Discectomy - After the Operation

[bigrobdeezey]

no side effects at all that i know of!

 

[Semper Fi!]

The only problem I had with Diclowotsit is that I had some sort of contractions at the top of my stomach after I was on it for a long time. I only mention that in case someone else is feeling the same thing and wondering what is happening. Actually, its an inflammatory drug that hadn't anti inflamed in the 9 months I was on it, once the stomach pains started I gave them up.

But I'm on here to share some good news with you all.....it's amazing!!!!
This evening I had a call from the admissions office at the local hospital, she explained what I already knew about having to farm patients out to other hospitals. Anyway, here's the deal. I am offered a choice from some Nuffield hospitals. I asked where that was and found that its actually a group of private hospitals (PRIVATE!). I chose Bristol. My notes are sent to their consultants who will decide which patients they will operate on (fingers crossed). If I am chosen then this trust will pay for my transport for a pre clerking assessment, my transport for the surgery and my transport for my follow up appointment. Can you believe that??? My only concern is that they will turn me down because of my upper back problems....or all my christmasses with come at once and they'll do the whole lot for me....that would be so good. Apparently I should expect to hear something in November. She also told me that unfortunately my own consultant wouldn't be doing the operation, I told her that was absolutely fine, it couldn't get any better really.

Now this is important for Ali so read carefully, hospitals have to drastically reduce their waiting lists before December which is when the official 18 week waiting list starts. I think it's worth fishing around to find out if your own hospital is struggling too. Ali, you must put everything you have in getting them to sort you out, but don't mention the 18 week thing because they're pretending that isn't the reason. I'm sure you'll think of something though, maybe offer to travel to another hospital? Go for it!!!

I shall now pray a lot

Melza

 

[Meech Hoover]

WOW! Melza, thats brilliant news!!!

I am a christian believer, so shall send up some prayers for you myself!!!

Thanks for the heads up, i know my hospital is struggling, because every time i phone them they say....and i quote.....

"There are too many patients and not enough appointments"....And that "there are only a few spinal surgeons covering the whole of Dorset" (Which is where i am).
This is why, even though i am a priority, i still have no date for surgery. The 3 months, he said my surgery within, is up next month.

Who do i speak to, to get info about possible treatment in a Nuffield hospital. Dorset has a few of those!!!!!!!!!!

Keep us posted on how you get on hun xxxx

 

[Nicole_x]

I am now into day 5 of my discectomy recovery and doing well. However I am suffering soooo badly from cabin fever. I really wish I had a laptop then I could browse the net as much as I want, as I am only alowed to perch for around 20 mins. I am finding it difficult to to climb into and out of bed because every time I go to lie down my back is not completely in line and I have to lift my bum and move it slightly by bending my legs and pushing down. Im sure this is a no no, but there is not much else I can do. If i dont have my back in complete alignment with my body I feel my stiches pulling and it hurts more and more the longer I leave it.

The only other things I experience is when trying to walk its like my right leg (discectomy right sided) wants to over compensate and I find that I lift it too high and have to compensate by leaning to the left. I cant quite work out if this is due to my main right muscle in my back spasming or wheather my body has got used to over compensating for such a long time that it is just a habit.

I have also noticed that my body twitches quite alot. it is quite difficult to walk at the moment because my core muscles twitch, but even when i am relaxing (lol or trying to hide from the pain) I twitch allot. Anyone experience this?

I am also still quite cross about the lack of information from the medical professions. My pre surgery consultations whith registrars and the consultant where very vauge. Basically they want to spend as little time with you as possible, I could quite understand this because they are so busy, but when it comes to information that you need to make an informed decission about what they are going to do to you when you are knocked out then I think they should spend the time to give you as much info as possible. The only diagnostic words that have slipped out of the professionals mouths are Discectomy, spinal stenosis, and lubar decompression. What makes me angry is that the surgeon has done his work and I do not completely know what he has done. The letter confirming my surgery said decompression for spinal stenosis. When I spoke to him before the op he said spinal decompression, so I asked him if he would do a discectomy and he said he would if it was needed. When I spoke to him after he said he did do a discectomy. So would he have done 2 seperate ops on the same level? Ahhh its too complicated to me are they the same thing? Any comments guys? I wish they had been forthcoming with info!!!! I guess its the spinal stenosis thing that is confusing.

Anyway Hi Melza and ali,

I had my surgery in a nuffield in surrey. The nuffield group is private and also runs from charitable donations, they also run in conjunction with the NHS. You may find that NHS consultants will usually also work in some of the private hospitals in your area, they pay better lol. My NHS surgeon did my op in the nuffield and I also found that the lower skilled staff where also NHS, you can just tell (no offence to nurses, I met some really helpfull ones). Nuffield hospitals are very nice, own room with telly and on suite, most of the nurses are very helpfull but are streched quite thin (my own experience) The food is very nice, and there is room service for the patient. You can order food for your guests but its expensive. All your food, meds and ops are covered by NHS for the patient and you get a complimentary paper every morning and the ortapaedic bed was a godsend. Its like a hotel, you'll love it melza

Anyway, must lie down now

 

[Urahara]

Ahh, just seen you down there jess22, thanks for your encouragement!!

