Discectomy - After the Operation

[Free Market Anti-Statist]

Hi All,

Looking at all the posts at the moment it all seems a bit doom and gloom with post op pain.

I am now 3 months a 1 week post op. I think the key to it all is to do small amounts everyday and then build from there. I started with just walks then swimming a little later i was in the gym. Now i go swimming or to the gym most days, i stretch everyday for about 30 mintues at night sometimes twice a day. In the last few days with my wife i have put up kitchen cupboards and some gardening today.

You need to work on your core muscles and this can be done at home with a gym ball.

I wouldn't say i am totaly pain free because i get aches in my back and my hips when i have done too much bending, also my right leg (damaged nerve) will throb a bit when i have lifted too heavy.

I think we all need to have a word with ourselves sometimes to say that we can do it and will not be beaten.

Think Positive

Olli

 

[Master of Eternity]

Olli, thats fantastic advice. Positiver thinking is the most important thing, and taking 1 day at a time on the road to recovery. Everyone I have spoken to has said that it takes months for the pain to really go away, especially with nerve pain. I guess we just have to trust the consultants and do as they say!

Im having to have another nerve block on saturday as my post op sciatica has been terrible (5.5 weeks now). Im hoping that this will settle it down as I need to go back to work in a couple of weeks!

Anyway positive thinking!

Ben

 

[pmehnuraizqiscejy]

Hi everyone, so many posts to keep up with today! Tracey, things at work have got very messy indeed, and if you've been with the NHS for a while you'll know how messy that can be. I've watched other people get 'wiped out' because of health or domestic problems, but never thought I would be one of them. I'm trying to fight back but that is making me unbelievably stressed. That's another thing these consultants don't consider...all the stuff you try to cope with as well as dealing with pain and drugs. I always hope this nightmare will be over soon but it doesn't look like it will be.

Jess, March isn't my surgery date but my appointment to look at my upper back problems....just a bit screwed up around there. So now I'm waiting for a lumbar discectomy and also for someone to fix my upper back. Theres not a hope in hell of going private, unless I can sell the kids to the slave trade. I know how much it costs for one disc to get sorted, but I dread to think how much the upper back would cost (remember, 2 prolapsed discs, with one distorting my spinal cord....I still don't like that thought). But I am really pleased that everything has worked out for you, I shouldn't think you have any doubts about whether it was the right thing to do.

Ali....Oh Ali! My partner in suffering, I suspect the epidural is some sort of placebo to keep us from whingeing, I think it's a useless waste of money anyway. We have no choice but to play the waiting game I suppose, but I'm thinking about you my dear. Chin up!

 

[agelpgeast36]

i finally attended my nhs consultation appointment yesterday. i was referred in april, so probably an average wait time... obviously having had the operation privately, i tried desperately to cancel the appointment. seriously, i phoned what felt like 100 times and could never get through to anyone. no wonder there were never any cancellations when i so desperately wanted one. so i decided i would go and annoy the consultant, rather than give him a 10 minute freebie coffee break.

arrived at the hospital and realised i had no clue where to go - there was no info on the letter and it is one of the biggest hospitals in glasgow! eventually found the right department, 10 min wait and then saw a physio(!!!!), not even the consultant himself.

She was actually lovely and very helpful in talking me through some post op worries. here are a few things she told me that i thought some of you might find useful...

the average wait for an op at that hospital is 18 weeks. if i ever needed convincing that extra debt was worth it, that was it. melza...do you really need all those children???

they recommend 6-12 weeks off work post op. i plan to make the most of my full pay sick pay and take an extra 2 on top of my planned 6. i have been advised that the 3 weeks of horrendous drug withdrawal counts as 'complications' so i should really start counting from week 3 post op anyway.

i was told that the chance of another prolapse from the same disc is very small, particularly because so much of it was taken out. also, our chances of prolapsing a different disc are apparently the same as anyone else out there. possibly even less because we are likely to be more cautious and to take better care of ourselves in terms of core strength etc.

in contrast to my other physio, this one recommended no stretching that pulled on the nerve, to avoid irritating it. however, i think i will stick with the original advice cos don't want to be really stiff for months and then pull my hamstring or nerve by doing something silly. if that makes sense.

and finally, hopefully this is good news for some, but apparently having surgery within 6 months of significant symptoms usually leads to a return to normal functioning and within 12 months the outcomes are also very positive.

not sure where all these stats come from, but it made me feel better, so hopefully helps you all to feel more positive too

jess xx

 

[Homer]

Thanks for passing that all on Jess, I think it's really strange that everyone is given different advice, but it's all very good to know anyway. I was a bit worried about the good outcome if treated within 6 months of symptoms, the lumbar disc has been over a year and the cervical spine disc symptoms started last Christmas. I shall be recovering into my old age I reckon.

