Discectomy - After the Operation

Hello everyone, I hate to see that you all seem to have gone through the same thing I am going through now. I had a lower discectomy 16 months ago and the actual pain that I was in was gone for a while. A few months after I began to have numbness and pins and needles of the worse kind in my left leg and it started in my right leg a few weeks ago. Now I am in pain all the time and now it is in my neck and shoulders and my hands ache with numbness. I am going to the Dr. in 2 days. I have been told that my problem will only respond to surgery. I will do anything at this point to get rid of the headaches and leg pain and pain in my hands. I wonder will I qualify for disability so my son and I will have a little bit of income. I wonder If I qualify even now because I can't hold on to anything or stand in one place for more than 5 minutes. To be pain free sometime in my life before I turn 40 would be so good. I don't mean to whine about this but I feel like I am at my breaking point. I so tired of pain.::banghead:

Morning

Following on from my appointment this morning, it was the spinal specialist that I saw. Hes refering my to a surgeon for a discectomy.
I asked when im likely to be able to return to work and hes very doubtful that it will be this year and i might have to wait quite a while to have the discectomy done 🙁

I cant wait to get back to a normal life and begin to do things again that I miss so much i.e being able to lift our three year old son, work on my car etc.

At least the balls rolling. Its just going to be a case of sitting back and waiting.

Hiya Deboy.

I'm glad things are moving along, but if this is your first spinal operation, make sure you do your research and find out what you are getting yourself into, and that there are no alternative 'non invasive' treatments that will improve things enough to reach your goals!

Best wishes

SPINELF

Hiya Deboy.

I'm glad things are moving along, but if this is your first spinal operation, make sure you do your research and find out what you are getting yourself into, and that there are no alternative 'non invasive' treatments that will improve things enough to reach your goals!

Best wishes

SPINELF

To be honest I havent thought of anything else. Ive had a prolapsed disc for over three years now. Ive been down the physio and medication route, Ive had acupuncture as well and nothings helped. This by far has been the worse its ever been and with the nerve damage ive been laid up for over twelve weeks so far with no let up. I need to get my life back and I feel that surgery is the way foward.

The specialist showed me the scan picture at the appointment. Seeing where and what the problem is, is very strange. I mean the scan pic is of the inside my body:eek:

Hiya Deboy

I understand where you are coming from deboy, the is nothing worse than the feeling of uselesness and severe pains combined.

Did the Surgeon tell you what to expect during the discectomy?

All the best

SPINELF

Hello Darrin and welcome!

Hello everyone, I hate to see that you all seem to have gone through the same thing I am going through now. I had a lower discectomy 16 months ago and the actual pain that I was in was gone for a while. A few months after I began to have numbness and pins and needles of the worse kind in my left leg and it started in my right leg a few weeks ago. Now I am in pain all the time and now it is in my neck and shoulders and my hands ache with numbness. I am going to the Dr. in 2 days. I have been told that my problem will only respond to surgery. I will do anything at this point to get rid of the headaches and leg pain and pain in my hands. I wonder will I qualify for disability so my son and I will have a little bit of income. I wonder If I qualify even now because I can't hold on to anything or stand in one place for more than 5 minutes. To be pain free sometime in my life before I turn 40 would be so good. I don't mean to whine about this but I feel like I am at my breaking point. I so tired of pain.::banghead:

Dear Darrin, we all can relate to or empathise with your symptoms and suffering.

I think it is quite possible that the neck and shoulder issues 'are' related to your previous discectomy, this is quite a occurence at post op, and due 'almost certainly' to scarring and leisions and cutting type damage caused during this type of procedure, although your Surgeon will allmost certainly refute this.

Please don't just decide on a second procedure until you have researched it thoroughly.

With regards to these upper pains, numbness and aches, I would suggest seeing a registered and 'gentle' Osteopath or Chiropractor or other similar Therapist who should be able to relieve some of the symptoms in your head, neck and shoulders by releasing pressure on you nerve strands at these levels. If they can do this, you should start to feel less stressed and thereby be able to think more clearly, you should then be able to start to 'get a handle' on your feelings of 'overwhelming' pain and suffering.

Given your severe condition and disabling symptoms, I think that you would certainly qualifiy for 'at least' some sort disability benefit/s. Speak to your local Consumer Advice Beureu (CAB), I'm sure they can help with detailed information re: benefits.

How did the Doctor consultation go Darrin?

