Discectomy - After the Operation

[Charles Williams]

Hi All,

Well the back is getting better but still feels crap at the end of the day. It seems like one of those months where you take 3 steps forward and 2 back.

Had a chat with the phsiyo and she said i need to work harder on the core muscles and to do less sit ups.

Sorry to hear that some of you are in pain still, some people take longer to recover than others due to there op and what was going on before hand.
I still would say i am in recovery 9 months post op. Everyday at work there is something else that makes me stop and think about how i should lift/move/push an object or do i need help.

Hang in there and i bet you will be fine.

Olli.

 

[gamesezdgtym]

Alistair,

Thanks for the positive thoughts. I think you are right about the 10 days - today I woke up much better with almost no pain. I was able to walk this morning for a good 1/2 hour (the kids think it's hilarious that Daddy is walking round and round the house - they even joined in for a bit). I thank sat with them for another 1/2 hour which feels like a major leap forward to me. I am knackered now but full of optimism that it won't be too long before I try walking to my local shops an back.
Did your mate get a good deal in Poland ? I did come across some sites that offered overseas options when I was checking prices but really didn't fancy the traveling.

Melza,

It does sound from what everyone has said that a 4" scar means Open Discectomy and a 1" - 2" is most likely a Microdiscectomy. As Alistair said, it makes sense that the initial recovery will be longer the more muscle that they had to displace to get at the disc. I wasn't given an option of micro and I don't know if that was due to the bulge size, but I was told after the op that he removed some big bits of disc (along with some of the soft 'crab meat' stuff in between the vertebra - apologies if that too much info for anyone!).
Thanks for your words about paying for it myself. It does seem too be really wrong that you have to wait in pain for services we all pay for. I really had no idea that was possible with the NHS until now. I am up for a protest march - maybe later in the year though

Ali,

I was a keen mountain biker last year, despite the pain. I have had conflicting information from physios as to when I can get back on my bike. One even said I should keep off it as it's no good for my back ! I can't wait to try it. I am glad to hear you didn't suffer as as result of your ride.


I don't know about everyone else but the things I have found hardest are -

The emotional few days after the op.
Immediately after the op you are still high on the pain killers and the fact that the pain in your leg has gone. The 'high' drops off at the same time as the painkillers go so days 2-5 post op were really emotional for me. I can't remember feeling that low ever before. I look back now and realise it was a combination of the down of stopping months of Tramadol use, the op drugs leaving my system plus that helplessness feeling of being 'trapped' in hospital. I think if I had thought about this more before hand I might have been better prepared.

Perching to go to the loo.
It's impossible, even with the toilet extension. You just end up sitting anyhow. Why don't they just tell you to sit ?

Constipation.
On top of everything you go through after the op, all of the drugs that help with pain seem to stop you going - forever ! While in hospital they gave me Senakot in large doses everyday. It didn't work. In the end I had to have a suppository which was awful but did the trick for a bit - enough to let me go home anyhow. At home I have found that the only thing that works is Movicol.

Thanks again to everyone here - I feel better equipped to cope with the following months knowing that there will be good and bad times, but overall I should keep improving.

Hegs.

 

[junaid]

Hi All,

Hegs, my mate who had the Op in Poland paid £3500 for the Op, 3 nights in hospital, 3 days Physio inclusive! Compared to the UK, as you well know, thats a good deal but you have the added anxiety of being away from home and knowing sooner rather than later, you have to travel back home which put me right off the idea. That said, he is doing very well. (the Physio is much more intense over there)

Melza, My cut is about 2 1/2", before my Op I was preocupied with the size of the cut and it was explained to me that in a micro discectomy the muscle sometimes actually takes more punishment because the room to work is so much smaller. If we have larger scars then the muscle can be eased over off the bone rather than stretched. I was also told that the further up you back the you go, the more elastic the associated muscles are, so by that logic L5S1 (Hegs style) causes more trauma and the further around the disk the herniation is, the more post op pain is likely. According to my surgeon Micro is up to 2" using a microscope.

Ali, Hope you keep improving, I would love to go for a bike ride... maybe in the summer.

Olli, Tracey, Jess and everyone else, hope you have a good week! Claire, how are you doing?

 

[.......]

Hi everyone i have been in alot of pain this last week or so ,mostly due to the fibromyalgia i think, havent been sleeping getting about 2-3 hours a night and last week my mam (who comes over to help every week day )was bad her self so she couldnt come over typical when it was half term !!!so i feel very sore and sitting and walking is very uncomfortable think i might have to visit gp again.
hope everyone is ok ,Alistair thanks for asking about me hope you are recovering well ,will have to make this short and sweet i do check in most days to see how everyone is but dont always manage to be able to post take care x x

 

[Dare]

Tracey 1...there is another letter in your private messages.

