Prolapsed Disc

**mfc1876** · #1 18-10-2010, 08:52 PM

Has anyone ever had the operation for a prolapsed (slipped/bulged) disc in their spine? I've had one for a while now, been through the course of physio, done all the excersises, lots of walking etc etc but the pain's getting worse rather than better (I'm in severe pain daily now) so it looks like I'm gonna have surgery. If anyone's had the operation done...

How long did it take?
How long were you in hospital for?
How long were you off work for after getting it done?
How long before you were walking around again?
How long were you sore for after the op?
Did it work and make a real difference to you?

Cheers in advance for any helpful comments.

**jake robinson** · #2 18-10-2010, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfc1876

Has anyone ever had the operation for a prolapsed (slipped/bulged) disc in their spine? I've had one for a while now, been through the course of physio, done all the excersises, lots of walking etc etc but the pain's getting worse rather than better (I'm in severe pain daily now) so it looks like I'm gonna have surgery. If anyone's had the operation done...

How long did it take?
How long were you in hospital for?
How long were you off work for after getting it done?
How long before you were walking around again?
How long were you sore for after the op?
Did it work and make a real difference to you?

Cheers in advance for any helpful comments.

Hi MFC Unfortunately i did, i had a double prolapsed disc. According to the doctor he told me after the operation i nearly lost my leg.
Suffered for 2 years with sciatica getting worse all the time. Then one day it went big time lost feeling in my leg, rushed into hospital.Had an MRI scan and found 2 prolapsed and anothe rdodgy one further up. Only did the 2 together, had part of my spine removed. Don't know how long the op was, i was only in for a week.6 months off work but after a year and a half i had sciatica again, so gave my job up.
Walking around hour after waking up, no pain was superb, best feeling i have ever had. Took a long time to recover, good 6 months, always worried its going to come back.
It is so much better apart from out of work and cant do anything normal really.Saying that it's better than the pain and what else can happen. Anything silly like bending the wrong way and i get a reminder for a couple of days, sciatica, nothing like before though.I have another dodgy one middle of back, so maybe different if just one disc. However i know the pain you are going through and the op changed my life for the best.
Any questions just shout, i know Deadlywill has had similar recently too, so common now.Good luck

**mfc1876** · #3 18-10-2010, 09:14 PM

That's quite scary that mate cos I damaged mine in February 2009 so maybe I shouldn't have left it this long?

With a little one to feed though and another one on the way I've been putting it off and putting it off and just trying to get through the days til I can get it sorted but I've realised there's never gonna be a good time to get it done so I've bit the bullet and I'm at the docs tomorrow to ask for a referral and some fucking STRONG painkillers lol!

Glad to hear you'd recommend the op though and I hope you stay fit and healthy... healthier rather ha ha!

Cheers dude and I'd welcome more comments if anyone also has had it done.

**jake robinson** · #4 18-10-2010, 09:27 PM

Thats the trouble i kept putting it off then had no choice, liked my job but health more important. Mrs working now and i am house husband , hate it.
Hope they sort you out. Sometimes the physio sorts it out, know 3 other people who are ok without the op.

**deadlywill** · #5 19-10-2010, 01:23 AM

Yeah know how you feel mate.

