Lucky me - I'm having surgery!

Hi. I feel so thankful to the surgeon who is squeezing me in before his vacation, to the pain doctor who actually listened and pushed my MRI through, to the support staff who have been so nice thus far...

I'm getting another discectomy next Friday, the 25th. The 1st one was only partially successful, but this is another disc, different surgeon, and I'm cautiously very optimistic.

I can't wait!!

Debbie

Debbie, this is good news! You have had so many problems since your first back surgery. This might be your answer. I’ll be praying that is is.

Sherrine

Thanks, you guys! It's so great to have people in your corner. Of course, now I'm trying to keep myself from doing too much to the house so I'll have everything where I need it when I get home - and by too much I mean still almost nothing ;) but it takes almost nothing to amp up my pain. YOU know!!

Lendi, funny you should ask that. The surgeon didn't say this, but my pain doctor actually brought up the idea that once the he's is in there, who knows, maybe he'll see something on the left side also that he can do....I guess the MRI showed that the big herniation from the disc at L5-S1 is oozing (?) over there a little too. I don't want to get my hope up too high, but that sure would make my life a whole lot easier!!!

I can't remember whether I mentioned that the formerly "brilliant" surgeon who did my first discectomy in 2012 lost his license a few years later for writing himself opioid and sleeping meds prescriptions (patients had noticed his bizarre behavior and boy, I have some storied there too!) and now he has multiple lawsuits pending for botched surgeries. Maybe he botched mine...I don't know.

Lj, they haven't told me how long the recovery will take, but if all goes well it will be an outpatient procedure, which is great. Last time it was pretty painful and slow going for a few weeks.

Debbie

Debbie, like the others have said hopefully this surgery will take care of your issues. Because it seems your surgery will be done as an outpatient surgery, please do not think the surgery is a small or minor one. They have been doing out patient surgeries like yours for years!! Last year a friend of mine had a 3 level lumbar fusion & the dr wanted to send her home the next morning!! Yes, you read it right 24 hours total time. Between her & the husband objecting in eventually not a very nice way, she was released the 3rd morning. In reality she had a 2 day admission. That is not long enough for fusion people. However, they do cervical fusions & they are released within hours. These very short stays are why so many people end up in ER & are re-admitted.

about the recovery time frame. Most drs will tell a patient for a discectomy/laminectomy anywhere from 2-6 weeks. Please ignore that if this is what your dr tells you. Drs tell patients exactly what they were taught in school & what they read in a text book. Unfortunately, the text book speech does not work well with real people. People heal differently too. Keep in mind with any surgery involving the spine there is already a lot of inflammation in there. When the dr goes in & trims & cuts the trauma of this sends the inflammation through the roof. Steroids are also often used during surgery to help with the inflammation. A numbing agent very similar to a block that will last 24/36 hours same thing. This is how these drs can release people so quickly, but when it starts to wear off this is where people can get into trouble. The best thing you can do is take your medication on a schedule. If you will do that you will be able to stay on top of the pain & not have issues. Set a timer on your phone or even the microwave. Follow your post op instructions to the letter. Walking will help you gain your strength back. Take little walks inside the house several times a day.

Above all, listen to your body. Your body will tell you when it has had enough. Don't be surprised to run into a speed bump or two along the way. This is normal, more often than not, when you look at what you did the day before you may have done something you probably shouldn't have.

If you will go to the chronic pain forum & click on CP101 you will find a thread by the administrator. This thread is full of various tips from members that has had various different types of spine surgery. Lots of info about preparing for surgery & after surgery. Being prepared is a must.

Take care.

Luv said it perfectly so I won't add to that part. Plus, your attitude will take you far.

But, we had a drug dealing Dr. in town. I only saw him once but wouldn't have gone back. I waited a couple of hrs to get in. By then his office staff had even left. Errie.

Ah, thanks, Sherrine! I so appreciate your kindness...the best medicine of all. I hope you have a great Memorial Day too.

That goes for all of you - Laura, Luvz, Lj and Susie Thanks for the good thoughts!

Susie, I'm glad you reminded me to read up on all the info out there, including what's on the CP administrator thread, so that I'm fully prepared. It really is scary how they run these surgery centers, kind of like Grease Monkeys for the spine! The fact that this is, apparently, the most common back surgery shouldn't mean they take it lightly. I believe I am literally this surgeon's last surgery (3 pm) before he leaves on vacation....that isn't a comforting thought, either.

