Discectomy - who has had it?

[Hughiam]

Im kinda in the same boat. I had C3,C4,C5,C6 fused in August and had immediate relief. Been dealing with back pain at L4L5 for over 20 years. Had the shots, repeatedly, had the laminectomy, and Wednesday had a Nerve Root Block. No relief at all. Im so bad now I cant be on my feet for more than 15 minutes. Pretty bad having to cancel trick or treating this year as I seized up and had to go get the truck and drive the kids around.

Same surgeon that did my neck in August wants to fuse L3/L4 and L4/L5 in three weeks.

Im hopeful, cancelled all hunting trips this fall and freezer is empty.

good luck!

[boy wonder]

My 84 year old uncle was having pain about 2 years ago. His doctor recommended this surgery, but he and I were a little concerned about his age. He decided to try a few sessions with a chiropractor and this seems to have corrected his problem. Just something to consider before electing surgery.

[Smithwr]

If you decide on a chiropractor get an MRI first. My surgeon takes care of all the dallas mavericks and I assume he's pretty good. He says if it's herniated more than 7mm it's is surgical and a chiro will do nothing but harm

[ted_kennedys_liver]

Back

Well Dr referred me to surgeon right as I was fixing to ask to discuss the option. I received the shots today and they hurt. The area is extremely inflamed. Have to miss some more work. Cant wait to get this surgery completed. On a positive note looks like i will be recovering in the deer stands this year

He also advised a chiro would provide very little short lived relief (if any at all) due to the severity of issue. Said same thing about inversion table.

Said physical therapy would do very little because of the line of work I am in It is very physically demanding so strengthening exercises are already being done. If I was in an office all day he may recommend it as an option but once again brought of severity of condition.

[ted_kennedys_liver]

Im kinda in the same boat. I had C3,C4,C5,C6 fused in August and had immediate relief. Been dealing with back pain at L4L5 for over 20 years. Had the shots, repeatedly, had the laminectomy, and Wednesday had a Nerve Root Block. No relief at all. Im so bad now I cant be on my feet for more than 15 minutes. Pretty bad having to cancel trick or treating this year as I seized up and had to go get the truck and drive the kids around.

Same surgeon that did my neck in August wants to fuse L3/L4 and L4/L5 in three weeks.

Im hopeful, cancelled all hunting trips this fall and freezer is empty.

good luck!

Dang brother - you have been through heck. Sorry to hear about all those operations and more to come. Good luck to you as well.

[Hughiam]

Well Dr referred me to surgeon right as I was fixing to ask to discuss the option. I received the shots today and they hurt. The area is extremely inflamed. Have to miss some more work. Cant wait to get this surgery completed. On a positive note looks like i will be recovering in the deer stands this year

He also advised a chiro would provide very little short lived relief (if any at all) due to the severity of issue. Said same thing about inversion table.

Said physical therapy would do very little because of the line of work I am in It is very physically demanding so strengthening exercises are already being done. If I was in an office all day he may recommend it as an option but once again brought of severity of condition.

The PT and chiro never worked for me either. My disks are shot and bulged. I worked out 4 days a week on the stair master and even at 49 can bend at the waist and flat palm the floor so I am in good shape. Sadly since my neck went out in Feb, all things came to an end.

I work at a desk most of the time, but manage 25,000 sq miles of property so Im hiking, on ATVs, etc as part of my job and run a taxidermy studio part time.

Good luck with the surgery, stay on the pain pills, but don't over due them. I was on Percocet after my neck surgery for 4 days and went through minor withdrawal as I weened of them. Felt like I had bugs crawling under my skin.

[ArrowRanger]

I was on Methadone for my lower back injury for almost 12 years(was one heck of a withdrawal 3 days long).. finally said enough. Shots and PT did nothing,in fact the PT aggravated the old injury. I finally went the route of the Neuro simulator...(think a much stronger master form of Tens unit that goes inside you under the skin and up your spine into the vertebra). I'm off the narcotic,use a mild time released med.. and the Neuro unit. Does the different med unit block the pain 100% no..but Ill take the 40-60% and stay out of the fog of the Narcotics..stuff like completing sentences,remembering your name...and specially ...I like the idea of driving and not falling asleep and killing folks and then as a bonus round there is the jacking with the metal detector folks as the unit set them all off!!!! Good Luck....It seems people don't really by the bad back story form healthy looking men...then one day it happens to them...then they know...its a helpless feeling laying on the floor unannounced and your legs wont work...(why I hunt ground these days...hate for that to hit while up in a tree)!

[T-REX]

Watching this. I'm going through it now. Have a nerve test next week to confirm what MRI is showing then if test matches surgery following that. Have been in pain for 10+ years and only get day or two relief from chiropractor. Have had injections, PT, and decompression with no relief. Its a miserable battle. On a good day it feels like a knife stuck in my upper hip and butt cheek. On a not so good day numbness and pulled muscle feeling all the way down to toes. Good luck and hope it works for you. I feel your pain.

[dalaka]

Wife had L4-L5 discetomy and L3-L4 lamenectomy last Thursday at 1PM. Walked out of the hospital at 4:30PM. Walked a mile Friday morning and every day since. Went back to work as a teacher Monday (yesterday) morning. This is all after having a discetomy in April (she reruptured L4-L5). Sciatica pain relief was well worth it! She said she feels almost 100% today!

[rbertman]

Had it done about 7 years ago....same doc that did Romo's back surgery. I am so thankful for the relief that surgery provided. That sciatic nerve pain will ruin your day. Prior to that I had several series of shots that worked for a while but it kept coming back. I honestly don't know what people did in the old days when something like this came up.

I wonder sometimes if back in the day before concrete was every where if people had as many problems with backs as much as we do today