And you brought up another of my objections in this system. I don't know about anyone else but for my treatment I had to go through the physio, then to the back clinic and then a referral for an MRI scan and consultant appointment (it took months!) How damned annoying to finally get close to the consultant and find that you're seeing a physiotherapist for yet another assessment when you get there.....I found that infuriating and think the process is bad enough as it is.

Sent a desperate note to my GP about the March appointment, I really don't think I have the stamina to wait so long just for a consultation...it's just so depressing!

 

[Shiraz]

Jess

Thanks for sharing this is really encouraging. I too had the NHS physio advise about not much stretching so as not to irritate nerve. Because I started some too early, apparently this is why still some twinges. I am now sticking to the gentle and start more serious stuff next week, at 9 weeks and in the meantime walk as much as possible. I started work after 6 weeks and far too much sitting, on a variety of uncomfortable chairs in meetings, has left me with a sore back, to add to my previous twinges. Still nothing like before, so I am just, with the help of this site, as positive as possible.

Melza apparently the Gov taget for treatments/ surgery is within 18 weeks and if the waiting list is longer you can go through one of the private hospitals and NHS pay. Choice and book, have a look at Nuffield or anothers' website for details.

Ben, hope you get on OK today and finally get rid of your pain.

best wishes all
howie

 

[CroManaeao]

Hi

Try to keep your sprits up. March date is utterly rediculous - keep fighting & pushing. It must seem to you as if the system is working against you rather than for you.

I spoke to one of my mates who is a GP, and guess what depression is one of the key risks for people awaiting surgery and recoveinng as the whole process is soooo loooong. Something we all need to keep in mind being positive is so important. Try to keep fighting and pushing them and don't get dragged down you will get through this.

Might seem a bit dodgey but do you think lobbying your local MP might help? They are all looking for support at the moment and most have constituant surgerys. If MPs write to heads of government departments I have been told they have to look into it and can't ignore it.

Rod

 

[Nikki H]

First off hi, I've been reading through these posts since I first suffered from the same symptoms as most here back in mid june and now have some experience to share.

I could say that I suffered from very mild lower back pain for around 18 months, nothing which affected my day to day life, then during mid June whilst in Spain I got out of bed one morning and felt a strange slight pain down my right leg to the knee.
One day later I travelled to Kazakhstan via Madrid / London which made a big difference to my condition, once in Kazakhstan I could barely walk from the pain and was sent back to the UK after 5 days.
My GP told me I had sciatica and could possibly see a physiotherapist in 3 weeks time!
Luckily I have private medical insurance so I promptly sorted out my own Physio appointment for the following week, the pain was getting much worse by now. The physio told me I was beyond her help and gave me accupunture for the pain and recommended I get an urgent referral to a surgeon due to drop foot etc etc.
I saw the surgeon 2 weeks later on a Thursday, had the MRI on the Friday and was operated on the following Tuesday suffering from a large disk protrusion L4/L5.

After waking from the operation the sciatica was gone, I left the hospital Saturday with my tramadol.
I came off all the medication 5 days after getting home and was promptly sick for 2 days, not very nice but at least I was off medication.
The recovery process was good even though I was not advised or given any physiotherapy, after 7 days I could walk a couple of miles which compared to 20 meters before surgery was fantastic.
I saw my surgeon after 4 weeks and he had some concerns over my tight back and hamstrings and queried why the physiotherapist had advised just to do things as normal ie no specific exercises.
6 weeks after surgery I jetted back off to Spain and picked up my campervan and had a holiday, swimming cycling and walking as I had done before any of this started.
I'm now back at work on light duties in Kazakhstan, mainly sitting at a desk.

Because I'm not as active here as I have been in the previous 2 weeks I'm starting to feel aches in my lower calf, walking around the carpark does help.

From reading lots of these threads I realise I was lucky to have the medical insurance and get dealt with so quickly.

