Advice Back Surgery

[maqroll]

Anyone been under the knife for back issues, or know anyone who has? 

 

I've had two bulging discs in my lower back for 20 years, and I can still aggravate it by doing something as harmless as sweeping dirt up off the floor. Which is how I aggravated it again Monday. 

 

So I've been lying in bed with a heating pad and just getting totally fed up with it. I've had to cancel appointments I had this week and I'm at my wits end. I've done chiro, PT, pain killers, it's all ineffective. Sometimes the stretches I do at home can exacerbate the pain too. Nothing works, and sometimes just makes it worse. 

 

I've researched back surgery a bit online, and it seems like some people had success and others had worse problems afterward. 

 

Any info/advice you guys can give me either firsthand or secondhand is appreciated.

 

(I have bulging discs in L4 and L5)

 

 

 

 

[chrisp65]

best of luck mate

[Jimzk5]

I think weve exchanged a few pm's on this a few years ago?

Fwiw I had a herniated disc causing a pain I wouldn't wish on anyone (except Russell brand), I had months off work, hours of physio, mri scans, x rays, sessions with osteopaths and to no avail, Drs providing me with pain killers that long term would have destroyed my stomach lining and could cause liver damage

When I finally got referred to a surgeon it was made abundantly clear that the surgery wasn't something to be taken lightly, I was told 8 out of 10 people who have this surgery end up worse off because it can create all sorts of problems with nerves in the legs

Luckily ive been relatively pain free for the last 2 years now, I still get days where I can't walk but I manage it by lying on a tennis ball on hard floor and forcing the disc back into place

[Marka Ragnos]

My mom had surgery and it worked for her -- it was where they fused the discs or something like that.

 

I get back pain and the only things that have been consistently helpful in reducing it has been preventative exercise. Exercises that strengthened my back and stomach seem to have led to noticably fewer nerve-pinching incidents. I speed walk every day, too.

 

Every body is different, tho.

[8pints]

I've had a few back problems over the years and still have aches and pains. Yoga is good though, it helps, take it easy and gentle, don't push yourself too hard and hopefully it'll help with the pain. Get as many massages as you can too.

[PaulC]

I had a slipped disc which caused sciatica which was unbearable but with an exercise routine it seems ok now. Are your movements severely restricted? I guess as you have had it for 20 years then the chances of it getting better without surgery are limited. 

 

I know the Warwickshire cricketer Jim Troughton had bulging discs and he had surgery a year ago and tried to make a comeback but had to retire.

 

Back strengthening exercises might help. I tried an osteopath and it was a waste of money, but I had physiotherapy at Sandwell hospital and they put me on a course of exercises which eventually fixed it. 

[maqroll]

I've tried just about everything short of surgery. It sucks, because I'm always mindful of how I pick things up, and how not to overdo exercise, etc., and I aggravate it by sweeping dust off the floor.    

[mockingbird_franklin]

I've had bulging disks at L3/L4 and L4/L5 and have various degenerative problems throughout my lumber spine, and had been suffering for about 5 years with extreme discomfort and pain, but for about 25 overall, before i was considered for surgery which i underwent about a year ago, I just managed to cope reasonably well until the last 5 years when it got really tough managing the pain. I previously tried a nerve root block with no success, surgery was a real miss for me, but then they only did what they considered to be the worst disc, now have severe back pain, which I previously never had, all my pain was in my legs,groin and buttock areas, I',m far more limited than i previously was which has lead to weight gain, I was only pain free in my legs for about 4 weeks with the root block, awaiting appointment at specialist, probably looking at a proposal to have the disc fused or another disc decompressed. I had a brother in law had same surgery, he was pain free for about 3 years but he was told he had another disc showing signs of deteriorate and to expect problems in the future. My Mother had 3 discs decompressed at the same time, stopped the leg pains, but now gets severe back pain. overall not a great deal to recommend going under the knife and part of the reason I may decline surgery if as expected it is offered again.

Edited March 26, 2015 by mockingbird_franklin

[gharperr]

slipped my disc in my teens which caused pretty bad sciatica where i couldnt put my leg straight. They didnt want to do surgery because i was young but was given two epidural s ( hmm could have been nerve root block like above poster said, maybe i had both , both sound familiar to me) which has somehow made it better? I dont really understand how given its just a painkiller which lasted for quite awhile. I think being able to "allign" my body/legs again without any pain must have fixed it somehow because i dont get too much trouble with it anymore. I guess i still have a slipped disc? 

Not sure  about your case but have you tried epidurals?

My brother in law must have been lying on the couch not able to move after he had back sugery for about 5 years and has only just been able move around for extended period of time/light work but every case is different of course

If anyone reading this who hasnt got back pain, i seriously suggest you do yoga/pilates to strengthen your core muscles every now and again

Edited March 26, 2015 by gharperr

[Paddywhack]

I used to have lower back pain in my early teens where I couldn't stand up for longer than a few minutes, but my next mattress happened to be one of those memory foam ones and luckily I haven't had any trouble since.

 

Now, that was obviously something minor compared to what others in this thread have got/had, but even that was still really unpleasant, so I really feel for people that suffer from slipped discs, etc, it must be hell.

[smetrov]

+1 for yoga or pilates - really helped me (but it won't be a quick fix)

 

If that doesn't work - I would take the surgey - but bear in mind those who suceed are those in the best the shape - so get yourself as strong and flexible as you can - then shop around for a good surgeon - don't be afraid to ask for a specific surgeon - and insist that he\she does the slicing - not one of his subordinates...

 

An orthpedic surgeon once told me that is what they operate on the root cause ? - (for example of your bulging discs are caused being overweight or problems further up the spine - then just mending them won't help) .....this theory would also explain why trauma surgey is more succesful than surgery for degenarative conditions....

[maqroll]

good stuff guys, thnx