 

[Omar Barriga]

There are no side effects that I've heard of. I start & stop dicloflex quite regularly & I haven't noticed any.

I was also farmed out to a 'private' hospital via NHS but was lucky enough to still be in Birmingham (my home town).....how the other half live lol. Really pleased to hear your good news Melza I will keep my fingers crossed for you.Also, speak to your GP about 'patient choice' you should be able to choose where you want to be treated under this directive.

Lynn

 

[thundercatt9]

Well I'll be blowed Ali, I'm in Dorset too and my local hospital is Dorset County Hospital. They are the people doing my lumbar spine and Southampton have the cervical spine....I'm not sure but I think Poole have the bit in the middle (rediculous isn't it). Ali, phone admissions at the hospital and see where you are on the waiting list (tearfully of course), phone the secretary of your consultant (and you have to get your authoritative tone in before she gets chance to use hers) and as Lynn has pointed out, you can use your GP to put pressure on the hospital or help you find another option. This is a really good opportunity for you, just imagine if your 18 week waiting list actually starts again in December! Now get on that phone!

 

[India Rules!]

Melza! What a small world!!!

My local hospital is actually the royal bournemouth, but they have absolutely nothing to do with spinal problems.
Then after that it is Poole hospital (where i was an inpatient in august), they stopped doing spinal ops last may.
So i had my first operation in dorset county!!! Also had the repeat MRI and pre clerking there!

I have been on the phone trying to find out where i am on their list, but they told me that they havent even DONE the list!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats why i got so annoyed that the surgeon buggered off on holiday again!
The same thing happened last year, he was going off on leave all the time, and also earlier in the year, i waited 6 months to even get a consultation when my symptoms came back because of his holidays.

So i dont know what i can do if they haven't even done the lists.
My GP is on the case tho, i phoned him last week and had a grumble!!!
However, he is also on holiday this week aaarrrggghhh!!!!!!!!!

What can i doooooo????????????

 

[valerie b]

I'm not sure if they are being completely honest with you Ali, when I phoned weeks ago I was told they wouldn't be able to perform my surgery there and we were being farmed out (as we all know by now). It can't possibly be any different for you, and especially if you are a regular. What about contacting PALS and letting them know how distraught you are, if you get what I mean. I am seriously concerned that your consultants name may start with Hil..., am I right? He's mine and he drove me crazy!!! I suspect that all the time you and I were complaining about our consultants endless holidays we were talking about the same person. If I'm right his secretary is a real cutie (not), she used an 'inappropriate' tone with me so I put her straight and hung up on her, little madam!

Right, did you try the spinal admissions officer? Are you sure you are on the system or on the list, if not your doctor needs to do something. PALS were very helpful when I contacted them at Southampton and they can sort out all sorts of problems in a civilised manner, makes a change. You can contact on their webpage, Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust. And how the hell they got that status is beyond me.

So get back to work, if you are on their list you have to be fixed up before their deadline in December. At the moment the little muscle injury in my back has turned into a very bad pain....not much different to when this all started. I don't know whether to sit up, lie down or walk about, even through the night! Its pure torture! I hope and pray that I will be a 'chosen one' and get my surgery soon, but I won't rest until I know you're getting fixed up too. Unbelievable that you have to travel so far for treatment, or any of us for that matter. Here they have people in terrible pain, who have already had to endure stringent tests to qualify for consultant treament, and then they really stick the boot in. I'm so angry with all of it. Going to lie down now, like one of our other members. I hope you tell me who your consultant is soon.

 

[D, The Writer]

just had a discharge letter from my consultant in which he happened to mention that i have "degenerative spinal disease", which is incurable. hmmmm....has anyone else been told this? i don't want to have a disease, thank you very much. i just thought i had one dodgy disc that was no more....

jess xx

 

[The Jenilynn Rush]

Oh dear, doesn't it sound depressing! Look up degenerative spinal disease on google, there are some interesting bits there. Apparently most peoples spines deteriorate over time, but for some its more noticable than others. The problems in my upper spine are mainly degenerative (but perhaps I am old enough)and I suppose it means we have to take extra care with our backs forever really. Look up Spinal Stenosis, another part of the degeneration. I am worried about the future with my back but I swear I will never treat it badly ever again if they can just fix me up a little bit. If you get a chance ask your doc if they can be a bit more specific about the problems you have, nice to be informed don't you think.

