4/L5 disc.
I injured myself while playing badminton, and then suffered sciatic down my left leg. I went through physiotherapy and chiropractic, it helped a little bit and the recovery was really slow, the sciatic came and went. I tried swimming but maybe my method was wrong it triggered severe sciatic pain again until my spine became crooked in c-shape then I decided time is up for me to consult the spine surgeon. It was almost 5 months after initial injury.
Then I did my first discectomy surgery via minimally invasive method, immediately after that I felt back to normal, consulted the surgeon and was approved to go back to my primarily desk job work after 2 weeks of MC. Somehow I guessed I drove too long of car distance and the sciatic came again. I went to consult another 3 surgeons before opting for open-discectomy on the same disc, and this time I forced myself to rest for a full one month before going back to work again. I feel better everyday now, just occasional strain on my left side of body but overall OK.
The few things I've learned researching through sharing in internet and personal experience is that we should not rush ourselves back to normal routine, although we would feel perfectly normal after the surgery. The few things we need to be really becareful during the first 2 months post ops are:-
1. Never carry/lift heavy objects
2. Never drive for longer than 15 min - we can't sit straight in the car as we tend to lean, sitting in normally spoon-shaped driver seat is really damaging
3. Never sit for longer than 30 min, get up and do some stretching
4. Lie down for rest after some walking, standing and sitting
5. Walk for at least 20 minutes, 3 times a day
I practically read through the thread from beginning and drew inspiration from people like fireolli, ALiH78, Melza, rod_1, fitbird, jess22, and etc..I am still recovering positively I hope my story can help others who are suffering the same illness that I've gone through.
At last, from what I read most of the surgeries are successful, the key is post ops self-care which is more important to full recovery or preventing disc reherniation. Myself is one good example.
Cheers and don't give up!
I had a micro-discectomy done on 11th July 2013 for my prolapsed L5/S1 and I was so worried that I was going to continue having a lot of pain following the surgery as I had read quite a lot of comments on this forum where people were in more pain after the surgery than before. I decided to put my experience on here as after reading some others comments on here I was seriously considering cancelling my surgery, but I can honestly say that going through with the surgery was definitely the best decision. I had been suffering with severe sciatica in my left leg & ankle, and lower back pain since September 2012 after moving house. Most days I would be in agony and almost every night I would cry with the pain and it would take up to 2 hours or more to eventually get into bed and find a position I could tolerate. I tried physiotherapy with no improvement and had zero reflex action in my ankle, and so eventually my doctor sent me for an MRI scan (which I had to push for) which showed the prolapse. Medication wise I was taking 2 x 75mg Diclofenac, 1 x Omeprazole, 8 x Tramadol, and 8 x Paracetamol every day and still I was experiencing such pain that effected everything I did, even the simplest things I struggled with, and driving was agony. A few weeks prior to my surgery I couldn't stand up straight, I was literally bent in half and I'm not exaggerating when I say that. I'm 33 years old and knew that I couldn't continue living a life which consisted of pain, not being able to do even the simple things, and carry on taking all the drugs. I would have ended up so depressed. The day of the op was nerve wracking but I knew I was in the best hands and knew I had tried everything else and so surgery was the only thing left to try. From waking from surgery I had instant pain relief, no sciatica or back pain. I was overjoyed. I wasnt allowed out of bed until the next morning, I lost my appetite for a few days afterwards which was normal, and I was very dehydrated and had a tickly cough which was from the tube they put down your throat during surgery. The only pain relief I have taken since surgery so far is 4 Paracetamol a day, which to be honest I could live without but I'm taking it just in case the pain comes on. I am now standing up straight and the only discomfort I have is on standing and only around the wound, that's all. The discomfort is not painful, just a twinge like a "reminder". I had a lot of swelling around the wound on my lower back but it doesn't cause me any pain or anything. The physiotherapist in the hospital ensured that I could stand, walk without dizziness, and could walk up stairs and back down again before they would discharge me. I was kept in hospital for 2 nights but I know you can be discharged after one night. The post-op advice I was given was no stretching, no lifting anything heavier than a cup of tea, no bending. Sitting was to be kept to a minimum (15 mins at a time), walking (not far) for 15 mins, then lying down for 30 mins every hour throughout the day for the first two weeks. Physio then starts where you gradually build up the distance you can walk etc. Sleeping at night for the first few nights was on my back, on the third night I slept on my side and I was fine the next morning. I cant drive for 6 weeks and have to wear hospital socks for 6 weeks for DVT, and off work for a minimum of 6 weeks. I believe all of this is standard for everyone going through it. I think the best advice I was given was heal thoroughly and properly, not partially and quickly, and to take your time with the healing and listening to what your body tells you and not rushing to do the things you used to do. Work has to take a back seat which is very difficult, I know as I have a very demanding important management job, but your health really has to come first otherwise you will end up having even more time off. The worst thing you can do is hurt yourself and hinder your recovery, which will just undo the surgery you have just gone through whats the point in that? Ive had days when I don't feel as good as the day before, mainly due to tiredness from not sleeping straight through the night, and I have experienced dull aches in my buttock and calf but theyre not painful, I believe this is normal as the nerve is healing. Its a big operation that you go through and it is a slow healing process but one very worth going through slowly in order to be in a much better place with your back problem and leg pain. I really hope this helps someone about to go through it and helps to answer any worries or concerns they may have. Good Luck!