Best wishes and kind thoughts

SPINELF

I understand where you are coming from deboy, the is nothing worse than the feeling of uselesness and severe pains combined.

Did the Surgeon tell you what to expect during the discectomy?

All the best

SPINELF

Ive got to wait for an appointment to see the surgeon as ive only just been referred from the spinal specialist.

Ive got to wait for an appointment to see the surgeon as ive only just been referred from the spinal specialist.

Best of luck deboy!

Keep the pressure on Specialist's department, by calling them frequently and offering yourself at short notice, in case of cancellations.

SPINELF

Todays pain is a combination of groin strain and buttock pain, it feels like its running through my body joining up together. God it hurts:( Oh and it still feels like I have an elastic band around my ankle:(

I hope to god I hear from the consultant soon. If I have to travel to get it done sooner then so be it.

Todays pain is a combination of groin strain and buttock pain,

I know what you mean deboy, when you get that groin feeling, you swear blind that if you reach down and touch it, you half expect find a 'hearnia' there!! Weird isn't it!!

SPINELF

An appointment has been made to see the consultant orthopedic surgeon on the 30th November.

Good news Deboy!

I'm glad that you haven't had to wait too long for an appointment!

Best wishes and good luck!

SPINELF

Thank you:)

Post-Op Update

Hi everyone,

It has now been 18 days since my Discectomy. I am absolutely awesome! I saw my Surgeon for a follow-up on Tuesday and I have now been cleared to sit and drive, with only small limitations (lifting no more than 15lbs). I am doing so well that I don't even need to go to Physical therapy (I believe you all call it Physio). However, I am going to go to one appointment and then continue the exercises on my own and at the gym.

My scar is less than 3 inches long, vertically on my lower back. They didn't use any stitches, or stapes; just glue. It looks great. I am massaging it many times a day, to break up the scar tissue. I no longer have any pain at the incision, so it's easy to do this. Still a little itchy from healing.

I am no longer sore from surgery. I do, however, have some nerve pain in my right leg, off and on. My Surgeon says that this is completely normal, due to healing and that it will go away. I've noticed that the more walking I do, the less pain I have. I have also seen pictures that my surgeon took before and after of my spine, when he opened me up. These are amazing. It's very obvious that it is fixed! He spent over an hour, talking with me about everything and answering all questions that I had. He truly is my Super Hero 🙂

I want to touch on the importance of walking after post op. When we are sick, we lay in bed and rest/nap in order to feel better and to let our bodies heal. When we have surgery, we think we need to do this as well. However, with this particular surgery, that is NOT the case. I really want to stress that to you all. The best thing you can do is to get out of bed and walk. Listen to your body! The more you lay, the stiffer you get and the more pain you will incur. That's why I CANNOT believe that in most cases I have heard, you all stay in the hospital bed for days. This is NOT good. The first day, post up, it is good to rest, but after that, get UP! I can't stress that enough. I noticed that the longer I laid down, the worse it got. I also noticed that on days that I skipped walking, the pain was much more intense. My doctor confirmed this, as well. He said that lying down for extended periods of time is a huge NO NO!


SPINELF - I read your comments.

"The point I was making, was that the commercial pressure put on 'standard Spine Surgeons' (what Amybt calls 'Traditional' Spine Surgeons) in the USA
by the better results of US MISS clinics, is forcing the 'better traditional ones
to become 'more careful' with the procedures they perform, and by concequence, are giving a better clinical outcome to their patients.
I believe it is one of these 'better Traditional Surgeons' that operated on Amybt, not an MISS one. I hope that makes that clear!"

I'm a little confused by some of your remarks, because I never mentioned anything about 'Traditional Surgeons'. As a matter of fact, I was confused by a lot of what you wrote. I'm sorry, but maybe you could describe things in ‘lamens terms’, as your medical vocabulary and knowledge is far better than mine. J What has been set up in the USA for over 6 years? My surgery sounds minimally invasive, which I believe, according to you would be a MISS type surgery, but then it also sounds like I had one of the 'traditional Surgeons'. I apologize for my lack of understanding - but I would truly like to better understand your statements.

Prior to having my surgery, I got 3 opinions from 3 different Orthopedic Surgeons. Each one would have done the surgery the same way. The reason I chose the surgeon that I did, was because my mother had a neck fusion (3 bad discs) 9 years ago with this doctor, with wonderful results. A friend of mine is having surgery next week with a different surgeon and also got 2 other opinions. Each Surgeon would all do the same thing. So, that seems to be standard here.

