Anyone here had back surgery?

[MTC(SS)Ret]

I have been dealing with lower back pain and sciatica for a few years (most likely caused by truck driving for 25 years) and last year it progressed to the point where I could not walk more than 100 yards without pretty severe pain and numbness in my left foot and leg. I began seeing a spine/pain management doctor and after a MRI found out I have a herniated disc and slight bone spur at the L4/L5 area. Since none of the therapies we have tried so far have helped the Doc is recommending surgery....specifically a micro discectomy/laminectomy to remove the disc and bone that are compressing the sciatic nerve.

The Doc explained it is a relatively simple procedure and most people go home the same day.

Has anyone had this procedure done who would be willing to tell me their personal experience with the surgery and the recovery?
I have watched videos on youtube that people have posted describing their experiences but a lot of them seem to be overly dramatic.

 

[fordson]

I had this procedure done to three disc (two herniated and one ruptured) in my lower back ten years ago. I was in sever pain that nothing could or did touch. Sciatica pain in my right leg to my toes. The operation went just fine - I went home the same day. I was in pain when I went into the operating room and pain free went I came out. My wife and oldest daughter were there when I came to and told me my first words were “there’s no pain!”. I don’t remember that but I believe them because there wasn’t any pain. I don’t recall that I had any therapy afterward. I do remember that I was on a airliner a month later traveling for work. My wife had the same procedure done last year - she had one bulged disc and a bone spur on the adjacent disc. The Dr “shaved” the offending parts. Her recovery was a little longer. She had less pain after the procedure but was not “pain free“ for about 6 weeks or so. She was pain free and we were doing our walking and exercises about two months afterward. She did have therapy; six weeks as I remember.
The procedure is simple and the success rate is in the very high 90% range. Recovery time and therapy requirements vary depending on one’s physical condition and any underlining other medical issues. But it WORKS!
PM me if you have more questions. We don’t need to bore the members here.
Fordson

 

[mckenney99]

In 2001 I herniated the discs between C5-C6 & C6-C7 due to work related injuries. Wound up with Discectomy and Fusion of those 3 vertebrate. I was in & out of the hospital overnight, in a neck brace for 6 weeks but walked a lot, as soon as I could. Followed up with physical therapy, went back to work and had great outcome.
In 2010 I fell off a ladder from the roof (for second time, slow learner) which aggravated a lumbar problem I had had for 20 years. Injury to lumbar continued to get worse to point I could not walk, in crippling pain and was losing control of certain bodily functions. In May of 2011 finally went in to have a Lumbar Laminectomy with Fusion (rods/clamps/screws) of L4-L5. Was in the hospital 5 days due to spiking a high temp the day I was to be released. I was told by the Dr. post op that I almost waited TOO long and had almost worn completely thru the nerve bundles that were trapped by the damaged vertebrae. In brace for 6+ weeks, learned to avoid "BLT", NO Bending, Lifting or Twisting of ANY kind. Again full course of physical therapy. I worked hard during therapy and again walked a lot, pushing myself every day. It took almost a year for most of the nerve damage to regenerate. Pain immediately after the surgeries was addressed well and I got off ALL pain medications within 5 to 7 days. Just used Tylenol till I was able to bear the discomfort without anything. Still a great outcome other than normal "old guy" aches and pains.

 

[carpriver]

I had the disks L4 & L5 removed, the first surgery removed half of L4 18 months later I when forced to go back and have the over half of L4 removed and L5 had ruptured the pain was so bad before the operation, I did have to spend 2 days in the hospital, no real therapy the first surgery should have removed all of L4 . It was worth it.

 

[Rob613]

I had a L4/L5 laminectomy about 6 years ago. Tried PT/steroids/chiropractor/inversion therapy and nothing worked.

Met with a Neurosurgeon and he took one look at my MRI and basically said the only way was surgery, it wasn’t going to fix itself.

Surgery was fairly easy, I requested to not stay overnight so he did it early in the morning and I was discharged in about 15 hours. The back pain was gone when I woke up, took a couple days for the pinched nerve to recover.

At that point the stitches were the worst, once they pulled them out I was a lot more comfortable. I actually had to remind myself to take it easy but I felt better than I had in months.

6 weeks off work, plastic wrap for showers for a bit, post surgery PT, missed the start of golf season but other than that, totally worth it.

Have had no issues since but my slipped disk was an injury not a chronic thing.

