L4/L5 Discectomy

[qreiruzdixsiqiewx]

22/11/2009 I had this surgery and as I sit here typinging this post the tears are running down my face, I have severe low back pain, after surgery everything seemed fine for 2 weeks then I colapsed with pain and muscle spasms in my lower back and was hospitalised for 13 nights, basically all they done was pump me full of drugs, after 10 days they got me mobilsed with the use of a zimmer frame and relaesed me 3 days later.

I had another MRI scan and was told that the surgery had been a success and that nothing else was showing up that could be causing me the pain, although they did say it could be 101 other reason for the pain.

My fear is that I will be left like this and the pain is far greater than before surgery, I have 3 daughters and it is soul destroying for me as they watch their big brave Dad crying like a baby everyday.

The pain is completely ruining my life, I can't do anything.

I have had some Physio and I'm still attending but it doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Meghan M]

Q1) Are the pains in the same places as before the discectomy?
Q2) Do the pains affect your thigh, shin and feet?
Q3) How many weeks post op are you at the moment?

It may just be what Surgeons call a post operative 'flair up' and this could
subside as times goes on. Keep doing your 'core stability' excersises and keep as active as you can, I know its not easy!

Ask you GP, if muscle relaxants like 'amitriptyline' might help in the short term, these helped me when I had the same torso muscle spasms after my op and allowed me to carry out a rehabilitation programme.

It sounds like it is still early days for you yet, but keep monitoring you ongoing condition and keep written records of how you are progressing.

Speak to you soon.

Best wishes


SPINELF

 

[Lunatica]

Hi, Thanks for the reply.

The pains pre surgery were across the left hand side of my lower back, into my buttock, thigh, calf and foot, also had numbness and tingling.

Post Surgery pain is across the right hand side of my lower back, into my hip and groin. Also have still have some pain in lower left back, and electric shock like pain right across my lower back.

I'm 7 weeks post op.

I'm currently going through Physio to try and improve movement and reduce pain.

My concern is that for 2 weeks after surgery everything was really good with next to no pain and then all of a sudden the worse pain and muscle spasms imaginable, really incredible pain and as I said already hospitalised me for another 13 nights.

I'm moving now with the use of crutches, but sleep is very hard to come by, as I find it very difficult to get in a position where I don't feel pain.

 

[BalBraaiou]

I'm nineteen years old and have been suffering from severe sciatic pain down both legs for three months after a work related accident. An MRI concluded I have a severely ruptured l4/l5 disc. All conservative measures have offered no relief. I was reffered to an orthopediac surgeon who recommended an imediate microdiscectomy. He offered me few details on the potential for good results and risks, so I said I needed time to think about it. Being so young should I try to cope with the pain on drugs till I'm older to reduce the chances of more surgeries down the line

 

[Lost and Found]

I was 24 when I had my 1st Discetomy and it was a major success, woke up from the op and all my back and leg pain, numbness and tingling had completely gone.

I'm now 48 and it came back with a vengeance last August so that was almost exactly 24 years of near enough pain free existence.

Because it was my 2nd Spinal surgery my consultant informed me that it increased the risks of complications and oh my God he has been proved correct, as I said in an earlier post, straight after the op and for a further 2 weeks I was absolutely wonderful, just like 1st time around, then without warning I just collapsed one night with searing low back pain and muscle spasms and it has been a nightmare ever since.

What I would advise you to do if you go ahead with surgery is to demand Physio afterwards, as I believe that if I had been told the things all those years ago after my 1st surgery, that I was told after my 2nd one and given the proper support ie Physio and how it is very important to keep in shape and have strong back muscles, then I wouldn't be in the pain I'm currently suffering.

Because I was only young and really quite fit when I was 24 and the surgery had been such a great success, I thought I was indestructable and I didn't really ever give my back/spine much thought after the surgery, until unfortunately for me it was to late and I was crippled with pain yet again.

Best of luck mate.

 

[lagma]

I have gone ahead and set a surgery date now. Thanks for the info, I just hope my surgery is as effective as ur first one was. I guess the saying us often true, once a back patient always a back patient. I wish u the best of luck in recovery from
the complications u are currently suffering from.

