Back surgery

[IGOCOMMANDO]

I have had a micro-discetomy which is what you are talking about. The disc is flattened and is irritating the spinal column. All that is done is to trim the O.D. of the disc back down to size. It will do nothing about the fact that it is flattened. I have since had a spinal fusion and Now I am classed with (and get this: this is a medical term) failed back surgey syndrome. All the work that I have had done is for naught. I still have a very bad back and, according to the multiple orthopods that I have been to, all they can do is keep fusing more vertabrae. I am actually looking into disability. Bad backs really suck. I can't stress enough to people to take care of your spine. It is the center of your physical universe if you know what I mean. I wish you the very best of luck and TAKE IT SLOW AND EASY!!!

 

[OverlandZJ]

Are you sure "ruptured" is the word the Dr used? Not "Herniated"?

I injured myself back in 95, and have been fighting off knife wielding happy Dr's since that time. I have a double herniation L5-S1, bulged others and Degenerative Disc Disease as well. I was tossed out with the garbage from my employer.. and yeah i'm still bitter.

I did the therapy they wanted, including aquatic which did the most good as it helps take your body weight off your spine. Did the electrical nerve tests, was a pin cushion, and even was hung head low with the dye shot in my spine. Avoid that last one like the plague if you cant tolerate severe Migranes for up to 3 days.

I know of exactly three people who have improved their pain level and mobility with surgery. The other several dozen i personally spoke to wish they never had the first surgery.

To this day i have times when i'm in severe pain, other days are good. My left thigh feels as if theres a hot iron pressed against it since day one. Occasionally i end up in the emergency room for severe pain in my hip to the point of nausea. A shot and an hour later i'm better.

Personally i choose to put off surgery as long as i'm able. I dont mean to scare you but thought you might like my experience.

Relief can be had with good physical therapy, dont be in a rush to get cut.

 

[AIbandit]

I know this is off topic, but does anyone else on here have trouble with their back? I recently found out I have a severe ruptured disk between S1 and L5 as well as a bulging disk between L5 and L4. I am having surgery next week to hopefully help the rupture (a diskectomy). Has anyone else had this procedure and will I be able to get back to wrenching anytime soon? I'm pretty nervous and don't really know what to expect as far as recovery time and whatnot. I am going to school full time this semester as well so I hope I can keep the pain meds to a minimum so I can actually pass my classes.

Sorry for the rambling, its just been heavy on my mind lately.

Sorry to hear that man. I have f'd my back in Iraq 2006 (3 fractures, DDD and some other fancy crap) took one to many blasts as a gunner. Any way I was heavily medicated in the Army, that's not the way to go. My memory was toast on meds I could hardly think. I opted out of surgery and got booted out of the military.They wanted to fuse my spine and I didn't trust army doctors. Now I take meds lightly and try to stick to desk work. I did physical therapy for almost 2 years aside from meeting a cool physical therapist it didn't really help. It definitely inflamed it after each session.


Good luck man.

 

[bigalpha]

I wonder if there are injuries that PT is just not good at dealing with? PT helped my jacked up ankle immensely.

 

[IGOCOMMANDO]

Amen to both of those statements. Been there done that to both.

and even was hung head low with the dye shot in my spine. Avoid that last one like the plague if you cant tolerate severe Migranes for up to 3 days.
I know of exactly three people who have improved their pain level and mobility with surgery. The other several dozen i personally spoke to wish they never had the first surgery.

 

[ChuckstrPT]

I did physical therapy for almost 2 years aside from meeting a cool physical therapist it didn't really help. It definitely inflamed it after each session.

I hate to be critical of my own profession, but I guess we are no different then any other profession. Don't equate "Physical Therapist" with "Spinal Expert." I've come across many more PT's that are clueless to treating spinal problems. The majority of outpatient PT's appear to be more focused on knees and shoulders. There are PT's that are good with spines, but they seem to be in the minority. I think a lot of it comes down to experience. When I was at the SpineCare Center, we saw probably 75% or better spine patients. The last 2 years I worked a general orthopedic outpatient practice was more like 10% spine. I think it's more challenging when the pt's are less frequent. One of the best ways to find a good PT is by word of mouth. Ask your friends and family if they've had a good experience in PT and where. Also, you can search for PT's on the ATPA's web site (www.APTA.org). If you find someone with the letters OCS after their name, that is an Orthopedic Certified Specialist. Still no guarantee, but they had to be a little more motivated to study a little harder, and invest and pass a challenging exam. So atleast you think they are more interested in your problem, and likely have a little more knowledge then the garden variety PT.

 

[ChuckstrPT]

Are you sure "ruptured" is the word the Dr used? Not "Herniated"?.

There is a lot of symantics going on in regards to discussions of intervertebral disk injury and or degeneration. The words are not used consistently, and there is no clear objective scale, ie "3.5 bulge." Ruptured or herniated is not enough info to tell much about what is physically going on. Neither is an MRI. You also need clinical presentation. It's actually more complicated than most realize.

