hoopsnakes Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I heniated a disk in my lower back over the summer, and after trying every alternative, I had to scheduled my surgery today. The problem is the herniated disc is pinching a nerve on my spine and I have pain down the back of my leg. The procedure is called a diskectomy. Just wondering if anyone has had this procedure and what you can tell me about it. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Rovers did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Rovers did. 1283539[/snapback] So did I, but I had 4 vertebrae fused, cervical area. They fused mine w/ donor bone and a titanium plate. There are other procedures though that are less invasive and relatively new. Did you get a second consult? If not I would. My rehab was 6 months and the nerves did not get to maximum healing for 2 years. I had a lot of nerve damage! Nerves heal at 1mm per day or 1" per month. Once damaged, though, they virtually never get back to 100%. That's what I was told and that's was my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 So did I, but I had 4 vertebrae fused, cervical area. They fused mine w/ donor bone and a titanium plate. There are other procedures though that are less invasive and relatively new. Did you get a second consult? If not I would. My rehab was 6 months and the nerves did not get to maximum healing for 2 years. I had a lot of nerve damage! Nerves heal at 1mm per day or 1" per month. Once damaged, though, they virtually never get back to 100%. That's what I was told and that's was my experience. 1283591[/snapback] Wow. Good advice here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I haven't had my back opend up, but I agree with RR, always get a second opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I'm obviously not a back specialist, but I've been having worsening sciatica for years (I've got two bulging discs in my lumbar spine). My back specialist has said many times that surgery should be last resort. A discectomy is not as involved as a fusion, but there are no guarantees regarding the outcome of any back surgery. A second (or even third) opinion is always a good idea. I'd be interested to know what other treatments have been tried. I'm sure you've been advised to do exercises, but have they tried traction and/or epidural steroid injections? What else have you tried?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I'm obviously not a back specialist, but I've been having worsening sciatica for years (I've got two bulging discs in my lumbar spine). My back specialist has said many times that surgery should be last resort. A discectomy is not as involved as a fusion, but there are no guarantees regarding the outcome of any back surgery. A second (or even third) opinion is always a good idea. I'd be interested to know what other treatments have been tried. I'm sure you've been advised to do exercises, but have they tried traction and/or epidural steroid injections? What else have you tried?? 1283688[/snapback] This might be an anthema to you Chargerz, but when I had a similar situation to yours, acupuncture was the only thing that worked for me. I went twelve years without issue until things flared up again. Several more sessions with an acupuncturist once again resolved the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I'm obviously not a back specialist, but I've been having worsening sciatica for years (I've got two bulging discs in my lumbar spine). My back specialist has said many times that surgery should be last resort. 1283688[/snapback] Exactly the same with me. I know one day I'll have to have it, but I'm staving it off till I really have to because the doc said once you've had it once, you'll be a regular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 This might be an anthema to you Chargerz, but when I had a similar situation to yours, acupuncture was the only thing that worked for me. I went twelve years without issue until things flared up again. Several more sessions with an acupuncturist once again resolved the issue. 1283702[/snapback] I have nothing against acupuncture for this problem (I just forgot to mention it). It's actually a covered benefit on my plan. I may have to go that direction if my traction treatments fail. Right now I'm also doing exercises to strengthen my abdominal muscles and loosen up my quads. That seems to be helping too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czarina Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 A coworker of mine has been struggling with sciatica issues of late. It was so bad one of her feet was numb. She had some sort of injection in her back under a fluoroscope(?) or some such. Maybe it was the epidural steroid thing? Anyhow, she said she's sorry she waited so long to have it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I have nothing against acupuncture for this problem (I just forgot to mention it). It's actually a covered benefit on my plan. I may have to go that direction if my traction treatments fail. Right now I'm also doing exercises to strengthen my abdominal muscles and loosen up my quads. That seems to be helping too. 1283712[/snapback] Exercise is always a good first step. Strengthening the muscles around the afflicted can't hurt. Another thing to think about is to stop drinking coffee. Coffee weakens the kidneys which in turn weakens the low back. Obviously hoopsnakes is in a different situation as his disk has herniated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 A coworker of mine has been struggling with sciatica issues of late. It was so bad one of her feet was numb. She had some sort of injection in her back under a fluoroscope(?) or some such. Maybe it was the epidural steroid thing? Anyhow, she said she's sorry she waited so long to have it done. 1283724[/snapback] Sounds like: Vertebroplasty..