Discectomy - After the Operation

[gem]

Hi jayne69. You're right, it is a reasonably long recovery period after a discectomy, but (for the majority of us) at least it is a recovery. The three weeks leading up to your op will go quickly. It's very normal to be nervous leading up to surgery. I was too. But, as others have said, it was worth going through.

Kim_99 - glad it's been mostly a good outcome for you. Pleased to hear you have been able to return to running, that's good news.

Hope everyone else is having a reasonable day.

 

[Mommy2Aly]

Hey all,

I am currently lying on a hot water bottle, and its lovely!
My doc told me that it takes a few weeks for the gabapentin to kick in, so am having to grin and bear it until then.
I phoned that little missy secretary Melza!! I am not due to see that MAN! until April, so i asked her if she would be ever so kind as to bring my appointment forward and she did, i see him next month.

Jayne, when i was in and out of hospital in the lead up to my op last year, they shovelled oramorph down my neck like it was water and so i ended up addicted!
My GP felt really bad, but it wasn't their fault, it was the hospital who kept giving it to me. They failed to mention the risk of becoming addicted!
I did have really bad withdrawals, but have been off it for a month and am ok now.
I had mst morphine too, i was weaned off that and had no side effects from that at all. All in all i was on 120mg of morphine a day for months, and it wasn't any good, i was still in loads of pain!!
I hope your reducing of your morphine is much better than mine!

Thinking of you today Alistair...Hope all went well mate

 

[gr8music at qtrtilldawn]

Well i think i over did it in the gym.

Running was good and i felt like i used to after a rugby session. Could hardly walk the next day. But i think i have a bit of inbalance my back as the left side of my back and my bum always suffer a lot more if i do something new. I am seeing the physio on Friday to see if see can relax my back off a bit.

I hate the fact that everything i do i.e new exercises or DIY makes it feel like you have taken a step back with the healing process and getting back to normal-ish.

Does anyone else suffer on one side more than the other after they have done exercise????


Olli

 

[kaveh]

Hi Fireolli,

Yes, I always feel it in my left side after exercise, which was the side of my prolapse/sciatica. I get a bit of pain, but mostly stiffness (in my left buttock, hamstring & calf) after anything new. I got it this week after walking around on icy pavements, as I was scared I was going to fall over so I must've tensed up! I just try looooads of stretching to try & ease it, so hopefully it'll ease off over time.
I suppose it's just patience - don't they say it can be a year before your back has recovered from a discectomy?

 

[Pompal 09.]

olli - i definitely suffer more on one side than the other. bizarrely (is that a word?), it's not always the same side. i guess sometimes i over-stretch the tight nerve and other times i over-compensate with my 'good' leg. keep remembering my physio's golden phrase - "just because i am hurting, doesn't mean i have damaged myself". yes, sometimes i want to poke him. but he might just be right.

ali - sorry to hear about the new tablet. really hope it helps you though. my aunt has been taking garbapentin (however you spell it) for a while and finds it really helpful. she is in the awful position of having nerve irritation from degeneration which is apparently inoperable. she is an nhs employee like some of you and has not exactly received much support from them as an organisation - transferred to a post with nhs24, and then made redundant as she couldn't sit due to pain and was off for so long.

shelster - i haven't heard of that herbal medicine for sciatica. i live across the road from a herbal medicine place and was in and out of there when my pain was bad. tried everything from black cohosh to arnica and nothing touched the pain. in fairness, nothing at all touched the nerve pain, morphine and diazepam just dulled the whole experience and knocked me out. not very positive, sorry. in my early days of back pain, when the disc had prolapsed but not herniated, i found hanging upside down helped free the nerve and reduce the pain. not always the easiest thing to achieve, but if anyone is able to, why not give it a go? nearest children's play park maybe? please take a friend to catch you if required. and one to take photos.

i have been having loads of trouble sleeping lately. it's not due to pain or anything, just keep waking up at 3 or 4am and can't get back to sleep. is bringing back awful memories of the drug withdrawals though, so am thinking i might have to invest in some nytol!

lots of love to everyone...keep your messages coming!
Jess xx

 

[smulfisulse]

Ali - Sorry to hear you are having problems, hope the new meds kick in soon. I think i may have jinxed myself talking about how well things were improving with the new medication i'm on (Lyrica) I'm having some horrendous side effects. Also still can't get into the bath or drive the car I went to see my consultant today to be told he wasnt there but I would be seen by a registrar. WHAT A DISASTER!!! It was like being examined by a medical student. After about 10 mins he finally got into his head how many times i'd had surgery & what my symptoms are now. He then proceeded to conduct a physical assessment that was worse than anything my physio has put me through & announced he 'thinks' i should have another MRI & 'thinks' i should be seen by the pain team (no sh*@ sherlock!!) BUT he can't make this decision he has to speak to my consultant first & see if he agrees with the decision. Apparantly that could mean I have to go back next week to see God himself!
Tracey x

 

[Future Vet]

Hey everyone, and how are we today?

