Discectomy - After the Operation

[CrackerBoy67]

Hi Budskinson

Delighted to hear things are progressing well and you managed a 2 mile walk. May the progress continue unimpeded!

Yes friends and family can make a lot of difference. Sometimes one needs to ask - often people hesitate to offer help in case they are considered 'nosey' and butting in when they are not needed. I find if you ask people are more than helpful - and they can only say 'No' if they don't want to! So, Famanda - do ask for help!

 

[mIsTy bEeBeE]

Thanks again Budskinson. It does put it in perspective when I think how bad I was on my worst pre-op days. My parents turned up last night unannounced to put my youngest two to bed (2 and 5 years old) and I just burst into tears. Not sure if it was the pain, or relief of not having to change a nappy and stand whilst reading a bedtime story, but I was able to just lie on the sofa whilst they did it all.

Good to hear you've managed a good walk. I'm just panicking because I've been that bad recently that I've done practically no Xmas shopping! I can now stop panicking and hopefully should be ok to hobble round Toys R Us in 2-3 weeks!

I've not had a good night though. I've still got the burning sensation in my toes and the top of my foot. I have very lightweight pj's on, and I even exclaimed out loud when I got out of bed this morning and the bottom of the material touched the top of my foot. It's very very sensitive. I've only been prescribed co-codamol (8mg/500mg) and diclofenac (50mg). Is there anything else that anyone can recommend I could ask the GP to prescribe me just to get me over this initial period?

 

[Travis P]

Famanda,

I had massive trouble sleeping pre and post op, even now when my pain is really drastically subsiding sleep is still a problem. As far as your pain now is concerned have you been given any medication like Diclofenac Sodium (DS)? I took DS for about a week after surgery and it really seemed to help (it didn't help before surgery only after!).


Today has been my best day after surgery so far (exactly 3 weeks) I made it to a swimming pool and i must say that although i couldn't exactly exert myself the experience was bliss. The only downside was putting my socks back on and not having the nerve (excuse the pun) to ask a stranger for help! being weightless (or there abouts) really took the strain away and allowed some rare free movement. As long as your wound is healed and you have go ahead from your surgeon i strongly recommend a swim.

I hope things start getting better for you soon, were you given any stretches to do on your effected leg?

 

[Nellie Chu]

Glad you've had a good day. Swimming sounds bliss! Can't wait until I can do that. It is lovely to know that you're around 16 days ahead of me, and sound so much better than I am.

I've been on DS for around a year now, as well as co-codamol, and that's the only thing they've told me to carry on taking. I had some morphine whilst in hospital and wish I was still on that!

I've got my first physio appointment on the 28th, and then weekly after that. I have been given some stretching exercises too. One in particular seems to be helping. I have a stretchy scarf and have to hook it over the ends of my toes and hold onto the ends and pull it gently upwards. But I have to be honest that I've even been struggling with this today due to the horrendous burning sensation in the ends of my toes and the top of my foot.

Of well, tomorrow is another day eh?

 

[jmisbxqj]

I have heard of people using 'icing' before. Might be worth popping a pack of peas on or something?

The stretching really did the trick for me.

 

[Tiger Lily]

Now then.

I had a discectomy like yours . And have done well . I would post more but mr happy will shoot it all down . This is his site so don't mess. But do private post me .

 

[Ann-G]

Ex Pom,

Feel free to post your experiences here. This site belongs to the site owner, so nobody is going to shoot you down for sharing your own experience (and if they do then you are more than welcome to report their post to the moderators who will deal with it).

All Love and Reiki Hugs

 

[Jimmmy Carly]

Ex Pom,

Please post up some positive things with some details. Its time to turn this board back around and try and promote some optimism for those who may be observing this board in fear.

I had another swim today, and felt limited but at the same time improving. I'm so optimistic right now i keep having to remind myself that i'm only 3 weeks since surgery.

 

[Bob Bone]

I'll not bother with the surgery side. No point . But the recovery is every thing.
First few weeks . Just rest walk up and down street is enough . It will hurt for sure with some stabbing pains that make you think it's all gone wrong. Get in and out of bed with caution use your butt to pivot and abdominals to keep in a good position . Use the pain killers . Sleep heaps if you can.

