Hi everyone!

For those of you who have a herniated disc, how would you rate your pain on the famous 1-10 scale? Without meds? With meds? Before surgery? After surgery?

Me: Without meds, 8; with meds, 3. Haven't had surgery yet...

Just curious, Aimee

hi aimee: when i hit what i call an 8 without meds, i started on morphine. no help. more morphine. no help. started oxycodone. no help. doc upped the dose way up there, still no help. the sciatic pain was horrific and just kept getting worse. despite the meds, it graduated to 8.5, 9, 9.5. couldn't walk, just lay on the couch in the fetal position. i guess it hit 10, because my husband called an ambulance in the middle of the night -- it was just no longer tolerable, after 2+ months, and i was beside myself with the pain. (i lost 26 pounds while in that agony!)

after a laminotomy/microdiscectomy/decompression, the pain went immediately to what i would call a 3. that was nine weeks ago. it has gone down from there, after a lot of rest, and then two walks a day and now physical therapy. some days i have pain i would rate 1, and it's not really pain -- just slight lower back ache. many days i have 0 pain. i do everything i want to do, except i don't lift anything really heavy, and i lift and bend and reach very, very carefully.

dustie

Before Surgery-11. After surgery-5-6. Without meds-10. With meds-3.
lower lumbar fusion with hardware. S1-L5 level.
2 surgerys
1st, April 2001. Lowere fusion with bone graft
2end, April 2003. Posterior & Anterior Fusion. Disc replacement, bone fusion with metal plate, screws, bone stimulator.

Before surgery- 8. After surgery- 0. I didn't take meds very often before surgery because I didn't like the side effects. I just mentally tried to block out the pain and iced a lot. Surgery was very successful for me, but I know that not everyone is that lucky.
Jill

My pain before McKenzie therapy was a 10+. There was no letup. It was constant even on strong pain meds. I did not sleep & didn't care to eat, the pain made me physically sick.

After therapy, I'd rate mine on average a 1. If I overdo in yard work or lifting things I know I should not, then I'd rate it maybe a 4. I do my exercises I learned in therapy to get it back in shape.

Mine is L4-L5 and L5-S1 Without meds it is 10+ with the meds it is 7 or 8. No surgery yet but do do lots of pt excersises. The thought of surgery scares me it doesnt work for alot of people. I am becoming desperate.

Before surgery, I went through 2 distinct phases

1st 7 months pain was between 5 and six and I refused to take painkillers, only anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants,

The next 3 months my back went completely and never recovered enough to get out of bed.

Pain was around 8 and about 5 with medication right up to morphine deriviatives.

Microdisectomy 9 weeks ago, pain virtually 1 - 2 up till week 4, now at week 9 around 3-5.

If you need surgery, dont be put off, the actual op is a breeze and for many it is a cure and well worth it. I have concerns myself now, but the alternative of living like I was, was not an option. If you have reached that stage, you will know.

Regarding my herniated disc
pain before surgery without meds - off the scale, could not walk
pain before surgery with meds - 5-6, could not stand straight or walk without help - many days meds did not relieve pain.

Two weeks ago Wednesday, I underwent disc decompression nucleoplasty. The pain I am dealing with now I believe is from my arthrits. I don't have the constant sharp, shooting nerve pain like I did before my procedure, except occasionally at the end of the day. And I can stand straight and walk. I feel that I have a long ways to go yet. Takes time to heal. Still taking my meds, but lower dosages. I can definitely see improvement, though.