Best of luck Ricky...its been a journey and a half :). One thing that shines through is your positivity, its kept me going through some dark times so many thanks for that.
I think Im a few weeks behind you in the return to work stakes but things have settled down nicely so May I reckon for light duties.
Take care of the back buddy
all the best
Hi Doog and Ricky
I wish you both all the best in your full recovery. It has been a difficult time for you both.
I'd like to suggest you both try the alkaline diet, mentioned earlier, which will so help your recovery and help to reduce inflammation.
Another suggestion that might help your progress considerably is EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique, [url]see here[/url] for some stories where it has helped and there is a free basic download. I know you have both been on an emotional rollercoaster with your problem and I strongly feel that EFT could release the blocks to your speedy recovery. It is easy to learn and just one session with a practitioner - you can be guided over the phone once you know where to tap - who will guide you as to how to work on yourself could make all the difference. Very well worth a try.
All the best
Well done you are over the bad bit.
The nerves take time to recover a mm a day I hear.
You will need to gently stretch the back of the legs and sciatic nerve as it comes out of the spine and strengthen the deep postural muscles to keep the spine strong for the future.
Regards k
Physio and Pilates Teacher
rickyC / doog 🙂
Thanks so very much for sharing on here, it helps so much having food for thought when there are hard desisions to make. It would be amazing if once you are back to your real lives you pop back sometimes as I suspect long term sucssess disapears, but those at home again due to re-laps come back. It makes it feel a little scarry !!!
Again all the very best to you both for your returns.
P.s. I now have a date ; 1st May, I don't know whether to be excited that a reduction in pain is in sight, or scared !!!! 😮 (My hubby has had the opp but returned to work after 2 weeks, re-lapst and had 2 months in extream pain waiting for a second opp which worked, he is two years on and running 4 to 7 miles every other day. He does have occasional issues but not to the point of needing pain killers or stoping exersise or work.)
I feel like I am at the top of an absail, and don't know if the rope is strong enogh !!
Discectomy
I'm on the waiting list to have L4/L5 discectomy and decrompression in the next 6 to 8 weeks, I have read quite a few things on the internet and not all of them good, To say the least I'm in a bit of a quandry about having the op, but after suffering for nearly 30 years with back and leg pain, and having physio, accupuncture, and god knows what other treatment, I can't think of anything else, I have most of the time with back problems, with time off sick when the pain gets unbearable and difficulty walking, I have been off work this time for 4 months, and unsure how much longer I will be off work after the op, Any good comments appreciated.
John
Well things have improved greatly. Last Sunday was a 'as near as you get' pain free day in relation to the sciatica. Easily the best I have felt in 4 years.
Needless to say Monday wasnt so good, however today has been very good and I really think that the operation has worked. To be pain free is worth its weight in gold and mentally I feel like the cloud is lifting from over me.
I still have severe muscular type pain in my back when walking any distance, almost like a muscle spasm and sitting can be uncomfortable.
I saw my surgeon on Friday, he basically said I had been overdoing things,mainly walking too far. He also states that there will be other issues as the body learns to walk properly again after nearly 4 years of compensating for the injury.
His main advice was 'listen to your body'...
Thanks for all of your comments.
Lizzy, I wish you all the best for your operation, I am sure it will be worth it.
Thats fantastic news Doog. Delighted for you. I had the back spasms also. Sharp twisters that stop you in your tracks. Not so much now.
Working is interesting... yesterday i did 9hrs straight sitting down - no breaks. Friday i did 11hrs. Its the nature of the job with clients in the room all day with you. It looks like i'll have to make things work and be more active in stopping and taking breaks regardless of who's in the room.
Keep the walking up. i find 2 miles walk regularly is better than pushing for the 4 miles and overdoing it.
Keep truck'n!
I'm on the waiting list to have L4/L5 discectomy and decrompression in the next 6 to 8 weeks, I have read quite a few things on the internet and not all of them good, To say the least I'm in a bit of a quandry about having the op, but after suffering for nearly 30 years with back and leg pain, and having physio, accupuncture, and god knows what other treatment, I can't think of anything else, I have most of the time with back problems, with time off sick when the pain gets unbearable and difficulty walking, I have been off work this time for 4 months, and unsure how much longer I will be off work after the op, Any good comments appreciated.
John
Hiya John!
I am afraid your question is one of those 'how long is a peice of string' questions.
Assuming you haven't already done so John, you will need to ask your Surgeon loads of questions like; what is the name and nature of operation is he going to perform, how is it performed, what are the risks, how long do 'his' patient usually stay in hospital after the operation, what aftercare & rehab will you get and any thing else that concerns you. Surgeons don't usully like going in to that much detail, so you will have to push him/her and demand answers. Without them, you may well remain in a quandry right up to the operation day, I am sorry to have to say.
