Reputured Disc Surgery

[Jinxbreaker]

What a year this has been so far!!! My father passed away last month and now have to get surgery on my L5. Anyone have any luck with just the shot?? Had a bulging disc last summer and the first shot helped for a few months but now it's reputured. A little nervous about back surgery but don't think another shot will help. Thanks

 

[Mags]

What a year this has been so far!!! My father passed away last month and now have to get surgery on my L5. Anyone have any luck with just the shot?? Had a bulging disc last summer and the first shot helped for a few months but now it's reputured. A little nervous about back surgery but don't think another shot will help. Thanks

Have had shots before.. sometimes helped, sometimes not.

But a bulging disc is much different than a ruptured disc. Once it is ruptured, I don't think getting a shot is an option any longer.

 

[kickserv]

Back pain sucks....hope the surgery works for ya.

 

[Hooks]

I'm right there with ya :facepalm:
Gonna hang in there as long as possibe before surgery.

 

[SixFive]

I've had the shots and the surgery and the physical therapy. Had chronic pain for years even after the surgery...

Here's what helped me, and I rarely have back pain now other than normal arthritis and aches associated with somebody my age. Chiropractic along with interventional pain management.

The interventional pain management is getting pretty big, and if u have a good doctor that listens, it can really help. The chronic back pain i had was all on one side. I did not have leg pain or numbness or foot drop after my ruptured disc surgery. Specifically I had 2 medial branch blocks and i had radio frequency lesioning (u can google those if u want).

Now, I routinely see my chiropractor even when I feel good. I go every 2 weeks, get adjusted, and for the most part feel great.

Get ur surgery done by a neurosurgeon if u must have it (I wouldnt let an orthopod touch my spine, EVER!). Good luck and keep u's informed! Chronic back pain sux, but it can get better!

 

[Old School]

best of luck man..


my brother has suffered w/it for at least 10 years.[and doesn't have the Ins. to even come close to covering the surgery.]

I have no idea how ya'll handle that pain..

 

[Jinxbreaker]

Yeah, on top of that i have 2 kids under 4....I have a very helpful and understanding wife but I still feel guilt at times...I'm going to get a 2nd opinion but why no otho on the back if he specializes in it?? You are the 2nd person to mention nerve dr so i still confused as I only have 1 more chance at a 2nd look. It's a microdiskectomy procedure that I'm looking at and hoping not to have it fused. Off to see the BIG needle. Thanks guys will be researching until my fingers hurt tonight.

 

[SixFive]

Yeah, on top of that i have 2 kids under 4....I have a very helpful and understanding wife but I still feel guilt at times...I'm going to get a 2nd opinion but why no otho on the back if he specializes in it?? You are the 2nd person to mention nerve dr so i still confused as I only have 1 more chance at a 2nd look. It's a microdiskectomy procedure that I'm looking at and hoping not to have it fused. Off to see the BIG needle. Thanks guys will be researching until my fingers hurt tonight.

well, I'm sure there are plenty of competent orthopedic surgeons who can do back and neck surgeries. HOWEVER, there are tons who suck at it!! :scared Any kind of spine surgery imho as a nurse working primarily in that field (for almost 18 years now) needs to be done by a neurosurgeon. A ruptured disc surgery is their bread and butter. They are the best at it.

 

[PaSprint]

What a year this has been so far!!! My father passed away last month and now have to get surgery on my L5. Anyone have any luck with just the shot?? Had a bulging disc last summer and the first shot helped for a few months but now it's reputured. A little nervous about back surgery but don't think another shot will help. Thanks