Oh yea found this site about now and started reading some bad vibe stuff and thinking I had done the wrong thing to had the wrong type of surgery ummmm that was not good for the mind.

Weeks 2 to 4 . I started to ween off Tramadol I was getting buzzed out on the stuf , but kept taking Tilcotil it's better than voltarin and no tummy cramps take at night. And munched on paracetamol probably 8 a day . I sat for no more than 15 mins at a time and when I did I sat well . Not ram rod straight but with natural curve and sat on the firm edge of the chair/sofa. I would stand to watch tv most of the time sort of marching on the spot and swaying my hips a bit . The movement helps ME with swelling . Went for walks up to 2miles or a slow 30 mins. There are no stairs at my house but they were never a issue. Still had a morning sleep and a after noon sleep . Rest rest rest.


Week 5 to 7 Went so see surgeon . Started phsio . Did very light pilar ties workouts on a reformer table . I was feeling good so started walking for a good distance this was fine. So then I walked and swam a bit .BREAST STROKE . Was not good for me. I started to do to much exercise and recovery wise started slipped back quite a bit. More resting .


Week 8 + went back to basic exercise with short walks and aqua walking . pain wise now I was getting on well I still had deep stabbing pains here and there. I was just sticking to the PT Plan

 

[aJeptevetads76]

I just wanted to update on my recovery.


everything has gone fine so far i'll be 4 weeks post op on Wednesday and i've been increasing my exercises carefully day by day. The sensations in my sciatic nerve have noticeably settled down day by day too. I know have to be mindful of the fact although i feel more able my disc will not fully heal for another couple of months.

What i want to share win this post is the issue I have had with sleep since my op. I have only managed about 3-4 hours sleep in every 24 from about 4 days after the op. I have also experienced some teeth chattering chills. I have been told that this is most likely withdrawal symptoms from my pain killers. It bee the major draw back with my recovery and i found a way of dealing with it last night.

WARNING :- I am not encouraging alcohol use whilst recovering from surgery....however, I had 2 small glasses of claret last night and i slept a straight 9 hours, this is the most sleep in have had in 6 months and today i felt pretty good.


Best wishes all.

 

[Ross James]

Ive been away for a while due to feeling low about a few things and have sunk back into depression

First off I was due to see the surgeon on the 30th November until I had a letter telling me the appointment had been cancelled and had been rebooked for the 2nd February. This dropped me like a stone. I went to see my doctor who is very good and he was disgusted with this so he wrote to the hospital. I had a copy of the letter and it stated all the medication I am on, including anti depressants now and that the wait was unacceptable. Two days later I receive a call saying a new appointment has been booked for 14th December. Why couldnt they have done this in the first place?

The pain is not as bad as it was but then im not doing much to agrevate it. The problem is still there and I can still feel that something isnt right with my leg/foot/buttock.

On the latest scan it showed the prolapse had grown and nerves were being trapped. This has got worse over the last 3 years so I hope to god the surgeon operates to correct the problem and not offer me a pain block as it wont correct it. Ive thought of nothing else for weeks and feel that surgery is the correct path to follow.

 

[tosh2790]

Hi all, I had a disc removed and decommpression of the satatic nevre on the 20th of September. I have had backache and bouts of satatica for years, In Febuary this year it got so bad in my buttock and leg that I couldn't walk. After many trips to the doctor I decided to go to a private clinic who gave me a mri scan, I was told that I had a herniated disc and would need it removed. After the operation I noticed an great improvement in my leg but after 9 weeks my back is still very painful. The surgeon told me I wouldn't need my painkillers after a couple of weeks but even though I have halfed my dose the pain is still there, My mum is still doing my housework as I can't cope with the hoover and mopping floors. How long is this going to last ? when am I going to get back to my old self ? Will I ever be pain free ? Is anyone in this posistion after 9 weeks post surgery. Will be nice to be lifted out of this depression as the way I feel at the moment I will never be any better. Any advise will be great.

 

[spider367]

Hi All,

I have not posted here since 01.01.11 but would like to know if anyone has had a similar experience to me. In August 2010 I had a L4/5 discectomy.
Prior to my discectomy, I was very active & my main hobby was cycling and I would ride around 100-150 miles a week.