I have been up and about today, been to physio and all i can say is....ouchies!!! Been pulled about a bit and am aching loads now!
She is nice though, i like my physio, she isn't a mistress of torture!!
My back muscles are really weak, I have to do my stretches in bed though, cos i can't sit for long so i will use my trusty hot water bottle assistant...Its my new best friend!!

Hi Tracey, sorry to hear your Lyrica is giving you grief, normally the side effects settle after a few weeks.
Sounds like your appointment was a right palava, not what you need when you are suffering.
Hope you can get your MRI quicktime, at least then you might have some answers, and hope you get to see your monkey instead of his organ grinder!!

This gabapentin is great! I can see 2 laptops!!!

 

[Smelchaki]

Hi all,
Im 18 and a sports students and im suffering from ' lumbar prolapse between the 5th lumbar vertebra and sacrum. And its impinging on the left nerve root.' And now on the waiting list for mircrosurgery.
A few questions for you all, as im really in pain and scared of all this.

1/ How bad is it ? i don't understand all of this lumbar prolapse stuff
2/ Should i do sports, im doing all kinds of stuff ie; trampoling and gymnatiscs to badminton, swimming etc.. all the sports you can think of. Some teachers won't let me to, others say i should. Im in alot of pain afterwards
3/ all my mates won't to know, will i be on crutches ?

Thanks

 

[Marissa B]

Hiya Greg,

Sorry to hear you are suffering...now i'm not an expert, but think that the trampolining and badminton probably aren't a good idea.
If you have a bad landing with trampolining, you can damage your back more, as with the badminton, its lots of dodging the right way to hit the shuttlecock, you could twist awkwardly and further damage your back.
Not sure about the gymnastics though, probably not best to do backflips or jumps!
Swimming is though, its very good for those with back problems.
Trampoling and badminton are kind of impact sports, like running is, although when i was pre op and in loads of pain i didn't want to run!!
Impact sports should probably be avoided, but sports that aren't too hardcore may be ok.
Ask your GP, they should be able to tell you for sure what you can and can't do.

If all goes well with your op though, there is a good chance that you can get back to your sports. We have people on here that have gone back to running, horse riding, aerobics so it looks good.
It can be a long recovery, but if all goes smoothly and you follow everything you are told by your physio then there is a very good chance you will get back to sports. You will be given stretches by the physio and they can advise you about what sports you can do.
The thing is, you are young and active and fit and that goes in your favour.

Its completely understandable that you are scared, the surgery doesn't take long and they should give you good pain relief when you come round.
I have been through this twice and so totally understand your fears.
You shouldn't need crutches but you will have to wear a corset for a couple of weeks to support your lower back.
The physio may give you bed exercises the same day but later after you have your surgery, but if not then they will get you out of bed the next day and get you walking around. The sooner you get mobile after surgery the better, although its important to take it slow and not to be tempted to push yourself too hard which is easy to do if you get frustrated that recovery may be slow.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions

 

[dark angel]

Hi again every1.

Claire2212,
You said you had your op in dec, can i ask how long you were in hospital ? as they first told me i would be in over night and now they say it will be 2nights?
The thing is i have a low platelet count as i had to have my spleen removed 17yrs ago as my blood did not clot, and its still not brilliant now! so im just wondering if they want to keep me in a bit longer just to keep an eye on that?

And i have also been told i will be on crutches when i come home, which aint great as when i was using them when things where really bad and could not walk my 2yr old just wanted to grab them and try pull them off me!!!

Some people also say that they had to wear some sort of brace at the bottom of there back to keep them supported, but they never said anything about that to me.

And one last thing, are you in loads of pain when you wake up? im getting really scared and very nervous now as its not long till i have my op, 2nd March !!!

If anyone else can help with my questions please, please do.

Take care everybody, with love Jayne xxx

 

[!GFpafe]

Hi Jane,
Like Ali I've had 2 discectomies now. I think each hospital varies with the treatment. Although the ops the same, the aftercare varies. I was on crutches after the second op simply because I couldn't walk without then for a monthe pre op but I wasn't on them after the first op. Also my hospital doesn't use any back support / brace / corset post op. Sorry if this makes it even more confusing for you. As for being nervous its to be expected.
Greg - I'm no expert but i wouldn't think trampolining & gymnastics were suitable especially where there is nerve involvement.