I did my L4/L5 disc in July 2009. The leg pain / pins and needles was absolutely all consuming all the time for me and it drove me nuts. My left leg was just like when you sometimes sleep on your arm and you cut the circulation off and when you move it around the blood goes back in and you get that sort of unbearable pins and needles. It was like that for me from the day after i did the injury. I put up with it for 2 months on strong painkillers not able to work at all before i went to see a spinal orthopaedic surgeon who said basically there is no fix for a spinal injury once it is done but there is an operation available that has quite a good outcome of reducing or resolving leg pain/pins and needles/sciatica associated with discal injuries. I said 'I'll fookin take it' As the surgeon was going on holidays he recommended that i get cortico steroid spinal epidural injections in my L4/L5 nerve root in the meantime. This is done under guided CT Scan and takes about 25 minutes. They inject you with anaesthetic into your back and then send long arsed needles into your spine until you leap up 6 foot in the air and they know they've got the right spot. They inject away and basically you go out rubber legged not being able to feel anything from the top of your arse cheeks to the ground. It's a great relief. They have different outcomes for each individual regarding length of relief. Unfortunately mine only lasted about a week and a half then the pain came back.I know others that have had 2 years relief before they get another. I also stacked on 22kgs in just over a month as a side effect of the steroids (weight gain and water retention)
Got the surgery done on 12 Nov 09 and from the first second after i woke up - no leg pain - no pins and needles!! Couldnae get the smile of my dial for weeks. Now they pump in more steroids into the nerve root while your'e opened up so you can get up and move around pretty much a day after surgery. This is to stop you getting blood clots. The physio made me walk up and down stairs for 5 or so mins then along the hospital corridor and back and i had to give them 4 jugs of piss before they let you go. I moved to a hotel next door for 4 days before i could fly back home. You have a waterproof kind of gel plastic dressing that stays on for a month unchanged and you can shower normally with this. Pain will be heavy after about a week and a half when the steroid/ painkillers injected at surgery time wear off but the surgeon told me that it would be like that and not to panic. Stitches out after a month and then you start physio and a program with an exercise physio who gives you exercises to strengthen your core (abs) and is basically a gym and swimming program. I highly recommend swimming as it takes the weight off being in water.

Nearly a year on from surgery and still got relief. I can stand only for about an hour before my leg arcs up and walk for about 30 to 40 mins a day before i get pins and needles again. If i stop then it goes away after 25 mins so it's not perfect but i can fully give the big thumbs up for the op. Go for it.

**DerekM** · #6 19-10-2010, 09:04 AM

I know someone who had the same problem but did not want the op. He discovered a treatment where they put you on a table and anchor your body to the table and strap your feet to a vibrating machine and programme a vibrating pattern into it. This happens twice a week and gradually reduces over a period of time. He's ok now, not perfect but liveable and repeatable. And is now playing tennis every week. As you can see the op reduces the pain but does not necessarily provide a cure. The above treatment works on the basis so I understand of the vibration causing the bulge to suck itself back into the disc. I dont know if this treatment is available in the UK ...might be worth looking into.
This treatment was first carried out in the USA and continued in Australia.
Good luck.

**deadlywill** · #7 19-10-2010, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerekM

I know someone who had the same problem but did not want the op. He discovered a treatment where they put you on a table and anchor your body to the table and strap your feet to a vibrating machine and programme a vibrating pattern into it. This happens twice a week and gradually reduces over a period of time. He's ok now, not perfect but liveable and repeatable. And is now playing tennis every week. As you can see the op reduces the pain but does not necessarily provide a cure. The above treatment works on the basis so I understand of the vibration causing the bulge to suck itself back into the disc. I dont know if this treatment is available in the UK ...might be worth looking into.
This treatment was first carried out in the USA and continued in Australia.
Good luck.

They have that at my physio... tried it the once and gave me more pain than before i got on it. It is a very individual injury - everyone has the same thing but everyones is different - some treatment works for some and not for others. Trial and error. For me the op was heaven...

**steveinlowton** · #8 19-10-2010, 04:20 PM

I had the problem with my neck and a few years ago they wanted to operate and I thought would try and see how it went for a while longer, since then I have bought a waterbed and water pillow (yes you can get them ) altered my posture and touch wood it seems fine most of the times

Think the op is the last last resort

**manUdave** · #9 19-10-2010, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveinlowton

I had the problem with my neck and a few years ago they wanted to operate and I thought would try and see how it went for a while longer, since then I have bought a waterbed and water pillow (yes you can get them ) altered my posture and touch wood it seems fine most of the times

Think the op is the last last resort

I thought all refs where a pain in the neck

**mfc1876** · #10 19-10-2010, 10:12 PM

Thanks for all the comments fellas they helped me make my mind up for sure.

