If the symptoms are severe and you have numbness and loss of power it might be worth asking your GP for a referral to a consultant neurologist if things dont improve. I have just spent four weeks off work with similar problem and it does get you down. Most of these problems sort themselves out - keep your spirits up.
Dear Pinksmartie, you must insist that you are referred for a MRI / CT scan as left these symptoms you describe are a little worrying, the numbness usally means you crushed a nerve and they usally require decompression asap, please go back to your gp / doctor and dont leave until its too late.Good luck.
simon t.
Doing Great
I had surgery on a prolapsed L5/S1 disc a year ago. To be honest it was the toughest 4 months of my life. I have never known pain like it. The worst point of all was a day after surgery I had to do my physio, the pain was so intense i passed out.
Now a year on I have my life back. Climbing the mountains of Scotland at the weekend, and working hard all week. As long as you do what you are told, and DO NOT try to much you will be fine.
There was another guy I met at the hospital last year. He pulled out at the last minute, but we kept in touch. He is still in agony and says it is the biggest regret of his life.
In my opinion nothing but surgery will cure it. So I would say to anyone get the operation and move on. As another guy said do not research to much. Just get it done.
Good luck to anyone going to have the op, I hope i never hear the words prolapsed or Disc EVER AGAIN...
hiya ,,i had surgery on 2 discs almost 2 years ago and when i woke up out the anasthetic the pain relief from down my leg and bum cheek was amazing!! it was good for about 1 year and then the tell tale little signs ..cramps spasms etc crept back ..my gp has been reluctant to refer me back to the surgeon and i am on all sort of pain releif ..butrans patches. tramadol..oxydodone. anti inflammatory.quinine..the list is endless...he even comes to my home to give me morphene injections when i get a spasm and cant move position
i now have an appointment at the end of the month to see a surgeon 9 weeks after m y gp referred me as urgent but have been told i will probably be sent to a pain clinic instead of another mri scan. why cant they just give me another mri scan given my past symptoms etc,,i know the signs and my own body i have numbness all down back of my leg my left foot my last 2 toes on my left foot, extreme weakness to my left leg and foot.bent over like an old woman of 90. these people who we trust with our lives dont realise just how much we depend on being nmobile when we have familys jobs etci just feel at my wits end and so let down by the nhs....ok my rants over lol !!!
Hi, im new to this.
Im 18 years old and suffering from "disc prolapse between the 5th lumbar vertebra dn the sacrum (tail bone). which is impinging on the left S1 nerve root."
My mates and family think im really young for this, but my gp sent me for a MRI and then i got the letter saying i need microsurgery. however im a sport student, studying to be a pe teacher. But alot of things we do in class ( trampolining, gym work, weights, all the sports you can think of !) i find really sore and hard. Im going ahead with surgery which will take place within 2months BUT all the teachers say i should wait until the summer and they are not happy that i can't take part in anything/don't understand. I have sent them the letter that i got from the sugeron.
Can someone tell what happends after sugery ie; do u get walking aids and how long until i can go back to college just to watch. And can someone tell me what i should do and not do just now at college ie; should i do sports ?
thanks in advance
Hi Gregdfc,
I have the same operaton on Tuesday next week, all your questions and more are answered on another thread "after the discectomy (operation)" on this web site. Take a morning out and read it from stsrt to finish.
I think its worth remembering that the very positive outcome people are less likely to post on these sites, but for good advice and an insight into what you can expect that thread is the one for you.
Good luck, Al
Hi gregdfc
I agree with what Alistair has said. Come on over to the other thread as there are many of us there who have been in the same situation as you.
You may well find trying to do sport difficult if your symptoms are bad (and obviously they are bad, as you have been referred for surgery).
Maybe you could try finding a sports physio who might be able to give you some direction both pre and post surgery about suitable activities. Core strength is super important for those of us with back issues, particularly those of us who have athletic pursuits. I have found the advice of a sports physio to be very helpful.
As your recovery progresses, walking, swimming and pilates are good to do after a discectomy to help improve strength.
I'm 3 months post-discectomy and I have returned slowly but surely to sport. Good luck 🙂
gregdfc,
You should get up and walk about straight away. You are young so you should heal and recove quicker than most,after4 weeks i was walking 2 miles twice a day and do loads of stretching. I am a fire fighter and had very bad pains in both legs for about 6 months, i could hardly walk. 6 weeks after the op i was back at work on light duties and 6 months after the op i was back on full operational duties. I still get sore and tight but i am getting stronger every week.
This week i have just started running again. I do 200m walk the 200m run, i do this for 2km. I am now 9 months post op and doing ok. If you follow the exercises and do the stretching i think you will be fine. There are many sportsmen who play rugby, football and other sports who have this operation and then carry on with there sports.
Hope it goes well.
Olli
I'm in shock !