 

[Jujus L]

Melza - Thanks for your message have sent reply to your inbox (i think I am Mrs Technaphobe!!!!!!!)

 

[Heart]

Hi Claire 2212, sorry you're feeling so bad, and through half term as well!!! I try to miss half terms but, if we forget about back problems, life is pretty good without them. Hope you feel better soon.

Melza

 

[joe co]

Hey all

Well i am pleased to report that the bike ride left me in no more pain that i was already in....No aching muscles but the same old leg pain.
I just got fed up and stuck the proverbial two fingers up to it and had a really nice time with my little princess!
I will definetely do it again, I do have bad leg pain, but no numbness like before. I do have to say that i am concerned that my disc may be bulging again, but I am trying to work through it and keep going as opposed to being signed off sick again and moping around at home, i did enough of that last year! Its paramount to my sanity as well!!
The other biggest danger with me is scar tissue building up and sticking my nerve down again, if that is what has happened, then they can't do anything for me and I will have to have indeterminate physiotherapy.
Thats what the nurse told me when i had my wound check.

Hegs, I know what you are saying about the post-op 'slump', they practically strip you of all painkillers apart from a short term supply and then reality bites!
I was on oramorph for months and ended up with a dependence and had to go through withdrawals, this was barely 2 weeks into my recovery. Wasn't good, took weeks to get off it and the withdrawals were horrendous.

I am still on the full four times a day dose of my paracetamol, tramadol and gabapentin. Not allowed anti-inflammatories anymore as my asthma has gotten worse so am limited to what i can have now.
The gabapentin is starting to take effect now, its quite good, but can only take it 3 times a day so after the last dose i have i have to wait longer till the next one and the pain in my leg can get pretty bad.

 

[Awsome girl 37]

Hi Everyone I am new to this website and have spent the last couple of days reading all about the problems everyone has been suffering with. It's nice to find people who are going through a similar problem. I thought for a while I was making everything up.
To fill you in I'm a 26yr old guy from Newcastle Upon Tyne. My problems started 18months ago with a niggling pain through the outside of my hips and backside, the pain wasn't constant at that point but soon detereorated into constant pain. I was referred by my gp to a lower limb specialist who decided to send me for physio. After 4 months of having deep pressure work, ultrasound, too many stretches to remember and accupuncture the physio's finally admitted that they had no idea what was going on. Seeing the consultant agian he decided to do an mri of my pelvis, after about a month the results were back, clear, absolutely nothing wrong with my hips. Meanwhile the pain was growing steadily worse and the codiene my gp prescribed just wasn't cutting it anymore. I had also developed a pain at the base of my back. Telling the consultant about this pain he decided to xray my lower back. He told there seemed to be narrowing of the disc space at L5/S1. He referred me to a colleague dealing solely with spines. Again having to wait for the appointment to come through and the pain was worse, now spreading down my legs into my feet, aswell as pins and needles and numbness in my backside and feet. This is when I started taking Tramadol as well as Amitriptyline, this was about 6 months ago, a whole year after first having experienced any pain. The appointment finally came through and the consultant decided he would like to try physio again and ordered an mri of my lower back. Thankfully the physio's agreed not to treat me until the results of the mri came through. After about 6 weeks the mri came back, a disc herniation at L5/S1. The consultant is now planning to try a nerve block, I go on Tues 3rd March. After reading some of the experiences people have had with nerve block I am concerned that it is not going to work. Am I being fobbed off yet again? The pain is becoming unbearable and after having suffered for a year and a half I don't know if I can stand the thought that I may have to still be in pain come the summer. I am now also struggling to urinate, wether this is from the disc or the tramadol I am unsure. Any advice would be warmly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this xxx

 

[John Redcorn]

Whoa scissorhands! Sounds like you've had a really miserable time of it, and so young too! I just want to point out to you that you may now be on an 18 week target which the government has set as the time consultants have to treat you, I believe it starts from the day you were referred to the consultant. If you take the epidural/nerve block thingy then they have achieved their target, you've been treated. If your disc is herniated it will need to be operated on, unless anyone else know of a herniated disc fixing itself...I don't. I hope I'm making myself clear with this, if you have received any kind of treatment the hospital is no longer under pressure to get you sorted out and they can take their time about surgery. I don't know what you can do about this except talk to your GP asap, I don't know if he/she will be sympathetic but please bear in mind that the epidural is not a fixer and you need surgery sooner rather than later. Your waterworks are definitely something to talk about as well, soon.

