Reply Olli
Cheers Olli
I had heard similar about exercise from a friend who had the op privately. The surgeon said it is 20% of me cutting and 80% of you working hard. I have been doing the biz with the physio and the pain is there but only dull constant pain which is fine unlike the knife like stabbing pains that stop you in your tracks which I had last week.
I also saw a rugby club physio prior to the op and over the next couple of weeks may get him back to evaluate me.
A month post op and I have no new date to go back. I feel like they have done a fine job with the knife but bundled me off home with little or no physio or backup. I feel for the others posting who have done the same but the op hasnt worked.
Anyway its all manageable but I am getting to the view that pain is a feature of my life now and I must just live with it and get on with it.
Will see doc and try the drug you suggested.
Good luck with the recovery and working towards getting back to work.
Rod
Going for it
I saw my NHS surgeon yesterday. He offered me a nerve block injection which he said has a 50 / 50 chance of working, or the operation which has much better odds but much bigger risks. I've decided to go for the op and have been told it will be no more than 18 weeks. Just hope I've made the right choice....
Wol
Rod_1
Hi,
It's funny about 2 weeks ago i could hardly walk and now i can walk about, sit down and get on with things but i am still pi*sed off that i have a little ache in my right leg. It's silly, the op has gone well and i am in no pain really. The key is to be patient and listen to your body. A good example of this is the physio told me to do a hamstring stretch to discomfort but my legs and nerve's are very tight still, so i tried my hardest to get a good stretch even if it hurt :nono: The next day my right leg was aching and in my mind all was going wrong. My wife then puts things right and tells me to take my time and just listen to how i feel and not over do it.
Today things feel better and i am going to try and be more patient with my rehab.
So Rod keep going with the exercises and listen to your body;)
Cheers Olli:cool:
reply misswol
Hi
It is a personal view but in my mind there is no question of you having done the right thing. The forum is full of people who have had nerve blocks and failed. I think the op is the right way to go and compared with what you have been through the pain is negligable. Also you are having the op comparatively soon so nerve damage will be mininised. Approach the whole thing in a positive frame of mind - well done. Imaginge fairly soon after the op you will be able to stop doing desk based work and get out.
Keep chasing the NHS so that you are not forgotten, which can easily happen.
Rod
Nerve Blocks and Pain relief
Hey y'all,
I see that nerve blocks have been suggested,
I had 2 epidurals, one of which was injected via my coccyx (Caudal epidural). It was THE most painful thing i have ever endured, the post op pain was a breeze compared t that and i could not walk properly for 4 days following the injection. If i wasn't lying face down whilst having it, i just may have given my consultant a slap! And after all that, it had absolutely no effects whatsoever, massive waste of time.
The 2nd one was a cortisone epidural, done as a day surgery case. That wasn't so bad, and i got 3 weeks relief (not total relief but it did help) from it so i was really disappointed that the pain all flared up again.
THEN, i was referred for surgery, which guess what, didn't work either!!!!!!! Yippee! So am going through the whole process again.
Apparently someone who was in hospital with Olli said that they were on 2nd time surgery and felt it had worked so am quite optimistic!
P.S I agree that codiene is indeed rubbish, but i am unable to take anything stronger that this because i am a single mum, who if i have taken stronger drugs, will not be able to function properly. So am grinning and bearing it 🙂
Bit of a bum day
Hi All,
@ALiH78- I think you are doing the right thing I hope it works out this time.:)
Well as for me i am doing ok, I am a little down as my right buttock has gone very tight over the last few days and this is making my leg throb a bit but i am in no where near as much pain as before. Again its silly because i can still do everything sit/walk/bed etc but because i have a little pain i am getting pissed off. I think i expect too much its only been 2 weeks and i am sure my physio will sort me out she has done before when this happened about 10 months ago. As it has happened before i know what to do lots of heat and some light stretching.
Positive, Positive, Positive. Must think Positive.
Cheers Oliver;)
Hi AliH78, I just want to tell you that I have really suffered with the nerve pain in my legs....and burning like crazy! I am a lone parent too but think the Tramadol is miracle drug...I hope you will reconsider using it if it gets too bad.