I did the therapy they wanted, including aquatic which did the most good as it helps take your body weight off your spine. Did the electrical nerve tests, was a pin cushion,

The electrical nerve test sounds like an EMG/NCV. This is actually a pretty objective test to determine the health of a nerve, and the specific location of compression. It's note fun, I've experience it also. But it is objective, and that is actually hard to find. I've recommended patients to have this done prior to surgical interventions. The key to good surgical outcome is the Right doc, the Right procedure, at the Right time. There are a few too many variables there for it to come out well all the time. You don't always find the Right doc, and that is not easy to figure out. There are a lot of procedures out there. And most people "don't want" surgery, even when they "need" surgery. If there is a frank compresion, delay can cause irreversible damage to the nerve.
Believe me, I'm not suggesting surgery. I'm the "conservative" intervention guy, meaning you don't get cut open in PT. But, I've had patients that did not respond as expected to physical therapy interventions, and went on to have surgery, and did very well. Nope, Physical therapy does not cure everything. Actually we don't "cure" anything.:shhh::sunshine:
Education is very important. Learn all you can prior to surgery. It helps.

 

[AIbandit]

I hate to be critical of my own profession, but I guess we are no different then any other profession. Don't equate "Physical Therapist" with "Spinal Expert." I've come across many more PT's that are clueless to treating spinal problems. The majority of outpatient PT's appear to be more focused on knees and shoulders. There are PT's that are good with spines, but they seem to be in the minority. I think a lot of it comes down to experience. When I was at the SpineCare Center, we saw probably 75% or better spine patients. The last 2 years I worked a general orthopedic outpatient practice was more like 10% spine. I think it's more challenging when the pt's are less frequent. One of the best ways to find a good PT is by word of mouth. Ask your friends and family if they've had a good experience in PT and where. Also, you can search for PT's on the ATPA's web site (www.APTA.org). If you find someone with the letters OCS after their name, that is an Orthopedic Certified Specialist. Still no guarantee, but they had to be a little more motivated to study a little harder, and invest and pass a challenging exam. So atleast you think they are more interested in your problem, and likely have a little more knowledge then the garden variety PT.

I can't tell you how good of a PT he was since I'm no professional. I can tell you however he was one hell of a guy. Prior Army Ranger got med-boarded himself and went back as a PT to help wounded soldiers last time I saw him he volunteered for a trip to afgahn to do PT there.

I'll probably give PT another chance some time just not right now.

 

[JeepAddict85]

Ive got some problems with my back...built up over years of falls as a kid. My spine has a slight curve to it from left to right...so some muscles/nerves are pinched while some are pulled. I found out about it while lifting an axle into a truck last year, i tore a muscle, and it didnt heal correctly. So it never stopped hurting. Been going to a chiropractor for a while now for adjustments and therapy. I get muscle stimulation, learn good exercises to do, etc. Now my apt's are down to about 1 a month. Ive recovered to about 80 percent, and that may be about as good as i get. So i take care when lifting anything over 40lbs from the ground, etc. Im finally able to go back to the gym 4 days a week, and most of the time i dont have any pain. Although...lots of physical type work makes my lower back quite sore...

 

[cr2000xj]

From the MRI, it was determined I would have to have this surgery or risk losing more function due to nerve compression such as control over my bowels. I think that is pretty important to me. I am just hoping I can recover well enough to be at least somewhat active again. I was training for a sprint triathalon before this started as well as being a member of a volunteer fire dept, so there is a lot to lose in my eyes if I am unable to recover to a point of being active again. I know of two individuals, one who had almost an identical problems as mine who have made full recoveries. It just helps keep me calm to know I'm not the only one having to deal with these kind of problems.

As far as what the doc said, he did say the disk was herniated, I just used ruptured as a more 'common' term. Its probably wrong, but most of you got the idea.

 

[cr2000xj]

Well thanks everybody for your contributtions here positive or not, it was all good things to consider. I am going in to surgery tomorrow morning and I hope to be back under the jeep soon.

 

[old_man]

Too bad you aren't around here. We have a local specialist that has done 8 surgeries on me for various ortho crap, but the thing is that he developed a joint replacement for the lower back and they are installing them like mad.

I raced motocross professionally back in the early 70's and made a ton of money, but I broke my neck twice. I now have 4 vertabrae fused. I know that the neck is different from the lower back, but the surgeries really got rid of the pain.

 

[256offroad]

good luck man!!! it was good seeing you today! hope to see you around campus more often.

 

[ChuckstrPT]

Too bad you aren't around here. We have a local specialist that has done 8 surgeries on me for various ortho crap, but the thing is that he developed a joint replacement for the lower back and they are installing them like mad.

They are doing Disc replacements currently. Unfortunately, the research looks like it doesn't do so well with multiple levels, but appears effective for one level. Aparently, with multiple discs replaced, they can come loose....not a good thing.
Good luck with the procedure. What you do afterwards is very important. Educate yourself. The more you learn, the more you know, the better you will get after surgery.:sunshine:

 

[High2by]

I hope everything went well.

 

[OverlandZJ]

Well thanks everybody for your contributtions here positive or not, it was all good things to consider. I am going in to surgery tomorrow morning and I hope to be back under the jeep soon.

Pulling for ya.. wishing you a speedy recovery.

:cheers:

 

[cr2000xj]

Thanks guys again for the encouragement. I actually went home yesterday, only 3 hours after the surgery was finished. Aside from being sore, I feel great. My leg is no longer in pain and I was able to walk out of the hospital on my own. My surgeon has me restricted from lifting much of course, but he said I could start back to the gym on certain exercises in about 4 weeks. He also said I can begin running again around the same time. Overall I am surprised at how well it went and I hope I can keep it like this for a long time. I just hope I won't be a statistic and reinjure it soon.

 

[High2by]

That's good news. Glad things went well for you. Now, if you do what the doc says you may have half a chance.