Discectomy - After the Operation

[LeeLee]

Hi All

I'm continuing to feel quite well - each day I can walk a bit further. My aim by the end of this week is to walk to my local coffee shop. People got used to seeing me limping around my local area i the weeks before my operation and even though I am doing the 'slow shuffle' for now, they have remarked that I am now walking much better than I was pre-operation. I am certainly feeling like the operation was definitely the right thing to do. I am lucky that I also came into contact with some really good nursing staff on the morning of my op.

This may make some of you laugh - when I got the details of my operation someone made a 'little admin error' and told me that I needed to fast for three days. I was panicking more about not being able to drink any water for three days than I was about the surgery itself. Fortunately we got it sorted out ...

 

[line writer]

I know I keep popping in here but that did make me laugh Subi, good job you were able to question those instructions don't you think. I am being admitted at 11am but can eat a light breakfast before 7am....my alarm shall be set for 6!

 

[dopespoug]

good luck olli!

i am heading back to work (reluctantly) tomorrow. will let you know how it goes.

so far am already mad at my employer - told them in august that i would require a new chair with lumbar support. then went in for a 'workstation assessment' 5 weeks ago and assumed the chair thing would then be arranged. today i was given a number to call about the new chair and have been told my application will be processed within 30 days and i will then find out if i 'qualify' for any assistance. don't even really think i need one, but it's the principle!!!!!

my recovery is going well still. managed to get back on the trapeze (was in an aerial acrobatics group prior to all this back stuff) at the weekend, but felt so weak and heavy that i came back down pretty quickly. no plans to return to it properly, am enjoying the pilates too much... still stiff and sore at times and have an achy leg when i think about it. also hurts when i sneeze, but otherwise all ok

thinking of you all this week, especially with the impending ops. good luck good luck good luck!!! xx

 

[Circo Bbilanello]

Yes, Melza, I thought I may have been in hospital a bit longer sorting out a dehydration problem after not drinking for 3 days!! When I questioned the medical receptionist who'd given me the info about 3 days being a long time not to drink, she said 'oh, just drink a Gatorade'. ??? Good thing I re-checked it again the next day - she'd thought I was going in for surgery on a Friday, rather than a Monday.

Good luck to jess22 and fireolli heading back to work. Let us know how it goes.

 

[qabqsmlh]

Hi All
I had my first day back at work yesterday, it was ok though I had forgotten what a 6am alarm call sounded like!!!!!!!!! So tired I was asleep by 8.30pm last night lol... going back on a graduated return so off again today and in tomorrow. I could get used to this part time working

 

[PJams]

Hi all!!!!!!!!
It is so good to hear that you are all doing so well & getting back to work. Last week I could feel that big dark cloud descending over me but to read how well you are all doing really picks me up. Hopfully in the new year it'll be me posting to tell you how i'm getting on post op.
Take care !!!!!!!!

 

[Just Use Google, Fool!]

Sorry folks, seems like i'm constantly on here .... but I had to share my good news with you all. I had a phone call a short time ago to inform me a patient has decided against surgery & would i like to take their date of the 26th November? Would i ever!!!!!!! So i'm now going for pre-op assessment tomorrow & then 2 weeks today i'll be in. If it weren't for these bloody crutches & the fact my legs so weak i'd be dancing around the room
Anyway thats me done for today
Tracey xx

 

[Dazell S]

Hey all!

It's so good to hear that things are moving along with everyone's ops! May your suffering be over soon!

Jess - hope your first day back at work was ok. I'm now in my second week back (yes, part time is great - shame I can't do it all the time!) and am also in a battle to get a decent chair. Why is there so much paperwork involved ?? I'm still waiting for the workplace assessment thingy after 3 months off! Anyway, I've resorted to taking in my own lumbar roll & cushion and try to spend as little time as possible at my desk!
Fireolli - you've done so well getting back to your strenuous job - you seem to have done all the physio/exercises 'by the book'. Wish I was so disciplined - I find it easy to forget, then end up doing too much!

Does anyone else who has just started back at work suffer with insomnia? I've had it terribly since my drugged-up pre-op days, and it just doesn't seem to be going away!

