Urgent advice - Discectomy or not?

Confusused.com

Hi 🙂

I thought the same re infection, but the practice nurse and GP both told me that the scar was healed sufficiently to not be at risk of infection ????

So very confusing.

So far I have concluded that advice on this forum is more reliable and I trust more than the medical people I see! I find this worrying !

Next week (my hol week) I am going to try building myself up to work day behavior. Ie Up showered dressed by 7;30am, a short drive, light house work,a walk, normal breaks. It will be interesting to see if I am back having a lay down by 11;30 !

I have explained to work that until next week when I try building up my stamina I wont know if I will need to return on short hours or days.

I feel uncomfertable about being "a problem". I so want to return as a fully functioning smiley person, others had to deal with the me in lots of pain finding it hard to focus and unable to do parts of my job, Hay ho, my sergon strongly belives a early return is the best for reduced inturnal scaring and therefor full recovery.

Thank you all who have posted on here, on the dark days it helps to feel a little conection to people who are in the same boat ! Being able to go back and re read and see dark days eventuly being followed by sunny ones. 🙂

P.S. Although I know random leg pain and on and off foot numbness are a normal part of recovery, I DON'T LIKE IT. But to be fair, most of the time when I do my streches they go for a bit.

Keep truck'n It'll get easier.
Put your health before your work.

BEST WISHES FOR A FULL AND PRODUCTIVE RETURN TO WORK LIZZY:)

Take care of yourself

SPINELF

Sunshine and recovery

Hi All,

My disectomy was 23 days ago. This week was ment to be for building myself back up to normal, pre return to work, well thank you Mr sunshine you have really helped 🙂

'Sunbathing' feels so much more 'normal' than going to bed in the middle of the day ! And really helps to put a smile back on my face.

I feel so much better, my energy levels are improving daily. 🙂 I am still tired,but able to stay awake all day, just, I seem to have a four pm exhaustion hour!

My back gets achy but only a 1 and some streches and a rub and all good again.
My right leg is symptom free.
My left leg is 90% beter, I do get some pains and numbness when stood for long periods, but the streches usally get rid of it. The best way to put it is that I notice symptoms now as I have progressivly longer periods without them. 🙂

Today I am going to be lazzy as yesterday I sorted the small front garden. !!!! Yes I was able to sweep the paths, trim the hedge, plant the hanging baskets. It took me all day with sunbathing in the middle but it was amazing to do normal stuff, I am achey today so I am going to take it easy. I can't belive that this time last week I needed a stick for my daily walk!

Hopefuly I will be able to post next week about even more improvement.

Another update!

Back in work since the 10April. Its a been a struggle. Got a custom chair and car seat made and the benefit is enormous. Expensive but they are well worth it.

Ive lost the sciatia completely. On my worst day i get the knife edge pain in the buttock right side. Whats consistant now is the lower back and lower stomach ache. Its an ache rather than pain. Im actively working out in the gym, mainly walking, stretching and swimming.

Normal work and commute life continues, started lifting the kids again ( youngest one ) and the eldest with more care. Lift onto the lap etc. Which is great to be close to them again. Got a child seat for my bike so the kids are involved in the exercise programme wih me!!

As for home life im not half as able as i was, used to cut the hedges, grass, paint and generally always be doing something. My off roading days are gone as is my engine tinkering - kills me to bend into an engine bay. I collected small bags of logs for the fire saturday and sunday was a write off.

In one way its difficult to adjust in other ways its nice to spend the time with the family and were doing more park visits and days out. A silver lining i suppose 🙂

There isn't a day without an ache or stiffness yet but its getting better and the more i exercise the better i feel. Its important to walk it out. I find im aching when i get home after a full days work and the only relief is to walk. Id try that before i take the tablets and i certainly feel the better of it.

Hows things Doog?

Great news RickyC!!

Keep up the good quality activity, and here's wishing for your full recovery!

Best wishes.:)

SPINELF

Slower progress than you Ricky..its now 4 months and 2 weeks since the operation. Like you the sciatica has all but gone (after 4 years that is a relief) but I have developed leg / buttock pain in my other leg. I am obviously hoping this not a re-herniation so am due to see the surgeon again.

