Back Surgery?

[mufb]

Help me out with some information folks. On advise from my Chiroprator, I will have a CIT scan done on my back. Chiro feels I have a herniated disc at L4-L5. Initial questioning by my GP Doc confirms this. Assuming that they actually find this on a CIT scan, what are my options? I've heard many horror stories of screwed up back surgery leaving you worse than when you started. Thanks.

[anonymous2]

Hey mufb,

I can't help you with your disc problem,but I have a different problem. I have spurs,and a bulged disc in my neck. I was sent to a neurosurgeon by my family doctor. The neurosurgeon had me go to massage therapy. And it worked. The therory is that my neck muscles are tense,and pulling down on my vertebra,and causing the spurs to dig into my spinal cord,and also compressing my bulged disc more. The massage loosens the muscles allowing the vertebra to relax. My massage therapist says it works on some back cases too, if not to far damaged.

On a sad note all the people I know{including my sister} with your problem that have had surgury,have had several,and still not good. Seek out the top neurosurgon in your area,because they will try different ,and new methods of treatment. Mine could have gone knife happy with me but didn't. Most high end doctors don't want you to get better trying other alternatives. Check with your doctor to see if massage/exercises may work for you.

I go every 2 weeks for an hours massage concentrating on my neck & upper back . My massage/extensions/exercises also rubbed off the bone spurs tips that caused the severe shooting pains in my body. It has made my life a lot better without time off surguries. Good Luck with your problem.BTW as far as I am concerned,years ago a Chiropractor caused most of my neck problems,{that neck snapping thing}and I will never go back. I still hurt every place he used to "adjust". Some people swear by them ,I swear at them.

pateardropper

[Miriam C.]

Mufb,
Have the CT. Until then they don't know you have a blown disc. Could be a bunch of things. Mike had his done and we hate the news but everyone thought the spine itself was thickening. He has 6 discs bulging. Now as painful as that is it is fixable with time.

There are always bad surgeons and complications but you can screen for that. My nephew, son-in-law, his mother and my stepson all had thier spines fused because of ruptured discs. Not a one of them is sorry they did the surgery. My nephew waited out of fear and has some permanant nerve damage. He regrets his discision to wait.

All the advice in the world won't give you the information you really need. That is a good diagnosis. Have them let you see the CT's. A good Doctor will give you all your options and references.

Lots of prayers to ya

[mikeschn]

I used to work with a guy that did the surgery for his back. It took him a year to recover, but really, he was never the same again.

I have back problems too, but opted for chiropractic and massage.

It's taken over a year to get back to normal.

And you may laugh at this, but I really think the daily dose of apple cider vinegar finally helped.

Be sure to review your options, and take the natural route if it's an option.

Mike...

[anonymous2]

Mike ,

There is more to that apple cider vinegar story. I developed heel pain from a job that entailed an extreme amount of walking. My wife picked up one of those small booklets you see at a grocrey store check out isle entitled "Apple Cider Vinegar and Your Health". It stated to soak your feet in HOT apple cider vinegar to relieve heel pain. Dam if it didn't work. After a month of soaking I said goodbye to the doctor. I still wonder how/why it worked.

pateardropper

[Kens]

MUFB I know what you feel. I had a ruptured disc in the l5 location I saw it on the MRI. I could not function at all. Pain pills were a joke. I tried therapy helped alittle ,guy said this is as good as you will get. I said cut me open I need relief. I woke with no pain but alittle nerve damage but that came when it ruptured ,just alittle numb spot in my leg. I get a jab once in awhile but much much better. I wish you luck

[rbeemer]

mufb,

My sister had 3 vertibrae in the same area as your fused together, she talked with our orthopedic surgeon(specializes in sports medicine and was the surgeon for a bay area(CAL) pro football team) to recommend someone he knew to do the surgery. It took her 6 months to recover 100% but she is back playing softball and other physical activity.

The one thing to do is read up on everything you can find about the procedure and have a list of questions ready for your doctor/surgeon after the diagnosis from yout CT scan

[robfisher]

I "blew out" L4-5 disc. The pain was unbelievable. The morphine was the most welcome substance of my life. The emergency room was in the process of scheduling surgery whan I said wait a minute, I want to talk with another surgeon. I got to the best back surgeon in the state. Here's what he told me.

"Don't do this surgery just yet. Hold off. We are still not that successful with this surgery in the long run. If you will do exactly what I say we can get you through this without cutting and you will be happier with the overall results." (Remember this was a back surgeon)

Anyway I followed his advice, didn't have the surgery, was back to work in two weeks and that was 22 years ago. I haven't been pain free. But it hasn't been bad. My advice is get more than one opinion.

Of course the other thing to think about is that was 22 years ago, maybe they have made some great strides in disc surgery.

Good luck,
Rob

[asianflava]

"Don't do this surgery just yet. Hold off. We are still not that successful with this surgery in the long run. If you will do exactly what I say we can get you through this without cutting and you will be happier with the overall results." (Remember this was a back surgeon)

Anyway I followed his advice, didn't have the surgery, was back to work in two weeks and that was 22 years ago. I haven't been pain free. But it hasn't been bad. My advice is get more than one opinion.

So what was it?