 

[Ben Doverman]

Hi,
This is my 1st time on the site. I started having back pain in June, progressively got worse until I was screaming in pain, rolling around on the floor and not being able to go to work, thank god for programmes like Fraser. I'm self-employed and this meant that I lost most of my customers. When back first started hurting went to chiro and physio, seemed to make it worse. Went to doctor at end of July and got perscribed pain killers, didn't help much. I insisted that I was referred to consultant, finally got thru to the GP and she referred me. Had MRI which showed up bulging disc and slipped disc. Was referred to pain clinic where they gave me gabapentin, worked wonders, stopped pain signals to the brain, pain started to reduce. Taking, around 32 tablets a day to keep the pain away. Pain clinic suggested epidural injection. I had this 6 weeks ago and the pain has reduced, although don't know how long these injections are effective for. I now have light pain in morning for around 20 mins, this is followed by tingling in the lower part of my the shin area. I can't sit down for any longer than 45mins though without pain in right leg coming back. I have changed my lifestye, I wear knee pads if I have to do anything at ground level, I don't pick up anything heavy and I still lay on the floor alot.
Going back to consultant on 13th Nov. Not sure what he will suggest and if he mentions the op I don't know what to do. Since dropping down from 32 tablets a day to 6 I'm now suffering with insominia, trying nightnurse to help me sleep and a sleeping draft, works sometimes.

 

[**deja vu**]

Hi SMF54,

It all depends how much pain you are in and do you want that pain all the time. I had the op about 5 1/2 months ago and i am doing ok, i am not pain free and if i do any bending my left leg aches. I am able to go to the gym and i have now been booked fit to go back on the fire engines.

If i was you i would have the op just to get some sort of normal life back. If i had to have another i would, you only get 1 life there's no point being in pain.

Olli

 

[ffcboluh]

Hi,
I have to agree with Olli, the op is definately something I would give serious consideration to. I am about to undergo it for the second time & have no hesitations at all. Although this time I am going to look back through Olli's posts & follow his recovery as it seemed to be much beeter than the advise I was given.
Hey Olli, maybe you could write a book?!
Anyway I have my op in less than 2 weeks now & will keep everyone posted on my recovery.
Melza & Alli, hope you are both okay

Tracey

 

[Neutrinoghost]

Hi Tracey!

Ah, I see you are also a 2nd timer, like me!
I got my op on Tuesday...very scared!
Melza is having hers about now isnt she? Or was it even yesterday....i know there was only a few days difference. She and I are under the same consultant and same hospital, what are the odds??!!!

Tracey, i hope things work out better for you this time round, i found it so distressing going through all this a 2nd time, it was really traumatic, with all the hospital admissions (I have had 4 admissions since August!).

Let's hope that this will be the end of it all eh?

Best wishes to you hun, will be thinking of you, and Melza...when you get this....I hope everything is going as it should for you hun, am thinking of you too )

Take care all xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Emmy [Redux]]

Best wishes to you all awaiting and undergoing your ops. Melza, hope your operation is now over, that it went smoothly and that you are resting comfortably.
Look forward to hearing how you are all going and am thinking of you all.

Two small achievements for me this week - I got to the coffee shop near my house and even sat to drink my coffee. (Funny how these things feel like such a success now). Today I am going to go and visit my horse who lives 30 min away from me. It will be the first time in weeks I've sat in a car so long but am sure any pain will be overridden by the absolute joy of seeing my lovely horse again.

I've just taken my plaster off and all is looking good at the op site. It's a bit swollen (to be expected) but the 'area' is quite small.

 

[|\| /-\ 2 /-\ |\| ! |\|]

Hi people,
How glad was i to come across this site during my sleepless night last night. I dont mean this in a bad way, but it was reassuring to see other people going through same thing!