 

[murf205]

I had to have L3 jacked up to take the pressure off of the sciatic nerve that was causing foot drop and numbness in my left foot. I was stumbling and fell a couple of times because I couldn't feel the foot. It was done roboticly and it hurt like hell for about a week but I am walking again so I would say it was worth it.

 

[Qmark]

After I was told I needed back surgery I got a second and third opinion. A few years later got a fourth. Other than the cut happy first opinion the others have all agree what I need is risky and chances are 50/50 that after a year I could be worse. I know my problem is likely very different than yours but there is no reason not to consult with other Dr’s. One surgeon told me after I asked him if he were in my shoes what would you do. He told me that if he had to yell for his wife to bring a bed pan then he would consider it.

 

[bgrafsr]

I have had 4 lower back surgeries for herniated or ruptured discs, and one surgery in the neck area. Last surgery in the lower back, the Dr. removed the disc and put in an artificial disc and a titanium rod and screws. Been good since then, other than some once in a while pain from scar tissue and arthritis.
Last surgery was a piece of cake and I went home the next day.
Worst ones were the 1st two lower back surgeries, but they were done back in the 70's.

 

[Bugkiller99]

Not me, but my wife had a micro discectomy. She was way too young at the time to be having the difficulty she was having. Barely walking, barely sleeping, etc. I’m sure you know.
Post op she had no pain. She, as others have said, had to remind herself to take it easy.
She gets reminded every so often she has overdone it. But otherwise, she has had a good outcome.

 

[kscharlie]

I was 54 years old, the pain was so bad I spent many hours each day curled up in a fetal position on the floor. Could not go to work, had to walk with a cane, suffered through nearly 3 months of physical therapy, which did nothing to relieve the pain. Was thankful for muscle relaxers and oxy-codone. They were the only thing that offered relief and allowed me to sleep.

My primary care physician finally agreed to have me see a neurosurgeon for evaluation. She ordered an MRI and recommended surgery, a micro discectomy. When I woke up from the anasthesia, there was some pain/discomfort at the incision site. A shot of morphine took care of that. Since I was living alone at the time, the surgeon insisted I stay overnight in the hospital, just in case there were any complications. The next morning, the nurse got me out of bed and asked if I could do a bit of walking. I walked around the entire floor of the hospital, and when I made it back to the starting line, with a big grin on my face, I asked if I could please do that again. It felt soooooo good to be able to walk without pain.

I spent the next month just relaxing and recuperating and walking. That neurosurgeon was a Godsend and quite literally saved my life. That was 17 years ago. Occasionally, I have an ache or twinge, usually when I do something I shouldn't. Otherwise, I have been pain free ever since.

Life is good! I wish you well.

 

[PatriotX]

I have plenty of titanium rods and three cages where my lower 3 discs once resided.

I did the physical therapy, chiro, steroid and nerve block shots for years. No relief. Opioids helped, but weren’t a magic bullet.

Years after the surgery, I’m not pain-free...but it’s manageable with Advil and ice instead of Oxy. I wish I had done it 5 years earlier.

 

[LCC]

The condition posted is fairly minor as far as back problems go, and micro surgery these days is as routine as having a tooth filled. You should have fine results and minimal recovery issues after.

 

[Abbynormal]

I had damage to the L5-S1 disc in 1995. Was referred to an Orthopedic Surgeon who of course recommended surgery. First surgery was to be a minimal invasive scope surgery to inject a drug to dissolve the "nucleus" of the disc and to to suck it out which would remove the pressure on the spine from the herniation.

Well, when I woke up, it still hurt the same. Surgery 3 weeks later (due to getting over full anesthesia) took place and my lower back muscles were cut to get to a herniated disc. It turns out I had ruptured the disc and the nucleus the size of a finger was pressing against my spinal column.

Now the severe pain was gone, but the weakness due to surgically cutting into the back and spine muscles weakened my back

I've had almost constant muscle and sometimes sciatic pain for the past 25 years.

2 years ago, the pain was soooooo bad, that the SO and her sister delivered me to the ER after I was in so much pain, I couldn't eat my birthday dinner.

The Neurologist and the accompanying Osteopath recommended rigorous physical therapy and non opioid pain killers and steroids. Everything has been going well, except for finding I cannot tolerate steroids anymore and that I have to continuously up my activity level.

In other words, I wish that I went to a Neurologist before I went to a Orthopedic surgeon. I think I wouldn't have had the continuous problems I've had for 25 years.