Discectomy - After the Operation

[word]

HI Cassie, Thanks have just now seen a different consultant last week on the NHS I was lucky to go private before and he is sending me for another MRI, have to ring next week to see what waiting list is like. I'm now on crutches as can hardly walk one shop is my limit which is no fun when the sales are on!!! Guess I'll save some money with the lack of shopping which is a good thing! So looks like the process starts again I do hope they'll fix me soon I can't believe how much this takes over your life I was so active and skiing this time last year. Jo

 

[graceomally99]

Hi all. JayshW - hope your recovery is still going well.
I've been for my pre-op assessment today so I guess it's really happening now! Bit nervous but a bit of me is actually looking forward to having it done in the hope I'll finally be sorted. Fingers crossed. Going in on Wednesday at 7.45 a.m. Wish me luck and I'll update you afterwards..

 

[MaxPayne135]

Not long now bekpet! I will be thinking of you!

I feel great, able to get on and off bed better now, and walk quite good around the house. Having staples out monday and then my 2 weeks of enforced laying down is over on wed/thurs.
It does get sore/tired if i am up for too long but every day there is an improvement.

 

[Alex Fouleau]

Went for the pre-op yesterday. All seemed ok. Had the phone call this morning to say they're cancelling my operation!! Words can't describe how I'm feeling. They couldn't tell my why it was being cancelled other than it was probably due to people being admitted with flu nor could they say how long it would be before I could be rescheduled.
I've tried to speak to the consultant's secretary to find out more and see how quick he could do the operation if I paid and went privately. His secretary's off sick so I can't find anything else out until she comes back, so I've got to try and call them on Monday to see if she's back. My GP says he can't do anything. Everything's now up in the air. This is not just affecting me, but everyone else who's been supporting me. My mom's going away at the end of January and is now worried she won't be here when I have to get it done. Work had been sorted. I'm a School Admin Manager and have to set the school budget in March/April, but that was fine because I was going to be back at the end of February, now that's not the case.... so I don't know what I can do to sort it out. But ultimately, I'm in pain and the disappointment of knowing that that's going to continue for some time yet is more than I can bear. I thought there was light at the end of the tunnel, but it turns out it was just a dead end.

 

[Metallic]

HI Bekpet, All the very best for your surgery. Will be very interested to hear how you get on. Will be thinking of you loads. Things can only get better!!!


JayshW, Glad you are doing well. Just take it easy. Met a friend today who had surgery last June-she is doing remarkably well. During our conversation, a pen fell out of my pocket onto the ground. As I was trying to work out how to get it lifted, she just bent down and retrieved it. Encouraging or what?

 

[nora y]

Hi Bekpet

I've just seen your post saying that your surgery has been cancelled. My goodness, I don't know what to say, but that I feel so sorry for you. Things always happen at the end of the week and you have to wait until the weekend is over before you can get some answers.

Hang in there and let us know how you get on with any new on Monday.

Take care.

 

[TemskyncTes]

I am so sorry to hear that Bekpet, how awful for that to happen. Cant imagine how you are feeling.
Lets hope you have some news on monday, thinking of you x

Fedupbigtime...great to hear about your friend doing so well. I must admit i was out seeing horses this morning and let them out in the field, ended up nearly getting run down and throwing myself across the muck heap out of their way! oops! But feel great, no pain at all, just having to be very careful if i bend down but i can bend down which is good, my back gets alittle achy after 30 mins of wandering around but all seems to be healing well.
Numbness in leg and foot almost gone now too, havent needed any painkillers since 3 days after op.
Not long now til your op, and hopefully the end of your pain.

 

[XxKristina01]

HI Bekpet, I am so so sorry to read that your op has been cancelled. You just sound devastated, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I know its very easy to say that but I feel, in life, theres always a reason for everything but we might never know it. Please try and keep optimistic until Monday. I,m sure somebody should be able to give you a reason why its been cancelled.It will not ease your pain or your psychological state but , at least, you will know why. Always remember that we are all thinking and praying for you . Keep in touch

 

[Person XYZ]

Oh Bekpet, what a nightmare! I know exactly how you're feeling because I was given the run around too....and that seemed to last forever. Three years and two operations later I can only advise you to hang on to a bit of faith. Whenever the op is going to be performed you'll find a way to work around it, work commitments and family aren't included in surgery planning. After a huge fight I lost my job, but I'm still alive and kicking (but skint). Sometimes its easier and less stressful to go with the flow.

