Discectomy - After the Operation

[7DRocks]

Hi

I have just been given a date for a discectomy in May. I have been having really bad leg pain in my right leg after falling down the stairs in August and the consultant said I have a slipt disc in my L5 and he recommended this op. I have had back pain for about 4 years since I had my two children but it seems to have gotten worst since this slipped disc. I feel like my back is going to snap and I really struggle to sleep, pick up my two young children and generally find it hard to go about my day to day life.

After reading all these posts with regards to discectomy I am really worried and am thinking why bother with the op as there is so many bad reviews. Does any one actually recommend it? How long are you off work for as the doctor told me only 6 weeks. Is the pain after the op really bad and how long is it before you can resume normal life like washing your hair and picking up your children.

Alot of people have said that the op doesnt work and you have to have it repeated months later and also that the pain is worst after.

Can anyone give me some positive advice as I really dont know whether to have this operation now after reading all the bad posts. Help

 

[frostyg02uk]

Hi Goodam.

There are many here who have had one op and have got back to normal activity. Naturally with back ops, you have to be careful how quickly that happens, and how you live your life afterwards.
Please don't be scared off, only you know your body and whether this is right for you. We here just share how we are getting on because it can be a lonely and non-understanding business, back problems!!!
There is a small minority of people on here who have required more than one op, and i am one of them, but it is rare, please let me assure you.

It is natural to be worried about any op, let alone a back op, but we here are here to help and support you with any advice you may need. Not frighten you!!!

God bless, Ali xxx

 

[Sellasie]

I thought having worked in the NHS & also been in the system so long with my vack I had seen most things. How wrong I was!!! So .... I went along to my apt with rheumatologist yesterday & feel angry, humiliated & totally lost my faith in the NHS. At first it appeared to be like any other apt as he took my history & symptoms. The drs comment of does she complete ALL of her wifely duties put me on edge a little, also when i explained my leg regularly goes into spasm during the night he asked if it was due to passion but it was nothing in comparison to how the apt continued.
During the apt he examined me & said I could maybe use cortisone injections in my hips & sacral area then changed his mind, said I should be okay as I had had a repeat MRI after the op (which i havn't) then said I didn't need one. Stated spondylosis was nothing to be concerned about. However, things got worse when I had to strip to my undies for examination of my reflexes!! He eyed up my boobs & asked if i was going to report him to the chief exec & also asked 'could he persuade me to' then got me to stand & try bending exercises still in my undies it was so degrading. When he commented that I needed to bend forward & let my lovely long black hair fall forward & commented to my husband we should put music on, both get in our undies & practice this at home he went ballistic!!!!
At the end of the apt he stated all my problems (pain /numbness / pins & needles / loss of sensation in my fingers & genitals /incontinence etc) was all due to muscles & i needed to improve my sex life as that would be excellent exercise. He asked to see me again in 2 months to which I refused. I will be in contact with the chief exec today!!!!!!!!
Today I feel, sick, humiliated & well & truly p****d off. Talk about kicking someone when they are down.

 

[angelaplaxton]

Oh Tracey-1 how awful, did you say your husband was in the room with you? His behaviour defies any understanding and you are quite right to complain.....slimy b******! I just wondered why your other half didn't punch him!

Goodam, I back up what Ali has already written. There are also other post op mothers on here who can advise you with child care, hopefully they'll be popping in soon and will read your post. Writing our experiences down on here helps inform other people who may be concerned about the same things, talking of which....

The muscle spasm I had in my lumbar spine (that really felt like another disc prolapse!) has now eased off....phew! The consultant I saw yesterday told me it was early days to consider anything disastrous had happened, and it seems he was right. Strange that can happen almost 6 months post op, now walking normally and gently stretching that area.