Sorry everyone, I know I go on and on about this but I know how those long waits can affect a person. You need to be aware of the process.

Wishing you the best

melza

 

[wildlifeconservation]

Thanks Melza, I have seen my gp about the waterworks and she sent me straight to A&E. The on call orthopod examined me and decided he wasn't sure if it was the tramadol, but saying as how I can't come off it there has been no way to figure this out. I feel as if the NHS couldn't give a damn but this condition ruines your life. I'm too young to be going through all of this, what will I be like in a few years?! Don't mean to sound defeatest, but god constant pain is really draining. I find it hard to stay upbeat.

 

[Bells]

Hi Scissorhands
Root blocks do work for some people but not all. I had one recently and prayed that I would have some pain relief, but unfortunately for me I didn't.

My pain has now settled down enough for me to return to work (today YAYY!) after 6 long months and I am managing with pain management methods (painkillers such as Remedeine, Pregbaline, Nortriptyline & Naproxen) and changes of position (seated/standing) and a TENS machine.

I have another prolapse disc which was only picked up the day I had my root block and am hoping to manage without the need for further surgery - only time will tell. I know how difficult it is when you are in constant pain, but it is important to try not to let the pain take over your life - I have been depressed but that was in part due to the way my workplace were treating me.....I won't go into all of that but it didn't help me.

I would recommend a root block if you are in lots of pain as there is a 50/50 chance of it working and by all accounts when they do work they are very good. If my pain levels increase to the stage they were a couple of months ago, I will definitely try another.

Good luck with treatment/pain management x

I do not post very often but keep a watchful eye on how everyone is getting on x

 

[Pompal 09.]

You have my sympathies scissorhands, as I've said before I really just wanted to die when I was suffering and no one gave a damn. I have 3 disc bulges in my lower back but only one was causing the problems and was operated on, because it had herniated. I hope you were able to establish whether surgery will be inevitable in time, which I think is the case if it's herniated. I just don't want you to find the epidural doesn't work and the consultant is no longer under pressure to get you fixed up. Not everyone is made aware of the rules regarding the 18 week target.

Actually I'm hoping to use that to my advantage with Southampton, right now I have refused an epidural because I've already been told I need surgery and want to keep their 'clock' ticking. If I don't get treated by the middle of April then they have to provide me with private treatment, apparently, will have to see if that works in my case. But again I shall say that if you accept any form of treatment in that time limit you may have to wait longer for your surgery, I'm not taking that chance! It will be interesting to see how that works out for me, just testing the system.

Also, I was surprised at how many young people are suffering with disc problems, even if it does make me feel better, but maybe youngsters have a faster recovery...any views on that gang?

 

[WilG]

Well Melza, I was 26 when my problems started, i feel ancient now!

I had to get the doc out last night because of the leg pain going right into my foot and spasms in my leg and foot.
She gave me some diazepam and told me to see my GP today which i am doing later. I am due to see those lovely people of ours next friday so its a case of trying to hold out till then.

Its so annoying as i have had days off sick every week for the last 3 weeks, and frustrating as i managed to get back to work in january.
I hope that they will scan me soon, i need to know whats happened for eveything to go pear shaped like this.

My foot is still spasming (is that a word?) now and can't have another diazepam or any other painkillers till 10:30.....What a b***h

Sorry for being a miserable so and so, but i do post lots of happy things on here too!!


Hi Scissorhands, there is a lot of people on here that would agree that the longer a prolapsed/herniated disc is left untreated, that there is a risk of more damage to your sciatic nerve.
You have had this problem for a long time now and its obvious that the disc is not going to 'pop' back in itself, as most doctors leave these things in the hope that they will.
I have had 3 nerve blocks and only one gave me any sort of relief, but even that was only for 3 weeks.
I have heard of some people getting good relief from them as everyone is different, but i have my theory as to why they are not that good...there is something sitting on that nerve squashing it and so nothing will relieve that apart from that 'something' being removed so the nerve is free.
Does that make sense? It does to me!!
Maybe give it a go, it might work for you and if it doesn't, then maybe you can insist on being referred to a surgeon as you will have exhausted all the other options, if you want to be considered for surgery that is.

