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Original poster

Anyone had a discectomy for massive prolapsed disc?

62 replies

colouringindoors · 03/03/2021 20:07

If so how was it?

I've had a massive prolapsed disc L5 since June pressing on S1 nerve, causing excruciating pain in back and leg (sciatica). A bit of an improvement but not much.

Saw a private spinal osteo in Jan who recommended surgery. I'm terrified (and single mum so tricky). But have had an awful week pain-wise, suicidal thoughts. So maybe I need to do the surgery...

Any suggestions/experience? Please be gentle though, thank you.

OP posts:
Justgivemewine · 03/03/2021 20:49

I had 2 spinal injections, 1st made little difference but the 2nd one sorted it out.

Bluefargo · 03/03/2021 20:50

I has a similar issue tear in disc l4 /l5 and sciatica pain for nearly a year requiring ongoing nsaids for pain mgmt.

I tried osteopaths, chiros, had an mri and they could see the disc had torn and was protruding onto the nerves. Tried physio and traction. Eventually had microdisectomy. Surgery went well tiny 1 inch incision. Not a huge amount of pain at incision site after 1 week.

About 1 months recovery from surgery -

week 1 no sitting, no lifting anything etc including something like a kettle.

Week 2 sitting (perched on stool) still no lifting.

Week 3 walking 1 km per day slowly limited sitting (mainly perching) could start cooking etc.

Week 4 bit more walking etc. I didn't sit for any prolonged time > 1 hour for about 3 months. Was able to drive short distances after 1 month

Returned to work after 1 month but varied standing and sitting and now have standing desk with a perch stool.

Still had some sciatica pain for about 6 months but this was due to historical damage to nerves and as time went on it it went away

Nowadays I'm asking for trouble if I spend any prolonged length of time sitting at desk, slouching on couch or spending too long lying down. Long lie ins out SadDaily walk is key. Pilates etc recommended.

ElphabaTheGreen · 03/03/2021 20:51

If you do go ahead with surgery, please don’t assume you will be instantly, or even completely, pain-free. Many of our patients expect to be cartwheeling out of the hospital and are very upset when they aren’t. As long as you go into it expecting partial relief at best, anything else will be a bonus.

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General health
ElphabaTheGreen · 03/03/2021 20:53

We still have elective microdiscs happening in our NHS hospital. I don’t think the patients have been waiting more than a few months?

Bluefargo · 03/03/2021 20:59

Oh and my surgery was by a neurosurgeon not an orthopaedic surgeon.Worth researching. Very glad I had it done but like I said I still have to be very careful - can't do things like gardening, lifting heavy items, and weirdly hoovering or very vigorous cleaning always puts it out - so I get a cleaner in twice a month now!

Original poster
colouringindoors · 03/03/2021 21:00

thanks bluefargo that's really helpful. I used to do yoga to keep back healthy. That stopping last March def didn't help...

Elphaba no I don't, which is one reason why I've been trying to resolve in other ways. But after this week, even a 50% reduction would make such a massive difference to what I can do

OP posts:
Original poster
colouringindoors · 03/03/2021 21:00

yes hoovering supposed to be one of worst things!

OP posts:
ElphabaTheGreen · 03/03/2021 21:08

Bluefargo It depends on the surgeon’s interest/area of specialty. All of our surgeons are neurosurgeons but some are more brain, some are more spine. I would sooner get the surgery done by an orthopaedic spinal surgeon than one of our neurosurgeons who mainly does brains but dabbles privately in spines (some of our brain surgeons do this - wouldn’t let them near my back!) A neurosurgeon who specialises in spines would always be your best bet, but neurosurgery as a blanket specialty doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the better person for the job over an orthopod.

Original poster
colouringindoors · 03/03/2021 21:28

The guy I saw came well-recommended and is a spinal ortho surgeon. He was also v clear about risks - incontinence, loss of function, no change/worse pain.

OP posts:
ElphabaTheGreen · 03/03/2021 21:33

Sounds good OP - I’d go back to him for another opinion.

Original poster
colouringindoors · 03/03/2021 21:49

He recommended surgery when I saw him in January.... at that point no surgery taking place private/nhs so i left myself on waiting list thinking I'd try physio etc for few months to see if i could get any improvement.... my GP was also a bit surprised about his recommendation. But it's a massive prolapse... So hard to make a decision with different experts having diff advice...

OP posts:
Rose5678 · 03/03/2021 23:58

I had the surgery after months of not being able to stand up straight (couldn’t get up the stairs!). Had tried the injections etc. but had got to the point that clearly nothing was going to help. The day after surgery I was up and walking around like the previous few months hadn’t happened - I couldn’t believe it!

