Since being on this site I have become very confused as to what treatment I should be seeking for L5 slipped disc. Should I go down the surgical route or not?! Is it worth the risk and does it actually stop the pain or have any benefits? How scary is it going under the knife, what does it involve and whats the worst part about surgery?
I had a discectomy l4/l5. I found surgery easy, especially compared to the pain before. The recovery process was hard because you do have to be so careful. Unfortunately with my 3 children to run around after I didn't give my body the rest it needed so my disc had reherniated. I am devastated, but I will consider more surgery if other options don't work for me. If you have chance to rest properly post op, for a couple of months, then it is an option for you.
I had a double discectomy in March. Previously I had been suffering with horrendous nerve pain in my lower back, hip, leg and foot. The day after the operation I pretty much cried with joy that I no longer had nerve pain. I had to have a wee bag for I think it was two days because no matter how hard I tried it just wasn't happening. It took me two ish days to be able to stand up and after a fashion walk around. I was advised to rest for between 6-12 weeks. Because my job is physical I needed just over 3 months off, purely because I wasn't willing to take the risk of going back too soon and messing it up. I've not had any nerve pain since my ooeration. I still have some back pain and stiffness, some days are worse than others but I can cope with that. I can honestly say that if I hadn't had the operation I have no doubts that I would be depressed and possibly stuck in bed by now. If you have the opportunity to go for the op - I would say go for it but make sure you allow yourself enough rest and time to recover. Also embrace the sheer pain relief and rest that morphine allows you. It makes all the difference.
Well love tbh I had my operation in July 27th pain has gone so if your in so much pain it's worth having done maybe some damage after tho I am still having problems with my bladder and bowels but no pain hope this helps Sarah xx
so, rest ..as in lay flat?
how difficult was it to sir up m, swing your legs over bedside, stand, and walk after surgery?
The comfiest position for me after op was lying on my back. I'm lucky that I have a two seater sofa with very low squidgy arms on it. I'm 6ft 1" tall and the length was perfect for me to use one sofa arm as pillows and the other as a knee raise. I was advised to walk around at least every hour and to try to build my walking up to 3 miles within a day. For the first day and a half I struggled to move myself in the hospital bed, it was like I had no strength and no control over my lower body. The morphine that you have to ask for but can have every two hours, really helped with this. I was able to walk very slowly around the block after first week. I gradually built up the amount of walking. That's the key - don't rush things, but don't just lie there all day either or you'll seize up. Listen to your body.
It seems that surgery always results in bowel and bladder dysfunction is that correct?
It's correct in my case hun been a few.months now and still no change x
I've not had any problems with my bowel and bladder, I guess it depends where the surgery is and what type. There are so many risks with spinal surgery, you have to make sure it is your last resort, and are you willing to risk it to get rid of the pain
I would like to add it wasn't even 12 hours post op and I got off the bed to use a commode
Hope you don't mind me asking but how are your bladder and bowels now and when did you have your operation pls x
I haven't had any problems at all, I am 7 months post op now.
it happens but not always. Bladder and bowel are innervated by sacral plexus which is just below L5
I couldn't wee post op. My bladder was full and they got me onto commode but I just couldn't do it. They had to put a bag in but after a couple of days I could go again. I was constipated for a couple of weeks, but that was because of morphine. I'm 8 months post op and both are working normally.
So sorry to be a pain but how long after the operation was you normal again with bowels and bladder pls I am worried sick being 41 and feel like I am 70 xx
Does anyone know if spinal denervation treatment or even spinal cord stimulator carries less risks to the bladder and bowels than spine surgery please??
Bladder was normal 3 days post op. Bowels took longer because I was taking morphine for the first week after I came out of hospital. It took a while for the laxatives they gave me to work their way through my system, so it was about two weeks before I was able to have a bowel movement. However if you ask for it I think you can get a supositry which can clear you out within half an hour.
I had an L5/S1 microdiscectomy in July 2015. I was up using the loo (wee) within an hour of being return to the ward - they'd made me drink so much fluids! Up at least 3 times - with help of the nurse but only to carry my drip. Bowels are another thing....I had codeine and that blocks you up. I had immediate relief from the nerve pain - best decision I ever made was to have this op. It was sore for about 10 days around the operation site and I pulled muscles in my stomach getting up and down. I was walking around the ward every hour whilst still in hospital and gradually increased walking once I was at home. Main issue was that I couldn't stand still nor sit down for any length of time so was pretty much flat on my back for about 4 weeks. My advice is not to do this alone - I returned to my parents place for 6 weeks. I was able to work from home (lying down) at 2.5 weeks. 18 months on I have no issues at all (though I now have osteoarthritis - not caused by op of course)
It is a last resort however - I made the decision to have it when I was crawling on my hands and kees in agony
No not at all. My microdisectomy and recovery has been fine (nearly 2 years now). The first few weeks you have to be careful and manage recovery properly.
hi all i can say from my experience is it was the best decision i have ever made. i slipped a disc 17 years ago, i don't remember which one but i think its a common one low down. i had 100% sciatica, off the scale with pain. i absolutely packed my pants and had a complete meltdown in the anaesthetic room! anaesthetist was a lovely bloke who had had the same disc problem as me. i said right, just do it, its now or never and thought of the sciatic pain and i went through with it. when i woke up it just felt like i had been burnt where i had been stitched up, i had two paracetamol and within 10 mins that pain was gone. next day i was up walking and because i was scared they let me stay another night. went home, couple of weeks rest and was near enough back to normal. my surgeon was excited to tell me it was a huge chunk of disc and he wanted to save it to show me but couldn't cus of health n safety! the smile on his face! i owe that surgeon my life and soul. for 11 years life was just normal. but i wasn't careful and was still pulling out washing machines and all that for years and a couple of years ago the disc above kind of came out but they said it was black and shrinking so they reckon its not slipped. if you do have it just be careful how you go and don't go doing the things i did. for me it was the best decision i have made in my life. good luck.