RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
hi Anahata and others,
I am Delvin, I have been suffuering from prolapsed disc for more than 12 yrs.
It recovered after some physiotherapy sessions when it first occured 12 yrs ago.
In recent 2 years, it recurred. Until half a year ago, the pain was intorelable
for 2-3 days. After taking the anti-inflammatory tablets, the pain totally disappeared. However, I discovered that there is numbness around
the back of my thigh and heel area of my left leg.
I am unable to tip toe too due to serious weakness and I limp when
I walk.
the Doctor recommended physio sessions again, but it doesn't help.
I knew it was worse than last time (12 yrs ago) cause I don't have the numbness and weakness then.
The physio does little help and Dr. recommened MRI. After checking the
the MRI scan, the Dr advise me to go for ops.
I went for the ops 1 month ago.
The result is the same.
No improvement to my numbness and weakness and I am still limping.
The Dr. is puzzled why there is no improvement besides I have others
side effect after the ops. Eg. heel pain once in a while and electric- shock
like pain shoot down my leg.
May I know anyone have the same problem as me, ie. weakness and numbness
and after the ops does it heals?
Thanks
Delvin
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hello Delvin!
I was the one who started this thread...
I am doing so much better now. Have stopped medication a month ago. I can do most of what I used to do before this stupid prolapsed disc... but I do have numbness still. It's in the knee area. It comes and goes. Very little pain though, perhaps as if I had banged my knee on a desk or something.
I had lost my relexes in that leg. What about you? Mine are somewhat back... but my doctor said reflexes don't always come back. It is something we have to live with...
When I touch the skin of my right leg, it still feels funny a bit. When I was in excruciating pain, I just couldn't even put a finger on my skin! Then had the numbness... and now it's well... half numb! Don't know if it will ever get better. I do hope so. I was told it could stay like that for the rest of my life.
Weakness... I do suffer from that too! Again, it's the knee the problem. Going up the stairs can be tricky for me. The knee gives way without warming. But I'm very stubborn and want to beat this ; I have started to exercice and take brisk walks. I still see progress each week.
My doc told me the operation only got rid of the PAIN. How come yours thought it would cure you??!!???
I was told that to REALLY get results... you need a steroids injection. It really makes the prolapsed disc shrink. Many have had good results with the injection.. or injections. I am due to see the specialist this month, on the 27th, but will wait to have it done. I'm still progressing and feel it is too early in my case to have this injection... If the pain comes back, I won't hesitate to have it done, believe me!!!! Will never EVER suffer like I did again. I refuse!
Jo, who posted in this thread too, had the operation on Oct 22nd. I still haven't heard from her. I can't wait to hear how she's doing.
I know someone who had the operation... twice! Again, it was just to get rid of the excruciating pain. The problem still comes and goes. I hear that eventhough a prolapsed disc can be very painful it's very common too... But still, made me want to jump off a bridge. Fortunately, couldn't walk! 😉
I'm still amazed you've suffered from this condition for 12 years... TWELVE YEARS!!!!! I do hope you get better.
Feel free to tell me how you're doing over the next few weeks!
Have a great day,
Marie
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hi Marie,
Thanks for your prompt reply. Great to hear you are doing well after the ops.
I didn't experience any pain before the ops. However the Dr. advised me
to go for the ops. since it has slipped out too much. If I don't go for ops.
the pain will come back.
I did ask the Dr. before the ops will the numbness and weakness go away
after the surgery. The Dr. told me the ops will cure the pain immediately, as for
numbness and weakness it may take longer times, maybe months or
up to a year.
I went to see the Dr. 3 weeks after the ops. and told him the weakness
and numbness did not improve and he was puzzled and couldn't give me
an explanation.
My problem is I am now limping as though I am a disable person, that's really
annoy me.
Rgds
Delvin
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hello (again) Delvin,
I know what you mean by limping... and feeling disabled. I could write a whole book on the matter! But we are not disabled!!!! Just recovering... 🙂
Now that you've had the operation, did your doctor recommend any type of physio or exercices to do? Have you started to be active again since the op? What do you do?
In my case, being active makes the difference when it comes to numbness, pain and such. And after a little workout, I take a hot bath with Epsom sals in it... and I massage my leg really good. Helps! Just some ideas you could try...
Best of luck! Hope you will see the end of this. You *M*U*S*T*!!!!
Bye for now,
Marie
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hello Marie,
I have my ops. on Oct 15, just barely more than a month. The Dr. doesn't
recommend me to do any form of excercise yet.
Hope I am in the recovering stage as you mentioned.
Thanks for the encouragement.
By the way, the Dr. prescribe me NeuroBio tablet to strengthen my nerves.
I have been taking it for close to 3 months, doesn't see any effect.
Delvin
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hi
I have recently seen an amazing man who can help with all types of back problems his details are below. Unfortunately he is in London. I hope it will be helpful to others:
Brian Godfrey ITEC MIPTI
Light Touch Therapy (Spinal Touch) Swedish Massage, London N12
One to One Sessions Tel: 020 8445 6990
email: ********************
Please mention Sue Bailey recommended you so he knows where you have heard about him from.
I also have other suggestions here under back problems which may help.
