Discectomy - After the Operation

[MGSA]

Hello everyone, sorry I went AWOL but thought I would only whinge if I came on here and decided to give everyone a break. Claire you have done exactly the same as me, you just have to get something done...although eldest sons bedroom is on hold until 2010 (are you crazy!). The nerve irritation in my legs is driving me mad, but my fault for trying to organise the perfect christmas that never happens anyway.

And now my elderly friend of 99 has been taken to hospital, her sister of 88 lives out in the sticks so I've just been to the hospital to do some head smoothing, what else do you do? The room looked so bare I dug out her christmas card and put that up on the table...it looks much better now. Hate to depress people but there isn't a good outcome here...but at least she's peaceful and in good hands. It's the hospital I work in so knowing the nursing staff helps.

But there is some good news, remember how long I had to wait for appointments to Dorchester hospital. Southampton have sent me appointments for CT scan on 9th Jan, as far as I know they are scanning my cervical spine but there's a leaflet on head scans in the letter...was that just a routine leaflet? I know we have medical people on here somewhere. There was some sort of xray as well as that, would it just be an ordinary Xray....can't remember if it said xray scan or not. My neck and shoulders are still agony and I'll be damned if I can get the muscles to relax. Oh, and I splashed out on a shiatsu massage cushion (my present to me) and its heavenly...only does neck and shoulders though.

Anyway Claire, there are lots of emotions flying around this time of year and I expect you are being affected by them. Even though I hated wrapping the mass of presents I bought for my big kids, and they nearly broke my back too, I felt very emotional about it all. I remembered this time last year being in such pain I just wanted to die, just slip away in my sleep. Silly me, now I'm looking at sorting out most of my medical problems and maybe rebuilding my life soon. I can see a future at last.

God bless you all.

xx

 

[hunltqup]

Hey all,

No-one begrudges any whinges on here, well i don't.....cos i am gonna do the same now!

STILL withdrawing off this morphine, i thought that i was over the worst on sunday, but i was wrong wrong wrongoooo!
Yesterday was hell, my legs wouldn't keep still, had severe upset stomach and sweats....awful.
Rang the doctors, said they would call back, got a friend to pick up my daugher for me and look after her....and the doc just took sooo long to ring back.
I even took half a sleeping tablet, just so i could sleep,that was better than being awake at the time!
Thankfully things settled later in the day, and i was able to eat a little, but my legs were still really fidgety so i went for a bit of a walk to try and calm them down which did help a little.

Gave up on the doc ringing, so i got an appointment today. Tummy is still feeling dodgy and legs still a bit restless, hopefully doc will give me something to stop it. The fidgety legs i found so distressing, as i just had no control over them whatsoever. Horrid.

I have physio today, i have decided to go, as i have done hardly anything over the last 5 days, and need to be stretched and pulled about. The pain has really kicked back in. Hopefully by the end of the day, i will be all sorted!!

Claire....I completely understand. At some point, the enormity of what has happened in the last 4 months is going to hit me and i will get very emotional, i'm just waiting for it.
There is nothing weird about it, its perfectly natural to feel emotional following back surgery. If anything, the anaesthetic alone can cause low moods and tearfulness. Then add the suffering you have had to put up with, and its no wonder you feel tearful.
Its best to cry though honey, instead of bottling it up. You will feel better soon, i am sure of it. And if you feel really bad, see your GP. You said she is a lovely lady, i'm sure she will help you.
Leave the housework, and you just have the best christmas you possibly can with your family. You deserve it

Melza....Hey hun, sorry to hear about your friend,but as you say, she is peaceful and thats all we can hope for.
Its good news that your scan date came through. Thats the date i go back to see our mate Hilton for my post-op review, what joy!!
You will get there too my lovely, its a long old journey, but the end will be in sight soon.
I will ask father christmas for an end to everyones suffering, i just hope he IS real though....someone told me its a fat bloke in a suit!!

Ha ha! Anyways, love to you all, hope everyone has a better day x

 

[Joceline S]

ali...i remember so well the horrible twitchy legs...freakin' torture at night. i hope you are feeling better now. apparently there is a 'restless leg rub' you can buy (in a chemist, i guess). my husband's gran swears by it! i think it is basically like a deep heat cream so if you have any of that you could give it a try? check me and my medical advice! probably best to ignore or seek further info from a professional!

melza...lovely to hear from you, have been thinking about you!

claire...hope you are feeling better today! this message board became my best friend post op because everyone else was getting the "you don't understand" hysterics. had a big tantrum on my 30th (10 days post op)...something to do with a take away menu. all part of the recovery process.

any tips for surviving an 11 hour flight?? am off to san francisco on saturday!! delayed summer holiday...can't wait! although am a bit worried about the flight...

a very merry christmas to you all, my forum friends! will be thinking of you all.

take care!
jess xx

 

[pseudonym]

I'm so sorry to hear of the difficult time you are having Ali. I really hope you are feeling much better soon, and that you get to enjoy a good Christmas.

