Thanks for your replies.
My current condition is this, six weeks after the latest relapse (10mm L5/S1 paracentral extrusion) and 3 years after the original accident : acute sciatic pain in right leg and deep pain in back, however it is being controlled by Naproxen. There has been an improvement in the last 2 weeks.
Physio is aggravating the sciatica, which clearly it shouldnt. I am walking further every day and am not suffering acute pain unless I cut down on Naproxen.
I have an appointment with my occupational health GP next week, they have stated they will pay for a consultation with a surgeon if necessary.
David- Maldon - you mention the glass back syndrome. The same disc has gone twice in 3 years. Do you think this disc will always be weak? If surgery will prevent it going again I will have surgery - however as I am seeing signs of improvement will a surgeon operate? Seems unlikely, I have also read the discectomy after the operation thread and dont know if I could go through that rehabilitation.
It looks like a repeat of 2008 and many months of recovery, core strengthening and medication. This is what gets me down and nothing to say it wont happen again- even if I have surgery.
Hiya Ftbird.
Im not going to disagree with studies or reports, scientific or not, but I am speaking from first hand experience and traditional surgery can be completely succesful in a lot of patients. If the surgery was so bad it would not be performed anywhere in the world! Patient, Surgeon and the correct attitude to recovery is paramount in any surgery including MISS!
I don't want to perpetuate the agruement and I do accept that there are caring Surgeons carrying out 'standard spine surgery' in a caring way, but I do believe they are (sadly) few and far between. However, you can quite easily answer your own question and find out whether your hypothosis is correct.
Send the following 'Freedom of Information request' to your local NHS spine unit!
((Please supply me with full details of your safety & efficacy rates for all spinal decompression procedures. These include, but are not limited to, open back surgery, Microdiscectomy, Laminectomy, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, all Fusions procedures, Disk Replacement procedures and so on.))
((Also, Please supply me with the all and any information regarding the appropriateness of the above procedures, togeather with the results of all randomised and other clinical trials related to the above procedures.))
I have tried to get this information for over 4 years from 5 NHS Trusts (UK wide), and each time the responce was the same:
''we do not rutinely make, record or keep this information''
In other words Fitbird, they cannot prove that these procedures are safe, effective or appropriate! As a potential recpient of these procedures, I am 'totally unable' to make an 'informed choice' regaring whether to undergo these procedures, because the Spinal Surgeons do not make or publish information that is available to the public! WHY?
Believe me, if thier procedures were any where near a 100% success rate, we would never here the end of their self pomotion.
I am not being facicious Fitbird, please try this, let us know what you find.
Best wishes
SPINELF