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoopsnakes Posted January 23, 2006 Author Share Posted January 23, 2006 I'm obviously not a back specialist, but I've been having worsening sciatica for years (I've got two bulging discs in my lumbar spine). My back specialist has said many times that surgery should be last resort. A discectomy is not as involved as a fusion, but there are no guarantees regarding the outcome of any back surgery. A second (or even third) opinion is always a good idea. I'd be interested to know what other treatments have been tried. I'm sure you've been advised to do exercises, but have they tried traction and/or epidural steroid injections? What else have you tried?? 1283688[/snapback] I've tried all the conservative treatments. anti-inflamatories, chiro-care, PT., 2 epidural steroid injections, all resulting in little or no releif. All the pain is in my leg and butt. A concern of putting off surgery is long-term nerve damage. I just want to be able to play golf by spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWings Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I had a diskectomy in '01. I had very little choice because my disc ruptured so badly that my legs were getting weak from the pressure on the nerves in the spinal column. I had also lost all reflexes in my knees. My doctor painted a pretty bleak picture if it continued to damage the nerves. When he mentioned the possibility of permanently losing control of my plumbing, I was signing up for the knife! Ironically, I got the news the day of my FFL draft not that I let it affect my drafting! Procedure was no problem, but the recovery was no picnic. I was not supposed to bend, lift or twist for 6 weeks. You can imagine how stiff and inflexible I was after that! The toughest part was getting my body back into some type of shape, but I had the surgery in the fall and was playing men's softball in the spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopher Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I herniated a disc in my lower back ten years ago. I was miserable, off and on, for about 8 years. Sometimes, it wasn't so bad, but then I would play a round of golf, lift something heavy, or play another sport, and the shooting pains would come back. It's hard to describe to someone who has never experience it, but it can range from an ache, to a throbbing, to sharp, stabbing pains that feel like someone is sticking a screw-driver in the back of your leg and twisting. The pain went from the lower back to my calf, but usually was concentrated in the back of my leg, from the knee up to the buttock. I tried several proclaimed "cures"..... physical therapy, chiropracters, cortisone injections in the spinal column, and 3 two-month sessions of a traction-like procedure called Vax-D. Nothing made a permanent difference.... The VaxD treatment helped temporarily, but once I learned more about it, and had some medical insurance issues with the clinic who was treating me, I decided to look into surgery. Like everyone has said, it should be the last option. The final straw was when I left work one morning in so much pain that I honestly wasn't sure if I should go home or to the emergency room. I got to my driveway, literally crawled into the house, and laid in the foyer for two hours, scares to move another inch. Basically, there were two things I learned from back pain: 1) Just when you think you've felt the worst pain possible, and it couldn't get any worse, it would get worse and you couldn't figure out what you had done to trigger it. The day when I crawled into the house was 4 months prior to surgery. I had been dealing with it for 7+ years.... That was the worst pain I have ever felt. Nothing else comes even close. 2) You get to the point where your pride gets tossed right out the window. The clinic I went to for the traction-like procedure was in a small mall. I can remember days, coming to and from my appointments, where I would literally drop to my knees in the middle of the mall because of the pain. In the back of my mind, I was thinking that the people walking past me had to think I was either A) Having a heart attach or A total nut job. On a couple of instances, people actually stopped and asked if I needed help. Anyway, back to the surgery thing. When I finally decided to go with it (after getting a 2nd opinion), I was told the orthopedic surgeons in my area were backed up for 2 months. They gave me some pretty strong pain meds, as well as the anti-inflammatory meds, and told me to just wait it out. When I went into surgery, I was somewhat skeptical.... After 8 years of being told that different things would help, I had no reason to think that surgery would be any different. The surgery lasted 45 minutes and I was "out" for about an hour and a half total. When I woke up, I immediately noticed that the pain in my back and leg was GONE. I had a little bit of pain from the incision, but I could definitely tell the difference. The incision pain felt almost like a "good pain" compared to the throbbing/aching that I had dealt with for so long. I spent one night in the hospital on a morphine drip, and was sent home with more pain meds. I never touched the pain meds. I have had zero back pain in the two years since surgery. Needles to say, the surgery was far more successful than I ever dreamed it could be. That said, it is important that you keep one thing in mind. Every back injury is different. Just because it worked for me doesn't mean that it's the answer for the next person. For as many people who have had successful surgeries, I have heard of two horror stories about surgeries gone wrong or surgeries that were just a short-term fix (fusions). I have also talked to other individuals who have stories very similar to mine, where surgery worked for them as well. It was almost scary how similar our symptoms/stories/injuries were. Bottom line.... Get another opinion. If they suggest surgery as well, go for it. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I can honestly say it is probably the best decision I have ever made, short of asking my wife to marry me. For me, the surgery helped me to be able to walk around pain-free on a daily basis. Plus, I am once again able to participate in sports that I stayed away from for a while, such as basketball, golf, etc. I will never take these things for granted again. One final note about the pain.... At my final doctor's visit prior to surgery, I asked my surgeon if it was unusual for the pain to be so severe in these types of injuries (I had been feeling like somewhat of a Rosie O'Donnell). I had thought I had a pretty high tolerance to pain, but the falling, crawling, and limping around had made me question that a bit. My doctor's response was very interesting. He basically said that it varies with everyone.... where the disc is at, how big of a "chunk" of disc is floating around, etc. That said, he added that he had done hundreds of these types of surgeries. In at least three instances, he had female patients who stated that the back/leg pain they were experiencing was worse than giving birth to a child! Basically, he was not surprised at how much pain I was in, especially given that the piece of disc pressing against my sciatic nerve was a "fairly significant piece." So, not only did surgery help, but my doctor helped me restore some of my pride as well. Sorry this response was so long. Hope it helps in some way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqualung Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 (edited) So did I, but I had 4 vertebrae fused, cervical area. They fused mine w/ donor bone and a titanium plate. There are other procedures though that are less invasive and relatively new. Did you get a second consult? If not I would. My rehab was 6 months and the nerves did not get to maximum healing for 2 years. I had a lot of nerve damage! Nerves heal at 1mm per day or 1" per month. Once damaged, though, they virtually never get back to 100%. That's what I was told and that's was my experience. 1283591[/snapback] Agree with rr. I had three fused as well, although mine was lumbar. Doctors do not know what your end result will be. I am still on oxycotin and vicodin five years after the surgery. BTW I can't play golf now. I hope everything works out for ya. It sucks to have back pain, it effects everything you do during the day. Edited January 23, 2006 by aqualung Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Nope, but if the next two shot they give me don't work I'm probably going to get neck surgery. The nerve at my C7 is all screwed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 (edited) Gopher......good story and advice! Hoops....heed what he said. Very good info. FWIW....my surgery took 4-5 hours! Not bragging but, I think fusion is a lot different. Agree with rr. I had three fused as well, although mine was lumbar. Doctors do not know what your end result will be. I am still on oxycotin and vicodin five years after the surgery. BTW I can't play golf now. I hope everything works out for ya. It sucks to have back pain, it effects everything you do during the day. 1284171[/snapback] Good stuff, Aqua! I had to give up golf also! But I stunk anyway. The worst thing was I lost my best pool game! My hands shake and I can't make those intricate shots. Ask Gil, he beat me! And NO......It wasn't the alcohol, dammit!! I take 1200 mgs of aspirin, but that's mostly for my knees that need to be replaced! Nope, but if the next two shot they give me don't work I'm probably going to get neck surgery. The nerve at my C7 is all screwed up. 1284195[/snapback] Mine were c-1 thru c-4, I think. C-7 shouldn't be too big of a deal. I think they said that the lower it is the worse it is, because more nerves are involved. Good luck to you!!! And good luck to you hoops! Get the second opinion, most Ins. don't charge you for that, and if you need a shoulder, I'm here, as many other Huddlers! rr26 Edited January 23, 2006 by rocknrobn26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 And by the way Hoops.....Keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Bill Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 My wife had a diskectomy a little over 2 years ago. She had sciata troubles too (numbness in leg etc.) prior to surgery. She went the physical therapy route 1st, but eventually had to have the surgery done. Her Dr. told her the longer the nerve was inflammed, the greater chance she stood to have permanent damage. The same disk ruptured again within days of her initial surgery, and was back on the operating table 2 weeks to the day after her 1st surgery. She rehabbed for about 6 weeks, and probably went back to work too soon. However, she has never had any problems since her 2nd surgery. Her back doesn't have the strength that it used to, but all in all, she's glad she had it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 My wife had a diskectomy a little over 2 years ago. She had sciata troubles too (numbness in leg etc.) prior to surgery. She went the physical therapy route 1st, but eventually had to have the surgery done. Her Dr. told her the longer the nerve was inflammed, the greater chance she stood to have permanent damage. The same disk ruptured again within days of her initial surgery, and was back on the operating table 2 weeks to the day after her 1st surgery. She rehabbed for about 6 weeks, and probably went back to work too soon. However, she has never had any problems since her 2nd surgery. Her back doesn't have the strength that it used to, but all in all, she's glad she had it done. 1284334[/snapback] To Mrs. Deac! Hope it continues! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Bill Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 To Mrs. Deac! Hope it continues! 1284342[/snapback] Thanx RR...I'll pass that along to the Mrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Just hope you don't have teenage sons. My Dad went into the hospital the tallest of me him and my brother. He came out the shortest. I still size him up every time I see him. That was almost 20 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Just hope you don't have teenage sons. My Dad went into the hospital the tallest of me him and my brother. He came out the shortest. I still size him up every time I see him. That was almost 20 years ago. 1284380[/snapback] Funny you should mention that. I gained an inch, but I wish I gained it horizontally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Funny you should mention that. I gained an inch, but I wish I gained it horizontally! 1284396[/snapback] Maybe a disectomy is not having a disc removed? That's what my Dad had done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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