I have had 2 operations, the first, i was waiting months and months and so when they finally did operate, the disc came right back out again only weeks later.
I was left so long before having the second surgery(11 months), as they wanted to give me another 2 nerve blocks, that my sciatic nerve had actually 'glued' itself to the prolapsed disc from the scar tissue from the first op and as a result i have a scarred nerve from where the surgeons had to peel it apart.
Gruesome but true!

Melza is right about the 18 week rule, absolutely use it. I started making noise about it when i first heard about it and not long after they rang me with a date!
Its for any treatment (including nerve blocks) not just surgery, as soon as you have been referred for ANY treatment they have to do it in 18 weeks or they will have to provide treament at another hospital of your choice, even a private one, all paid for by the nhs! Sweet eh?!
I almost had my op in a private hospital as they were taking ages, but the nhs very swiftly pushed me up the list!

 

[royalmeddy]

Ali i have to agree about feeling ancient. I was 37 when my problems started. It wasn't made any easier when I went shopping with my Nan yesterday (she's 87) & I had to keep asking her to slow down!!! Me on a stick & her running off in front
Sorry to hear you are having problems again. I'm off to the GP tommorow. I don't how much longer I can take this for. I feel like i'm carrying a heavy weight thats pushing my spine down (if that makes sense) my legs no better & to top it all i've now got shooting pains & tingling in my left leg (my prolapse was on the right both times)

Quick note regarding the 18 week rule. I had this argument with my hospital prior to my discectomy revision. At that time I wasn't able to apply it as I was under the consultant with a recurrence of the problem & had self refered via his secretary. But, I was also told that within the 18 week rule providing they see you & commence 'treatment' within the 18 week period you can't be refered elsewhere. Treatment it seems can be interpreted in many ways. I was informed that having an MRI would be classed as the commencment of treatment, WHICH i THINK IS S***!!!

Scissorhands, I would push with regards to the urinary problems. I had my 2nd prolapse around September last year which led to me being on crutches. The other symptom I developed was urinary incontinence. I was admitted for emergency treatment. What I actually got was an emergency MRI after 3 days, discharge after 7 & my 'urgent' surgery 4 weeks later. I hate to say it but I still have urinary incontinence which no one medically seems to give 2 ****s about. I would push for another apt with your consultant to discuss it as any urinary problems with disc problems that have nerve involvement should be investigated further. Hope that helps.

Tracey x

 

[T??k G??l]

Thanks for the advice guys, it's nice to find people who understand fully what you are going through.

I have reserves about the nerve block but I'm gonna try it, it'll also mean I see my consultant soon so I can ask about the waterworks.

I'm definately up for surgery if the nerve block doesn't work, I can't stay on tramadol forever.

It's awful to hear the stories of people that are having to go through this time and time again, god bless the nhs eh?

 

[Sorrin]

Such a relief to hear that Ali and Tracey are having leg problems. My left leg is getting very irritated, almost as though there is another disc problem, this is very scary! Had to walk a fair bit yesterday for an occy health appointment, had to have several rests on the way but wonder if this is my forever.

Occy health doc not happy about me going back to work with neck problems, he hinted that my employment could be terminated if my employers claim they have made as many adjustments as they can and physio fail it again. I don't know how I stand if the workstation was failed by health and safety in the first place though. Just when I thought everything was getting sorted out it all gets messy again.....and there's nothing I can do about it!

Happy days!

 

[Zahra]

Hi scissorhands

I had a root nerve block back in Dec 2008 for a prolapsed disc.
Although, it only gave me 3 weeks relief from leg and back pain it helped the Neurosurgeon to decide on surgery. Root Nerve Blocks are performed to asscertain what is causing the leg pain etc and because I did get relief from it they were then very confident that surgery would help. After my RNB I went back to see the surgeons and they operated on me 2 weeks later (NHS sent me privately). I had a L5/S1 discectomy and SI Form....something all other 10 days ago and feel I'm recovering well.

Try not to worry too much about about the RNB, I didnt remember much as they sedate me and the only discomft you feel is in the following days which is just soreness.

I hope this helps to put you mind at rest and let me know if you want any more information.

PS it took me a 16 months of tests, scans, consultants, drung, epidurals, RNB and physio before having my operation so hang in there

 

[???]

some people do recover from massive herniated discs with out surgery whilst some massively suffer with just disk bulges. It is down to the persons anatomical make up we are all different.

 

[decentg]

did the doctor do the anal wink reflex?? this checks your s3-s4 nerves that control the bladder bowel. This is a way to check for problems in that area.
It sounds like you have a central herniation, pain down both legs bad sign i am afraid need op i would say asap.