One week post op update

Man, you guys just aren't painting a very good picture for me. I'm having an issue with discs in the right side L1 & L2 area (L1 subsided on its own). Neurosurgeon was all like "Yes! Surgery is the only option (partial disc removal and fuse)!" Orthopedic surgeon recommended injections, then PT, then surgery as a last resort. I went with the latter. I've done the various rounds of injections. I'm back doing mild weightlifting and cardio, but still have an issue with numbness & shooting pain in my right thigh though. So I start PT next week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for no scalpel.
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Hope you pull through it and don't go under the knife.
If you have numbness in your thigh, could that be the sciatic nerve ? If it is, then usually it is a light surgical intervention.

Best of luck.... back problems are the worst !!!

 

Thanks. Mine isn't the sciatic ... L1/L2 are much higher, just a little south of mid-back. Compression of the nerves in that area affects the mid to upper thigh to the hip area. The docs have talked about everything from just a snip/trim of the disc, to using a spacer, to fusing. It all depends how I do with PT, and how the MRI looks afterwards. I just want it over. The numbness, random shooting nerve pain and "tooth ache" like feeling from the situs has slowly turned me into quite the curmudgeon. My mind set has been, if its only "a light surgical intervention," then lets get this shit over with. But everyone keeps telling me to do everything I can to avoid any kind of surgery on my back. Did a search here, and mine is similar to something boccarp posted back in 2015 about his back (Here). Where Pete's was caused by four bone fragments pressing against his nerve, mine is just the disc bulge pinching the nerve against the vertebra.
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Ya this shit can reek havoc on the mind.
I guess I've just accepted the pain, just like before the surgery but since the doc and others convinced me, I choose to go for it. Do I regret ? A bit yes but who knows if I wouldn't of gotten worse without the surgery.

I hope PT works for you... I'm sure it will alleviate the pain but definitely not fix it, so except a slight improvement, so you don't get disappointed.

 

I did a seven day ICU stay after a couple trauma surgeries then had to do another 3 days in gen pop with a roommate just waiting to poop. Not an easy task with staples from sternum to below belly button.

Glad you're feeling good Shenanigans.

 

I have a herniated disc between L4/L5 that caused the standard sciatica when I was 24. I went to a sports therapy doc, and focused on PT rather than cutting. It was bad enough to be causing numbness and loss of strength at the time. While it still bothers me off and on, I've been basically normal for over a decade.

I had another herniated disc between C6/C7 more recently. That one was bruising my spinal cord and needed immediate intervention. They did a one level fusion on that, and I have had good results from it. But was out of work for 8 weeks for recovery.

I would recommend you go as far down the PT path as you can. If an MRI shows that you need something more aggressive be open to it. But I'll do everything possible to avoid back surgery if there are other options.

 

My pain went to my genetial area. It is gone now so i am happy and thankful. Yall know how it feels to get that nut grazed. Lol. It was intermittent prior ti first surgery in 16, it has got worse as the disc deteriorated.