But he is Fellowship-trained, which I know is important, so I'm concentrating on that. Breathing deeply, drinking lots of water, all that good stuff...and thinking positively.

One nagging detail: I may not know until the day before (tomorrow) whether insurance is going to get it through in time!

Talk to you on the other side!

Debbie

Debbie, if this surgeon is as good as you say he is, he is a perfectionist. He will want everything done correctly for you...especially since he knows what you have been going through. If he is heading on vacation when he is done with you, that means he can take his time. He’s not thinking about another patient awaiting surgery when he is finished with your surgery. I think this is good! Keep the positive thoughts coming.

Sherrine

Thanks for asking, Lj! I'm back! and not feeling too bad.

I didn't actually get much out of the surgeon beforehand, except that he couldn't do anything about the chronic pain and weakness on my left side. I was disappointed but not really surprised to hear that.

My husband said he only spent about 10 seconds telling him about the surgery...only that it took an hour and a half, and he had to remove some bone (a little confusing there, because I thought they always did.)

As far as how I feel now, of course there's some incision pain, and the left is more sensitive - the usual - BUT the pain that drove me to this surgery, the right-leg thing, is 98% gone!! That did NOT happen when I had this same surgery on the left :D I know this can change...but I'm choosing to try to think like so many of you do: positively!!

Yesterday hubby and I did a stupid thing - went for a leisurely scenic drive that had a stretch of dirt road. I didn't realize the vibration was getting to me at first. He drove slowly and there weren't any potholes or anything...but I did hurt more until I went to bed. I'd been concentrating so hard on not twisting or bending that I overlooked that danger. Hopefully I'll get away with it.

I'll see the surgeon on the 11th of June. In the meantime, I'm making a long list of questions.

Debbie

Debbie, it sounds like your surgery went well. It is promising to read that you have such a great improvement immediately after surgery, that is a very good sign. Word of caution, drs generally advise patients to stay out of vehicles as much as possible the first 6 weeks after surgery. You are fresh from surgery & sure do not want to run the risk of being involved in a fender bender right after surgery. I do hope that you are walking, that will help get your strength back & help with healing.

Take care.

"Ditto" to what the others here have already said, Debbie. Take care and take it slow. We'll be thinking of you and I'm praying each day things are a little better. Best wishes!!

Well, it appears I may have spoken too soon. Tonight I was sitting here on my throne, on the couch. My leg felt a little tight so I automatically flexed my foot (toes toward me) - very gently - and it really hurt. Within the hour, the old familiar gnawing pain had started creeping up my leg again

I'm trying not to panic. It doesn't necessarily mean the surgery was a failure...right??

Any insights or experiences? I think I'll hop over to the chronic pain forum too to see what everyone there has to say about it.

Debbie

Nerve pain running down my legs was caused by sacroiliitis. Anti inflammatories and my muscle relaxer took care of the problem. It’s incredibly painful, I know.

Sherrine

I'm feeling a bit better again. There is still some of the leg pain, but it's minimal.

Luvz, your description of how your legs feel sounds so familiar! Mine never shut up!! Even before this latest disc episode, I know when I go into a store that I have a window of about 15-20 minutes (it gets shorter and shorter) that I can walk around and feel anything like normal. After that, my legs start throbbing and buzzing and, like you said, feeling "tight." Then the left one, the one with all the nerve damage, starts burning more and more intensely, mostly in my butt and then down the leg (that's always there to some degree.) And yet if I don't go walking, they feel stiff and achey in a different way...and I feel my mobility ebbing away. That's scary!! So I walk. At least it keeps the blood moving and tells me I'm still alive ;)

Sherrine, I remember when you were having all that horrible leg pain years ago...you were at your wits' end! I'm so glad you found out the cause and what works for you to keep it under control.

Susie, I am still taking Diazepam. Thank goodness - before I tried it, I wasn't sleeping at all, the pain and cramps were so bad. Hopefully I won't need it too much longer, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. In the meantime, I am staying off the roads! Might go out for coffee with my son today, but that's as far as it goes. But yes, I'm moving around the house a lot, trying to keep my trunk "like a log," as it says in the doctor's instructions. And ice is indeed still my best friend.

Debbie