My question really is, should I be doing anything specific like stretching etc?
At the moment I guess Im still in protect the back mode, I can bend over so my fingers are 8 inches from the ground.
I feel tight behind my knee if I sitting and try and stretch out my leg.
Before surgery I used to surf every day of my time off (work 4 weeks on 4 weeks off) and hope to be back doing this in the next couple of months.
If so then I would be so happy after being so low at some points at the beginning of all of this.

Sorry about being so long winded, at least I can keep it short now.

I wish all the best of luck to all of you who are suffering and the speediest of recoveries to those who are post op.

Nick

 

[Obi N]

Dear All

I'm so sorry to hear some of you are still suffering terribly. I was one of those whose decided not to go with surgery and so far so good.

I have been seeing an osteopath, physio and doing pilates for last 2-3 months and I am almost fully functional. I have disc protusion L4/5 L5/SS1 and also degenarative disc.

It all costs alot of money but I'm able to play football now. Have no pain in right leg, although my calf can get very stiff. A little pain in my left leg that comes 1 day lasts for about a minute and then I dont see it for another 3-4 days.

The key thing that I have found is doing lots of exercises, working my pelvic floor muscles, correcting posture and having a good chair at work...

I hope you all get better soon as there is nothing worse than back pain...

Will

 

[Veneembonee]

Hey Everyone,

Hi Melza, hows it going, have they managed to bring your appointment forward yet?
I rang the hospital on Monday and they said that the surgeon will be putting together the lists of his urgent patient this week or next week, i wont hold my breath though as i am painfully aware of his tendency to bugger off on holiday at a moments notice.

These blasted migraines are getting me down though, they render me completely useless, and cannot do anything but lie in bed for hours on end, praying they will go.
Thats another reason why they need to hurry up, because its the painkillers for my prolapse that are cauing them grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pain has eased a little, and have managed to get around without crutches for a few days, although i am paying the price for that today! Have pain running right down my right leg and my butt cheek is smarting ha ha! We gotta have a sense of humour about these things eh, or we will all be on a one way trip to the local asylum!!!

I hope you are holding up ok melza hun, am thinking of you! xxxxxx ) lotsa of love xxxxx

 

[BestEyeCream]

Ali!! I wondered where you had gone, I'm so glad I have you to understand the illogical organisation in the NHS (what organisation!). Actually folks, I was so incensed about my MARCH appointment that I sent a copy to my GP with the words 'LOOK AT THE DATE' on top and then some hysterical ranting to finish off. The other evening her secretary phoned and told me my GP wants to see me ASAP.....so, either I'm about to be sectioned or she is about to perform a miracle. I won't hedge my bets either way. Unfortunately my ASAP is 2 Oct, I have to go to Occy health to be assessed for work at the earlier date, and we all know I can't miss that! Priorities.

You mentioned migraines Alli....I've had a lot of tension around the back of my neck and some killer headaches (migriane type) recently, I thought that was down to upper disc problems but now wonder if I'm right. I never had them with the drugs before.

By the way, I know there are some lucky folks passing through here who have been able to resolve their disc problems without surgery. I just want to say that most of us have been down that route, I've had a million assesssments, exercises, epidural and anything else they can throw at me. Now the desperate ones are left hoping for anything that will make it all better again. How we dream.

And to add insult to injury I now have man flu, and yes, even a woman can get that pathetic!

 

[olutepcg]

I had been away as it was my 30th Birthday!

I went to the doctor about my migraines and he said they were a side effect of the morphine tablets! Sods Law eh? have been off work for 3 days....yuk!
It is a total mystery how painkillers cause headaches...very strange!

Yeah, maybe one day we will understand the methods behind the madness of the NHS appointments system! But as i said, i wont hold me breath!

Lots of luv, from Ali x

 

[mbtmbt]

just a very quick sympathising post...

melza, i too have man flu. got it from my husband. it sucks. especially cos sneezing still hurts my back.

and ali, i too just surivived the trauma of turning 30. congratulations to you! has anyone mentioned that your scan pictures are 20-30 years too old for you?!

big (gentle) hugs xx

 

[Kish Kisshu]

Even I got told my scan reports are too old for me, and I'm 20 years older than you young pups. Did a cheer up exercise yesterday and had my hair cut (a bit different), my very dark hair now has a long pinky/red streak at the front. Bathroom looks like a massacre has taken place though but ready for my mental health sectioning next week.

Whatever is happening in your world, have a little smile for the mad drugged up old woman who finally lost her grip on sanity.