Recovery from the surgery went well for the first 10 weeks, I followed my physo’s instructions and built up my activities over time. By the end of October I was able to stand and work on my laptop, set on top of a filing cabinet, for hours without any problems, I was walking around 15/18 miles a week, driving for over an hour with no problem and life was getting back to normal.

Then I started to get my pre-op symptoms again, muscle pains across my shoulders, this then moved down my left hand side and into my buttocks and over my hips and if looking at me from the back I was locking over to the left hand side. Over a short period of time this became persistent and very painful as it felt that my muscles are very tight and in spasm most of the time. I returned to my doctor who placed me on Anti-inflammatory drugs and a low dose of muscle relaxants (diazepam/valium) which had little effect. In July this year I was referred back to my consultant and I was re scanned. The scans did not show any problem with the disc and he claimed that the operation had been a success and my symptoms had nothing to do with the discectomy. Funny that, as when I told him my symptoms pre operation a discectomy was the answer.

I am still experiencing a lot of pain from the L4/5 area, but this is due to the muscle spasms, which can now lock me over to the left or right hand side. When this happens it causes a lot of pain in my lower lumber area, as well as from the muscle spasm. Having been told by my consultant that I would just now have to live with this I was referred back to my doctor.

My doctor has tried me on a number as muscle relaxants and I am now on Amitriptyline & Diazepam + pain killers. My back is now so sensitive that any thing can set it off, from sitting in a different chair, standing to long, doing something I did yesterday without a problem. I have now been told that there is nothing that can be done. My pro-lapsed disc could well have been a symptom & not the cause of my problem.

Since March of this year I have been seeing a Sports injury phisyo weekly and now he is at a loss of what to do next as each week my symptoms change from one muscle group to another as it would appear that my muscles are imbalanced.

Pain permitting I still do stretching exercises every morning and night and still try to walk a least 9 miles a week. However, this has not been possible over the last 8 weeks.

I know I have gone on, but does anyone have any experiences similar to me and could anyone suggest a course of action I could take or try?

 

[skydog]