Warm Wishes
Sue
I did actually ask him if he minded me giving out his email address Mike and he was fine about it I would always do this before putting any information up here.
Anyone interested please feel free to call him it is an excellent therapy and well worth trying.
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
I would suggest not advertising third parties email addresses they may not appreciate it as it can be picked up by anyone and used for spam
I have removed the one above
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hi my name is Stu
I had a discoptomy in 1996, would i call it a success? yes and no i think is the answer. I think without it i would have never got any better, but on the negative side it took me about 4 years to get better. Within that 4 years i went through nearly every method of treatment (both convential and alternative), and found the only real improvement i had came from an attitude (that i wll not let this beat me), this for me worked, but only after i had the operation.
Sometimes the operation is neccessary, for somethings nature itself cannot cure, an operation is the last resort. For the last 3 years i have lived a normal life, but BANG all of a sudden my back went, and now the Dr's are saying i have bulge again on my spine, back the same old intense pain and disability. But things are different this time, my mental attitude is different, more stronger. For i know that whatever i have to do, whether phsio or operation etc, you will recover. To be able to live without pain for 3-4 years was a marvelous thing, and to go through 3-4 years of pain again now, just to have those 3-4 years without it, is worth it.
So what i am really saying is dont give up, things do get better, with whatever method you choose, but it is the believe that you will get better, is the most important, this will help you more that anything else.
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hello Stu!
I agree with you... the attitude IS important.
But the thing is... when you're in pain and for a long time, the attitude tends to go down the drain. Can we avoid this? Not really I think. Part of the 'learning' process I guess. There are a few lessons I would gladly do without!!! Anyway.
Many say they've beaten cancer because of their positive attitude... so why not a prolapsed disc?!?? 🙂
Thanks for sharing your story. Helps me not giving up hope. I'm doing much better, I've recovered 90% and am pain free. Yay!
Bye!
Marie
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Its Stu again
I've been reading all the threads again on the board and there seems to be people recommending all sorts of treatment, but the one the one i have learnt through my prevoius 4 years of pain, and through talking to other people, is that everybody responds differently to treatment. What is right for one person might not be right for another.
Like i said in my earlier post i went through most conventional and alternative therapies, it was trial and error that lead me to find what was right for me. For me the most effective relief for the pain was acupuncture, but it took me 3 different accupuncturists to find the one that worked, but my friend who had a similar operation said this did not help at all. It was the same the with what the Dr said, 'lay flat on your back and that should help the pain' but it didnt.
Personally i think you should try whatever therapy it takes to aliviate your pain, but dont be stupid with it, and listen to your own body (i think it knows best). But dont give up hope, even in the most deepest depths of pain when you think you can no longer take, you can.
At the moment i seem to back where i was 4 years ago, lying flat on my back, taking painkillers and diazepan to relax the muscles. Lying down's ok for the pain in the legs, but makes my back ache like hell, so i do a liitle of both, the lesser of two evils. Perhaps i am lucky in that i know eventually that i will get better, i have before so there is no reason why i wont again. It may take time, that is something you seem to have a lot of when you are in pain, but I will recover, operation or not.
To all you out there, never give up, it will get better.
take care
Stu
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hi Marie sorry to hear of your toubles and the others i reading about as regards lying down do you use a pillow under your knees when lying on your back surgery is the last resort please see the osteophath and the like first Massage can help althugh in Engalnd nobody will take responorbility for it as you may sue like the U.S.A. is it never intrapment or is there a more sinter reason for thids Pain are you aware are you deaLING WITH Surgens there only a stone through away from being Barbers abd Surgons remember that when they wantto charge you lotd of money for an OP I hope it doesnt come to this best of luck be lucky Lionheart.
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hello everyone!
Well I think I've (almost) fully recovered now... at least 95%! Still need a bit of strenght in my knee...
I didn't feel the doctor was keen to operate... although he was keen to start the injections. But since I saw improvement each week, I wanted to wait. A good thing I did!
Yes it does get better... but takes time! But life doesn't stop spinning around, there is work, the family to take care of... and THEY don't stop because we're in pain. It's that part that is hard to deal with. At some point, the pain takes all the room. It becomes you! Just a big blob of pain. If you don't do something, it sure will eat you up from the inside...
My heart goes out to all those people who still suffer...
Take care all and have a very merry Christmas... and may the New Year be a pain free one!
🙂
Marie
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Update... Am now fully recovered. So there is hope! Never give up!!!!
Marie
🙂
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
🙂 Hi Marie glad to hear you are recovered I notice my last post had many mistakes sorry for that. hope you enjoy a new pain free year ahead g-d bless love and light Lionheart
RE: Prolapsed disc... and in a lot of painnnnnn
Hi Marie
I had a prolapsed disc in 2002 and had the operation 9 weeks before I was due to get married. I was in that much pain, I had to go for it. And it's the best thing I could have done. The actual operation is not painful, it's the fact that you have to lay on your back for 2 weeks afterwards and you are basically lying on the wound, that hurts. It's more uncomfortable than painful. It is such a common operation now and I would definitely recommend you having it, if you are in that much pain.
I still get the odd backache now and my pelvis is very weak (partly my fault because I should be doing my exercises), but I don't get that disc pain anymore.
Go for it, you will feel much better.
S x