The outcome of the long awaited Southampton appointment has left me with mixed feelings, he's put me in for a laminectomy to ease the pressure on my spinal cord. It may not work (great) but hopefully it will solve the problems in my arms and hands...numbness, weakness etc. As for my neck problems.....I'm doomed! The disc pressing on my spine is so difficult to get to that its better to leave it where it is, he said the entry site would be around the adams apple area and is very risky. Damn! Thats the really painful bit too. Apparently nerve root blocks are the best treatment, so thats me sorted. I really wanted it all put back together again but looks like I'm stuck with it and thats that.

Goodam, I had a lumbar discectomy as well as disc problems in my upper back....they aren't connected. I don't want you thinking this is another negative for the lumbar discectomy. x

 

[??? ?]

Hi,

I am 3 days in recovery after having my operation this tues..
I can only speak for myself but at present I feel that I have taken the right route for me.. I am sore obv from my stitches but the symptoms/pain that I was constantly in for years before have now gone. If I sit for two long I get numbness and pins and needles but I have been told with time and correct exercise this will go, also others that have had the operation have informed me this is the case. I have slept better since my operation not waking in the middle of the night in complete agony as was the norm before, may sound odd I even look younger (or is that wishful thinking..haha) due to my face not been screwed up from pain.
I know that each person is different but I am in a good place three days in and am so glad I finally opted for the discectomy.

Hope you make the right descision for you and wishing all the best...

Good Luck..

 

[MichaelInScarborough]

tracey-1...OH MY GOD!! that is the most horrific experience to have had, particularly when you are so vulnerable because of being in horrible pain. THANK GOD your husband was in the room with you. what the doctor said and did was abusive. please, please consider putting all that in a letter of complaint. report the things he said and the things he made you do. otherwise other people might have to go through similar experiences. i hope you are ok and don't ever have to go back and see him again.

goodam....have a read back over our lengthy forum because there are lots of positive reports. i have been really lucky after my op and have recovered well. the main barriers to a quick recovery seem to be:

- the length of time you have to wait for the op - this increases damage to the nerve. a physio told me that being operated on within 3 months of bad symptoms offers the best chance of a quick recovery. shame the nhs don't seem to know this!

- the length of time you are inactive for prior to the op - again this just makes it harder to get going again afterwards. my calf muscles had completely wasted away after 6 weeks of doing nothing. but they came back very quickly!

- the side effects to the painkillers and the withdrawal symptoms make everything 1000 times worse.

so my advice to you would be to stay as active as possible prior to the op, get up and moving as soon as you feel able to afterwards, and take as few painkillers as possible before!! and withdraw slowly from any opiate based ones.

the general recommendation seems to be 6 weeks off work, but it totally depends on your job. if you do lots of sitting, or a very manual job, it might be worth taking more time off. not sure what jobs don't involve sitting or manual stuff, but you never know!!!

let us know how you get on!!!

take care all xx

 

[COBHC]

Tracey!!

That is absolutely despicable, the way that doctor was with you, its good your husband was with you.
You poor thing, i can't imagine the horror you must have been feeling, i hope he is dealt with severely and properly (you know how they like to try and close ranks).
Well done to your husband for not thumping him, he probably would have ended up in more trouble than the bloody doctor.

Melza...So sorry to hear your news about your neck problem.
My ex's brother had that op where they go through the adam's apple and he is having terrible problems 3 years on. I hope an epidural will work for you honey x

 

[Chris Haggard]

Hello everyone,
Only recently found site, but oh how I wish I Knew about it last year!

Problems started last May (Bank Holiday w/end), chronic pain in right leg from out of the blue, so bad was passing out with pain. My husband took me to A & E (screaming in the car) - fobbed off, with see GP on Tuesday!

To cut a long story short, was then fobbed off by GP who diagnosed Sciatica and prescribed the usual painkiller tablets and "it'll sort itself out" comment!.

It didn't and finally I got referred for an MRI scan late last year, this showed a problem with my L4/5. Had surgery late February and I'm now 6 weeks post Microdisectomy and all appears to be going ok. The advice/comments here have been very useful, as up until now I felt as though I got very little guidance on what to expect post op and what I should/shouldn't be doing.