 

[Patrick G]

I are all so sorry to hear that you are still experiencing these pains and the associated mobility reductions, we are all thinking of you!

Your remaining symptoms are too mixed up for me to offer you an opinion on a diagnosis at this point, I would strongly suggest purchasing a new,
private & independant MRI scan and written report from an MRI centre as far away from your local trust as you can manage. Try:
BUPA
SPIRES
BMI
LOADSTONE
as this would give you the clearest and most unbiased understanding on your post operative/present condition.

Something is clearly not right and as you have suffered for long enough, I would encourage you to seek this MRI 'soon' and then consult with your Surgeon. You don't want this pain to continue any longer than you have to, do you?

There are loads of good post's in other threads regarding physical and alternative therapies, have a look, and see what you think might help you. There will be help out there to reduce some pain and will also hopefully improve your mobility.

Best wishes

SPINELF

 

[AussieGIRL?]

Rangersboy, I know the feeling. I cried the better part of last night until finally at 5:30 AM I fell asleep from exhaustion for a few hours. I am 8 days post op lumbar discectomy. The worst part for me is finding a comfortable position to sleep and dealing with the flare up of sciata that is in my left leg and the numbness in my groin.

I do believe things will get better, I just don't know when. I have a two year old daughter and another baby on the way in a month. It pains me not to be able to play with and hold my child. Not to mention, my poor pregnant wife who is having to wait on me.

Best advice I can give is to try and find some way to make progress each day. Maybe it is walking every hour, or smiling at yourself in the mirror. I've realized that we are thrust into these painful states of life, not usually being prepared for them. Best of luck to you.

 

[AJ Rawr Chomp Grr]

Rangerboy, may I suggest Bowen Technique which is a soft tissue remedial therapy. It's very gentle, no massage or manipulation, and could help you find relief from the pain. Back pain is a common presentation to Bowen therapists. To find out your nearest therapist go to www.bowentherapists.com.

Best wishes
Sx

 

[beckerman2013]

Hang in there - it will get better I promise. I know how you feel, after my op in November last year it was really uncomfortable for weeks. It was one step forward and three back and at times I cried with frustration. Gradually you will have more good days than bad - the first month is the worst then you will realise that you are not taking so many steps back. I kept a diary of my first two months - when I read it back I realise just how far I've come.

 

[oanobdga]

i have suffered with back pain for some 5 years now,i am 30 now, i have had episodes where it has been really bad, sort of gone and been bearable. Last November it starting getting really bad and has only got worse, i havnt really done any sport since.I had another mri confirming the disc bulge on my nerve.. I have done the physio thing, had the nerve block injection which only helped for a short time.. It is now bad again, i cannot straighten up properly and am bent forward when walking, as this causes the pain, seem in both legs the mo. I dont walk i shuffle! when i turn over in bed! the pain is bad!
I went to see the orthopedic spinal surgeon at bupa cardiff, he has recommended L4/L5 decompression, which is booked for the 12/3/09.

I dont really want to go under the knife, but i have gone from being active, surfing mountain biking, to doing absolutely nothing!!!

Is this the only route?

 

[Wish I was boredDude]

Is this the only route?[/quote]




Yes Smitho, In Wales, its all they will offer you. Success with your decopression procedure will depend on the dilligence and humanity of your Surgeon. I made 2 'freedom of information' requests to the spine unit in Cardiff, most of the BUPA Spine Surgeons are also NHS Spine Surgeons, and they informed me that they did not 'record or keep' records of how safe or successful their procedures are!!

If you have private health insurence then check out;
www.spinal-foundation.org
To cross referrence, have a look at the following sites showing the 'future' of spinal surgery being carried out 'today' in the USA.
www.bonati.com
www.laserspineinstitute.com
www.microspine.com
www.zerospinepain.com
www.www.sdspineinstitute.com
www.spinecenter.com
Also view, for research purposes;
www.spineuniverse.com
www.back.com
www.chirogeek.com
www.spine-health.com

If you decide to go through with the decompression Smitho, Here's wishing you all the very best and here's hoping for a speedy and successful recovery!!

Best wishes



SPINELF

 

[joy_gone_wild]

No, it is not.

