Back Problems and Diskectomy

[KCmike]

My wife has struggled with degenerative back problems the last few years. It seems like her back goes out every 10 months or more. We have tried medication, phys therapy, and other things. I think its her L4, L5, and S1 that are the problems. She fell the other day and we had to take her to the hospital. This is her second day in the hospital now and we are faced with a decision to make. Has anyone had a diskectomy before?

 

[luvdumbo]

My Husband had one. His was a L5-S1. It was also a same day surgery for him and he thinks his back has improved so far, it has been a year and half.

 

[KCmike]

How long was he out of work/in bed after the surgery?

 

[HsvTeacher]

I had a discectomy in June 2007 for a ruptured L4/L5 disc. I was in excruciating pain and had nerve damage in my right leg. I had immediate relief as soon as I woke up from the surgery. I've been almost completely pain-free with the exception of a few flare-ups that were my fault.

I started rehab two weeks after my surgery and continued for a few months, mostly due to trying to rebuild strength in my right leg. I was off for the summer, so I was able to take it easy for about 10 weeks.

 

[The Princess]

As a matter of fact yes, both my husband and I both had the surgery. He actually had 2 surgeries of the same disc (L5-S1) it was less than a 5% chance you herniate the same disc again but he did!!! Neither of us we too happy to have surgery but had no choice~I had fragments that had to be removed also, his nerve was stuck to his disc....both we not fun but all in all we feel much, much better now.
I also have spinal stenosis and will eventually have to have another surgery but not anywhere near that place yet.

 

[Jennasis]

I had a discectomy in June 2007 for a ruptured L4/L5 disc. I was in excruciating pain and had nerve damage in my right leg. I had immediate relief as soon as I woke up from the surgery. I've been almost completely pain-free with the exception of a few flare-ups that were my fault.

I started rehab two weeks after my surgery and continued for a few months, mostly due to trying to rebuild strength in my right leg. I was off for the summer, so I was able to take it easy for about 10 weeks.

Ditto.

I am actually 4 weeks post surgery for my discectomy as of tomorrow. The pain before surgery was unimaginable. I was crippled with pain to the point of having to crawl from the bed to the bathroom.

Surgery was outpatient, about an hour or so. I was 95% pain free as soon as I awoke from surgery (L5-S1). I suffered sever nerve damage to my sciatic nerve, so I had numbness and weakness in my right leg and foot. The disc that ruptured was so bad that the disc material had shot out and jammed up into my spinal cord. The surgeon showed it to DH and I and said it was 10 times the size of what he normally has to remove.

I am doing FANTASTIC. I was out of work for two weeks before surgery due to immense pain. Post surgery I am still technically out of work since my job is managing our farm and involves severe heavy lifting, twisting and bending, handling and riding horses etc. I am forbidden to do any of those things for a few more weeks. If I had a desk job, I would only have been out of work for about one week after surgery.

The surgery was a life saver. I wouldn't hesitate to do it if I was in the situation again. Find the best surgeon you can. TAKE IT EASY after surgery. Don't over do it. Listen to your physical therapist after surgery and do the work.

Check out www.spine-health.com they have a great hessage board that helped me a lot when I had surgical questions.

 

[dislaney]

Yes and it was the best decision I ever made. Recovery wasn't too bad. I also had almost immediate relief from the pain after surgery with some nerve damage to my sciatic nerve.