Lower back pain is still present but not as bad as before the operation. I am taking things really easy and just 'listening to my body' as my surgeon told me to.

To sum up I would say there has been a slow improvement week on week, sometimes hardly noticeable and on other occasions I have had major relapses.

If there are lessons to be learnt from this, its to be patient, clearly the invasive nature of the operation is played down by the surgeons and recovery is over many, many months.

not a million miles from you doog. The buttock pain on opposite side is the same with random sciatia left side. I get freaked out by it as i now the disc above l5 is bulging and now has the disc below damaged.

Its very slow recovery. I agree the surgeons don't go into much detail about the post surgery recovery.

Well a an update is due me thinks!!

The lower back and leg pain is nearly 100% gone. I get lower /mid back ache now if i over do it. I now pick my battles, weekly chores etc cutting the grass. I take more breaks and becareful. But i really feel the surgery was a success so far. Im glad to be on the other side of it.

The one thing i would recommend is getting a customised chair. got my back measured and they built a chair for the office and another unit that attached to the car seat. Worth every penny. Im supported each and every journey and working day.

I have to get a decent chair for the living room now. 🙂

BEST WISHES EVERYONE!!

KEEP POSTING, YOU ALL SEEM TO BE GETTING THERE!!:)

Best wishes and kind regards.

SPINELF

6mths Update,

All is good, struggling to balance the staying active and exercising with busy normal life. Im finding that the odd day im getting minor sciatia down the left side which indicates the L4 disc (Bulging) Stretch it out and walk and it tends to stay at bay. The main concern of late is my tailbone is tingly / numb. Like the left leg sciatia it tends to stay for a few days and then go but the last week something is different.

I'm get feeling that the disc it self is drying out and the pressure is now being applied to the tailbone. Bit like a sinking foundation..

Slightly concerned but its not enough to cause me major problems at this moment in time. I think the best course is to contact the physio again and see if there any more specialized exercises to counter act it.

7 month update from me !

The Sciatica that has plagued me for 4 years has all but gone in my right leg so in that sense the operation was a success. Still have numb toes in the right foot however.

The bad news is that I have developed sciatica in the left leg 😡 .Over the last few months this has worsened as has the lower back pain to the left of the surgical area. I have had some quite intense physio on this but to no avail.

I saw the surgeon about a month ago and he stated that this was probably more mobility problems than a disc issue. At that point the leg pain didnt go beyond the knee so he said it was unlikely to be the sciatic nerve.I guess after 4 years of compensating perhaps this was body adjusting back - I dont know.

However things have developed and slowly but surely the pain has made its way to the ankle. It is more noticeable first thing in the morning, when I am driving (pressing the clutch pedal) when sitting down and when bending down.

Anyway all will become clear next week as I am booked in for another MRI scan. I am praying its not a disc issue as I dont think I could go through another operation and the rehabilitation again.

Hey Doog,

Good to hear from you. Sorry to hear your still struggling. I too had the success of the right side and then struggled with the left sciatic pain which put the fear of God into me. The last month has been a turning point. Flexibility is back and movement is good - really starting to put it behind me. It is however based on the fact that i'm always 'listening' to my back and balancing rest verses exercise.

My take on it is as follows (in my case - there maybe something in this for you). When the disc ruptured and was operated on it then put pressure on L4 disc that was bulging and that's where i got the left side pain from. I had a numb tailbone for days on end and then over the space of a week it all settled and i felt much better. While this was happening though i was seriously considering back to the surgeon for a chat about injecting L4. So i understand your predicament.

I really hope this is the case for yourself and fingers crossed its just the spine settling back into position after surgery and a modified disc.

Take care mate and keep truckn. 4yrs of compensating and pain - it makes sense that it would take time to turn that around. Even from being laid up for 3mths solid i couldn't believe the effect it had on my side torso muscles. I was months getting back to a pain free scenario.

Let us know how the MRI goes.

Hi Ricky, glad you are doing well.

I have had the MRI scan and its not good news. The same disc has reherniated on the other side 😡 I have been told its an epidural injection and then surgery if that doesnt work.

The surgeon said there was a 10% chance of this happening. This is the third prolapse on the same disc in 4 years, I have taken things really easy, not lifted anything of note since the operation.