Hi everyone

Am I glad to have found this forum! It feels amazing to finally find others that can understand my pain and share their own experience of what it feels like to be suffering with this awful, unrelenting back condition.
I was diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome in May 2009 after suffering with lower back pain for a number of years, and was advised back then to get my body into fighting fit condition as having such laxity in muscles and ligaments coupled with shallow joints could only mean one thing, injury and lots of it! I took on board all the advice that was given to me and launched into a new regime of non-impact exercise and healthy eating, I found a brilliant yogalates DVD (a combination of Yoga and pilates) and for a year and a half I was at my fittest and was healthier than I'd ever been. During this time, I became pregnant and in September 2010 I gave birth to a healthy baby. I stopped exercising during my pregnancy, mainly because I wasn't sure whether it was safe to continue. Only a few days after giving birth, I experienced my first bout of numbness in my right foot. I told my midwife who seemed baffled, my labour had been pretty straightforward, I had a water birth and only used gas and air i.e. no epidural, so there were no concerns that this could have been the cause.
Gradually, as the weeks and months progressed, the numbness increased and lower back pain began to worsen. The pain and stiffness in my back was starting to become unbearable and what worried me more than anything was that I was starting to get severe pains in my right leg. Over a period of about seven months, I visited my GP at least once a month to report ever increasing discomfort and at no point was it suggested to me that it could be a slipped disc, resolving it to the demands of a newborn baby coupled with mild post natal depression and lack of sleep. In April 2010, the pain accelerated and the numbness started to radiate down both legs, I was bed bound and it was at this point that my GP became concerned and sent me for an urgent MRI, stating that my spinal cord could be compressed and that it could be a disc causing it.
In May 2010, an MRI was carried out and I was referred to see a Musculoskeletal specialist who took one look at me and diagnosed an L5/S1 disc herniation, she didn't even need to see the MRI! She booked a follow up appointment for six weeks later and referred me for physiotherapy. She seemed quite positive that the disc would resolve itself within this period and that surgery would only be considered as a last resort after trying more conservative methods. During this initial recovery time, I followed the advice of my physio and religiously did my exercises, I was also taking Co-Codamol 30/500mg, which in hindsight did absolutely nothing for my pain but did make my mind all fluffy, enough to take the edge off so that I could look after my little boy. Eventually, in July 2010, I was referred for a surgical consultation as nothing had worked and I was still in severe pain. This is when things really got silly, and well, I lost all control of what I was being subjected to. I was supposed to see a neurosurgeon and instead, I got an appointment with an orthopedics surgeon who within five minutes said that he wanted to operate. I, slightly alarmed, told him that I would take some time to consider my options and contact him once I wanted to go ahead. After speaking to my GP, we decided that I would go ahead with the operation, only after a second MRI was carried out, after all it had been nearly three months since the last. I spoke to the consultants secretary and explained what I needed to happen. She called me back and told me that this was not possible and that if I wanted the surgery it would be done without a second MRI and if I was that bad we wouldn't need it anyway! I refused, feeling absolutely disgusted, the surgeon obviously thought I needed surgery as he was confident that if I gave the go ahead he would've had me booked in within the month but then he was quite happy for me to walk away. I got back to my GP and at this point she re-referred me to another hospital, this time asking for a neurosurgeon on an urgent basis. In the meantime, a good friend of mine recommended her Osteopath and I began twice weekly session at a cost of around £38 per session which we couldn't really afford but at this stage I was happy to pay anything just for some relief. The Osteopath helped a lot in terms of relaxing the muscles and for at least an hour after each session, I didn't feel too bad. As far as the sciatica is concerned, I don't think that this particular treatment has any impact. The painkillers weren't working at all, in fact I do believe they made me worse, codeine can cause constipation and this didn't do my lower back any favours! I tried Bu Trans, low dose morphine which again, made me worse, diazepam helped the muscles relax but my GP refused to give me more than seven 5mg tablets a time due to its addictive properties. Eventually, I decided to come off the co-codamol, this in itself was horrendous, I suffered terrible withdrawal and vowed never to take this evil evil drug again, it really messed my head up!
Eventually, I got an appointment for the 8th September to see a neurosurgeon. Imagine my disappointment when I was told that due to hospital error I had been booked in to see a neurologist and not a neurosurgeon! It took me fourty minutes to get there, reclined into a lying down position in the passenger seat with a crying baby in the back of the car and my poor husband having to deal with both of us because at this point, I couldn't sit up, let alone stand. I wanted to cry my eyes out but instead I called my GP again, this time they faxed through the referral whilst I was on the phone. I still didn't hear anything, a couple of weeks later I started to get angry. I started to chase the secretaries, I became just a sarcastic as some of the responses I was getting and eventually I wrote an email, a long email, stating all the negligence I had suffered and what do you know, a day later I got a telephone call from their management telling me of an appointment time and date. Albeit, the details belonged to another surgeon (not either of the ones recommended to me!) but nonetheless, an appointment.
On the 4th November, I saw the consultant who seemed a little nervous but told me that I needed to be operated on right away and that he was shocked to see such a big herniation in someone of my age. He ordered another MRI and booked me in for tests the next day, after offering me surgery only three working days later on the 8th November! I went in for the tests and later that day went online to see what I could find about my surgeon and was dismayed to find nothing, not even a standard profile on the hospital website. I decided to write an email again, this time stating that I wanted the surgery but with the surgeons that were recommended to me and not the inexperienced one that I had been fobbed off with (I even asked his secretary how many of these procedures he had carried out, to which she did not have an answer!). A little over a week later, I got a call from the surgeons secretary and was told that I could have the procedure done with the surgeon of my choice and as luck would have it, he had had a cancellation at his private clinic and would I be interested in having the procedure done at the Priory?! Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity! I had my L5/S1 discectomy carried out last Saturday 18th November 2011, I was in hospital for one night and came home the next day. The first couple of days were difficult but nothing that I couldn't manage and since then I have been coming on leaps and bounds. I started taking Gabapentin 300mg x3 daily a few weeks before my op and am obviously still taking it now, coupled with paracetamol, I barely feel any pain and I feel fantastic. I still get the odd twinge or pain down my leg and in the buttock area but compared to what I was feeling before, this is a walk in the park. I can sit, stand, walk, dress myself and shower without crying my way through it. BUT best of all, I have been able to hug my little boy for the first time in eight months! I finally feel like there might be light at the end of this huge, depressive tunnel and I can't wait until the six weeks recovery is over and done with before I can start to really live again.
I wont write anymore (I feel like I've been typing for ages!), although I could write three times this much and still not give you the full account of this horrible experience but if there are any specifics that anyone would like to know, please feel free to ask me ANYTHING, I really don't mind.