Olli - loved the story about the dog. That is truly a 'feel good' Christmas story!

Melza - good for you for being there for your elderly friend. That sort of situation is never easy. I'm glad you have had some good news as well.

Claire - I hope you are feeling much better soon.

Everyone else - hope you are all feeling ok.

I am feeling very happy today as I just had a little ride on my horse for the first time in months... just had a little walk but it was so, so nice to be back up there again.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy (and pain-less) Christmas. Goodness knows everyone deserves it! All of you have been such an massive help to me. Thank you everyone for sharing your insight and experiences, on good days and bad. Hoping we are all looking forward to a better 2009. xx

 

[Allison King]

This one is a mistake!

 

[edwardlova101]

I posted before my time.

And then it was christmas!!! My friend has completed her journey to the 'other side' very peacefully so spent the day with her sister making arrangements. I was a bit selfish though because I just wanted to lie down for a bit and take the weight of my head off my back (all that intelligence I expect). Now the flats a mess, theres no food to eat and my kids have gone into a sulk. But, tomorrow is another day, thank goodness.

My follow up is tomorrow morning ali, it doesn't say who I'm seeing but I hope its not my friend (you know who)...although it would be nice to inform him that the neurosurgeon is going to fix me up THANKS VERY MUCH!

Subi, I had one ride on a pony not long ago with a group from work, they were all experts of course. I had a very naughty pony who was very hungry so had the embarrassment of being 'led' back to the stables. The shame of it! In no rush to repeat the experience!

Have a good christmas everyone, as best you can anyway.

xx

 

[ThE x SpaRK]

Hey all,

Well i went and had physio yesterday who noticed a rather large swelling underneath my op scar and told me to get it checked by my GP.
As it was, i already had an appointment, and she rang the hospital who did my op and they wanted the local hospital to see me immediately!
I spent the night under observation, as they thought the lump could have been a pouch of spinal fluid from a possible dural tear and the possibility of christmas in hospital was almost just that!!
I was seen by the doctors on ward round this morning, and it is (he said) a haematoma (i.e. big fat internal bruising)....and so that was that!

Got home just in time for the folks arriving for christmas (phew!) and still feeling rough, but they have out that down to withdrawals (have been off the oramorph for 2 days now! Yippee!)
Feeling a tiny bit better today, they pummelled me with anti-sickness stuff into my vein and it seemed to do the trick, and the legs aren't too terrible....relief! At last!

Claire, i hope you are feeling better hun and enjoy christmas as best you can.

Jess....Enjoy your holiday, you lucky duck! Hope the flight isn't/wasn't too painful/uncomfortable.

Melza...Hope it was good news for you today my lovely.

I wish you all a superley duperley Merry crimbo and a thoroughly wonderful new year

 

[dcfljoai]

Hi
Ali i am so pleased that it was nothing to serious and that you are home for christmas hope you feel much better soon .
I once again have done far to much and have a lot of pain and my kids are wild i keep having to peel my eldest of the ceiling (is it bedtime yet ?).
I hope everyone is ok and manage to enjoy christmas and i hope everyone has a fab time take care claire x x

 

[Roloch]

Hi All

Here's wishing everyone a merry christmas and a painfree new year or at least less painful than last year!

Hope you all see improvement in 2009

Regards

pennylane

 

[Corky Thatcher]

so glad you're ok ali!...sounds nasty.

hope you all had a fab xmas. just wanted to share my favourite pressie with people who will properly understand its value...a massaging chair cushion thingy with a heat setting and adjustable roller thingies that move up and down your back...fabulous!

happy new year for when it arrives. looking forward to catching up with you all in 2009...it's gonna be a great year!

take care,
jess xx

 

[ggggkk]

Ah thanks guys, it was quite a panic!

Jess....My scar lump is starting to go down now and so when its gone completely down and flat, i might just invest in one of those!
Olli mentioned something similar to that, i have seen them in boots.

Am finally starting to feel better now, i even got a little bit tiddly last night and feel absolutely fine today!

Its just getting the pain sorted now, my back has got really sore from not having been able to do anything.

I am approaching 2009 cautiously though, i said last new year's that 2008 was gonna be brilliant, amazing and fabulous....but i was sooooo wrong!
Loads of bad stuff happened to me, my family and friends this year.

But.....I AM quietly optimistic that 2009 will bring better things, I just hope that i'm right this time!

God bless you all, and hope everyone enjoyed Christmas!!

Lots of love and hugs xxx

 

[Jpaul B.]

Having read through the very many postings here, I feel almost embarassed with the slight nature of my own. It seems that typical back pain can be truly crippling for long periods, and I am fit and reasonably healthy by these standards.