Off to make my cocoa now

 

[Alley Cat]

Oh my goodness me! I am afraid that we DO indeed have the same consultant! Hil...first name A.

Well, i have recieved today, copies of letters from my GP to both him and the consultant anaesthetist at bournemouth hospital for a lumbar epidural.
My GP asked that they hurry my surgery along, due to my increased pain and significant recurrent symptoms (or something like that).
More to the point, my GP found no documentation about what they said they were going to do, and that everything he knows about my case, he knows because I told him myself.

Dorset hospital, have not told me ANYTHING about farming out patients to other hospitals, just that A.H. is on yet MORE annual leave, and that no list has yet been compiled.

My GP is back at the surgery on Monday, so i am going to make an appointment with him, to discuss going private and getting it funded by the NHS.

What a bloody mess

 

[Dyclekecepres]

Oh my dear Ali, so we really are in the same boat, but so far I am the luckiest of the two..so far!!! That man is useless and I will remind you that a member of his staff advised me to make an official complaint about him. I don't really want all that bother but if you make one I most certainly will. He may be very skilled at what he does but he is totally incompetent. He is legally obliged to document his consultations with you, and they have to be in your notes. Upset that little missy secretary and ask her to find out what procedures he had planned for you, she can order your notes and check. I think you should mention you are going to make an official complaint if you don't get any satisfaction asap. I just worry that he didn't put you forward for surgery and that will be devastating. Remember he decided an epidural would do for my upper back and left it like that, it wasn't even his area!!! I hope Southampton will provide a long term solution whenever I get there. He has extended my suffering by a good few months because of his messing about, and I can't stand the man!

This is war baby! Don't forget PALS, they can give you names of people you can speak to and advise you about what to do. I should know more names myself but I've been away for too long now. You must find out what he wrote in your notes! Little missy secretary can arrange that plus she'll have information on her computer.

Good luck!

Melza xx

 

[Broken Dreams]

Melza!!! I have happy news!!!!

I don't care anymore cos guess what??!!! I called Dorset hospital about 10 minutes ago, and asked them if they are sending patients out to other hospitals, and she said yes. (although she said they started doing this on Monday and were currently in the process of phoning everyone to offer them alternatives, which i know is a load of crap, they were doing it a few weeks or so ago weren't they?)

Anyway, i digress....she said that i had to meet certain criteria to be able to be offered this alternative and that i indeed do meet said criteria!

I could not accept the nuffield options, as they are too far away....but....this is the exciting bit!!!.....I was offered the BUPA hospital in Southampton, which i accepted!!!!

Woo hoo!!! Private hospital!!! Woooppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All paid for by the NHS!!!! GET IN!!!!!!

And the best bit is....is that A.H. isnt doing the op!!!!!! YEAH BABY!!!!

My notes are now being transferred over to the private hospital and await a date!!!!

Melza, we are getting there hun!!! Lots of love from a very happy Ali!!!!

 

[TonyB]

Well done both of you!

I cant help thinking that all of this fighting for your ops has somewhat taken your mind off the pain even just a little bit lol.

I myself am 7 days post op and cant do a bluddy thing except watch snooker all day lol. Mind you, the pain is getting better each day, its the not being able to sit for long periods, so I have to do things mainly lying down, wich mostly involves watching telly or reading.

Anyway, well done again!

 

[Sleepy Jerry]

Hey 90awk!!!

Thanks for your message, its been a long hard slog, but the light at the end of the (rather painful) tunnel is in sight!!!
Still need to keep supporting Melza tho, cos she is also needing her cervical spine seen to, so am praying that her private hospital will treat both her back and neck.

Yeah, post op recovery is a long hard slog too, i found myself laying down a hell of a lot, as sitting was impossible.
Just sit for as long as you can, and when it becomes too much, get up and try to mobilise for about 10 minutes, then have a lie down.
If you went straight from chair to bed, then you will become terribly stiff, so a bit of mobilising, will keep you supple.
They said to me, every 30 minutes or so, just get up from either sitting or lying down, whichever i was doing at that time, just to mobilise for a few minutes, just to keep my back from seizing up and getting really stiff, then sit or lie back down.

With the sitting, thats my main problem, and was post op last time as well. They said that if i could sit, great, but just do it for short periods, and if i couldnt sit at all, as long as i kept mobilising, then lie down, if its the most comfortable thing to do.
Gradually, after 4/5 weeks post op, i found i could sit for longer periods.

Just do whats comfortable for you, just as long as you do that little bit of mobilising as well every so often.
Do you have physio exercises? Maybe with those, in time, you will build up strength and be able to sit for longer.
Maybe as well, take some pain relief, wait till it kicks in, and try sitting?

