Discectomy story, hopefully a success

Hi all I am Daniel, 36 year old male living in Manchester England. wanted to share my discectomy story, hopefully a positive story to balance all the horror stories out there. I am writing this 18 days since the op, so I know I'm not out of the woods yet.

My story starts November 2012, up until this point have had a mildly aching back on and off for the previous few years, but never to the point that it really interfered with my lifestyle. November it started to get worse, to the point really struggled to pick up and carry my 14 monthr old son, plus started to struggle in work, I work in a call centre, 20 Mile drive from home.

Things deteriorated in work and I was loathe to take any sick time off, so I persevered and also my Manager made allowances letting me take frequent walking breaks, this carried on for a few days but the sciatic pain was getting worse and worse, I was then moved to a motorised desk where I could alter the height and frequently change from sitting to standing. I managed like this for around 2 days but it got to the point I just could not get in a comfortable position, I was constantly adjusting the desk, going on walking breaks, and also spending ages in the toilet as I would need to go, but the pain in my right buttock would not permit me to push.

My last day in work was 3rd December, I got to the point where I could not carry on and felt if I stayed longer I would be unable to drive home. I saw a physiotherapist (P.T) that evening, (after speaking to my GP)and he advised my symptoms we're very severe, and that any form of exercise would aggravate the problem, he advised me to rest, lying down as much as possible and minimum light activity. I saw the pt a number of times and had heat treatment , acupuncture, but made no improvement, if anything I felt I was getting worse.

I was beginning to lose patience, my life had come to a halt and I wanted to get back to normal, I rang my GP quite distressed and pushed him for another way forward, he advised the pt was giving the correct advice and I need to rest and gone it time. I could not accept this and wanted another solution. So he suggested trying a chiropractor, I went to visit one the next day. The chiropractor gave the same diagnosis as the pt, bulging/herniated disc at the l5 level, she also advised rest rest rest, lying down the same as the pt had advised. she also tried to manipulation my spine but was unable to get any movement, she also applied some acupuncture.
After a few visits the chiropractor was unhappy as I was making zero progress so she adviced i get an mri scan, this was arranged and I had the scan a few days later. The scan confirmed a few slightly bulging discs, but a big herniation on the l 5. After seeing the scan the chiropractor advised it was as she suspected but worse and she confirmed herself and the pt we're exactly right to advise bed rest, she advised I could leave it longer and have more rest but she felt with the size of the herniation it may not get better on is own, so she advised I see a neurosurgeon and recommended a few, particularly one who was a proffesor.

I saw the neurosurgeon she recommended on the 12th January. before going I read up as much as I could and guessed he would give me 3 options, more rest, a steroid injection, or a Microdiscectomy, I read up on these treatments, the good and the bad stuff. In my head I was thinking I don't want the injection (previous experience of 2 cortisone injections in my shoulder told me very painful injection which just hides the problem for a few weeks). I was prepared to keep open mind about the op, though I was dreading it being an option.
I got to the hospital after an agonizing journey with plenty of stops on the way, I was almost at the point of abandoning the car it was that bad. The neurosurgeon was a really nice fellow, he listened to my story, looked at my scans and also checked me over, noticing a slow reaction on my right leg and foot. He gave me the 3 options I was expecting, apart from it would be a discectomy instead of Microdiscectomy, he explained he felt this was better surgery, as the down side was a slightly bigger scar and a longer recovery time but he advised with a Microdiscectomy it was like trying to work through a straw, meaning slightly more risks and also risk that he may leave disc material behind if it was out of view.

We had a good chat about the options, he totally understood my reluctance for the steroid route, he advised leaving it and having more rest was a valid option, but with my symptoms and what he saw on the scan it could take over a year and it may still not repair itself, he advised he believed he could help me and the operation would be the most reliable way to fix my problem.

He offered to do the op on the 16th. only 4 days away. It was at this moment I almost soiled myself. I asked him about all the stuff that can go wrong, I asked about him permanently damaging the nerve, he advised it is a small risk but he hadnever had that happen before and he is extremely careful, he advised less chance also as I was having the open surgery so more room to work. I asked him about the spinal fluid leaking, he advised this can happen, and he has had this happen before, and it's something he can correct during the op. He assured me if this did happen he would make sure no standing for a period as this is what would cause the horrendous headaches I had read about, and it being due to the fluid around your brain draining out. I agreed to the surgery.
I spent the next 2 days stupidly reading everything I could on the internet, I then started worrying about anaesthetic awareness, and getting in a state over that. I read so much though I had an understanding of what things would need to go wrong, and the what the chance was of it happening. I read that anasthetic awareness is usually down to something such as faulty equipment, neglect by the anaesthetists, such as them leavingthe room etc. I also understood that to have anasthesia awareness with pain was extremely rare, most cases it is a case the painkillers and the paralysis drugs have worked, just not the sleeepy stuff.