I had surgery for a ruptured L5 in July of 2005 and have had no problems or pain since. I'm pretty sure the chiropractor screwed me up too. I had hurt my back lifting an oil tank...went to chiropractor for my first and last visit. When I left the guy, while walking, every time my left foot hit the ground I could feel it "click" in my lower back. 2 weeks later, first softball game of the year, I'm on first base, next guy gets a base hit, I go first to third and when I hit the bag the pain just rocketed down my left hamstring. I thought I pulled the ole hammy. I stood there rubbing it and the pain vanished. Played the rest of the game with no problems. Went home, got up the next morning and couldnt move. After getting up and around the pain would go away. This went on for weeks and eventually the pain never went away. Hurt from my left ass check to my ankle. Sometimes the pain would just spike so hard it would about bring me to my knees.
Ended up going for an MRI. L5 ruptured. Doc said your discs are like the texture of shirmp. Squeeze it hard and it ruptures. Little spurs pop out and if it contacts your sciatic nerve, bad...really bad shit happens. I thought I could handle pain but that was not tolerable. I could go on and on, but that was really a nightmare. Living on vicodins and trying to work was tough. Finally convinced the surgeon to cut me and the whole surgery lasted about 50 minutes. He went in there, shaved the rupture off the disc and stapled me shut. Had some "stingers" for a few weeks afterwards, but have been pain free for going on 6 years now. Oh and.... surgeons exact words...stay the FUCK away from the chiropractors.

 

[Jinxbreaker]

Thanks PA yeah when I had a bulging disc I could pretty much handle the pain but since the reputure it's a whole NEW ball game. Vik's, nerve pills, steroids and the shot today and still in pain but shot helped ease about 20% of the pain..did they do a fusion or non evasive procedure called a melodisccodomy or something like that I have the paper work upstairs. Also what kind of dr did the operation?? I'm still torn as far as which type of dr(mine is a spine specialist otho)...can you workout and stay pretty active?? Looking to be able to play golf, swim and would be pretty happy. Think softball and basketball will be over.

 

[VaNurse]

Thankfully mine wasn't lumbar but I had C4-5 anterior diskectomy w/ fusion, titanium plate and bone graft done in January 2006. From the time I awakened from anesthesia, I felt better! Yes, I had surgical pain but it wasn't nearly what I'd been living with for the last three months prior to surgery. I understand from my doc that the surgery is generally easier and more successful the higher in the spine that you have your rupture.

Good luck Jinxbreaker! I know how you must be suffering.

 

[SixFive]

most physicians will tell u to stay away from chiropractors, but then a lot of them are full of shit too. I don't think this needs to evolve into a chiropractors suck/are great thread, but I know what worked for me, and I pimp the chiropractic care always. It works!

 

[BuckwheatJWN]

Jinx, I'm going through back pain myself. Virtually injury free my whole life now since last August I started feeling neck and shoulder pain. To be fair it's more of a 24/7 discomfort, but still a bitch since I've always been pretty active. Originally my doctor told me I had degenerative disc diisease, after MRI they told me I had spinal stenosis. i waited 2 months to see specialist and he said they "over read" my MRI and I had bulging disc and needed therapy. After 1 /2 month of therapy I noticed no change :shrug: Looking for other options now. heard of a spine center in Florida called Bonati I may look into it. Anyways keep me informed of how things turn out. Getting old is a bitch. At least i was lucky enuff to retire young.

 

[The Sponge]

Im going thru this dilemma as we speak. My doctor told me yesterday "as ur friend and as ur doctor no way i let u get surgery" He told me he has had 11 guys now who went against him and all 11 said he was wrong. Three months later they all came back and said he was right. It is amazing how u can feel great one day and then for a month terrible pain. Gonna get the shots again and hope it works. PaSprint u are the first person i saw who says his operation was a success. How long ago was ur surgery if u don't mind me asking.

 

[Mags]

Im going thru this dilemma as we speak. My doctor told me yesterday "as ur friend and as ur doctor no way i let u get surgery" He told me he has had 11 guys now who went against him and all 11 said he was wrong. Three months later they all came back and said he was right. It is amazing how u can feel great one day and then for a month terrible pain. Gonna get the shots again and hope it works. PaSprint u are the first person i saw who says his operation was a success. How long ago was ur surgery if u don't mind me asking.

Sponge - an additional option for you - I had same issue, and did the shots in the spine, etc..... helped some, but what worked the best for me? Getting a new mattress - one that was a lot firmer.