So it looks like I am looking at another operation, this thread might run and run 🙂

all the best

Hi there Doog

So sorry to hear this has happened again. So very frustrating and uncomfortable for you :(.

I am just wondering whether you have looked at diet to change your body chemistry? An [url]alkaline diet[/url] may just alter things and stop this happening. The standard Western diet leaves the body acidic and many cell functions struggle in an acidic environment. It might be a bit of a struggle to change what you eat to begin with - you can call it your eating philosophy if you like ;), but it might just make all the difference.

Wishing you all the best

Okay MRI result in full.

Apparently I had a 'hermilaminectomy' - any Idea what this is? All of the docs referred to microdiscectomy.

The new problem is a central and left posterolateral protrusion (explains the severe back pain to the left of the surgical site (surgery was for protrusion on the right) and also scar tissue contacting right S1 root.

I have a sneaking suspicion this happened straight after the operation when I attempted to pull myself up in bed. There was no harness. When I walked for the first time I had this pain on my left (hollow feeling) that has increased and seems to encapsulate my back pain and sciatic pain down to my left knee.

I am now left with no physio, no idea what to do, still off work and a slave to Amitriptyline.

Hi there Doog

So sorry to hear this has happened again. So very frustrating and uncomfortable for you :(.

I am just wondering whether you have looked at diet to change your body chemistry? An [url]alkaline diet[/url] may just alter things and stop this happening. The standard Western diet leaves the body acidic and many cell functions struggle in an acidic environment. It might be a bit of a struggle to change what you eat to begin with - you can call it your eating philosophy if you like ;), but it might just make all the difference.

Wishing you all the best

Thankyou, I guess I have a 'traditional diet' at the moment 🙂 but certainly need to sit down and address some issues for the future. Amazingly every one of my other discs seem in perfect working order. The L5/S1 seems a complete mess!

Hi,

I'm looking for advice regarding herniated l5 s1 disc. Im early 30's fit and energetic not over weight. It started in mid december 2011 and is still an issue to today 28 jan 2012. I got a cortisone injection on the 18th that wasn't fully
effective. It took 5 days to reduce the sciatia and cramp and i still have pain after waking up in the morning and sciatia intermittently. Bending backwards is still painful with more pronounced sciatica but varies by how much i have my legs apart while standing - closer = pain wider =no pain?

I was referred to a nuero surgeon after a mri showing herniated l5 s1 and bulging l4. He opted for the injection and said i wasn't a neurological case for surgery. The 2nd meeting with him 8 days after the injection. He said he was willing to operate based on my degree of pain but again i wasn't a neurological case. He said he'd scedual surgery less than 1 week after the meeting.The following day i met with my GP who has extensive experience
in back injuries to get a second opinion and view of the nuerosurgeons advice and the speed at which he was engaging me for surgery. The GP did a further detailed examination and agreed neurologically i wasn't quiet there yet but based on the sharp pain while leaning back still being present that surgery was inevitable at some stage. He went through my options medication wise and exercises etc as one route but said in all honesty he believed i'd be back into him with my work commitments being the way the are within 3 months.

So here i am. I'm 6wks with a herniated disc. Ive gone from agony to the feeling of being back to wk 1-2 of pain levels after injection no.1. Ive been out of work 4wks with my wage
being the only wage that covers my wife and 2 kids. My gut says surgery is coming down the line but its just so soon. My body gives me flashes of no pain but is that the injection. Then in the same day i get twinges cramps and nerve shocks. They range from soft to stop you in your tracks. I can manage if my life stays as is, ... as in not working and taking
it easy. The reality is, i need to be able to get up and go to work - don't get paid if i don't work!!- its 3hrs commute and 8hrs sitting.

What do i do here? Try and solve it asap in the most effective way with 6-8wks turn around and get back into the gym and try pilates etc after. Or see how it goes by dosing upand working and when the injection wears off consider my options then?

I really really need help and advice here because it impacts my family, ability to pay the mortgage and put food on the table. My head is completely destroyed..

Im due to commit to a yes or no for surgery on monday to be in theatre on wed. 1st feb.