My news has not been so good ( it just gets worse and worse). I have already been diagnosed with 3 slipped lumbar discs, awaiting surgery (26 weeks!) for one of them. Having begged the consultant to investigate my upper back (did anyone else know it was called the cervical spine?) I now have the scan results which show 'multiple abnormalities' including 2 prolapsed discs. The worst part is one disc distorting my spinal cord....that seems pretty bad to me. Wanted to discuss this with consultant asap but he's on a two week holiday...aaaargh! I also found out that surgery on the cervical spine can only be done at a hospital miles away from home, and we have to go through the referral process yet again. Thankfully I saw a really nice doctor who prescribed Diazepam and Tramadol (miracle worker), at least I get a little sympathy now.
Please someone tell me this will all be over soon because it's rapidly turning into a nightmare.
Reply Oli Melza and Ali
Just when I thought it was all over have had hideously bad back pain above both buottocks and down part of leg - great for a week. Went to see GP and he said Tramadol is the same type of drug as CoCodomol so I still have that. He cant prescribe anything stronger than good old codeine. Great.
Guess what into 5th week after op and guess what the NHS hasnt contacted me.
As I have a desk job the doc said I had been to go to work after 3 weeks and that I should on no account have bed rest - keep mobile - which hurts!
He told me I was doing the right thing keeping going to work (which is becoming harder and harder).I am in excruciating pain for a good part of the day. Sodium diclofenac is the other thing I am taking.
I have taken things into my own hands and have booked an acupuncurist and am going to see her tomorrow. The doc said I was doing the right thing . The (qualified) acupuncturist said she could help and speed the recovery process (£50 a pop but am in AGONY). Perhaps its just as well men dont have babies or periods eh!
Melza. At the risk of being a bore I have used the Mindfulnes based meditation tapes from Breathworks. Basically they are a buddhist organisation who help educate you to deal with pain (without trying to convert you!- i am not a believer) they run courses and are a good resource. You are taught to take everything a breath at a time. Sounds like baloney at first but it is absolutely spot on. The Podcasts/cds are inexpensive. The body scan is particularly good. The Jon Kobat Zinn book f'ull catostrope living' is written by a Zenn buddhist who is a doctor and runs an acute pain clining in the US. Again he is not evangilistic just full of practical ways of managing great pain.
Ali very good luck with your journey sounds like you are suffering. Keep believing all will change. Things dont stay this bad.
Olli - keep your spirits up mate. You will be racing up the ladders rescuing damsels in distress in no time.
Rod
Rod_1
Hi,
Sorry to here about your pain:mad: When i read your post about going back to work after 3 weeks i was shocked:eek: I am two weeks out and there is no way i would go back next week not even to an office. Your body and nerves have had a big trauma and that can take a few months to total recover. My Doc has said to take 6 weeks off minimum.
Anyway it will be blip i am sure. Keep moving but rest as well, pain can take it out of you. Acupuncture is good i have this as well it can make you ache at first but it will relax your body. I am having some next Tuesday for my tight buttock.
Keep going mate
Keep in touch
Oliver;)
Olli, Melza and Rod
I only went and turned ever so slightly (really slightly) today at work and have twisted my back, the pain nearly made me heave!
Olli...thanks for your message to keep positive, thank you, i will. I am keeping the faith that this won't go on forever and that this 2nd op will work. I really hope u get some relief from the acupuncture. My friend is having a look into acupuncture for me, his cousins hubby has it for his bad back and says really good things about it.
Melza...26 weeks will come round really quick, thank you for recommending tramadol, i am considering it on your advice but i am still apprehensive as i am a mental health support worker so am aware of the medications that cause drowsiness. Scares me, so i tend to just grit me teeth!
I really hope that your first surgery will be the beginning of the end of your suffering.
Rod...I am so sorry mate that your op hasn't worked, i absolutely know how upsetting this is. The process to be looked at again is so long, i didn't see my surgeon again until 5 months after i requested to see him, then i had my MRI 3 weeks ago and still waiting for my outpatient appointment for the results.