Not saying you should go firmer or softer - but you may want to consider trying some different ones. Some stores give you a 30 day money back guarantee - try something different that what you have, and see if the pain subsides. If the one you buy doesn't work, take it back and try a different one.

It may not help, but it worked for me. I was told at age 25 that I would need surgery for sure within 5 years. 20 years later I am still playing hoops, snowmobiling, etc with no pain. Haven't had a epidural shot in 15 years. The difference for me - just a new mattress.

 

[The Sponge]

Sponge - an additional option for you - I had same issue, and did the shots in the spine, etc..... helped some, but what worked the best for me? Getting a new mattress - one that was a lot firmer.

Not saying you should go firmer or softer - but you may want to consider trying some different ones. Some stores give you a 30 day money back guarantee - try something different that what you have, and see if the pain subsides. If the one you buy doesn't work, take it back and try a different one.

It may not help, but it worked for me. I was told at age 25 that I would need surgery for sure within 5 years. 20 years later I am still playing hoops, snowmobiling, etc with no pain. Haven't had a epidural shot in 15 years. The difference for me - just a new mattress.

:mj07: This is another problem. I spent 3 grand on what i thought was a great bed. It was this one or the tempurpedic. I chose this one and in six months the dam thing wore out in the center faster then my 15 year old mattress. I called them out and they put a string line on it and said it needed to dip an inch and 3 quarters. It only dip an inch and a half. I loved this bed and now i can't stand it. If they were fair they would put weights on each side then put the same weight in the middle and then see how it does. It has a fifteen year warranty so they will diff be out again. I think it was called a Vera Lange. hunk of crap.

 

[VaNurse]

Thankfully mine wasn't lumbar but I had C4-5 anterior diskectomy w/ fusion, titanium plate and bone graft done in January 2006. From the time I awakened from anesthesia, I felt better! Yes, I had surgical pain but it wasn't nearly what I'd been living with for the last three months prior to surgery. I understand from my doc that the surgery is generally easier and more successful the higher in the spine that you have your rupture.

Good luck Jinxbreaker! I know how you must be suffering.

Jinxbreaker, what did you end up doing? I'm asking because a lot can happen in a month and I find myself back in the same position, different vertebrae. Went to Carolina Spine & Back, had an MRI, then had the NP suggest I take the results to a surgeon since they don't offer it. Don't know who to go to now since my last surgery was done in VA. Any suggestions in Raleigh area?

 

[Theismann]

I have a air flow mattress with remote can make firm soft or hard sad part I usually don't sleep in it cause I end up in the floor chair or yard:facepalm: :SIB

 

[BuckwheatJWN]

Didn't feel like starting a new thread on the subject, but i imagine a lot of us on here have some type of back trouble so I thought I'd mention my recent experiience at the Bonati Spine Center in Hudson, Fl.
First rate operation and very professional. Obviously the verdict is still out on the success. A lot of pain is already gone. I had 2 operations one for both sides on C6, C 7 four days apart .
No matter how well one is treated though the end results on the elimination of pain is what is important, so if anyone is interested I'll report back in on this thread in a week or 2 and tell you my results. :0008

http://www.bonati.com/

 

[VaNurse]

Since having a neurosurgeon review my MRI, I am scheduled for surgery on 5/24. I was incorrect in my previous post. My previous surgery was a C5-C6 diskectomy with fusion. Now it will be the one above and the one below! I'm guessing I'll be lucky to be able to turn my head by the time this is all over however I'm happy I got to a neurosurgeon. My "first opinion" was an orthopedic surgeon who looked at my x-ray and informed me I just had arthritis and sent me to physical therapy despite the marked weakness in my right arm and hand! I'm hoping that my surgery is as successful as before and I'm looking forward to being pain-free once more!

The downside to all of this is that I was fired for absenteeism due to this. It's gonna cost me $525/month for COBRA just for me, not to mention that I can't even apply for another job for at least 8 weeks. My husband's disability is still pending so we'll be tightening our belts once more due to lack of household income.

If y'all wanted to hold a fundraising poker or golf tournament in my benefit, I might be a little embarassed but I wouldn't be insulted.