Discectomy - After the Operation

[dxtvgucq]

Hi yvette

I will try and answer some of your questions and give some advice, although I am only another patient like you not a consultant. Firstly i will give you some background info -i initially was diagnosed in October 2009 with two bulging discs, I couldn't sit at all so had to give up work as a medical secretary. It took until June 2010 to have a discectomy, with a couple of epidurals and nerve root blocks in between. I was told afterwards there was extensive nerve involvement but not what this would mean. Anyway I got worse not better and it took until April 2011 to have a fusion done of l4/5 -5/s1. Unfortunately this has now left me permanently disabled, unable to sit for longer than 10 minutes without severe pain and taking so many painkillers a day I rattle .

My advice to you would be push doctors and consultants (ring their secretary) as the longer nerve damage goes on the less chance of making a full recovery. I only have been told this since. I completely trusted my surgeon to do what was best, especially as I was a member of staff at my treating hospital. Unfortunately everything happens so slowly, they say they will see you again urgently after say a nerve root block and then you have to wait four months to see them as they are fully booked. All the while more damage is occurring. If you can afford to go private do it, as I know someone who two weeks after being diagnosed had been operated on, needless to say they have made a full recovery.

Finally there are people on this site talking about a procedure called MISS I think which seems to be a better way to go than down the fusion route I did. So please investigate all options.

Hope I helped a bit and didnt just scare you. Keep in touch Wend

 

[The One With Three Eyes]

How you getting on Deboy?


Im 1 wk on after discetomy with lots of leg ache on both legs.

 

[Curious gurl]

I have been dealing with a herniated disc at l4/l5 and have had a severe sciatica for 6 months. My doctor referred me to a specialist when she noticed how weak my leg was and I'm scheduled for a discectomy in March. I'm barely able to raise my left leg standing up and my ankle movement in this leg is almost inexistent.

From what I read nerves can take a very long time to heal and I wonder if it can come back from paralysis after the operation ?