Fortunately the back pain has gone, but my main problem has been, and still is numbness/ solidified gel feeling in right foot - has anyone else had this - any comments/advice would be welcome. My Consultant seems to think that its permanent and I'm thinking its due to the delay in realising what was going on (so much for our knowledgable medical profession!).

I've just started physio and would welcome any advice on this, as I'm not too impressed with who I've seen so far!

My advice to anyone suffering at the moment is to get treatment SOONER rather than later if possible.

I think this forum should be sponsored/used by the NHS as its been invaluable to me.

Best wishes to all.














Problem

 

[misuti]

Melza, Jess, Ali - It was 1 of the worst experiences I have ever had I have put the complaint verbally to PALS (although they struggled to understand me at first through my tears & snivells) they have requested I put it in writing. My Dad has to go see him soon & he's about ready to kill him. I was supposed to be seeing him again in 2 months (god knows why after the solution he gave me to my problems) & PALS have said they would chaperone me at the apt but I can't face being in the same room as him so I have asked to be transferred elsewhere for a competent assessment (he didn't even look at my neck xray or the numb fingers which was 1 of the main reasons I was refered to him
Tracey x

 

[Lee333]

tracey-1 that is horrendous.
We'll all be interested to see how you get on if you do go ahead with lodging a complaint. What WAS he thinking?? Actually who cares what he was thinking, it doesn't sound like he has any clue. It sounds like an episode of Benny Hill! (Not trying to trivialise the issue at all tracey-1).

goodam, I am another who would definitely say that I am in a much better position after surgery than I was before. The recovery can seem very lengthy but overall it was worth it.

You asked how long people are off work for? I think I went back at the 6 week mark, part time and then built up my hours. It has a lot to do with what sort of job you do, and how accommodating your employer is. The key is to make sure that you look after yourself. For instance, once I was back full time I was doing a lot of overtime at my work plus driving long distances and I am now back to being part time again. As the Dr told me, sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards...

 

[Sad Blonde Knight]

Chiddy71

Hi!

Glad you are going on ok after your op.

I agree with fite oli about taking daily exercise and definitely not sitting down for too long. I walked as often as I could post op building it up gradually. I do my stetching exercises every day as instructed by my consultant ( He said I must do them every day for the rest of my life to avoid it happening again).
I swim too and have now got back into Tai Chi and am basically trying to build up my core strength with low impact stuff before I try to get back into tennis or any higher impact classes. I am 8 mths post op and it hasn't all been plain sailing but with the help of my physio once a month and putting my sensible head on ( ie not trying to do too much too soon) I do seem to be getting somewhere.

No regrets on having op. Pain was awful before.


Good luck with your recovery


pennylane

 

[Lucas]

Hi!! Pennylane***
Thanks for your reply, I think I over did the walking yesterday, The bottom of my calves feel like I have done a marathon, having said that the pins n needles aren't as severe so maybe an overly long stroll is what I needed..( I Just have to keep remembering to use my common sense and take it easy at times...)
I am back again next tuesday for my stitches taking out and then the week after with my physio. When did your start to swim again? Even though my body needs to recover my mind is going a little stir crazy and been able to do exercise such as swimming would be a god send....

Many warm regards and thanks.. Happy thoughts sent your way..**

 

[Leaha F]

Hi. I am three days post op discectomy. I read everything in this forum prior to the op and found it very informative, but terrifying too!!!
I was so scared that something would go wrong, but becase of the pain and disabiliy that the disc prolapse caused, I realised Ihad to go ahead. I was shaking so much in the theatre reception that I felt ill.

I woke in post-op to no pain. I asked the nurse sat beside me if I could try to raise my leg, and when I did it had no pain!! There aren't enough exclamation marks for it. I had morphine during the op, but when it went away I had no more painkillers in hospital. The morning after the op I was helped up and walked with a corset. Still no pain apart from a little at the op site. The next morning they let me home - and that did hurt because I had to go in the family car with the seat lain as far down as it would go, so I ached a lot afterwards. Seems a bit pointless to me to say - 'Dont sit for 6 weeks' - then be shoved into a car. But the point is that the op was a success, there is no pain in my leg, I am walking up and down the lane and am very happy.