A discectomy (also called open discectomy) is the surgical removal of [url]herniated disc[/url] material that presses on a nerve root or the spinal cord. The procedure involves removing the central portion of an intervertebral disc, the [url]nucleus pulposus[/url], which causes pain by stressing the spinal cord or radiating nerves. The traditional open discectomy, or Love's technique, was published by Ross and Love in 1971. Advances in options have produced effective alternatives to traditional discectomy procedures (i.e. Microdiscectomy, Endoscopic Discectomy, and Laser Discectomy). In conjunction with the traditional discectomy, a laminotomy is often involved to permit access to the intervertebral disc. In this procedure, a small piece of bone (the lamina) is removed from the affected vertebra, allowing the surgeon to better see and access the area of disc herniation.

Okay MRI result in full.

Apparently I had a 'hermilaminectomy' - any Idea what this is? All of the docs referred to microdiscectomy.

The new problem is a central and left posterolateral protrusion (explains the severe back pain to the left of the surgical site (surgery was for protrusion on the right) and also scar tissue contacting right S1 root.

I have a sneaking suspicion this happened straight after the operation when I attempted to pull myself up in bed. There was no harness. When I walked for the first time I had this pain on my left (hollow feeling) that has increased and seems to encapsulate my back pain and sciatic pain down to my left knee.

I am now left with no physio, no idea what to do, still off work and a slave to Amitriptyline.

Hi Doog

A hemilaminectomy - hemi = half; laminectomy = removal of the lamina, part of a vertebra, thus it probably means removal of half the lamina. Which half is the surgeon's sphere. The disk is obviously protruding and pressing on a nerve which passes against the lamina causing pain etc. It would seem the disk is damaged and unable to hold against the pressure of the weight of the torso and head compressing it so it squeezes outwards pressing on the nerves - a bit like squeezing a half-empty tube of toothpaste with the lid on where it bulges away from the pressure. The disk at that position is particularly under pressure especially when posture is out of alignment, the body is overweight, the body is acidic, is arthritic and/or lifting heavy weights incorrectly - and muscle spasm is not helpful either!.

I'd request/demand another appointment with the surgeon as what he did was inadequate to solve the problem. I expect he thought doing what he did would be enough, but it clearly isn't. This time you will have the experience to ask more probing questions and demand he sort it out 😉

Love, Light and Healing

Things continue...now have a date for an epidural. Its like groundhog day, although this left side sciatic pain is totally different from the pain on the right I suffered for 4 years.

Its much deeper and less intense in the leg but more intense in the buttock and thigh. It doesnt go further than my knee unless I try and drive and press the clutch in fully. Bending down is a nightmare.

I have been told the epidural will be a 50/50 chance of success. I have had two before that didnt work, however on this occasion I have a nice little scar for them to aim for:D

I had the Epidural today.

Completely different from my two previous injections. This time I was given a ' general' rather than a local....wow, what a difference. Go in , lie down, put out for 15 minutes and none of that horrible pressure feeling on the back. I woke up with zero pain from the procedure.

It was the same hospital that did the Micro D / Hermi - L 😀

Basically a private hospital treating NHS patients. Brilliant service and the surgeon who did the operation did the Epidural so I guess he knew where he was aiming.

They reckon it may take a few days to kick in, so here's hoping .

Hey Doog,

Hows things? I hope all is well. I'm still working away. Finding it a bit difficult these days with 14hr days coming up to xmas. Mad busy in work so its sitting all day long. On and off the difene as i need it. Walking when i can but not as much as i should.

Still get leg pain etc and buttock pain on and off. Going through a rough spot at the moment. Back to trying to find the balance of when to rest and when to walk.

Looks like life after a discectomy isn't all roses. Its nearly one year on exactly since first signs of it and im in the same situation - much less pain but there isn't a day goes by without it. Ya just keep picking yourself up again and again.

Roll on xmas and a nice break from work!!

Hi Ricky

It certainly isn't the instant cure the experts would have us believe eh! Don't over do it.

I see the surgeon again next month:(

In a other bizarre twist... I went back to physio and was shown a stretch. I lie on my back with my arse to the skirting board... while putting my legs up parallel to the wall. And stretch the life out of my ham string. After the initial burning feeling its amazing relief. Taking breaks every 2mins etc.. MASSIVE MASSIVE relief. ... on the right side... But the left is still sore on and off??