If you would like, research these doctors. Here is a list of Surgeons that I met with; all from Maryland:

Dr. Myles Brager (this is my guy)
Dr. Paul McAfee
Dr. Neil Naff

A MISS surgeon would use an incision less than one centimetre long, the op is done under sedation with the patient awake and walking into the op and then getting up and walking out right after.. Therefore your surgery although awesome sounds more like the old fashioned/traditional form that we just yearn for over here, and find it very very hard to get. In the UK most incisions are about 12-30 centimetres! Also the patient is completely anaesthetised for 3-4 hours with a large scar and a lot of work to the muscle and bone just to get to the disc, hence not being able to get up and walk straight away.

My apologies Amybt!

I am sorry for the delay in responding, it’s been a busy week.

You are quite right Amybt, the ‘traditional surgery’ phrase was wrongly attributed to you. I was replying to 3 similar treads at once and became mixed up, I am very sorry and I apologise unreservedly!!

I am also very sorry, for being unable to explain myself better in general.

----------------------

What I was trying say about the differing health systems was this, because the American health service is largely run on the grounds of private and free market principles, backed up with public money to support it of course, truly MISS Surgeons in America ‘feel more able’ to open up new clinics and invest in new equipment and training. In turn, this investment leads to more research and diversity within the American MISS health industry itself. This means that there is more choice for American patients and more competition for American medical practitioners who insist on using the ‘standard or traditional’ spinal surgeries.

These standard Surgeons can then do one of two things, either they carry on operating using the same old procedures in the same old way, which is known to have a highly destructive impact on the body and which ‘so far’ has little to no clinical evidence to support it’s use, ‘or’ they can start ‘adapting’ and ‘improving’ these basic procedures in order to minimise the negative and destructive effects for the patients. These Doctors will be the one’s that I described as ‘caring’ for their patients futures. I would assert again, that I believe that these Surgeons are few and far between, but because of the American Free market approach, the pressures on American ‘traditional’ Surgeons to adapt and improve is substantial, unlike the in UK, because if their patients do not improve as quickly or as well as the more caring Surgeons do, they endanger 'their own livelihoods' as patients will avoid them and ‘freely choose’ the more caring Surgeons.

Because of Britain’s NHS system there is nowhere near enough pressure brought to bare on NHS Consultant Spinal Surgeons to make them adapt and improve their procedures to ensure a better post op outcome for their patients. Don’t get me wrong, there are good Spinal Surgeons in the UK, using the ‘Standard or Traditional’ procedures ‘who are’ making a positive impact on their patients lives, as Fitbird said, but this is because these ‘rare’ Surgeons are going the ‘extra mile’ to ensure this positive outcome and a better future for their patients.
The internal political pressures within the NHS ‘not to rock the gravy boat’ and to ‘maintain the status quo’ must not be underestimated!

Microdiscectomy, ‘or’ reduction of disc bulges, is one of these improved procedures. Surgeons using this procedure only usually cut up to a 3 inch initial incision, which is better than old traditional ‘open back’ surgery, which could be up to 6 inches in length. But what is rarely told to patients, is that even though it will be 3 inches in length, they use tools (retractors) to widen this 3 inches by spreading the surrounding nerves, tissue, muscles and tendons so that the actual size of the hole they are working through, could as large as 6 inches in diameter!

This ‘spreading action’ can cause severe and long term crushing injuries, tearing damage, and morbidity in patients who often experience ‘as much’ post op pain as those who are treated by traditional Surgeons using ‘open back’ procedures.

By the by, the 'Micro' in the name does not mean there is anything small about this procedure, it is an ‘open back’ procedure, it actually refers to the 'exterior use' of a ‘microscope’ used to look ‘into’ the back during the procedure!

----------------------

Thank you for your link to Dr. Myles D. Brager Amy. I have researched his background and I am sorry to have to report that he cannot, in my opinion, in any way, be regarded as an MISS or cutting edge Spinal Surgeon!

He has been described as being a competent, friendly and an informative Surgeon and is listed as being highly regarded by his patients on his ‘non procedural’ skills in 3 Surgeon selection web sites:
[url]www. healthgrades.com/physician/dr-myles-brager-y4wcv[/url]
[url]www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/5028/Dr-Myles-Brager-Westminster- MD.html[/url]
<a class="go2wpf-bbcode" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Myles_Brager">www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Myles_Brager
However, he has also been reported as being in the top 50% (by procedural volume) of US Spinal Surgeons listed who carry out destructive ‘fusion device insertion’ and ‘spinal canal exploration’ and he is also reported as being in the top 25% (by procedural volume) of listed US Surgeons, who regularly perform the equally destructive ‘fusions’ and ‘disc removals’.

