L4-L5 Disc Herniation: Steroid Injections vs Discectomy

Over the past couple weeks I've done alot of looking into this subject and it just doesn't seem there's a "right" or "wrong" when it comes to this type of thing. Seems more or less like it's all just one big crap-shoot, if you ask me. I know it's pretty much a 50/50 chance of the injections working, but it I still tend to feel that surgery holds the better odds.

I'm weighing it out like this:

A. I'm not willing to continue in my current pain-ridden state while "trying" the ever painful injections, keeping fingers crossed that I get some relief from just one... and God-willing the pain not return within a few months, and God-willing I won't require another.... basically, the possibility of just dragging it out longer.

B. Based on other family members & friends who have long ago had the surgery successfully and without any further re-herniation, complications, or disc above/below damage... even 10, 15yrs later... I am willing to hope and pray for a similar outcome to my story. I realize that there are things that I personally can do to try to achieve this outcome as well -  those being:

            1. To lose weight. I'm not obese, but like many, I could stand to come closer to a more healthy weight 

            2. To, by the same token, exercise more... especially focusing on my stomach/ab muscles thereby strengthening my "core"

                so that it might assist in carrying my upper-body load --> hence taking some of the stress off the discs

            3. To try to better my posture & bending/lifting mechanics. I do notice that I tend to slouch quite often, especially while

                sitting, and my ex-husband had constantly been telling me to "bend your knees!" when I would bend or lift

            4. To quit smoking. Since going thru these past 8 weeks, I've heard from every healthcare professional that smoking aids in

                the deterioration of discs, thereby making them weak and suseptible to injury

So again, I do thank you both for your thoughts as I had requested. 'Bionic', I'm sorry you ended up in worse shape - I can only hope I won't end up saying "I wish I had listened to her!". And 'Jaguar', I am in awe of stories like yours, of people having this constant pain for YEARS.. I have NO IDEA how you've managed and I really empathize - after just 8wks I'm wishing the pain gone already! However, it does sound like you had a bit more going on than I do at this point, plus the strenuous job surely didn't help your matters. But again, thanks to you both. I'm not an overly religous girl, but I'll definitely be saying my prayers as I take this step. I wish you both better health as well. 

Thanks White Beard. I did choose surgery... a micro diskectomy... it's scheduled for Sept 9 (09/09/09 - hope that's the opposite of a 06/06/06! lol)...  Despite some of the negatives I've heard, I am looking quite forward to this, as I know that almost immediately after the surgery, the nerve pain will be gone. At the same time, I am very much a realist and do also know that I may have future back problems from this point forward, but I'm going into it with a very positive attitude and hope that helps me some. I'm young and otherwise quite healthy, so provided I take care of myself well enough in the coming years, my fingers are crossed that I'll get thru this and carry on without any repricutions of the choice I'm making.  

I'll definitely post updates, and hopefully with some positive feedback for the rest of the forum participants. Thanks again for the well wishes.

~ Junebug

Hi June,

Welcome to Healing Well. I do hate to hear of the problems you are having, however, we all fully understand what you are talking about.

I do wish you well with your surgery. Many times surgery is helpful to the individual. As you have probably figured out by now pain medication does not work on nerve pain. There are medications available to help with specifically nerve pain. Nerves have to heal on their own and there really is no time limit as to how long it will take a nerve to heal.  Many times if the surgery is done soon enough the nerve damage can reverse itself, but waiting a long time makes the odds much higher of getting any pain relief. As one of the others mentioned the people here on this forum have not had good results from their surgeries for one reason or another. Its a difficult choice to make but not always is a person doomed because they choose surgery.The field I worked in I saw hundreds of back and neck surgeries. I saw more successful surgeries than failed surgeries. So, with that said, its a very individualized thing. I do hope you have an excellent surgeon on board to help you.

The ESI's are really nothing more than a temporary fix if they work at all. I do know of many people that they did not help. In most instances they either ended up in worse pain or they were of no help at all and went through alot in an effort to ease the pain all for nothing. My first pain mgt said they were nothing more than a way for a dr to pad his bill, so that told me alot and helped me decide to never consider it.

I do hope that you will hang out here with us HW and keep us posted on how you are coming along. I do suggest that you talk at length with your dr about what you can xpect after surgery and what limitations you will have post-op and what you can do and not do until you are healed up and recuperated. Many people are not well versed in their post op care and end up in trouble for over doing. Just remember that you have had surgery and need to be kind to your body.