 

[justsomeguy1357]

Lisaskip, I hope you are feeling better and that you continue to improve. Judging by what everyone has said about their own experience, I think it's fair to assume that any real improvement will take some time yet, my physio said it can take up to six months post surgery to completely get back to normal. I guess everyone is different and depending on lifestyle etc, recovery can be a slow process. Take each day as it comes and don't put too much pressure on yourself as this can make things worse.
I was told that my sciatica would definitely improve but my back pain could possibly remain or even worsen because it had gone on for so long. Let us know how you get on.

 

[meow m]

I just wanted to say well done for coming through such a horrible and traumatic experience. I 'm now a month and a few days after my discectomy L4\5. I have found that the post op advice differs massively from hospital to hospital and from surgeon to surgeon. I was told i could look at returning to work after 3 weeks but that recovery including the disc itself healing would be around 3 months.

I know from my own experience that my dwindling level of fitness (pre injury), having spent 18 months working in a new office and not having time for exercise (or so i claim). Anyway I suffered historically from bad backs and slight sciatica, and i went digging in the garden and sneezed holding a spade of heavy clay. Then started months of similar experience to Lisa Kipp.

So recovery from surgery is one thing but i see my personal physiotherapy as a route to regaining my general core fitness and retaining a better level of strength and health in general.

Swimming is working for me very well. And if your employer or circumstances allow it judge for yourself whether or not you are ready to return to normal post recovery life.

 

[Melon Bar]

Well im two weeks away from seeing the surgeon and my brain is turning to mush. Im finding it really hard to cope at the minute. Ive been off of work for four months and am on benefits. Christmas is around the corner and the kids are going to be disapointed this year

Ive been out for a walk this morning seeing as I woke at 5am. It was a good idea at the time as I felt I needed to get out, but now I feel done in. My left leg is dragging as it hurts to lift it up Ive really had enough.

 

[laurelanne]

Hang on in there deboy. It seems as though there is no end to the pain, but for most there is.
I remember always thinking about how something generally non-life threatening could involve SO much pain.

I went for a haircut the other day and the lady next to me had also experienced a herniated disc at L4/5 S1. She said the sciatica was worse than child birth, but there we both were walking around completely as normal her after physio and I after my surgery.

Its so hard to be positive in your situation, but there should be effective treatment for you. On the NHS its the wait that is the drawback.

 

[lxalbabu]

I just wanted to add this, this is not advice, just an account of what happened to me in reference to your walk deboy.

Each time i was advised to stay active, and each time i went walking or cycling or to a physio pre-operation I got worse. This was because i was being advised by people who had not seen a scan of my injury. I was in a wheel chair to go for my final consultations and for surgery. My herniation was so big it had created a hammer head against the dura of my spine (i.e. wedged outside of the spinal column), complete compression of the spinal nerves. I wish i had got the scan first as my surgeon would have advised no exercise.

p.s. the operation is a breeze compared to the sciatica.

 

[anuja]

Budkinson is right, going by experience as opposed to medical advice, I was told to keep active too and whilst it is good to keep yourself mobile i.e. not being completely bed bound, I do feel that movement should be somewhat restricted. As someone who has also given birth, I would've rather have had the experience ten times over than the pain I felt because of my disc, child birth is a doddle compared to this!
There is a means to an end and hopefully, all going well, once you have your surgery, you will start to forget that the pain was ever this bad. I am twelve days post surgery and whilst, I am still on painkillers and do get the odd twinge, I am nowhere near the level of pain I had before the surgery, In fact, if it wasn't for the doctors telling me to rest I would be out and about doing everything that I haven't been able to do for the last eight months!
Try to keep your chin up and be positive, yes, the kids might not get the Christmas they wanted but at the least, having you pain-free or nearly back to normal will be the best present they could ask for.