Fusion ‘or’ as I prefer to call it, turning 2 mobile vertebrae in to 1 solid immobile bone, was never originally developed as a spinal treatment, it was a ‘last ditch’ attempt to prevent the life threatening effects of muscle spasms on TB sufferers in the early 1900’s. It was noted by early practitioners, that as a side effect of the fusion operation, pain levels in these TB sufferers also reduced, and it was for this reason, that these Surgeons felt it would be a good spinal treatment.

But for the last 6 years, I have been unable find any facts or figures that would prove to me that this treatment has any ‘long term’ benefits for patients, but I am well aware of many family, friends and forum buddies who have gone on to receive 2nd, 3rd and sometimes 4th procedures as the lack of mobility in the spinal system, creates further stress and strains upon the remaining vertebrae!

To put it mildly, morbidity inducing fusion, is as far away from dynamic and minimally invasive MISS surgery as you can get!

I am sorry to have to say this, but judging from the resume Dr. Brager would have provided, I am pretty confident that your discectomy was not an (MISS) procedure. However, I am sure that 'we are all' very glad that you are benefiting from his procedure anyway, no matter what it was called.

This positive outcome for you ‘may mean’ that Dr. Brager is one of the ‘better Surgeons’ who have risen to the challenge of the unstoppable march of (MISS) spinal surgery in the good old, US of A!!

Best wishes

SPINELF

just had a discectomy...

Hi, i just had a discectomy 4 days ago , i had a lumbered l5 disc that was to touching my sciatic nerve.
Over the past 2 years i have had very little back pain but sciatic nerve pain that has been unbearable. Ive had a nerve block,tens machines , all sort of pain releif from gabapentin to pregabalin to amytriptiline all useless.
Anyway post op most of the nerve pain has gone ,however i do still have it if i bend over and now that the morphine is completely out of my system i can feel it a little bit when i lie down running down the back of my leg.
Having read some posts its obviuos that the nerve will take some time to heal.
I was allowed home the same da following surgery and i am walking comfortably , doing the 3 main phsyio exercises given and apart from the obviuos post op soreness dont feel too bad.
My main concern is the sciatica and how long if ever it will take before i,m pain free as i say i never get back pain.
Anyway anbody who has been in my position before ? and did your sciatic pain go away all together?
Thanks for listening.

Tony

Hiya Tony!

anbody who has been in my position before ? and did your sciatic pain go away all together?
Thanks for listening.

Tony

First up Tony, Stop bending over!!!

It is early days yet, so take your time!!

It can take between 3 and 12 months to gain a significant and more importantly 'stable' improvements after a sciatic decompression procedure, it took me around 4 - 5 months to completely get rid of mine, but it does depend on the type of operation you underwent.

The key to a successfull recovery is keeping active, try and keep a 'diary' of your daily exercises and mobility gains, this will help you see just how well you are progressing.
There is nothing worse for 'post operative moral' than to start thinking that you are not improving as much as you really are!

It's going to take time Tony, so be patient and pace yourself, so that you don't over exert yourself in the weeks and months to follow. You will see from other members posts, that quick recuparations are posible, but I think it is best if you don't think that way, just go with the flow.

In the mean time, while you are watching day time television, take a good look around this HP forum, there are loads of good therapists advertised here, offering many different treatments, some of the gentler ones may help with your recovery, both in the short, medium and long terms, see what think!:)

Best wishes

SPINELF

All better

Hi all,

Just thought I would write a quick review of my discectomy, as I have read far more bad reviews than good.

I had my operation on my L5 disc 3 days ago. I have nothing but good things to say about the whole process!

I am 24 years old and have suffered from severe sciatica for 15months. It has literally been the worst part of my life so far and I had 3 epidurals before I decided to go for surgery.

I am currently in no sciatic pain what so ever, and my back seems to healing well. So for anyone wondering if they should go for surgery, my advice is DO IT.

I am terrible with needles, injections & hospitals etc, but the surgery process is worth it.

I feel like I can finally get on with my life after a painful and stressful 15months.

🙂

Hi all,

I had my operation on my L5 disc 3 days ago. I have nothing but good things to say about the whole process!