I dunno.. I don't know what to be doing these days..

Best of luck with the surgeon. Hang in there. Its nearly xmas time so you can get away with falling over every now and then!! 🙂

Amazing information

Hi guys, thanks for all your posts, I've been reading over the past two days.

I've just been put on the NHS waiting list for surgery (after 2 years of suffering) and having tried physio etc. The hardest thing I've read so far has come from doog...

"It certainly isn't the instant cure the experts would have us believe eh! Don't over do it."

I'm a 45 personal trainer and sports therapist by trade, I'm also a competitive mountain biker, road cyclist and snowboarder.

My current pain level is manageable, however, as soon as I try any form of exercise (particularly running) the pain in my right leg is unbearable. I've stopped all training and competing and to be honest am probably at my most depressed. Work is difficult as I don't do the exercises myself, I can stand for just about an hour doing a massage treatment but have to rest fully afterwards.

I agreed to surgery because I'm too young to give up on my career and thought I could cope with a maximum 6 week recovery. It just doesn't sound like it's worth it?? Do I have to accept my lot or will I ever get back to full fitness and training as I was 2 years ago??

Yours very miserably

Hi MTB Anna,

I had surgery on the 10 feb 12' as you've read in this thread when i was seeking advice. The one thing i've come to realize with people and there backs is every case seems completely different. I've had a very tough year. A life changing year. I've stopped doing certain things i really enjoyed, offroading and tinkering with engines etc. I would'nt even attempt to change a tire these days. But on the up side the result is i'm indoors with my kids and wife more, the weekends are more family orientated etc so its while it does change things drastically its just opens a new chapter in your life. You can get down about it for a while but try and dust yourself off and stand up straight and move on.

I'd class my surgery as a success. But my work life forces me into a situation of sitting and commuting for long periods of time. So its now a case of balance to be able to work and provide for my family but walk and gym to undo the negative effects of having to work / commute.

Its a long game your about to play. It seems my disc seems to be being absorbed and breaking down so i'm feeling numb in the tailbone the last 2-3 days. I was pissed off and down last night but woke up with fighting spirit. I walk every lunch time and gym every weekend and nothing is going to stand in my way of staying active and as pain free as i can be.

Keep the head Anna, as a personal trainer endurance is key. So fight it. x

A quick update as its almost 12 months since my operation and 4 1/2 years since the original disc prolapse.

The disc has re-herniated as already mentioned :(. I had an epidural which took the edge off for about 5 weeks but now back to big time pain.

I have opted for another epidural before surgery as I have always thought surgery to be a last resort. I am told they can do two micro D's then its fusion as the disc becomes unstable.

My herniation was excessive and they took alot away, hence my surgeon mentioned fusion. However he also said it was an extremely painful procedure so that put me off going under the knife again.

I really dont know what to do next 😀

Seems i've just picked up a Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR).

Directly linked to stress and Anti inflamatories. ie difene

6-8mths of blurred / Distorted vision in my left eye.

discectomy

Hi all
I had dicectomy on my lower back i think it was L4 and L5 causing me big issues with siatic pain. Its now 8 days since the op and i am finding my pain alot worse. I cannot stand for long and movement seems to really agrivate it although i am trying to make sure i do move to keep blood flow going but to be honest i am a bit worried as i am a satellite engineer and my job is quite active. So what i am asking is can any one offer any advise on wether this is normal and what i need to be doing to make this better.
I have not been given much advise by my consultant and physio is another 3 weeks away.
I am currently taking co codamol which help for about an hour.

Hi Ricky

I dont know if you read this forum anymore but I hope you recovered from your issues -we both had surgery at the same time in early 2012 and it was good to talk and get through it together!.. I guess however this post may be lost in cyber space.

I had my second micro D last October (2013) after the first reherniated and it appears the second has now reherniated 😡

The second op seemed easier after what we went through but the next step is an MRI scan.

Surgery is truely the last resort and I think its led me down the path to regretting ever seeing a surgeon.

Anyone reading this - dont do it