Microdiskectomy!ANYBODY HAD THIS, HAD ACDF, THIS IS NEXT, ANY INFOR PLZ - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

nero · 02-07-2004, 06:28 PM

Hi there its Nero.

Just wondered if anybody had a Lumbar or L5-S1 microdiskectomy that they could tell me about. Already had ACDF C5-6 and surviving it pretty good so far, since Nov. 10/03. This micro' is now scheduled sometime in Spring, April I'm hoping, in order to move on as soon as possible after all this time.

I am less frightened ... the pain in my legs comes and goes, better since lifting spinal chord compression from spine but the leg problems are there when I treadmill with pins and needles setting off and that deep toothache pain. I could do epidurals again for my back but I passed out at third one and although I will do what is required hoping that this back surgery might be the REAL FIXER UPPER. My chiro is enthusiastic as he helped me get the neck one done and said has few patients with the back one done who are much better...so... if atheletes can get these things and move on.. why can't the plain old joe like ourselves.

Any input ie.. as to the nature of the event would be appreciated. I always feel better knowing and any advice as to how well you fair with them partially removing the disc is truly appreciated from you guys.

Sincerely... trying to move to the next stage of recovery... nearly new again.. Nero

REC73 · 02-08-2004, 07:52 PM

Hi Nero

What's the date of your surgery?

I had a microdiscectomy and laminectomy done last year 3 days before X-mas. I had a larger herniation at L4-L5 in which i recieved 4 steroid injections over 2mo. period. 3 days before X-mas that disc ruptured compressing the nerves at the base of my spinal cord causing cauda equina syndrome. My neuro did an immediate decompression and slowly but surely my nerves regenerated and full function came back. My neuro was able to salvage 10% of my disc so i wouldn't have to have a fusion but here now a little over a year later a MRI shows that same disc is close to re-rupturing and the 2 discs above it have medium herniations and tears in the annulus and ligaments.

The surgery itself wasn't nearly as awful as i thought it would be. I stayed in the hospital for 3 days and was up and moving the day after surgery and i was even able to travel to families houses out of town on X-mas day. I was sent home with Lorcet for pain and it handled it just fine. I was more stiff and sore than i was really in pain.

I hope your surgery goes well and let me know how you are doing

nero · 02-09-2004, 04:46 PM

Hey, Thanks kindly for the reply.. I was starting to ponder if there was such a thing. I just got called this afternoon and I am booked for April 22/04 at 8:.a.m. for three hours.

I was curious as to how extensive the surgery was as I understand there is a small incision and then the removal. Not quite the same as bone grafts and plates. I guess I am wondering how much ******** you have. My pain is generally in the hip when the muscles tighten around the disc guarding it when it peeps out and and in the foot and thigh and groin. It varies but my Ct indicated the disc was so twisted it was imposing on the nerve root above and below the level so that was why the pain was felt in quite a few places. I can bend over and I can treadmill but the twist into the dishwasher can be very nasty and send me to the moon and back. Ha Ha. Other times I can awake and the ruddy disc has slipped out and plays havoc with my lower back. It is sometimes very frightening as my belly protrudes like a pregnancy from the force of the muscles guarding the area around the disc and I can hardly stand.

Anyway, the chances of it being completely a great surgery are individual as you have noted that yours has now come to a more compounded problem. That is possibly an eventuality.. the same as my neck .. but I really try not to think about it.

Who would have thought that such a prominent part of your body with such density and strength to it could get in such a state through a fall.

Anyway, I truly appreciate the input ...any idea about the scar, the activity afterwards and the possibility of a (this is personal) lovelife with my hubby would be appreciated. We have been married 20 years and I am very close to him and am a little more nervous about all that going into this surgery. You are the only person to ask.. one who has been through it... so I hope you are comfortable and its not too inappropriate

to ask such a question... at least we are protected by the anonymity of the board. Thanks a lot eh!

A Canadian ... nearly new again.. soon to be the Bionic Woman with all my hardware and scars to show... Nearly new again.. Nero

REC73 · 02-10-2004, 09:18 AM

Hi again Nero

How are you doing today? I hope you aren't in too much pain today.

As far as the actual surgery goes i was very suprised at the healing time and the pain wasn't nearly as bad as i thought it would be. When my surgeon got in to remove the material of the disc that had spilled out i had some bone deformities and that's why the laminectomy.

I stayed in the hospital for 3 days afterwards and had virtually no pain at all because they kept me medicated well for the first two days with morphine IM and the last day with oral meds. I was sent home with Lorcet but really only needed to take it for 3 days off and on and that's usually when i wasn't resting enough. Other than that the pain was more stiffness and like muscle soreness.

As far as the actual scar goes mine is about an inch long and after a year you really have to look for it because it's really healed well and is hard to see. I actually have a funny story about that because i have a tribal tat that's right where they had to cut and as i was waking up i said to my surgeon..." did you make sure to close my incision straight so it doesn't mess up my tat?" LOL!!! She thought it was hilarious but she did an excellent job.

None of want to have surgery but in my case i didn't have a choice......it was have surgery right now or you may never be able to urinate on your own and you will have to cath yourself the rest of your life and it was also incredibly close to the nerves that run to my legs and she said i could have been paralyzed had it been any closer. I had gotten to the point though that even if that hadn't have happened i would have opted for surgery because i never really suffered any back pain it was all in my leg because the disc was pressing on my sciatic nerve 24/7 and i had this immense burning feeling like my leg was on fire. After i had healed from the surgery i had no more sciatic nerve pain and no back pain whatsoever. I FELT GREAT!

I have DDD and basically my neuro has explained it to me like this......
Only 10% of that disc is left so much of the pressure is put on the discs right above it and that's why i have incurred the problems with my two herniated discs that i have now. When you have DDD you are put at a much larger risk for weakened discs so basically i'm always going to have back problems and there's not much that can be done about it other than treat the symptoms. The surgery isn't what caused the problems i have now, they would have happened surgery or no surgery and it sure was nice to be pain free for about 5mo. before my other discs started falling apart. My neuro says i need a 3 level fusion but i'm only 30 and she hates to do that because of the hardware falling apart over years of wear and tear and i would probably have to go back in and have it replaced so we are biding time for right now. Plus over in Europe they have made a material that is suppose to replace a disc so fusion doesn't have to be done but for now it's hasn't passed our FDA so i'm trying to hold out for that also.

As far as you and your hubby goes no worries on that home front. My instructions when i was released from the hospital were that i could do everyday activities but i needed to take it easy and listen to my body when it had had enough. No vacuuming for 2 weeks and no lifting anything over 10lbs. for 6 weeks, which meant no picking up my kids. I was able to go back to work after 2 weeks and that's right around the time that i felt good enough to want to play around some with my fiance

Hope you are doing well and i hear from you soon

nero · 02-12-2004, 03:54 PM

Hello.

Thank you for your kind, informative and scholarly reply.

I appreciate all the feedback. I am a little leery of this surgery in that they leave part of this disc and I hope that won't set me up for another surgery. However, as noted, only time will tell; we are each individual cases in this regard.

I am glad to hear that the recovery is fairly similar to my neck and perhaps a less invasive surgery. I too have been told of ADR and am glad that some may have the benefit of the artificial disc for their surgery. It's nice to know that science is always bettering the surgery for souls like us.

Well, I shall read and reread your response to reaffirm and extend my knowledge. This Board affords people such as ourselves a compendium of knowledge and I believe there is no book published to date that compares.

Sincerely, nearly new again.. Nero