 

[Melly<3]

Hi Guys,

i am coming up to 4 months post op. I am still doing ok. I am still on light duties at work but hope to be back on the fire engines in about 6-8 weeks. I am not pain free, i get pain in my right leg if i do too much bending or too lifting. Its not like true sciatic pain its more like a spikey pain. My back feels good but that will ache if i do too much.

So i can say that the op has worked 95%. I get upset that i am not pain free but as everyone keeps telling me the nerve can take a long time to heal or it could be that i may have to live with some sort of pain.

I do not take pain killers just the odd one now and again. I would love to have another scan just to see what is going on in my back but i bet if i asked the NHS would have have a heart attack.

I know some of you guys have had lots of post op pain which must be so frustrating. All i have learnt about my pain is if i bend too much i ache or if i do alot of exercises which involve hamstrings i ache.

Still i am positive and hope to get back to full time work soon.

Think Positive

Olli

 

[June V]

Hi All
I'm new to this site & have found everyone's comments helpful.
I put my back out in June of this year & MRI revealed I had 2 prolapsed disc one apparently quite 'impressive' according to my consultant. I wasn't suffering a huge amount of pain (although at the time when it first occured it was excrutiating) my main problem was numbess & tingling, burning, cramping etc in my lower leg & foot. Consultant decided to go straight for microdiscectomy to try to avoid long term nerve damage. Had op 22nd Sep 08 so I'm now around 3 weeks post op. I have to say, I was gearing myself up for lots of pain & painkillers and immobility but how wrong I was. I ahve touched a painkiller for at least 10 days and I am out and about shopping etc.(my first day 'out' was last Thursday (17 days post op). Unfortunately the op doesn't appear to have made any difference to the problems with my lower leg & foot and I still have twinges od sciatica in my left buttock...I'm beginning to think my surgeon made the incision & then just clipped me back together lol............. seriously though does this sound normal ie: numbness & pins & needles post op. Incidentally I start physio on Monday...
Thanks
Lynn

 

[Marnie B]

It seems continued nerve damage can be a problem, post oppers will confirm that, although I am amazed you were treated so quickly. You lucky lucky person.

Anyone following my tedious route to surgery will be pleased to hear that my GP has written to the Southampton consultant to see if she can bring March 24th appointment forward. Other than that I can refer myself to any hospital in England for treatment....but how on earth do i find out about waiting lists so I can make my decision.

Unfortunately I've been feeling moderately pain free for a few days and so had a good clean up in the lounge, still no pain, even when I woke up next day. The simple act of making my bed however has caused something to twist or something and it's agony! Drugged up again but really really unhappy about it. My fault I suppose, but then how long can you really spend doing nothing at all....I was getting bored to death.

 

[Sarah Martin]

Post op pain is common and it may even get more painfull the more you do. A nerve can take a very long time to heal. If you think of it as a scab, if you leave a scab it will just heal over and form a nice protective coat over your cut if you keep picking at the edge it will take a long time to heal. When you move, stretch and lift it is as if you are picking at the nerve which is healing. The bad news is if you just lay there and do nothing this will make things worse because the nerve needs to be stimulated to heal.

I do not seem to get true sciatic pain but i do get a spiky pain in my right leg if i do too much (which is most of the time). The Doc has said i may have this pain for ever or it may go after a while. I think that the nerve in the right leg is damaged so is gets angry when i do too much.

I do not get numbness or pins and needles but again if the nerve is damaged this is something that may take a while to heal. If it get worse i would see my doctor.

Olli

 

[Siratul M]

No idea why I was treated so quickly just lucky I guess.... Noticed you work for NHS, me to although that didn't have any bearing on how quickly I was treated. I believe it was because my 'bulge' was very 'impressive' and the fact that I could hardly bear to put a closed in shoe on. I've lived in flip flops sonce June & my toes were starting to fell the cold with the change in season

 

[blueeyed girl]

Hi

I am now exactly five months post op.

The dropped foot and pain subsided immediately after the op and went away.

I returned to work post op week 6. I have had several weeks of pain initially three weeks post op that lasted a month and lately I sprained my back cycling - the pain was excruciating and I have had four weeks of muscle spasms and absolute hell. None the less I forced myself into work.

I now have mild sciatic symptoms in the morning but my back is now straight. I am now going to go back to exercise but more gently. The fog of pain has gone and life seems better.

To all of you out there in pain I wish you all the best and keep your hopes up. It can get better, try not to let it grind you down - chronic pain is such a huge cross to bear.

Rod