Thought this might bre reassuring to those who wait and wonder. Good luck to you all.

 

[banned_glory]

Evonne -

In reply to your question - I still have numbness down the side of my left foot & up the back of my achilles (I am 6 months post-op). The consultant told me that nerve damage takes a very long time to repair (months & months) and I may or may not get the feeling back in my foot. I still find it a small price to pay though for the enormous relief of that awful pain!

 

[Mearbonou]

Hi everyone, well the time has finally arrived. I go into hospital on Monday for my discectomy on Tuesday. It is really helping to read the really recent post op reports which are so positive as I am pretty terrified right now. Although I dont post on here often, over the past 6 months I have read all your posts, kept up to date with your progress and learned what to expect when it is my time...both good and bad - so thank you all for being there.

Chilling out now with a glass of wine with my very tired hubby who, bless him, has put up with sleepness nights, tears, moods and the sheer boredom of me going on and on about 'the op'!

I'll let you know how it goes... x x x

 

[RobinsonHq]

Hi Chiddy

Thanks for your reply

I think I was about 6 weeks post op before I dared swim but everyone is different. You have to listen to your own body. When you start try walking in the water too. It may sound odd but it is harder than you think and is good exercise without any strain. It is better to swim front crawl if you can rather than breast stroke to avoid hurting your back. I have heard several people confirm this including physios and osteopaths. I do swim breast stroke now but I put my head in the water rather than stick my neck up like a duck!!!
I am up to a mile again now and love it. It 's funny I can swim and walk with little problem but when it comes to washing floors or gardening I really suffer again. Unfortunately these jobs still have to be done so I just get on with it and let my physio tweek everything back into place when he comes once a month.

Just take your time. I know that is hard when you really wants to get going again but patience - I have learnt - is a virtue!


Take care

Regards

pennylane

 

[Katelina]

Best of luck to you for your operation Monty2.
Please let us know how you get on.
Hope you obtain the relief following the operation that many of us have found.

chiddy - Re swimming.... I found that for the first few weeks it was easiest to swim lying on my back. Not backstroke, but lying on my back, kicking my legs. Holding a board with my arms helped keep my body straight. I built up slowly to doing the strokes which involved lying on my stomach as they seemed to be much harder on my back.
Good luck.

 

[Destin]

Hi Monty2***


Good luck with your op, I hope it works out well for you and helps you be free from the pain. I am a wk in to recovery as tomorrow and have found like so many who have kindly replied to me stated the best thing is mild exercise and listening to your own body and the amount it can cope with.. I am still glad that I decided at the time I did to have the op and my heart goes out to those who it has not been a success for that must be somewhat soul destroying, hoping you are a success story!!!.


Sending you happy positive thoughts for your operation and throughout your recovery.. \)\
(=..)
o(-")")...x

 

[hzzwpces]

kim_99

Thanks for your note - its reassuring to know that the problem with my foot isn't just peculiar to me! I'm continueing with physio and hope that in time it will sort itself out, but a you say compared to some its a small price to pay.

tiggerismycat

I'm now 6 weeks post op, back at work and getting around quite well. I can remember that feeling straight after surgery and the car ride home really well - don't you wish you could do a 'beam me up Scottie' trick at times like that!
My advice is do everything slowly and carefully - although it sounds like you're doing far better than I was at that stage - be patient and don't overdo it or you'll reget it.

Best wishes.

Evonne

 

[Popiepesate]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone can advise me?, I am one week in post op and had my stitches out yesterday, I have been amazed at how good I have felt physically, (some pain n uncomforableness). However since having my stitches out I am somewhat sore to say the least but seem to now be getting severe pains in my lower carves, the only thing I can put this down to is I was laid flat on my stomach and it must have strained me slightly, prob nothing to with that!!..Just wondered if anyone had the same problem or is it just part of the pattern in recovery????
Many thanks.***

\)\
(=..)
O(")") ***********