On a positive note I am finally getting into some serious exercise, yay! I never thought this day would ever arrive.

 

[alekssebasstrs]

Hi all,

Here's my story!

37yr old female, had a nasty fall onto my lower back last January in the ice (down steps in work) the first 2 weeks were agonsiing but it gradually settled down. Within another month I slowly developed back pain again, sciatica, tingling & numbness in my left leg & outside of my foot. Eventually, I began to get numbness in my crotch & genitals. Visited GP who referred me to a PT at the local hospital (I now know that this is a symptom of Cauda equina!). Eventually saw PT after about 6 weeks who referred me for MRI (another 8 week wait).

All this time I struggled on working full time, popping painkillers & Diclofenac, looking after the home, hubby & 2 kids, thought I'd go mad with the leg symptoms etc

Had MRI 11th NOV which showed large disc protrusion as L5/S1 complete loss of visualised canal, impinging on S1 nerve on both sides (more on the right) although most symptoms were down left.

Within 3 weeks I was being operated on - Discectomy & Decompression surgery - all went well but woke up after op with completely dead left leg & foot. Consultant said it was to be expected as nerve was covered in scar tissue and required a fair bit of cleaning up & flushing?

Its 5 weeks now since the op and the wound has healed nicely but the numbness in the leg & foot is still there. Its much improved, now its just the outer calf, the sole of my foot and the last 2 toes that are tingly & numb alog with a largish patch of my outer thigh. My calf muscle is really tight and needs stretching all the time.

I've been having physiotherapy and acupuncture in the calf whcih has seemed to help a little but I feel Ive plateaued off now - no real improvement over the past week - the weather hasnt helped with being able to get out walking but I have started in the past few days.

I also get odd, nervy type pains now and again in the back around the op site and in my hip and sometimes pain in the calf. I'm due to see my consultant again next week but work have now started making noises baout me returning to work when my paper runs out at 6 weeks post op. I work in a factory as an engineer and can be up on the roof one minute and down at the river the next. I am partly office based too but not sure if I should be spending all my time sitting?

I just dont know what to do about returning or approaching my GP about another sick paper (dont know if they'll accept that) - I'm afraid of returning and not coping ( I havent driven yet), I'm not really sure whether I should be pushing myself more.

What is the usual time for returning to work? would I be better off jumping in and returning or could I make myself worse? How can I help myself to get the feeling and strength back in my leg. Am I expecting too much too soon?

lots of questions I know but I'd love to hear of others experiences x thanks x

 

[Claire Dare]

Hi Bekpet, how,re you doing. Did you get any answers today? Hang on in there. Every day that passes is one day nearer your
surgery. x

 

[Sarezh]

Here is hoping that your surgeon agrees to additional days. Thankfully you have his secretary on your side so fingers crossed she gets you in asap.
I know the thought of more weeks of pain is so disheartening but dont give up yet. You have got this far, you will get it done.

I understand your quandry about going private, when i was told that the waiting list for my op was 3 months or i could go private and pay around £7k it was really hard. I didnt have that kind of money to spend on myself so resigned myself to waiting out 3 very miserable months, but i got lucky with my surgeon and he operated one week later from seeing him.

Hoping that your little reprieve from the dreadful pain carries on longer for you.

Im doing ok, had my staples out yesterday, but my back feels very weak when im walking around and can feel those muscles sore and im itching to be able to start strengthening it up. Doctor came in during my staple removal and told me i should still be taking painkillers as im not walking properly and he doesnt want me straining any other part and that i definetly shouldnt go back to any farm work for a long time yet.
Making an effort now to stand up straight when im not lying down so hopefully i can get my posture back normal.

 

[cant_think_of_1]

OK, so my consultant rang me at home this morning! Basically, the flu, plus emergency orthopaedic cases that came in when we had all the snow and people were falling and ending up with broken limbs it's what's caused the shortage of beds. He's still doing some surgery, but only where it doesn't involve an overnight stay in hospital. Apparantly the hospital's doing all it can to get patients discharged who can be in order to free up beds and as well as that Mr Alo (my consultant) has told them that he wants to do additional surgery days in order to deal with the backlog, so that's promising.

