I am having back surgery one week from today. Specifically, the procedures are called laminotomy and discectomy. In the former, a small amount of bone will be removed to provide access to the disc. In the latter, small fragments of the herniated L4-L5 disc will be removed. It'll probably hurt.
I decided to write a blog around this surgery as I've scoured the internet to find what I should expect before, during and after the surgery. My research has been somewhat futile. There are sites that say I will be able to do things in one week or six weeks or 3 months. Some patients are riding bikes, swimming and flying on airplanes in their first two weeks; others are told not to even climb stairs for 4 weeks. Some patients go home the same day. Some patients are in the hospital for 4-5 days. Some patients have extraordinary restrictions - there are many studies that say that these restrictions do no good and that recovery is faster and just as successful/unsuccessful without the restrictions.
As I am not a doctor, or trained in any such way, I make no claims as to the accuracy of what I'll discuss. I will allow, however, that I'll be truthful in how I feel and how I am recovering. Perhaps someone will stumble across this someday and it will provide them with a real account, from a patient's point of view, of a single level discectomy.
So how do I feel right now? Well, my back is a little achey - but that pain isn't the reason I am having the surgery. The reason is the pain in my left leg. It's been there, almost constantly, for 8 months. As I sit at the computer, my left calf feels sore like I overused it. My foot is hot, buzzing and numb on the sole. My ankle feels weak. I'd put my current pain at a 4.5 out of 10. That's about average for me...sometimes it swings up to 8, but thankfully that is usually brief.
Tomorrow I'll provide a view into my back problems and how I ended up with the decision to have surgery.
4 comments:
Dear Dag A Doo, My experience with back problems is similiar to yours. I did have back surgery for a bulging disc but reinjured myself three months later. My only relief now when it flairs up is complete rest for a day rotating heat and ice every hour. I also take two advill and two tylenial every four hours. (might want to check with your doc on that one. I do it and I haven't gone into a coma yet)
My boss just had a disc removed three weeks ago - he's doing wonderfully. But he didn't have the laminectomy part. He was in the hospital for one day and has had a great recovery. Your youth and general good health should help in your recovery. I am enjoying your writing. Keep it up!
After 7 epidurals and months of physical therapy, my Physiatrist and I came to the conclusion that surgery was the answer. I did not get to experience a myleogram, but I did get a nerve conduction study. According to my doctor, I would only feel pain IF I had any nerve damage. Guess what. Major nerve damage. I had a lamenectomy of L4/5 and a bone graft on L4. 7 hours, 6 screws, 2 rods and a cadaver bone later, I was pain free. I never had anything stronger than Vicodin post surgery. That was 24 hours later after my first physical therapy. 3 days later I was discharged from the hospital. Because I spend 8 hours a day on my feet and because I had the bone graft, my surgeon would not let me work for 6 months. It's 2 years since my surgery and I'm still pain free. I still have some numbness on my left thigh. I can live with that. Sorry this had rambled on so long. Hope it helps.
My dad had a laminotomy earlier this year...it's sounded so scary to us but the surgeon was really great and we found some great information on-line. He's pretty much pain free today!
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