I spoke to the anaesthetist over the phone 2 days before the op. He advised he had done over6000 , ops, and never had this happen, he explained the equipment checks, and what he would be doing during the op to monitor me. he also advised the surgeon would also be putting a local anaesthetic in my back before doing anything, so there is practically no way I could have awareness with pain. He also advised on a personal note how very bad it would be for any anaesthetist to allow this to happen, as would be extremely upsetting and also career damaging.

I also spoke to 2 friends who had Microdiscectomy a few years back, they assured me not to worry, and one of them advised he reherniated, but then after a second op he has been fine for the last 12 years.

My op was due on the Wednesday and by Monday night I was climbing the walls and worried sick, I had to calm myself down and put things in perspective as I knew if I carried on like this I would not go through with it. I wrote a letter to myself, telling myself I have read everything I could, I have done enough worrying, I have made the decision to do the op, so worrying is not going to help, I have to trust the surgeon, and I did trust him, a few minutes into meeting him I could tell he was the man for the job, I also had good reports of him from my pt and chiropractor. I promised myself that Tuesday no internet, no worrying, just think about the good points and look forward to getting my life back.
This worked and I felt fine on Tuesday, at night I could not sleep even though not worried at all, I did rest in bed happily, but the sleep did not come. taxi came 6am, traveled with my Mum who has been my rock throughout this, still not worried but more bothered about how painful the journey was, felt fine at the hospital, had a laugh with the receptionists and the porter, felt fine in my room and was glad to lie down as really hurting.

Then they brought me my gown, I went in the bathroom to put it on, was in pain, but not worried at all, I then saw my refection in the mirror wearing the gown, and like a switch it all became very real. I was in hyper worry mode again, tried to hide it but everyone could see I was stressing, the aneasthetist came to see me and reassured me, then the surgeon, he advised he still believed op was best way forward but up to me and no hard feelings if I back out, he promised he would take good care of me, and not to worry. I said I want the op just need to calm myself down. I asked for a premed, but they advised no time as I was going to be done first. a short while later the porter came for me, they we're going to take me to theatre on the bed, but I chose to walk as felt that would be less scary.

I lay on the bed, had a brief chat with the anasthetist, he then asked me to clench my fist a few times, I remember doing this about 3 times and the next thing I was waking up in the recovery room. It was truly amazing, I should not have been worried at all, the op was almost 2 hours but to me it was a blink of an eye. I did not even feel sick, just felt very relaxed and chilled out and no pain anywhere.

later in the day when I was properly awake the surgeon came to see me. He advised he was really happy with the op, none of the risks I was worried about had occured, he advised the herniation was massive, and a lot more severe than he saw on the mri, which tied in with my symptoms getting worse, he advised I definitely made the right decision as the nerve was very severely compresed, explaining why it was so painful, and there is no way it could have fixed itself. if left it would have got worse leading to a permanent problem. He explained to me I may get pain for some time as it recovers, he likened it to a heavy table on carpet, when you move the table the carpet has dents where the legs we're and these take time to go back to normal, he said the nerve is like this where it had been compressed and also it had shrunk.

in the evening the physio came to see me, he got me to stand up and straightaway he could see I only had my left leg on the floor, he said I don't need to protect the right leg anymore and to put the weight on it. gingerly I put my right foot down, and it was fantastic, it did not hurt at all, I forgot what it was like to stand on both feet and not be in pain. I was so happy.

I spent 3 nights in hospital, quite liked it, own room, TV, good food, being looked after, physio visits few times a day. on the last day did notice the pain coming back, the same kind of pain but 100 times less. was advised not to worry as this is expected. Journey home was a lot more comfortable than any traveling before the op, but did notice did not lIke any cornering g force, even very slight.

The next 2 weeks spent mostly lying down, minimum sitting, ten mins max. and ten mins per hour pottering about. and doing the gentle exercises given by the physio. trying fruitlessly to isolated and activate my deep core muscles. strictly no bending, leaning, no twisting. chose not to drive.

Have noticed the pain coming back and the cold feet, have read up on this and it can be various things. The nerve now properly awake and fixing itself. inflammation at the op site causing the same sciatic pain. Or more sinister it could be a reherniation, or scar tissue build up pushing on the nerve. I have had 2 physio visits since leaving hospital, and still doing the gentle exercises and 3 5minute walks per day and a short drive around the block. lying down for approx 40 mins per hour. I am really surprised how weak I am at present, I can only just manage the 5 min walk, and the route is probably a 1 to 2 min walk for a normal person.

The physio had advised not to worry about the pain returning as it's too early to tell if there is anything sinister going on.

Thanks for reading my story, I know it's a long one but for me this has been a big ordeal, I wanted to try and write something positive as so many negative stories out there. I am glad I had the surgery despite my worries ( I'm naturally a worrier ).

Any comments welcome especially anything encouraging. Also please feel free to ask any questions.