Nevertheless, I suppose we all have certain ideals about a desired quality of life and I am not able to meet my own owing to constant minor back pain. Though minor, it sometimes explodes into something crippling which takes a week or so to pass. I am 45 and I like to run, but I am no longer able to run at all, though cycling presents no problems. It all started 18 months ago after completing a tough 10,000 metre race on the road - all the training I had done was on a treadmill and I think I shocked my spine into submission - I think it was heading there anyway.

The constant symptoms are mild pain in the lower back, left and right hips, front left leg and left side of the groin. I do not suffer any more major problems except that standing for any longer than 15 minutes induces almost without fail discomfort that requires sitting down. So, in summary, no great constant pain but an inability to be the person I would like to be.

I had an MRI scan about a year ago (a month prior to the first large spasm that requried diazepam/co-codemol) and it showed 2 bulging disks in L2/3 and L3/4 with spinal stenosis. The follow-up consultation indicated that I was far away from being a candidate for surgery, the consultant being of the opinion that only were I unable to work would surgery be optimal. I do not do manual work, but this left me rather confused as to why leisure was not considered an important part of one's life - or perhaps I would like to do some manual work around the house or do some gardening which is pretty uncomfortable at best. I also heard the normal stuff about disk-degeneration and dehydration and the fact that it was likely hereditory and therefore "normal" in many respects. So, I should simply smile and just get on with it!

I had a second opinion about 2 months thereafter and again, it was suggested that this was rather minor (in comparison to more severe symptoms as are often related on this forum), but that I should go with a program of physio, ibuprofen and the like. So, I have had 3 separate courses of physio, along with chiropractic, pilates (very good in many respects but did not affect the base condition), acupuncture and massage.

The next stage would be steroidal injection, but I really have heard nothing that supports this as being useful. In my opinion, it simply masks a problem in a pretty brutal way - I would much prefer to use a milder pain-suppressant if it were to have a significant effect such as nurofen+. However, another consideration is that there is a belief that this sort of problem ideally needs sorting out within 12 months or irreversible damage can be caused to the affected nerve(s), or, in other words, conservative treatment may not be so conservative after all.

So, I need some advice. Should I be happy to become permanently sedentary (I dreamed of being a performer in the Cirque du Soleil - just a dream!), or is there a case that the risks associated with some form of discectomy are less than the benefits that I might derive given the overall picture I have presented. Should I be a little more "pushy" with the consultant and explain what I am missing from my "leisure-life" rather than my employment. I am fortunate indeed that I am not trapped by the NHS and I am truly devastated to read the stories many contributors to this forum have had to endure.

Best wishes
Charles

 

[jaysunproxie]

Hi Chucko! Just to let you know that I had 3 disc bulges in my lumbar spine but only one of them was large enough to operate on. I have also been told that surgery will only benefit people having leg problems, i.e Sciatica, nerve irritation. I've had a discectomy on the one disc because it was limiting my mobility, but the back ache will remain. I'm not sure if they're offering you an epidural pain relief and not sure how much that would help. It makes no difference whatsoever if you have a more serious disc problem ('aint that right folks?) but I think I would give it a go if I was suffering basic back pain. And I know that's pretty miserable for you...but I suggest that you take extra care of your back because it's obviously showing signs of weakness which will just get worse if you aggravate the condition.

I was going to climb Mount Everest later this year but had to give it a miss (what a big fat fibber I am!), but, now I know how painful this stuff can get I am going to be very well behaved from now on (and even that's a fib because I've been hauling shopping bags, the vacuum cleaner and god knows what else just lately). Take it easy is my advice to you.

Ali, Ali, Ali, I can't leave you alone for five minutes can I? Glad you got that sorted out pretty quick and got home again, I dread hospital admissions now..even though I'm still fighting for more surgery.

My consultant was pleased with my progress and I have been dismissed, all good things must come to an end I suppose. I've been lucky with the lumbar op but hope I'm lucky with the next one too...no complications!

Happy New Year everyone....even I'm getting good vibes for the coming year with just a tiny seed of doubt at the back of my mind. I have things to complete at long last.

Lots of love and take care everyone.