I have back problems on occasion. I usually geat a bottle of Advil and wait. I stretch it out and put a heat pad on it, but for the most part I rest it and wait. As much as it hurts, surgery would only be the last resort.

The important thing I've found is to do the stretches even when your back doesn't bother you, if you have pain it was too late. Luckily, I haven't had pain in a couple years.

[Leon]

I've had discs go in the lower back and in the neck, I am waiting for the results of the latest MRI to see what the prognosis is in the T5-T6 area. I've had massage, chiro therapy, steroid shots up the spine (hurt worse than the back) electro therapy, etc. When I was loosing function of my rt leg, I was in a wheelchair at that point, I decided on the fusion. I waited too long and caused some permanent nerve damage that I have learned to live with. The neurosurgeon told my wife a few more weeks and I would have probably ended up in the chair for good. I don't always feel my leg, I just have to assume it's on the ground when I walk, and have a couple times fell over. Try different things, but don't wait too long. The neck problem was cured with about a month recovery. Because I waited so long with the lower back it took almost 2 years to get back to "normal". I'm a LOT bettter off now than before the surgeries, but am looking at another in the middle back because when it acts up I have trouble breathing.

[Podunkfla]

I "blew out" L4-5 disc. The pain was unbelievable. The morphine was the most welcome substance of my life. The emergency room was in the process of scheduling surgery whan I said wait a minute, I want to talk with another surgeon. I got to the best back surgeon in the state. Here's what he told me.

"Don't do this surgery just yet. Hold off. We are still not that successful with this surgery in the long run. If you will do exactly what I say we can get you through this without cutting and you will be happier with the overall results." (Remember this was a back surgeon)

My experience is similar to robfisher... In 1981 I also blew out L4 & L5 installing some cabinets. They hauled me out of the house on a door. I made it home and took all the pain killers I could find. Fortunately, I knew a great orthopedic surgeon; he had repaired my hand that got caught in a machine a few years earlier. I went to see him and he said pretty much the same thing robfisher's doc said... Not to rush into doing surgery. I did what he said, although it was hard to do when you are in such pain. He was right. A few weeks of drugs and therapy got me over the worst of it. Then a longer term of rehabilitation and specific exercises to strenghten my abdominal muscles & others virtually cured me. I couldn't belive him when he told me I was in lousy shape? I was a contractor building houses every day... how could I be in such bad shape? Well, it seem it is very common for men, even men who do physical work, to have week abs that ultimately put undue stress on you back. (There is a great book on the subject called "The Back Book" my doc gave me... Amazon.com has it, I checked) The right exercise and a little knowlege worked wonders for me. That was 26 years ago; I still work out to keep the muscles that keep your spine aligned in good shape. I have had very little trouble since. If I do... I know how to fix it. Of course, every situation is different. But, since you asked, that was my experience. Best of luck, my friend... I know where you're coming from.

Amazon.com link: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Royal-Colleg ... F8&s=books

[mufb]

Thak you for all the replies folks. I guess I should clarify a little. I can't have an MRI done due to shrapnel in my body. I've also had a heart transplant and have wires holding my chest together. Now the fun starts, I have no chest muscles. I have been split open so many times that the only thing holding my chest together is a piece of fiberglass. (How's that for being teardrop related?) I also take a ton of anti rejection drugs. The kind of painkillers I can take is very limited due to drug interactions. The strongest I can take is Hydrocodone. Excersis therapy may help, but can't involve chest muscles as I have none. I'm off to have the CT scan done this morning and will have the results later this week. I may then come back to you guys for your opinion. Thanks again, Bill

[Chip]

Murf,,, have the scan and get it done,,, I have had L-4 and L-5 operated on twice,,, My surgens tell me that if ya really take care of ya back ya might get 15 years out of a herniated disk surgery,,, thats about my schedule,,,

the second time I had surgery on friday am,, outpatient,,, hobbled in friday am,, walked out friday evening almost pain free,,, took it easy till wednesday,, cabin fever,,,, drove to office to catch up on a little paperwork,, took it easy till following monday,,, back to work on a limited,, light duty basis,,, back to normal in 6 weeks,,,

Get it done before ya have perment nerve damage,, plus the pain in ya right butt cheek and right siactic nerve only gets worse not better,,, I tried to ignore it,, but it dont ever go away,,

I have about 6 more years till my 15th anniversary if all goes well,, so far so good,,,

Luck to ya,,, its definately a pain in the ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

chippper

[Kens]

DAM CHIP nobody ever said any thing about the 15 year thing. I really don't want to go thru that pain again. DAM

[Chip]

Ken,,, but in all seriousness,,, once the disc is weakened ,, generally it takes less to damage it again,,,, I fought it tooth and nail on the first surgery because of all the horrow stories,,, but it turned out all good,, the second time when the pain hit I fought with the surgen to go ahead and reserve the cutting room to get it fixed before I even had the CT scan,, once ya have that pain ya kinda know what has happened,,,

I am in the roofing industry so there is little hope of taking it easy with my back,,, even though I am not on the roof anymore, I still do some fair lifting as need be,,, cross ya fingers,,,

every situation is a little different but the 15 years average was his experience over a number of years,,, herniated disc surgery is one of the easiest surgeries I have had though,,, almost no post op pain, and ya get some instant gratification from pain relief,,

I feel for anyone with back problems,, they can really put ya down in a hurry,,