Tracey

 

[AVALON]

Hi jayne
My op was on the 11th dec had it about 7.30pm when i came round the first thing i said was i need pain relief but to be honest it was painful but i had it in my head that the pain would be horrific so i didnt really need anymore i was told i had loads during op, at around 4am i asked if i could be helped to the toilet i stood up and cried not with pain just the sheer relief that the awful sciatic pain had gone and it was a wonderful feeling .My consultant came to see me about 8am the next morning and he was really pleased i asked if i could go home and he said if the nurses and physio were happy he would ok it around 9.30am the physio walked me around the ward and i had to walk up and down a flight of stairs which was hard work but managable by 10.30 am i was home .At home isnt easy with children but i had support from husband ,parents etc i didnt use crutches to get around i did before op but just made sure i walked slowly and held on to things ie stair rail etc.I really wanted to pick up my son when he stood at my feet crying reaching up to me but i knew i couldnt and even though he was only 16 months at the time he soon learnt what i could and couldnt do ,My physio told me let your children come to you dont go down to their level and dont do to much to soon your back will tell you if you do something you shouldnt do (i had first hand experince when i bent down to pick up a toy off the floor owwww i didnt to that again!!! ) i didnt wear any back support but found keeping the area warm helped i lived in my dressing gown for weeks even on top of my clothes.Everyone was surprised how quick i recovered even myself i have never regreted the op it was the best desicion i made.I was terrified before the op and had myself in some right states it is only natural to be scared nervous etc but honestly you will be fine any questions just ask take care clairex x

 

[Abenthered]

Hi Jayne

Thought I would try and answer some of your questions. Of course, everyone is a little different in terms of their experiences.

can i ask how long you were in hospital ?
I was in for a week. I was initially advised about 3 days. But I had a dural tear with the discectomy, so was in a little longer. Some people are out in far less time, some spend a bit more.

And i have also been told i will be on crutches when i come home,
Speaking for myself, I wasn't. But I've certainly heard of others that have crutches.

Some people also say that they had to wear some sort of brace
Again, not for me, but know of others who have worn a brace.

are you in loads of pain when you wake up?
Honest answer - for the first few days after surgery, yes. 3 months on some days yes, still a lot of pain, other days no. Overall, have a much lower pain level than before the op though. And that has to be a good thing.

gregdfc - Be careful about the sports you do. Please try and find a good Sports physio (one who really understands the impact of sports on the spine). Their guidance and advice will be useful both before and after surgery. And yes, it is possible to return to sport after a discectomy, with caution and the right approach. I've done it, and so have many others.

Good luck

 

[mom tree]

Hi Jayne,

When i came round after my op they asked me how my pain was and they kept giving me painkillers until it had settled (This was in the recovery room,they didn't take me back to the ward until they knew i was ok and comfortable).
Then they attached me to a PCA (patient controlled analgesia) machine, which released morphine when i pressed the button.
They did take this away the next day, but they should make sure your pain is adequately controlled.
Once you are up and about with the physio, that should help as well. Its good to get moving as soon as possible.
I was discharged after 3 days, once the physio and nurses are happy that you are able to get around, they will let you go home.

As Tracey said, her hospital didn't provide corsets but mine did and i had to wear it for only 2 weeks, then I began physio.
Its nearly 3 months since i had my op, and see my physio every 3 weeks.
Keeping up with the stretches should help prevent stiffness, stiffness hurts!

I know its hard with you having a small child that wants picking up.
My daughter is nearly 8 and its been hard for her, as we couldn't go out and do anything fun. But we were able to have a cuddle in bed or on the sofa, reading books.
As Claire mentioned, your back will let you know what you can and can't do. Its important to take things slow, i am aware how frustrating it is, i got so annoyed with not being able to do anything.
Now I can do stuff, but still do it slower. I think the reason i am laid up again is because i have been overdoing it.
I was back into my normal stuff like work, seeing friends, driving everywhere, larking about in the snow and ignored the aches....my back decided i wasn't allowed to ignore it any more!
I am sure i will be back on my feet soon, and have definitely learnt my lesson...Normality will come soon, but i have to wait...i am impatient!!

It is perfectly normal to be scared Jayne, even though my last op was my 2nd and had been through it before, i was still as scared as the first time.
But i don't regret my operation, i was stuck on crutches and i am sure the hospital were getting fed up with seeing my ugly mug all the time!
I didn't need my crutches after my op, just did what Claire said, take it slow, use bannisters etc to support you getting around.