 

[Dennis]

Hi folks,
Ali glad to hear it wasn't as serious as first thought.
Melza glad to hear all is going well (as far as the lumbar is concerned)
Chucko I feel for you. The medics really do not understand the extent to which back problems can affect your life, & I do agree there is more to life than work!!
Jess I tested the massage cushion on display & have to say it felt very good. You'll have to keep me informed how you go with it.
My recovery is going okay (I think) although I have got some serious pain in my back with burning in my ankle & calf. Putting a sock on my right foot (the side I had prolapse) is nigh on impossible & can bring me to tears. Has anyone else had this? Having said all that I did get my tipple over xmas & had the best nights sleep i've had in a long, long time!!!
Clare I hope xmas went well for you. I remember it well when mine were younger. It was exhausting!!
Hope everyone else is keeping well.
Tracey xx

 

[SLINKY 3]

Hi everyone feeling ok just at the point now when i am sick of having back problems and feeling sorry for myself (again) i just want to be 'normal' whatever that is and be able to do things without having to think about it first. Rant and misery over i had a great christmas if not complete bedlam my eldest got an electric guitar (what was santa thinking!!!!!)and then decided with the christmas money he had to buy a normal acoustic guitar aswell because his school does guitar lessons and you can't use an electric one ,i think someone as attached the blooming thing to his hand i am sick of seeing it and hearing it already ! but he's happy .My youngest has an obsession with the christmas tree and as taken all tinsel, baubles etc off the tree hundreds of times i am sick of hearing my own voice think i might just record 'get off the tree ' and put it on repeat !!. I hope 2009 brings better times for everyone and wish everyone a happy new year ,i am off to bed now as i am still not sleeping well , my kids are at their grandparents and husband is watching some film so if anything i might get 5 mins peace .Hope everyone is enjoying christmas and not in too much pain ,take care claire x x

 

[?JD?]

Hi Claire!....I think its something in the water....my daughter has been completely hyper, and thats with a cold and cough!
I have been feeling a bit down as well, I don't quite think the last few months have hit me yet, but am waiting for it!
I have managed to enjoy some christmas tipples which has been nice.
I am still a long way off normality yet, it'll come for us i am sure.

I am now off the morphine completely...finally! The withdrawals are now gone and now its building up my strength. My sleeping and eating is still a bit skew-iff, but i was more focussing on getting over the withdrawals.

Melza....I know! You disappear and i get carted off again!
I hope that they can fix your neck soon hunny...and then that strange and elusive thing that is normality may come for you too!!

2009 has sooo got to bring better tidings than 2008....i can positively say that 2008 sucked bigtime!!

Sending lots of love and hugs to you all xxx

 

[That Damned Heathen]

I had my 2nd physio yesterday & today I feel as though i've had a real good work out in the gym I have been having constant back pain but my physio thinks thats 'good' as the pain is centralising! He then proceeded to attempt to stretch my back into shapes I havn't been in for almost 12 months. Result - I ended up in tears, we had a few words between us & I limped out with numbness & tingling down my right leg.

Clare - I can really relate to you just wanting to be 'normal' I want to be the me I used to be 1 year ago. I want to be active, playing sports with my children, working 14 hour shifts on the ward not having to stop every 5 mins as i'm walking. Sorry folks think i too am feeling a little sorry for myself,

I've got my follow up on 13th Jan although if its like my others the consultant will ask the question 'how are you?' & attempt to answer it himself in 1 breath.

Anyway if I don't get on here again before new year I hope 2009 brings all you wish for & is relatively pain free

Tracey xx

 

[Bard S]

Hi Tracey...I know exactly what you mean about the physio. After my first session, she bent me about and twisted me a bit and i could hardly move the next day (hence the need for the tramadol!)

Am feeling a bit better emotionally and back-wise am not doing too bad now, things seem to have settled....am off the demon morphine, using minimal painkillers....and go back to work on Monday!! Eeek!!!

Have done a bit of tidying up, aching a bit but its not unbearable....so things finally look better.

Claire, it will come honey, its just a slow process as i have shown!
I had the most horrid recovery, but seem to be coming out the other side.
Keep the faith that things will improve and i am sure they will

 

[easy cleaning]

Do you think a large part of your recovery process relates to breaking down scar tissue - if this is the case, then the fact that the scar tissue is difficult to get access to might indicate that good and prolonged physio is vital? I suppose there might be a case to get (relatively inexpensive) private treatment if the NHS is not proving reliable.

Having had several (non-back) operations, I recall that the sooner the scar tissue was massaged away, the better the final outcome (though darned painful, initially). But I am no expert on backs (much less so than I think you are!!), and I wonder if scar tissue in the vicinity of lumbar discs can cause more grief than the original problem - something I need to consider if I go down your route sometime in 2009!!

 

[756]

Hey chucko... Yes a large part of my 2nd time round problems were scar tissue from the first lot. My L4/5 disc was stuck to my sciatic nerve with the scar tissue. My surgeon is confident that all shall be ok now though.
My NHS physio is very good though and said she will help me with that, i hope so cos my scar is still a bit bumpy!
Constant movement will help to keep the nerve free and prevent it sticking down and limit the growth of scar tissue.
Leg stretches will also help with that. Your physio (NHS or private) can advise you on what stretches are most beneficial for you.
I hope this helps you

I wish you all a very happy, prosperous and healthy new year with lots of love xxxx