Over 10,700 have read my thread about my 'disk' operation from 2004, I only hope writing about my experience has put others at ease and hopefully answered some questions....
Im just sorry that so many people are suffering like i did for many years....
Hi, I had back problems for over ten years, every time I went to my GP he just gave me the ususal blurb and pain killers.
Then in 2004 I started to lose feeling in my right leg until my right foot became completely numb, the pain in my back so excruciating I couldnt move without a sharp intake of breath and gritted teeth (I have quite high pain tolerance)
It was while I was looking after my parents home in another county that the pain became so intolerable I had to call their GP, he referred me to A&E immediately, after several hours waiting I finally got to see a doctor who then booked me into outpatients, I had to wait another 2 days til the appointment. After the consultation I was immediately admitted into hospital, I had an MRI scan which showed that L3 and L4 discs had disintegrated so badly the specialist advised me that i could have permanent damage caused by the disc material crushing my nerves, this meant minimal feeling in my right leg and permanent drop foot.
After a week in hospital I had the operation, and after a few months convalescence and steady muscle toning I was able to walk normally, I still have a numb big toe and get back pain now and again but with regular excercise and not slouching on the sofa too much my back is fine.
If you feel your gp is just fobbing you off and the numbness of limbs is constant, insist on an MRI and don't take no for an answer!
take time out get a mri scan through in health i got a mri scan in north london with in three weeks , hav prolasped disc l5 s1 as yoga and ex dancer this is annoying but i have learnt to get on with it i am 42 slim never over weight and healthy but now have pain some days and some none get the sacn find out i would never have surgery to many chances other disc will deteriate afterwards and take pilates good luck .darran
My other half has L5 S1 prolapsed disc and has been using acupuncture for pain relief and this has worked very well - he is back to work a couple of days a week. I understand that acupuncture is now available in some areas (unfortunately not where we live) through the NHS and is worth discussing with your GP. He is now waiting for surgery, although reading all your threads, his pain is not as bad as most of yours and I am now thinking that maybe surgery is not the best option.
We have also had bad experiences of GP's with one recently telling him that the pain was in his head, although he had a MRI scan which clearly showed the prolapse! He no longer sees that GP and asks for the GP that initially diagnosed him who has been most helpful.
Good luck to all who have had/waiting for the operatioin and a speedy recovery
Hi coffee123,
I think surgery has to be the final option if nothing else can solve or manage the disc prolapse. I have had acupuncture from a physio when suffering left leg sciatica and am lucky the NHS do provide this service in my area. It managed the pain but did not get rid of it unfortunately. I had the choice of an epidural with a chance of 50% success or an L5 S1 discectomy which so far, 17 weeks post op, has solved my back problem. The chance of operation success was 95% in my case.
As you may have seen on other people's comments, back strengthening is key with a physio if possible to manage the pain now as well as if an op is required. Hopefully not.
A question to ask would be the %chance of success rate from the surgeon if and when your other half discusses or has discussed the MRI scan with the surgeon.
Hope your other half's prolapsed disc does not require surgery and the pain can be managed.
Best wishes
dalep115
I am not alone!
I have just stumbled on this forum and delighted to see I am not alone! Although I can sympathise with you all as I have had leg and bum pain since at least the end of May and back pain since July. I put off going to the Dr until mid July, which is when the pain stopped me sleeping and when after 4 hours at work I coundn't stand any longer. I got the usual 'take painkillers and here's some diclofenac' etc.....
I was referred for Physio but after the pain got much worse I decided to see an osteopath who was highly was recommeded by a friend whom he had 'cured' of sciatica. However, after 3 sessions (and £120 down!) I was in more pain than ever - took me days to recover after each session and in the end, the osteopath admitted that it wasn't working for me.
Since going back to work after 4 weeks off (school job), the pain is much worse so I went back to the Dr who was shocked I hadn't been seen by a physio yet, she phoned our local hospital and 'Hey Presto' I am going in the morning. My Dr said that if she refers me for a scan they won't do it until I have tried physio! After the osteopathy failing I don't hold out much hope!
I admit I am a couple of stones overweight but I am a busy, working Mum with 3 children, I'm certainly no couch potato. It's such a shame that scans/appt's take so blooming long. If I could afford it I would pay privately for an MRI scan to at least tell me if it's a disc problem. If not, then I will have to work on things but if it is, I am all for having surgery because at 37, I don't want to live with this quite literal pain in the arse forever!
Thank you for posting a positive of the operation!
I'm so terrified of having the operation that I make children look fearless against the boogeyman.
To hear that it worked out for you hellsbells after the operation is brilliant. I shouldn't be as scared as I am, as my brother had a disc operation on his neck and it went really well for him.
This would be my first operation also and that scares the hell out of me but to know as first operations go you got through it has helped me so thank you for sharing your story hopefully when i'm panicking in the hospital i'll be thinking it worked out for you lol x x x