Knowledge is the key to enlightenment in life, so it is, in Spinal Surgery!
Best wishes and the best of luck for a good outcome!:)
SPINELF
The Dalai Lama on Life, Work, and Health
The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered:
"Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."
confused.com
hi all 😮
I have just returned from seeing my sergon re my L4/5 discectomy on first of may.
He asked me when I 'BROCK MY BACK' !!!!!!!!!!!!!
It seems higher up there is evidence that I have brocken it!!!!!! he showed me on the scan where the vervibray is a triangle, rather than rectangle 😮 other than telling me and asking when I did it he went back to discusing my discectomy.
I think I was a little shocked !!! Did not ask anything!
Anyone know if its a problem ????? :confused::(:confused:
hi all 😮
I have just returned from seeing my sergon re my L4/5 discectomy on first of may.
He asked me when I 'BROCK MY BACK' !!!!!!!!!!!!!It seems higher up there is evidence that I have brocken it!!!!!! he showed me on the scan where the vervibray is a triangle, rather than rectangle 😮 other than telling me and asking when I did it he went back to discusing my discectomy.
I think I was a little shocked !!! Did not ask anything!
Anyone know if its a problem ????? :confused::(:confused:
I, and I'm sure, other HP members too, are aslo shocked Lizzy!
But mainly at your Surgeon's uncaring and unenlightening atitude towards you and your care!!
You ask, is it problem? I say Yes!!
I would ask you to seriously and urgently consider a getting a 2nd opinion!!
Find a world class Spinal Trauma Surgeon and ask him/her, please!!
If the broken level is 'unresolved' and is 'unstable' it certainly will not not help matters!!
Let us know what you decide Lizzy.
Best wishes
SPINELF
hi all 😮
I have just returned from seeing my sergon re my L4/5 discectomy on first of may.
He asked me when I 'BROCK MY BACK' !!!!!!!!!!!!!It seems higher up there is evidence that I have brocken it!!!!!! he showed me on the scan where the vervibray is a triangle, rather than rectangle 😮 other than telling me and asking when I did it he went back to discusing my discectomy.
I think I was a little shocked !!! Did not ask anything!
Anyone know if its a problem ????? :confused::(:confused:
Oh dear, that is quite a shock!! I know cos it happened to me too. But thankfully it was Mr Martin Knight that told me and discussed the fracture and pointed out on the xrays where it was and how it affected my whole body stance and the way my vertebrae react on top of one another causing a lot of compression and degeneration as none of the vertebrae were straight anymore. . Luckily I was 15 when it happened and so I had a lot of growth left that helped mend the fracture. Mine was a compression fracture from when a horse landed on my shoulder and I was then bed rested for around 4 months, not because of the fracture, (it was never even xrayed till 30 years later lol by MK), but because I got dizzy and sick when I stood up after the accident lol!
Your surgeon is the best person to discuss this with, and soon, before the operation. Research him and ring his secretary and speak to her about how you feel.
I was offered a disectomy like you from the first surgeon I saw, I said no as he said it wouldn't stop the chronic back pain I have had all my life. Be sure that yours will. Disectomies usually only help leg pain.
Hopefully you have got over the shock, do you have any idea when it happened? Were you aware? Was it treated?
I think I know when I did it, about 6 years ago, but having had imobilising lower back spasms in the past the level of pain did not sugest to me a major prob, I did see my doc the next day, he sugested I went to a chiropractor and gave me pain relife, I was not working at the time so a chiropractor was not an option.
I am going ahead with my disectomy as the leg symtoms I have are very disabling and have has some momentery 'tingling' in sadle area (Only for a few mins after over doing it)
Its taken since november to get this opperation, I can not make more than a day or two at a time at work and am nearly out of sick pay!!!!
My plan is to get lower back delt with first then start asking about upper back!
What I don't know is what probs a disk bulge at this level can cause ??? I 'feel it' sometimes, but like neck ach after you have slept funny rather than disabling pain
Any one with any info ??? sorry if I'm sounding a little stressed !
yet another Update!!
3wks back in work. Straight into lates and commute. First 2 weeks were tough. This week started to level out. Got fitted for a custom chair & support for the car. I got measured and they cut it to my shape with added lumbar support. Genius idea!! Costly though.
Still have pain here and there mostly on the left side which is the opposite to the surgery. Hard to find the balance between work, rest and exercise.
New goggles, swim hat and even invested in a bicycle with a little side for the young fella!!
Keep truck'in!
How ya doing doog?
Well done Ricky - keep up the good work - carefully!!
Lizzy - so sorry to hear of your problems. Please can you read my post (no 69)here on another thread. Do please get your diet sorted before anything gets any worse.
Love and Light