Step by Step...

[ZeeFfk]

Today I had a consultation with a back specialist. It dawned on me that this might be a good way to document my experience for my own benefit as much as others. Hope this isn't an inappropriate way to use the forum!

Anyway, I saw the consultant this afternoon who was very nice and immediately felt at ease because he seemed to be in no hurry and wanted to get to know me. After a while we got onto my back pain which is basically as follows...

For about two years I've had varying levels of pain in my lower back. It first started just after I moved house and it seemed likely I'd over-strained myself moving boxes around (schoolboy error, I know!). So I had a few months of physio and it pretty much went away. After that on and off every few months it would start to ache and further physio would help.

In the past six months however no amount of the usual exercise and posture correction etc was helping with the increasing pain. It was only when I saw my GP for something else that he suggested I get it looked at by a specialist.

So that brings us to this afternoon, in short form at least. The consultant went over my complete medical history and asked lot about my lifestyle. Interestingly he asked me to score my pain six months ago and now on a 0-10 scale with 10 being unbearable. I said that six months ago it was a 2 or 3 but now it varies between 5 and 8, about as close an approximation I can think of.

So after examination he sent me for an MRI and once it came back he showed me the scans and compared upper levels to the lower levels where I've been feeling pain - guess what, even I could see there is something amiss!! A big bulge pushing onto my spinal cord...

We talked a lot about the rehab options available but knowing recent unsuccessful attempts to relieve the pain with structured exercise it doesn't seem like the best option. So we got onto the surgical option and he explained that a microdiscectomy is a good option for me (won't describe it again as it's been done here by others better than I can do!).

Well I now have a surgery date for Wednesday next week if I decide to go ahead. The consultant said I should think about it and talk to family and think about impact on work etc. It seems all stations go! So long as I can be away from work from Wednesday for a couple of weeks I'm probably going to confirm Wednesday with the hospital!

That probably covers it for now, shall sure let you all know when the date is once confirmed.

Olly.

 

[M C]

As a back and spinal therapist I would have told you to go and see a specialist for an MRI as i am mobile, go for it and good luck, the opp is not as bad as it was 15 years ago and my mother has been in last week to have an opp just like yours and way out the next day ( she is 72) GOOD LUCK ALL WIL BE FINE
Mark

 

[AussieGirl]

Hi,

Good luck for the surgey if you decide to go ahead with it.

I was just wondering if you have tried havind any reflexology? I had a client that had a serious prolapsed disc. Whilst I was training in Gentle Touch Reflexology I used her as one of my case studies. Her consultant was going to operate on her (he said that the operation he was going to perform was only carried out about 7 times a year) and she had before and after MRI scans and he could not believe the difference. She was fortunate enough to have a fantastic positive response. This was only after 5 or 6 treatments and he told her that what ever she had been doing, to carry on doing it!!
Nothing can be gauranteed as everyone responds differently, but something amazing happened to her! We have also had great results with sciatica in other clients!
Good luck whatever you decide.
Lisa x

 

[danielle w]

Hi,

Thanks all. Lisa, I haven't tried reflexology. I thought about staying with the non-surgical route but the procedure I'm planning to have (microdisc) is commonly performed and the consultant I'm seeing carries out over two hundred per year, so I feel in good hands. I confirmed the surgery date today!

Mark - so glad for you that your mom is doing so well so soon, I hope that I can get up on the road to recovery that quickly!!

Olly.

 

[Liebers]

Olly, if you look at the last week or so I have kept a sort of forum diary about my discectomy experience. I think writing about it has kept me sane this last few weeks.

I am now on day 7 after my surgery - full discectomy L4L5 - and I look forward to finding out how you get on with yours.

I think we are both in the same age group so I know exactly everything that you are going through. I will be 40 this year, married with one son and usually very fit.

Do a search on my posts and have a read. I think you wil find a massive range of emotions, regrets and successes already in my posts.

Please keep us in touch with your progress, and I wish you every bit of good luck in the world with your operation.

 

[meg09]

Hi Nico,

I will do, thanks! Discovered this morning the hospital has free wifi so I'll probably take the laptop in too and keep it real time if I can! Shall probably check back here tomorrow night as that's when I check in.

Olly.

 

[Alion]

Nico,

Just finished reading through your posts - that's a great story in the end. I'll be happy to suffer a few days' pain for a result like yours!!

Olly.

 

[Fuzzy]

Well folks, I am now in bed in hospital ready for surgery tomorrow morning.

It's great - I feel much more relaxed than I ever thought I'd be. Perhaps it's credit to the smiling faces and helpfulness on the way in. Only minutes had passed before tea was ready, sitting watching tv. It wouldn't be entirely surprising to feel a little more anxious when I wake up tomorrow morning...

I now have my information leaflets and exercise instructions to read (i.e. learn thoroughly!) so that hopefully it all comes naturally after the operation. One thing I've realised is that I'm going to need a different chair in the office when I get back to work... my current one doesn't exactly promote the best posture, least of all following back surgery!

Anyway, wish me luck as I may not get back online until after the operation now. All goes well I'm be back here tomorrow afternoon to let you know how it feels.

Olly.

 

[piffken]

Well I've had the operation! Tried to get on here yesterday but had problems with my laptop.