Your treatment way should be endoscopic spinal surgery. Investigate it on Google. Most probably you can be 99% same person as before surgery.

 

[alobbessadsex]

I have just been for my 20 min slow walk to get a paper (highlight of my day).
I must say that the spire hospital and staff were great, i had the op on friday and was out on monday. I researched my surgeon beforehand and found that he was highly reccommended, so that was a bit of piece of mind.

I feel stiff and a bit sore but not too bad, i do get some shooting pains down my left leg still , which i was told to expect. SOmetimes i get a realling dull pain in my leg which makes it hard to sleep, but all in all i am much better then i was, my posture is now straight, im not having spasms, so at the moment(touch wood) all is ok, plus i am not taking many painkillers.

 

[dru]

so sad reading this thred

i understand the pain bit and the kids bit

am 8 days post op,was feeling great days 1-6 but yest and today im feeling hmmmm ..
achy lower right back, nowhere near anything like i had pre op n no sciatica but its niggling tonight ...

sending you cyber hugs n lotsa positive thoughts for you x

 

[Mateusz]

If nothing is showing on the MRI, could it be that scar tissue is forming and irritating the nerves. There could also be lesions forming. I read that "Serra Peptase" could dissolve scar tissue especially if newly formed. Well worth a try.
Best wishes.

 

[frank21142226]

Hi,

An update on my progress.

I'm still suffering low back pain, not as severe as when I posted previously, I have been attending an Osteopath once a week since my last post and it has made some improvement, also attend a back clinic in my local health centre once a week.

I'm completely rigid and can only bend forward very slightly, can't put my socks or shoes on myself.

I have managed to get off some of the more serious pain relief, now take DHC 8 per day.

I have binned the Tramadol, Amytripiline, Oxy Codone as they were playing tricks with my mind, and I was really quite unwell when I started weaning myself off them, flu lik symptons, stomach pains, depression etc, but now feeling much better, although sleep is disturbed as I'm very sore when turning over in bed etc.

I just hope and pray that my low back pain will eventually go away.

See my Surgeon in Glasgow Southern General on April 21st.

Meanwhile I'll keep soldiering on with my visits to the OPsteopath and the back clinic.

Hope everyone is feeling better.

x

 

[Tazmen]

Hi Smitho, I glad to see all went well for, and I hope the improvements continue!

All the very best

SPINELF

 

[rxehykpi]

Sorry to see you are still in signicant pain!
I'm glad to see you are getting some relief from the Osteopath.
Let us know how you get on at your consultation on the 21st April.

All the very best


SPINELF

 

[Lucy Anna]

Hi All, sorry to hear about the residual problems Rangersboy, have there been more improvements? I have been following these posts for a while and I am in the same position somewhat. I had the op (my first) all going brilliantly but then did too much too soon and have since suffered from the most excruciating agonising fits of pain and spasms. I literally can’t move and it is getting very impractical too at home for the family. I will keep up the posts with recovery advice.
Prior to the injury I was a fitness nut and always active. I assumed my back was rebelling from a lack of exercise post op but now I realise it might be more serious. The nerve damage and numbness is actually improving which is positive, have others found this? i.e. My leg and other muscles which stopped working are gradually beginning to function as the nerve sends it’s signals again. This has kept keep some sanity! I am having 4 physio sessions a week on private medical. I am also in the pool each day doing leg kicks and walking. Still unable to raise my heel on the RHS unless supported by water. Despite all this the frequent spasms and extreme muscle pain attack and render me useless. I have been prescribed the usual painkillers which I hate taking.
Having an yet another MRI on Monday and follow up with surgeon after. Will try and keep in touch as much as I can with any advice and tips. Bleak times at the moment though!
Smitho, I was the same as you post op, you will recover quickly but please be careful and don’t get too gun-ho. 5weeks post I thought everything was fab and did some big miles in the car, ditched the painkillers and a did an all day conference with work which is why I think now 9 wks post op I am in a right mess. If only I had done less I think I would have been ok. Hope that helps! Not scaremongering, but just a sage bit of advice hopefully.


Spinelf thanks too for all your info shared on this forum.