We are all really glad for you Jack, I'm glad they caught you early! Can you tell us more detail please, where it was carried, by who and so on, I'm sure there will be other members 'local to you' who would benefit greatly.

Best wishes and good health

SPINELF

Well im 19 days away from seeing the surgeon.

Im able to stand straight but I still have pain in my buttock and leg and a tightness around my left ankle. The muscle spasms are still there and ive been put on Epilim to help control them. Im still taking Diclofenac and Tramadol also.

Im feeling quite worried that the surgeon might offer me the epidural pain block. Ive been through hell these past 3 years and this last 14 weeks my life has been put on hold and want an end to the problem and not a pain relief as this wont cure the problem.

Ive always looked on the bad side of things and my doctor and my fiancee have both said to me that its gone past the epidural stage. I really hope so as im feeling pretty low and like I said I need an end to this pain and problems

im feeling pretty low and like I said I need an end to this pain and problems

It's good to hear from you again deboy, I'm sorry you are feeling low, and are not any better!

Tell me, are the leg and ankle pains down the front of your leg or the back?

I am sorry to see that you are on these strong drugs deboy, 🙁 but don't worry if you are offered an epidural or nerve root block, because I found them great, and they can confirm the location of your main pain source. I had 4, 2 of them where in the wrong place, which did not work, and 2 in the correct spot, which completely knocked out the pain for six weeks.! And I had reduced pain levels for another 5 more weeks .

If you do have this and it 'does not' work, it will be a fair indicator to the Surgeon that he needs to look somewhere else, so be sure to tell him! 🙁

Keep your chin up butty, it won't be much longer!

Best wishes for a good consultation.:)

SPINELF

It's good to hear from you again deboy, I'm sorry you are feeling low, and are not any better!

Tell me, are the leg and ankle pains down the front of your leg or the back?

I am sorry to see that you are on these strong drugs deboy, 🙁 but don't worry if you are offered an epidural or nerve root block, because I found them great, and they can confirm the location of your main pain source. I had 4, 2 of them where in the wrong place, which did not work, and 2 in the correct spot, which completely knocked out the pain for six weeks.! And I had reduced pain levels for another 5 more weeks .

If you do have this and it 'does not' work, it will be a fair indicator to the Surgeon that he needs to look somewhere else, so be sure to tell him! 🙁

Keep your chin up butty, it won't be much longer!

Best wishes for a good consultation.:)

SPINELF

The pain is in my left buttock, left hip area and down the back of my left thigh. The foot pain is around the back of my ankle from one side of the ankle bone to the other running across the achilles

Thank you for the kind words SPINELF 😉

I just want an end to the pain and to be able to get on with life again. All I ever do is moan and complain and its driving my fiancée around the bend as well as making me feel very down.

I'll report back one ive seen the consultant

I am so sorry to hear about your increasing pain deboy does your partner read this forum? You may not want her too becasue it might be your own retreat but it might help her understand the depth of the trouble and pain that 'my back hurts' can really mean?

My husband did not understand until he came with me on a consultation then he changed that second and now understands much more and is very helpful.

I am so sorry to hear about your increasing pain deboy does your partner read this forum? You may not want her too becasue it might be your own retreat but it might help her understand the depth of the trouble and pain that 'my back hurts' can really mean?

My husband did not understand until he came with me on a consultation then he changed that second and now understands much more and is very helpful.

My other half has had decompression surgery on both shoulders so she can relate to the pain. She doesnt come on her either, its just me.

Im a moody bugger at the best of times, this has just made me worse.

Try and keep as active and outgoing with your partner as you can, it will help your
depression and you partners understanding. Take care of yourself until the
consultation to, then come straight back, we'll be here for you deboy!

Best wishes

SPINELF

The difference between personal accounts and fact

Hi there all,

I am new to this forum and I believe that this website is one of the better websites for obtaining a wide range of experiences shared by others. Most of us I imagine are very passionate about the subject of back and spinal issues, and it is most comforting to know that there are others out there who can truly appreciate the incredible pain that sciatic nerve root compression can cause.

I am male, 32, and from the United Kingdom. I note that a lot of people posting here are from the United States. Our health care systems are very different but from the research i did prior to my surgery identical procedures both traditional (conventional) and more contemporary (MISS) are on offer here as well as in the United States.