These are all things i did post op, and found that slowly, i was able to tolerate longer periods sitting. But did it bit by bit....10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes etc. I hope this will help you too.

Much love, Ali xx

 

[insect.tech]

Oh Ali that is the most brilliant news, I was so worried he hadn't put you down for surgery....we both know what he's like! I still might put in a complaint about him though. When the very nice girl phoned from Dorchester she regretfully informed me that AH won't be doing my surgery, 'oh' I said 'that's absolutely fine!'

In the meantime I've been in the most desperate gut wrenching pain and had to call my nice doctor and ask for help asap. I think I must have knocked that disc out further (giving the living room a right good clean!) and it's been hell. As well as the pain I felt sick and dizzy, hot and cold, I was in a right state. She is calling on me today to check me over, my hands,arms, legs and feet have been numb for a couple of days now (and who keeps moving these damned keys around!) and I really can't walk anywhere.

I've decided that because this private surgery might be just around the corner (seems too good to be true) I'm going to ask her if she can medicate to limit the pain and make me sleepy until we find out whats happening there, what do you think folks? I know I'm in a bad way but I really don't want a trip to Dorchester hospital, especially if you know who is back from his hols!

Another tip from me, I had a go at putting a cold hot water bottle (?) on my back to ease the pain and even though it felt really strange it was also comforting. My back was really hot at the time though.

Cheers Ali, I shall raise my glass of Tramadol to you! Did you want to know about degenerative backs Jess? I hope you found enough info.

 

[xiqclsoxs]

Yes Melza we did it!!!!!!!!!!!!

They also told me that AH wouldnt be doing my sugery as well, as if that would upset me in any way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AS IF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That made me even happier!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have looked on the private hospitals website, and there are 7 surgeons, and all look incredibly amazing in their fields. They all practise at this private hospital, only 2 of them still do work on the side at Southampton general hospital. They are neurosurgeons though, so i am utterly at peace of mind now.
I only hope dorchester don't dither and faff around getting my notes over there. Can't trust them to do anything right at the moment!!!!!

Oh dear Melza, so even though the hospital issue is sorted, you are in extreme pain, i'm so sorry hun.
I used to wear heat patches, before the pain got like it is now, so advanced that nothing works! But the heat patches did make it bearable.
Also hot baths, i find make me comfortable, maybe try that hun.

I have reached the end of the first week of morphine weaning, have finished the tablets, and so from tomorrow, can have only 10mls of oramorph 4 times a day. Then in a weeks time i reduce it to 5mls 4 times a day, then no more morphine for Ali!!! As good as that sounds, i fear that i will be in dreadful pain!!!! A swift trip to the GP will be in order!!!

I hope that your GP can give you what you need to be comfortable, and with a bit of rest and relaxation (not to mention, a wheelbarrow load of tramadol!) Hope you feel better tomorrow hun.

90awk, how are you doing today?

Nitey nite folks!!!!

 

[iaminvisible8888]

I had my very nice lady doctor visit me yesterday and gave me a thorough check over. I have to say I haven't been treated so nicely for a long time. She also suspects I have knocked my disc out more, one of the tests was having pins stuck into my bum....never been done before! I'm now back to the Diazepam, co-codawotsit and Tramadol. I think it's strange that I've never been offered the drugs you mention Ali, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. I have to spend most of my time lying down so better go back to my barracks....so boring!

I wait with hopeful optimism that I shall get good news soon. Wouldn't it be nice to be a post opper instead of a pre opper for a change, we can join the rest of the gang!

Good wishes to everyone!

Melza

 

[hope2help]

Thanks Ali I'm not so bad.

I am slightly concerned that I may have done too much lately. 2 days ago I went for a drive (as a passenger) up to my mother-in-laws to use her walk in shower, as I desperately needed a shower and I only have a bath and there is no way I could climb into a bath, not to mention getting out. I think I have also been sitting for too long. I Have been getting that horrible pain down my leg again. It only comes now and again, but more often when I'm lying down or first thing in the morning. For the first 5 days or so I didnt feel anything in my legs (well I mean pain wise) but this pain is creeping back. I am hoping that its just the nerve takes time to heal, I hope its just the lasting effects of the nerve being pinched for such a long time. Anyway time will tell.

"90awk thinks back to the time when he was still working and wishing that he had lots of time off to do nothing. And now realises how boring nothing really is".

I know its still a long road for you both, but at least your one step closer. Well done! I'm sorry your in soo much pain Melza, I hope you get the pain releif you need.

By the way, I remember last christmas slipping my disc after washing the car and my wifes aunt gave me a heat patch to put on. I found that it did nothing but amplify the pain. They do say that cold is better for easing swelling and inflamation that you may experience with slipped discs, but I imagine you already know this, just thought I would mention it.

Anyway, must rest.... Good luck all!