I went to see the doc today and asked for a referral and as I've already been through all the physio etc in the last year or so I'll hopefully be put straight in for the op. Just gotta wait for a date to come through the post to see the specialist apparently.

Doc gave me some Codeine which I top up with a couple of plain old Paracetamol and he also gave me these anti inflammatories called Naproxen 500mg to help keep me going until I get my op date. They must be some good shit like cos I was walking around Teesside Park tonight with the wench and I was almost pain free! I just hope they keep working and I don't get used to them too quickly cos it felt like pure fucking heaven. I'd not felt so good in months!

Obviously I'll still need the op as I can already start to feel them wearing off now.

I don't think the vibrating table technique is available over here as it was never mentioned to me throughout my treatment

Thanks once again and I'll keep you posted of my developments, even if it's just to keep a kind of online diary of my progress

**DerekM** · #11 20-10-2010, 04:20 AM

It is available in the UK, not sure if its available on NHS, but anything is worth enquiring/looking into and trying before an invasive non reversible operation.
Here's a link
http://www.spineplus.co.uk/decompression.html

**jake robinson** · #12 20-10-2010, 07:57 AM

Good luck mate hope not waiting too long.

**deadlywill** · #13 20-10-2010, 08:58 AM

Nice one mate. Just don't take those anti inflams for too long - they rot your insides pretty quickly. Codeine was what i was taking 8 tablets a day. Drink plenty of water or else you'll block up hard and it's like trying to shit a house brick through a garden hose...don't push hard or you'll get roids and believe me if you think it's uncomfortable now add roids into the equation - bastards....

**mfc1876** · #14 20-10-2010, 07:40 PM

lol I've had roids in the past, twice, don't want them again! The doc baulked when I told him I was banging 4 ibuprofen and 4 paracetamol every 2 or 3 hours lol, this new set of pills he's give me are great like. I was still shitting regular as clockwork (8am every day without fail) even when I was taking all those ibu's so hopefully that will continue. Not had one today yet mind

**deadlywill** · #15 21-10-2010, 04:18 AM

The anti inflamms won't block you up - it's just the codeine tabs.

**mfc1876** · #16 21-10-2010, 08:28 PM

Only doing little poos now but our lass is loving it cos I'm hardly farting either! I think I only chuffed about 5 times yesterday

**deadlywill** · #17 22-10-2010, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfc1876

Only doing little poos now but our lass is loving it cos I'm hardly farting either! I think I only chuffed about 5 times yesterday

..only the five farts. Well we'll have to put a stop to that then...

Egg and cabbage sangas and then alternate - lemonade - black ale - lemonade - black ale. Should sort this problem oot...

**mfc1876** · #18 08-11-2010, 08:59 PM

Thought I'd update my 'online diary'. I'm on Tramadol now as the Codeine just wasn't cutting the mustard. These aren't that great either but the next step up is Morphine apparently and don't wanna go that far... yet.

I've got an appointment with the specialist on the 23rd December so hopefully it wont be too long after that when I'll get my operation.

Starting to get pins and needles regularly too down my right leg and numbness in the right foot. Wondering if this is worth mentioning to try to get in earlier to see the specialist or is this not too much to worry about?

Mind you the new baby is due new years day so don't know wether to try and hold out til after then for the op? Head's up me arse and don't know what to do for the best???

Anyway at least the Boro won on Saturday

**deadlywill** · #19 09-11-2010, 09:06 AM

be as open and honest about your pain and where it is with the specialist - afterall he'll be the one fixing it. You won't be laid up for more than the week after the op. By then you should be moving about. You won't be carrying any newborns about though...

**jake robinson** · #20 09-11-2010, 02:22 PM

I would definitely mention the numbness, not good. Tramadol was one of the ones i was on, still got some in case. I kept a sort of diary if it was getting worse or not.