I work in the legal profession over here and i can categorically tell you that the idea of any surgeon taking more 'care' in performing surgery as a result of more modern and competing methods of surgery is utter nonsense. In the UK as I am sure is the case in the United States review and progress in both conventional techniques and more minimally invasive techniques is constant and in the UK we have some very good leading spinal surgeons, who are also world respected authorities in spinal surgery and in developing new techniques.

One of the worst experiences that any of us go through before and after surgery is the issue of the risk of such surgery and the paranoia this can induce. The array of differing comments and advice online can exacerbate this paranoia particularly when they come from people who can only speak from their own personal experiences and not from PHDs and years of medical training. Comments slating the particular surgeons of some individuals that have posted on this site shows a complete lack of empathy and borders on cruelty, or dare I say it is somewhat sociopathic, although i won't pretend to be a expert on mental health issues or spinal health issues.

My own personal experience which put not so briefly (sorry) is as follows:

1. 2 herniated discs at L5 and L4.
2. Severe nerve compression at L5 S1.
3. 5 months of Co-Codomol and Sodium Doclofenac
4. 5 months of chiro and psysio as prescribed by my NHS GP.
5. Decision to have surgery privately.

What i have learnt from my experience is based on being in the UK and dealing with both the NHS and finally with private health care. If this account rings true with anyone viewing this post then i hope this assists you or at best provides some consolation that you have not suffered alone:

Issue 1.

I have had back problems for years and every time i have put my back out in the last 5 years the pain has increased in severity with the onset of sciatica also increasing in severity. This year though after putting my back out, as my back got better my leg got worse, and i couldn't shake my limp. I realised this time i needed intervention. The professional advice was to see a physiotherapist. I found a chap who was a physio and a chiropractor and was a member of all the usual professional bodies etc...4 sessions and despite my condition worsening and my telling this chap that i thought i had slipped a disc he kept me going back for more (paying him too of course). He even told me it could have been the hamtring in my calf. This did not ring true so i went back to see my GP.

Issue 2.

I told my GP that i had now had symptoms for 4 months, the symptoms were worsening and i was experiencing numbness now in my foot, I told her I was seeing the physio and it seemed to be causing more damage. My GP prescribed me Diclofenac and 8/500 Cocodomol (which is basically paracetomol). She also told me to continue with my Physio sessions and to call her in 14 days if matters had not improved. I was in her office for less than 5 minutes with no physical exam at all. Needless to say alarm bells were ringing I was starting to realise that my health was in the hands of people happy to prescribe treatment to me based upon guesses and not facts. 7 days later I contacted my GP again and started being more demanding.

Issue 3.
I told my GP that i was refusing to follow any advice from anybody until we could deal with facts. So, i asked for a scan, she offered an x-ray (these only show bones and not discs) I refused on the basis that i was now getting about 1 hour sleep in every 24hours due to the pain and i could not walk more than 5 metres. She then told me that there was a 6 week wait on the NHS for an MRI. At this point i had had 2 months off work and faced with another 6 weeks I felt this was unacceptable. She then told me that even after an MRI it would be 28 to 62 days to see a consultant to discuss the results. So all in all it would take a minimum of 3 months just to see a consultant. I was then told that the waiting time for discectomy or associated surgery was a further 16 weeks, and even then the date is always only provisional! A minimum of 7 months before treatment...this was unacceptable given that i had researched my condition and I knew that if my foot and leg was going numb then there was a risk of permanent nerve damage, such risk increasing with every day left unresolved. I decided to get the hell out f the NHS farce and pay for an MRI privately.

Issue 4.
The MRI was the best £300 I had spent at that point in my life. It showed exactly what i had expected; a severely herniated disc and nerve compression at L5 S1. I took the results to my GP and I told her to refer me to which ever consultant can see me quickest (so i dipped back into the NHS again thinking i had saved myself 6 weeks at least). She did so, and when i made the call to the clinic in question to find out who i was seeing i discovered i was due to see a physiotherapist who would assess my need for surgery, apparently if it was surgery i required then I would be sent for an MRI!!!!!! again!!!!! alarm bells were ringing and all the time my pain was worsening! I decided to get the hell out of the NHS regime again!!!! utter rubbish!