This is an excellent thread which I have been working my way through. Sally and ecp I found your posts very helpful. I am awaiting laminectomy and possible discectomy end Sept/early Oct. I have had my pre-op exam and am now waiting for definite date.
I say it might also be a discectomy because I am 70 and he thinks disc may have calcified. What a horrible expression!!! I am having the laminectomy because I have a bad case of spinal stenosis.
Can I ask if there is anyone on here who is older like me, or have you come across anyone of my age having the op.
Angela
6 weeks after op
I had my discectomy 6 weeks ago, felt great immediately after operation then apart from pain of surgery nothing for two weeks, ive been doing exercises the physio gave me and now am in nearly as much pain as before this has been dragging on for years now and after being off for 7month I need to get back to work I have a very physical job and am worried I won't be able to do it, so am wondering what to try next
Gavin
6 weeks post op is very early to be doing a great day or making any rash decisions. Would you play tennis with a broken arm six weeks after surgery? You've got to understand (someone medical should have explained this is a slow process of recovery). Post surgery I think a lot of people get the same peaks and troughs of pain is experienced and these can go on a long time until the begin to level off.
If the pain is inconsistent, as in hurts a lot for a few hours then ebbs away then its the natural healing process. If the pain is persisting at a high level then seek medical advice. I had some of my worst experiences in the 6-8 weeks period and i thought something had gone wrong. However the difference is you have a labour intensive job and that wont in the early days help your injury. I say in the early days as mobility is key in the later stages of recovery and I found the more you do the better I feel.
I hope the pain subsides shortly. Are you still on the same drugs routine? - I had to keep up the same routine for i think 8 weeks post op as directed by the dr.
Thanks for reply, by great day I meant not being in lots of pain as many will know that sometimes is rare with back pain, am taking things very carefully as I dont want to jeopardise my recovery . Unfortunately I need to go back to work very soon as finances are ruined after being off work so long, work have kind of agreed to light duties for me mainly involving training other employees and on this I will stand my ground.i will keep updating this post as things progress
recovery
Thanks for reply, by great day I meant not being in lots of pain as many will know that sometimes is rare with back pain, am taking things very carefully as I dont want to jeopardise my recovery . Unfortunately I need to go back to work very soon as finances are ruined after being off work so long, work have kind of agreed to light duties for me mainly involving training other employees and on this I will stand my ground.i will keep updating this post as things progress
Hi all, great thread, lots of good information to help others.
Brief history of myself. I had a Dynesys Stabilization back in 2006 after having severe worn discs at base of spine which was massively impacting on my life. It worked to a degree for about 4 years. About a year ago I was getting pain in my right leg and did the usual, Chiro, Osteo visits but nothing worked. Went to see my Surgeon who did the op who suggested Facet Joint and Epidurals which I did but still no good.
Then heard about a Neurosurgeon by the name of Henry Marsh, (I'm based in Surrey). Saw him in June privately, (£150) who recommended a Discectomy which could be done on NHS within 2 months by him.
I had the surgery on Monday at St George's in Tooting by one of his team as he supervised. It took 3 hours and was kept in overnight. As a curry lover I couldn't believe there was curry on the menu after the op but the one mouthful didn't stay down long after the morphine and anaesthetic!!
Three days on I believe the Sciatic pain has greatly improved but with other pain in the back/donor area, it's hard to be sure. I'm still getting nerve pain when I get up or move side to side in bed plus the donor area is very sore. Did go for a walk yesterday and was exhausted and breathless after 300 yards!
I will keep posting as the days/weeks roll on and hope it helps others in a similar predicament.
6 days on am struggling with bad pain in my left buttock. Is this usual? Am back on Naproxen for the first time in 2 months and whilst the surgery worked for my right leg I feel worse than before the surgery. Fixed one problem to cause another.
Not good, hope things improve over the next week or so. :confused:
1 year on
Hi everyone,
This time last year I was unable to stand up, off work taking morphine every 3 hours and not looking forwards to the future. Tomorrow will be a year since I had the l4/5 discectomy at the park hospital Nottingham by Mr Shafafy. It was a long road of recovery but I'm 99% better. My exercise levels were back to pre op and I only occasionally get the firing up feeling in my buttock and leg. Having the op was the best decision i made and I wish you all luck. I just need to recover from my torn achillies now that I did running!!!! I think I attract bad luck!!
Best wishes Chantelle 🙂