Hope this helps hun, and if you still have questions, then do ask, its better than being worried about stuff cos there is likely to be lots of people on here that can answer them

 

[legenddael]

Hi Everyone, thanks so much for the good luck messages, very much appreciated.
I had the op on Tuesday, the hospital called me in the morning and said provided I have not eaten I can have the op at 10am rather than waiting until the afternoon because someone had cancelled, I accepted gladly and was in the anisthetic room at 11am.
I woke up around 1pm feeling like I had been strangled but with no Sciatica which was an amazing relief. My surgeon was with me and he did a few resistance tests with my big toe and foot and remarked to someone that the strength was greatly improved, he then put a small plastic jar in my hand and said "better out than in", the jar contained a pink / white mass about the size and shape of a large kidney bean! I was expecting maybe a 1cm lump at the most but this thing is a good inch long... amazng.
Anyway, in recovery they said they will not be linking me up to a morphine drip and that I should just ask for meds as I need them. (which I didnt)
I saw a physio at 4pm and was walking about without a problem including stairs. I was discharged yesterday and I dont have staples / clips so I just need to see my practice nurse a week on Friday to remove the dressing and give the once over.
So far I only have pain from the incision and a the muscles around are a little tender but in comparison with bad Sciatica the pain is not worth mentioning.
Im aware its very very very early days but right now I have no nerve pain! the work starts here for sure. The exercises Ive been given so far are very basic but even these are quite a task because of the incision. I seem to be most comfortable when walking, sitting and standing are not so good. So its fingers crossed and I hope I continue to recover well, Im expecting some ups and downs and I think Im ready for them!
Now we're (me and the missus) looking forward to our 20 week scan in 3 weeks time.
going to catch up with all your posts now! hope its all good news, take care, Al X

 

[Self]

Ah, thats brilliant news Alistair!! Good to hear from you!
Glad all went well, and all the best with your recovery, you'll be raring to go in no time! I found the majority of any pain was from the incision and surrounding muscles too.
Aaah, 20 weeks scans are cool, you can actually see a little human, its amazing!! Bet you and your missus are looking forward to it!!

 

[Open your eyes~]

Welcome back Alistair! Glad to hear you are feeling better already. Increased amounts of walking (as you are able) is the way to go post-op. Be careful and cautious, even on days when you feel good. Your body will let you know when you've done too much.

I really limited my sitting time initially and would generally only sit in a kitchen chair for about 10 mins, particularly in the first few weeks. Sitting can be very difficult for us post-op (apparently an additional 30% pressure is put on the spine when we sit on a chair).

Was what they had put in the jar the removed part of your prolapsed disc??!? They said to me they used to give it to people but had stopped doing that now. I'd be kind of interested to see what it looked like.

Good luck with your progress and recovery.

 

[Bryan D]

We all seem to be on a roll with our disc related problems, well, almost anyway. I've been whingeing about work problems, which have arisen because of my back problems, and was forced to enter into the 'Grievance Procedure' because of failing by my managers. I am now pleased to say that I won my appeal and will now be able to return to work when I am fit to do so. This is a huge relief and I hope everything goes to plan as its been a year long battle to get this far.

I still don't know about my scan results but hope I am finally making some progress. I really think the back problems are enough to deal with folks....as you will all know! Good to see you're coping well post op Alistair and that you have a realistic approach to recovery, unlike little Melza who thought she was recovered a few weeks post op. Subi offers sound advice for you, your body really does let you know!

I'm having real problems trying to ease my lower and upper back, only 4 hours sleep last night damn it. Trying to stay off Diazepam but it's really difficult,does anyone know of a herbal muscle relaxant? If not maybe I should pop into the herbal shop and ask them.

Hope everyone is feeling okay today, roll on warm sunny days....life seems so much brighter when the sun shines.

 

[Awesome]

Hi Ali, Really excited about the scan, cant wait! even the 12 week scan was amazing to me! Think I will wear a back brace on the day

Hi Subi, The jar has a tab on it which reads 'Disc Spec' but as I understood on the day (still a bit drowzy) it is the fluid centre of the disc only, which has solidified, its huge, there is no way it would have ever regressed of its own accord. It looks like a shrimp and is kind of fiboruos, not at all what I imagined, the thing has caused me 6 months of almost constant agony, as the surgeon said 'better out than in'.

Al x

 

[zeureeka]

Hey Olli

I always suffer more on my left side in my bum, thigh and lower back where my disc porblems was situated. It is difficult knowing how much to push yourself isn't it but we have to keep trying new things or we will never make any progress.

Pennylane