Issue 5.
I began researching surgeons in the UK and decided to contact the surgeon of my choice through his private office. The gentleman i chose was rated in the top ten surgeons for spinal operations, he is a published authority on modern and contemporary practices and is well respected, even my the Dailymail newspaper!. If anyone would like to know who the surgeon is then please email me directly as i refuse to have anybody on this board make an unqualified assessment of his credentials. Anyway, he saw me within 2 days notice and during consultation, physical assessment and assessment of the MRI he said he was shocked at the lack of service, advice and professionalism i had been met with and that judging by my symptoms and the MRI i required surgery urgently. He had operated within 48 hours because i had gone through his office directly he could choose which hospital he performed the operation in - i.e. which ever hospital had the slot quickest.

Issue 6.
I had full open surgery, my incision was no more than 4 cm and i had a discectomy and decompression due to stenosis L5-L4. Surgery was a breeze, i hate needles but my leg hurt so much i was helping them find the vein to get the canula in! I woke up and the pain had gone. Now bare this in mind - I had full open surgery and 2 hours after my operation I was walking to the toilet and down the hall at the hospital. The initial pain of the surgery was literally nothing compared to the sciatic pain. I was overjoyed.

Issue 7.
I spent 3 nights in hospital after an operation that lasted apr an hour. I could have gone home the next day if i'm honest but my surgeon, who i trust utterly, asked me to.

Issue 8.
After the numbness and sciatica had gone straight away and all sensation back in my foot and toes 4 days later I developed some aches and twinges in my sciatic nerve . My surgeon had told me to expect this and so I have no surprises and no worries. The first 7 days the incision was sore but nothing compared to the pain post surgery. 2 weeks in and my dissolvable stitches were clipped at each end and steri strips removed.

Issue 9.
I am 2 weeks and 6 days post op now. I am seeing my surgeon for the first time since the operation in the morning. I will be getting my moneys worth and i will be asking as many questions as i can.

I have learnt to listen to my body in the absence of clear and qualified facts about my condition and i know i have to be patient and careful about the condition i now keep my body in and be intelligent about my rate of recovery and what my capabilities are short term and long term. This full open surgery was the best £7600.00 i have ever spent in my life and i would do it again. Pursuing alternative therapies did not work for me, in fact they destroyed 2011 for me. Disc herniation and nerve compression can cause permanent damage, pain, impotence and incontinence. I was given a clear scenario by my surgeon - Not having the surgery the chances of such permanent damage is higher than if you have the surgery, and if you have the surgery then there is a 90% success rate.

If I could give one bit of advice it would be not to embark upon ANY treatment until you have an MRI to assess your actual condition. Secondly i read about alot of people who have undergone years of sciatic pain - what a risk you are running! get advice from a surgeon MISS or CONVENTIONAL. Manage your own health do not let NHS protocol dictate your rate of recovery based upon their procedural shortcomings.

If you have had the surgery and you still suffer then i am truly sorry and wish you all the best. I would however ask anyone who still suffers from the sciatic pain post surgery how long they had to wait for the surgery and whether or not they feel the wait caused the permanent nerve damage.

Finally i wish everyone well that is suffering or who has suffered from this ailment- it is truly physically and mentally exhausting, not to mention the pressures on friends and family it also causes.

All the best.:o

Hello Budskinson and welcome.

Your condition, suffering, delays and tribulations are all well known and understood by most of us on this site, and we can easily empathise with you. Look back on some older posts, you will see your experiences are well shared.

We have all similar ‘yet varied’ experiences, and that is what makes the HP forum, the best back pain forum on the web. I’m glad you like it.

I am very glad you recovering well, from what you have clearly described as, an improved open back procedure. The 4cm length is ‘indeed’ a great improvement on standard UK 6in for open, or a 3 inch for micro techniques.

Thank you for stating your support for our long, well stated and firmly held belief, that patients ‘must’ take charge of their own pre-op research and absolutely ‘must not’ simply accept a Surgeons unsupported words as Gospel, if they are to make a ‘truly’ informed choice.

I am not a Legal Eagle Budskinson, I am just a working class boy, a ‘logistics professional’ without a ‘PhD’, TCP or TNT, but I am fairly sure that the ‘sociopathic’ and ‘paranoia’ quips were aimed at me!
As you failed to clarify, I will assume they were!

I think your post is simply another case of ‘let’s shoot the messengers’. You make bold statements, yet offer no evidence, no stats, no peer reviewed papers, no links! Honestly, I expected far more from a ‘legal professional’ not the same old vitriolic rubbish!

I’m sure that you see yourself as ‘Atticus finch’, but even he would expect that as an important part of legal process, you should offer factual evidence to back up your words, instead of making personal and generalist insults to mask a lack of proof.