He's waiting for the hospital to confirm that he's been given the extra theatre time so he can reschedule the cancelled ops, but he says it's never been refused in the past when situations like this have occured, because they want the backlog cleared as well as him.

He says that when he knows he can reschedule, I'll be treated as a priority for two reasons, firstly because I was cancelled in the first place and secondly because I've already had my pre-op assessment so I'm clear to come in at short notice. This is all looking more reassuring. He didn't seem to think that going private needed to be considered as he's optimistic that I can be done quickly.

The only thing he did offer as an alternative was to repeat the facet joint injections as a temporary measure, but he said if I went ahead with this, I'd be considered as a lower priority than I am now and it might mean the discectomy could be delayed. I decided to decline this as I didn't feel I'd had enough benefit from them last time to justify delaying the surgery any more than necessary.

So it's still a waiting game, but at least I feel I've got the surgeon and his secretary both keen to get me in ASAP. I'll let you all know when I hear anything else.

Thanks for your continued support. I'm grateful to you all. Hope everyone else is doing well.

 

[Jack R]

A bit more of an update.... just had a call from the hospital to tell me that provisionally they've rescheduled me for next Wednesday, 19th Jan. This is dependent upon there being no emergencies that are admitted between now and then. She's going to call me on Tuesday to confirm that it's still going ahead, but it's a bit more promising. If it goes ahead then, I'll have only been delayed a week, so that's not so bad I suppose.

I'll keep you posted. Everyone will be fed up with the saga of my op soon, but I'm hoping that it won't be long before I can post how I'm doing post surgery! Can't wait.

 

[Harmon Cooper]

I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you Bekpet! Not long if they can keep that date for you!

 

[Jalaal]

Hey everyone, im new to the forum but have read every post. I didnt realise how many people out there were suffering too.
Im waiting to see the surgeon on the 21st feb and like a few post ive read i cant wait for my op but am also scared! There are some very brave people on here and lots of hope too.
Ive just one question to the ladies, did any of you have to have a cathater for peeing after your op? I really hate them and its worring me, silly really, it should be the op its self!

 

[Reed]

JayshW delighted you are doing so well. Very encouraging for the rest of us. Keep it up!

Bekpet, delighted for you too. Its great news. Promised you there was always light at the end of the tunnell. All the best

I am having surgery on Monday but have got tendonitis in my arm so am just a BIT worried as to how they will position me during the op but i,m just not going to think about it,ll just ask them to give me a double dose of anaesthetic haha.
Hope I,ll still be laughing next week!! The nerves are building up and if i dont laugh, i,ll cry!
Keep in touch , everybody.

 

[Sad Eyed Jokerman]

Great to hear everyone is doing so well. Fedupbigtime, you're op has come round quicker than I thought, so if I get the go ahead for Wednesday, we'll only be a couple of days apart. As I said, I won't know until Tuesday for definite, but I'm sure that they'll do their best to get me in. All the best for yours. I'll be thinking about you on Monday.

I wondered about the catheter too. I've had "friends" who have said the usual "Let me know if there's anything I can do" and I thought if I had a catheter in that I might get them to come round and change the bag! That would make them regret offering to help when they were only being polite instead of genuine.

JayshW - couldn't you just slap your other halves sometimes. The hospital I'm going into has a policy that means no-one can wait with you whilst you're waiting to go down to surgery. I thought this was a bit cruel but in light of you experience, maybe it will be for the better in the long run.

I'll let you all know on Tuesday when I've heard from the hospital. Speak soon.

 

[kyemaunbipbiodevx]

Hi jayshW, thanks for your reply, its made me feel a lot happier. Ive had them before and they hurt like hell! x

 

[peter w]

Melza, the way you described the fake pain was funny because that is exactly what i said to my dr to-day......Dont they make you so angry when you sit there in agony and they ask you stupid questions!!! Arghh.

who in their right mind would pretend to suffer like us, have a very limited quality of life for months on end, day in and day out.
I also have a meeting at work tomorrow to disscus possible termination of my employment. Just when you think it cant get any worse, it does!
I admire the way you keep cheerful, i wish all the best for you.

Bekpet, good luck you will be pain free soon.