Yesterday morning after some blood pressure and other test the anaesthetist came in to talk to me about the anaesthetic - it was very good to have everything explained so thoroughly before the operation. He told me about some of the risks, all of which are quite unlikely complications in reality and I fortunately don't have any pre-existing conditions that increase risk of complications. The anaesthetic I has was a general anaesthetic... I'm not sure if there are other options when having this kind of surgery - I can't remember discussing that.

The my surgeon came in and went through the procedure with me and once again potential risks associated with it and completed consent forms that sort of thing. Felt quite confident in decision to move forward with surgery after seeing him and the anaesthetist.

After he left I was attended to by the nurse who explained what would happen next. As I was first on the operating schedule she told me that it wouldn't be long to wait for the theatre team to call for me and within about half an hour she returned to say they were ready for me. She walked me (after offering a wheelchair, but I felt okay) to the theatre department where I was taken into the anaesthetic room (it seemed large enough to be the operating room!). I was introduced to the anaesthetic nurse I think who waiting with me and we chatted about everything but the operation before the anaesthetist came in a few minutes later. He then showed be some of the syringes and explained how the general anaesthetic would be given and laid me down on the table. It was so comforting to be handled with the care and attention they gave me.

He then hauled out the needle which was a little nerve racking but he had put some local anaesthetic on my skin before injecting the white stuff. I remember thinking the needle was larger than I'd expected but that's about all I remember before the anaesthetic kicked in!

I woke up from the anaesthetic in recovery about 15 minutes after leaving the operation room with no pain in my back. This was expected as I was told that I'd have some local anaesthetic injected during surgery and this would outlast the general anaesthetic. My consultant then came in to check on me and did an examination of my mobility and asked pain and numbness questions. After about an hour in recovery my nurse from earlier came to recovery and went through my chart and everything with the recovery nurse and with the help of a porter wheeled me on my bed back to my room.

I was luckily alright to eat and though was hungry was advised to take it easy on the food or risk nausea, but all was fine. After lunch I could feel the anaesthetic (local) wearing off and a little discomfort in my lower back but nothing like before! The physio I'd seen earlier in the day and who had given me the exercise sheets the day before came in... time for first steps apparently!! Anyway a walk up and down the corridor went without hitch and when she left me in my room afterwards I was encouraged to keep moving around so long as comfortable and call if sore or any concerns etc!

Not having any concerns I kept moving about and my girlfriend came by today after lunch just as mr Bowden was talking to me about my progress. He said that if I felt confident and pain free he was happy for me to be discharged... so I said great and promised to be back for physio appointments over the next few weeks and keep up the exercise in the meanwhile. So I'm back home and pain free but a bit achy so will be gently doing the exercises over the next few days and will have a physio appointment on Saturday.

Actually the physios were great too... tough but great. They are very strict and they clearly knew what is best for my recovery from surgery. The nurse came in later and told me to look on the website for a poem about the physios written by a former patient... I think you'll find this funny:

An Ode to those Physioterrorists (opens a PDF from the Oxford Clinic's website)

Very funny and quite true.

Anyway haven't had any major problems and seem to be doing well but it's early yet and I'm a bit nervous about overdoing it.

Hope this is useful/interesting in some way to you all!!

Olly.

 

[Fem lez, not butch.]

Well done Olly - oh how I wish I had been given a micro!

But I am so glad that you have recovered quickly, and that it was a resounding success.

I am definitely on the mend, I have been working from home for the last week and a half, and I will be returning to my desk next week.

My staples come out next Tuesday, and I have my first Out Patient physiotherapy on Monday.

Again, well done, and good luck for the future!

 

[Princessofheart19]

Hi,

Thanks. It's much less achy than it was the other day.

Seeing the physio on Saturday was interesting - I had thought I was taking it relatively easy not wanting to undo the good work already done. The physio told me that I was overdoing things a little and should ease off for another week or so before moving up a gear. Feeling pretty good but really keen to do as I'm told so as not to risk doing any damage!

Has anyone done themselves harm after surgery from overdoing things? It would be great to know if there are things you'd advise me to avoid/try to remember etc. It is a worry, but maybe I'm just being silly!

Thanks. Olly.

 

[ycepsacq]

Hi Olly,

I had my first physio appointment on Monday and I confessed everything including picking up my little boy, getting in the bath, driving etc.

I asked her the important question that you have asked: What damage can still be done?

The answer was related to the unknown length of time that it will take for the scar tissue to form between my vertebrae where the disc was removed. But I was told that the important things was to feel a stretch but not feel any real pain - this is to be the benchmark for everything. This included any lifting, stretching, bending, twisting etc. But driving - no more than 5 to 10 minutes per journey for at least another month, and definitely no sitting at my desk for more than 1 hour per session.

In truth I cannot really do any more damage because of the mass of ligaments and muscle surrounding the spine which holds it all together. But what I can hinder is the forming of the scar tissue and the growth/recovery of the muscles supporting all of my movement. So really I cannot lift anything heavy or do any exercise for the next 4/6 weeks with the exception of the physio exercises which need to be done 3 x per day.

So if this helps - take it easy and only do what you are told to do!

I hope you are well and on the mend!