You are correct Budskinson, MISS and Standard spinal surgery ‘are both available’ in the UK, but to clarify to our American Cousins, only privately, and only to those who can afford it, like Bankers, Doctors and umm oh, ah yes Solicitors!

The fact is, that nearly all MISS spinal procedures are ‘not freely available’ at the ‘point of need’. That is to say, on the tax payer funded NHS, or (as you say) NHS regime!! For the rest of us, the great unwashed, we must save hard and sacrifice our savings, or go without MISS.

However, some of these same NHS Orthopaedic and Neuro Surgeons, can and do, offer various experimental MISS procedures in their private practices, procedures such as ‘IDET’
[DLMURL="http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/11055/46396/46396.pdf"]IPG319 Percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal therapy for low back pain: guidance[/DLMURL]
or the ‘Wallis Stabilisation technique’ which had no NICE listing, and of course the 'altered and improved' open back procedures I mentioned previously, and that you clearly benefited from.

Bare in mind, that a lot of these treatments are considered by NICE to be far more ‘risky’ than (ELF) but these same Doctors will brief against (ELF) whilst performing the riskier procedures themselves!! Hypocrisy!!

I find your ‘categorically unsupported opinion’ that the UK has a dynamic MISS sector, which does not respond to market or peer pressure, delusional!

It’s no wonder you don’t want the likes of me picking over your scant and baseless information. 90% SUCCESSFUL? Where did you get that from. I have been told similar figures over the last 7 years by 3 Spinal Surgeons, but when I ask for the trial information that proves this claim, they have got nothing to offer! As our American friends would say: WHERES THE BEEF?

Budskinson, How having a legal background gives you the right to demand that ‘we members’ should believe you ‘unquestioningly’ about ‘back pain matters’ without any facts and figures, is frankly quite bizarre and insulting!

If I ‘PM’ you Budskinson, Will you give ‘me’ the name of your Surgeon if I ask for it? No? Never mind then!!

(((quote))) If anyone would like to know who the surgeon is then please email me directly as i refuse to have anybody on this board make an unqualified assessment of his credentials.)))

On this point, let me put it to you: ah,ah, see what I did there?
if you went to court, and said to the judge, I have ‘devastating evidence’ which will prove ‘beyond any doubt’ that my case is right and just! However, the defence Solicitor & Barrister and the 12 jury members 'will not be allowed' to see it when together, nor will it be viewed in an open court!
What do you think the judge would say Budskinson?

We are chronically ill Budskinson, Not terminally STUPID!!!

With regards to my post with Amybt, the points I made were in response to her ‘not being sure’ whether she had an MISS operation or not, it was done to clarify any false impression she may have been labouring under, not for mischief sake! In addition, she herself invited the possibility and gave consent to members to research her Surgeon, by putting his name on her post.

I took the words and 'factual information' from a host of US web sites, 3 of which, I posted links for, in order for everyone to check for themselves and not just to take my word for it. I always try to offer links or other proof of my beliefs when offering an opinion, check my posts, you will see this is so!

I am repeating myself again, but yes, I agree with you Budskinson, and as I have repeatedly stated, there are some very good leading Surgeons who are working in their patients best interests! But not all, as you would have the world believe, or why else would you tell members to have MRI’s and to think for themselves? Your points are confused and convoluted Budskinson!!

Paranoia, sociopathic, no Sir, you are definitely not a mental health professional! Read more of my posts, before judging! Lest ye be judged!!

P.S. 2 words again Budskinson, 'spell check'.

SPINELF

I've seen you have had trouble with moderators before and that you have posted over 300 posts on this site.

Why not stop dominating what should be a straight forward site and keep the message simple.

I've seen you make your spell check comment to others and it makes you look petty, arrogant and insensitive. Perhaps you should start pouring hundreds of posts into a dyslexia forum too.

Take a months break from your perceived ownership of this forum. You have no expertise in this field and you should restrict your comments to your personal experience instead of attempting to be an authority (which you most clearly are not) and self-appointed guardian of this site.

I wish you well in any case with your illness but know you won't be able to resist another response to this post and continue to muddy the waters in terms of the straight forward information that could be gleaned from this site.

How self obsessed.
:016:

Daily Mail article on MISS

In case the link does not work.
Google Daily Mail then search their site back pain. Dr Malik at Kings college 🙂
[url]Operation that banishes back pain in a hour - and doesn't leave a scratch | Mail Online[/url]