My story - Im a primary teacher and a few months ago i felt a twinge in my back. I just thought id pulled a uscle and carried on as best i could (popping a few pain killers along the way). Then suddenly one day it felt alot worse so i went to an emergency GP who just said my muscles were in spasm and not to worry and told me to take paracetemol and ibuprofen. Great i thought! Until a few days later when i started to notice pins and needles in my left leg. Again back to the doctors, this time the GP said its probably just sciatica, gave me some stronger pain killers and told me only to worry when i get numbness or more pain. A few days later, when stood in a library, i suddenly feel very sick and realise i cant feel my left leg at all...very weird feeling, also realised i couldnt move my foot or toes. Rememberng what doctor had said i went straight back for emergency GP app. This time i even fall over in the surgery! The GP didbt seem at all concerned and just sent me home again telling me to rest. A week or so later the pain built up, i was falling all over the place and was popping pain killers like sweets! Finally finding the pain unbearable to hobble back to the docs semanding that they do something. This time the doc seeing me sat in tears and basically unable to move said he would refer me to the hospital as an urgent case...yippee i thought! Letter came through...there was at least a 6 week wait! So i tried to carry on best i could, until i physically couldnt take it anymore...ended up sat in a&e on a Sunday where they admitted me straight away concerned with complete numbness and drop foot. By Wednesday id had an MRI scan which showed id been walking around with slipped disc compressing my nerves. A surgeon and spinal specialist both agreed that i needed surgery ASAP. So by Saturday id had the surgery and Monday i was home.

I thought all was good at first. Got through the surgery, loved being back home and being able to move around freely, albeit with crutches and a foot brace...but now a week after surgery im geting really bad pain again when i walk. Its at the back of my lef below the knee and my whole foot. I cant stand for more than 10 seconds cos thats when the pain kicks in. The pain kilers do nothing (paratamol, codeine hosphate and dicloflex) and im beginning to worry.

Has anyone else had this pain post discectomy?

Any advice gratefully recieved!
Thanks
Monkey

 

[Jayrverlohr]

Hi Ali,

I'm sure Melza's surgery was planned for the 14th. She'll probably have been discharged by the time you go in. Shame your dates weren't closer after all this chatting on here you could have supported each other!!
Hope your surgery goes okay next week. I couldn't believe when i started getting the pain again. First time was bad enough in May with my return trip to surgery in June with a nasty infection. I had hoped it would have eased up but nope ...... as with you its just got worse & now after 1 admission (lord knows how you have coped with 4) needs surgery.
I am scared but also concerned that with the increased leg weakness & intermittent incontinence they havn't done the surgery sooner, although I suppose 4 weeks since discharge isn't too bad looking at how long some have to wait.
Anyway, again hope all goes well keep us informed how things are & Melza hope all went okay for you

Tracey

 

[im a loser]

I SURVIVED


Hello everyone! Surgery was on the 13th and I was discharged on the 14th so still very tender. Have to admit I was desperate to get out of there, crazy old women shouting through the night and continually bleeping machines...awful. Can't sit here for long so only a short post.

Ali, I was very lucky because i didn't have our little friend, I got Mr Von Arx. What a nice polite and thoughtful man he is, he told me after the op (while I was freaking out from the anaesthetic) that he had to take a huge chunk away...sounds awesome. I think I was in there over 2 hours. Now got a swollen right hand and don't know why and also finding controlling the pain a bit of a struggle. At least the pain I have now will lead me in the right direction.....mobilised and healthy!

Good luck Ali and don't forget your ear plugs.

 

[MathHelp]

Hi Melza,
So glad to hear your surgery went okay. You came out really quickly, hope they do the same for me. (last time i was in for 4 days!) You'll soon get your medication to a level that'll sort the pain. Your hand could be due to positioning in theatre or maybe from where your cannula was sited.
Take care
Tracey x

 

[ccezzugqivsioqeow]

Congratulations Melza! Good to hear you are back home and very best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Hi MonkeyWaffle. What a shame you are feeling so much pain one week on from your op. Do you have a follow up appt booked with your surgeon at all?

 

[chiped_wood]

Not for 6 weeks. Got a phsyio ap on Tuesday.
Its getting quite bad. 7 am now an ive just woken up in agony. Pain Killers do nothing!
Im feeling so miserable now.

 

[Pauraphyday]

Hi monkeywaffle,
I'd ring the ward that discharged you & if you get no joy there i'd head for A&E. Some pain is expected post op but for pain like yours that is increasing so much & waking you it needs checking asap
Tracey x