I really like this site, i get to vent my spleen, get good advice from people that know the score, and offer the same advice i myself recieved!!!
I have you guys in my thoughts and prayers, and really hope things start to improve for you 🙂
Back Surgery
Hi Fireolli
How are you doing? Only have a week to go now til my op and am very scared. I saw my surgeon yesterday to try and convince me I am doing the right thing by having surgery! He told me to take 8 weeks off teaching this time which I think is far more reasonable.
There are so many bad stories about back surgery on the internet that i have stopped reading them.
How are you doing after 2 weeks? How long were you in pain following the surgery? My husband being thoughtful has booked a holiday to Bulgaria for 2 weeks after my op! My surgeon said this is a good idea. You said you have clips in your back but i'm only having paper strips as the incision will be less than an inch long.
I really hope you are still making great progress in your recovery and have no pian and very little discomfort.
Speak soon
Fitbird xxxxxxxxx
Fitbird
Hi,
Things are ok, i am doing the exercises every day and doing two 25 min walks each day. I hope to get in the pool next week. Had a bit of a set back on Tuesday, my right buttock went into cramp and is making my leg throb but i am seeing the physio next Tuesday so i hope she will start to sort it out.
My back is also tight where they have cut me but again some massage will sort that out. If you are only getting an inch cut that is good mine is about 4/5 inch but then i had both sides of the disc removed so they may have had to make a bigger gap. After the op i found that i got the most pain from the clips, getting up or getting out of bed also sitting down was a bit sore but today i have managed to sit down for an hour. I think because my legs are still tight i am finding it a bit harder to do things but i hope they will loosen off soon.
8 weeks sounds better and i hope you will keep up on your exercises whilst you are on holiday. How long after the op are you going???
I am sure you will be fine and yes stop reading the stories on the internet they made me a lot worse and i just got upset all the time. I am glad i have had the op but i think it is going to be a long haul to get back to fitness to be able to do fire fighting again.
Keep in touch
Olli;)
Reply Olli
Saw acupuncturist on friday. She has unlocked all the tension in my back. I go to see her monday and she reckons that with the back relaxed she can sort the pain. She told me that I must stop the physio for a little while until she has sorted me out a bit more. This is my best hope at the moment. We shall see. Spending the weekend chilling after a week that has been exhausting what with work and all the pain. She reckoned that work is fine as I have my magic kneeling chair and I am desk based- which is great. The work really helps cheer me up as I love it and it stops me thinking about my back all the time and moping.
Rod:039:
Rod_1
Hi Rod,
Nice one, I told you it would be a blip:) I am chopping at the bit to see my physio my legs are getting tighter every day. I find it hard to tell the difference between a muscle ache and if the sciatic pain is coming back. My legs are week as i have not used them for a few months so i think they are in shock, My hamstrings are very week going up stairs or going up a bit of a hill on my walk is hard work.
Anyway i am still keeping my head up and saying as positive as i can:) I am just so scared of any little pain.
Keep in touch
Olli;)
Once I found I had a disc distorting my spinal cord I did a frantic flick through the internet.....and now I think we should all agree that none of us will ever do that ever again! For me it said that any kind of trauma could leave me (and people like me) as a quadraplegic...oh great! But I'm not panicking at all, I just hope the consultant is having a super holiday!
I know that Alih78 is anxiously waiting for MRI results and wonder if I was any better off sneaking into work and printing my own results off. Alih78 has a tense time wondering what her results will be and I am frantic cause I know what mine are. So which one of us is better off?
Oh, and I'm very sensitive to any kind of sedative and was relieved to find there was a minimal effect with tramadol. But take it a little while before you go out anywhere. The tramadol with diazepam is a completely different story though.
The meditation has been attempted but as soon as I relax I remember the washing is still on the line or there's a bill I need to pay asap...need to work on the technique a bit more perhaps.
Thanks everyone...always comforting to read these posts (except for the unlucky few who have to go through the process twice...my sympathies).