Jemma2907 · 04/03/2021 00:05

I slipped a disc in October 2011 due to a Chest infection! After several tests and trips to a physio, I ended up having a discectomy in March 2012. They didn't even attempt the injections or physio on me. I was only 27 years old and was walking with a limo due to the pain. The surgery was a really easy recovery and I would definitely recommend having it. I ended up with post surgery complications which I won't go into as they are so rare.... but despite that, I would still recommend that surgery! My quality of life was severely restricted and the pain had gone within 2 weeks of the operation.

Original poster
colouringindoors · 04/03/2021 10:48

Thanks that's good to hear. I'm going to have to speak to my GP again. Pain worse this morning, but thankfulky I don't have the ordeal of work. Need to try and find out what the NHS wait is and if necessary think seriously about private surgery.

OP posts:
FluffyPersian · 04/03/2021 11:20

I had prolapsed discs L3, L4 and L5 and they were pressing on S1 causing excruciating sciatica.

A caudal epidural was recommended but as I'm very needle-phobic, I tried to manage the pain which in hindsight, was stupid - but, I'm glad it was my choice (as I'm petrified about medical people doing things to me without consent due to past experiences).

I tried a tens machine - it helped to a degree, but the muscle in my leg just got so hard, it was still painfu.

I was prescribed Zapain (30mg codeine) which caused really bad constipation, so I moved down to co-codamol (8mg codeine) which helped, less constipation but my body got addicted to codeine over the 3 months and I didn't realise until I stopped taking them and had horrific withdrawal symptoms (I went cold turkey for 48 hours as refused to allow myself to become addicted.... another stupid decision as should have weaned off gradually).

In the end, I had the caudal epidural under sedation and I was so, so grateful. It really helped so much - I did physio and the NHS had a 10 week back strength program which I attended every week and I actually got a LOT out of it, not just from the exercises I did, but also from learning about how to treat back pain / positive lifestyle changes etc.

Has a caudal epidural been suggested at all?

QueenPaw · 04/03/2021 11:25

Yep, had cauda equina l5/s1 for a massive herniation
Back on my horse 8 weeks later. Recovery was only tricky as I live alone

QueenPaw · 04/03/2021 11:27

Should add it was quite a big op for me, just under 5hrs and I was discharged 21hrs post op

Cyclingforcake · 04/03/2021 11:52

I had 2.5 weeks off after my surgery. The relief from the constant pain was immediate (I felt better in recovery) and I had to remind myself not to go too fast or do too much post-op.
Having been on both sides - as both the patient and the anaesthetist for this operation one of the most important things you can do post-op is get up and get moving. Don’t overdo it or push too hard but gently mobility, regular painkillers and good posture is so important to recover well from surgery.

Original poster
colouringindoors · 04/03/2021 20:16

fluffy I had an S1 root block (steroid) which is similar to caudal epidural. Didn't make any difference. When I saw the spinal surgeon he said if first injection didn't work, CE prob wouldn't- and recommended surgery.

OP posts:
Original poster
colouringindoors · 04/03/2021 20:21

Don't know what to do. If wait for op on NHS I'm looking at end of this yr/beginning next according to surgeon's secretary.

If I go private, when do I do it? dd has "gcses" then its a big birthday. Then am supposed to taking dcs on holiday end Aug. My brain is fried.

OP posts:
Gratefulrunner · 04/03/2021 20:25

Hi Op I had this done 18 months ago - had a severe prolapse at l4/l5 with risk of cauda equina and permanent damage. It all happened in quite an acute way so that I went from running a half marathon to having the operation a fortnight later (am convinced the sprint for the finish line is what caused the full prolapse!). Had 3 weeks off work post op and gradually returned to work. Recovery was really fine, I’m glad I had it done. I do have slight weakness still in my left leg and numbness but it’s totally manageable, back to running and normal life

Mystified2014 · 04/03/2021 20:28

My DH had this op. I read him your post. He isn't 100% pain free (he needs to be careful about lifting heavy items and keeping good posture at his desk), but 99% of the time he's back to normal, and even the discomfort if he twinges his back isn't anything like the pain he was in before the operation.

He had nearly six months off work (fully paid - this was why he took so much time off and made sure he was 100% before he went back). His key bits of advice are:

  • Make sure you have someone to look after you in the first few weeks (he moved home to his parents; it was before we met);
  • Make sure you see a good physio and stick with what they tell you to do. When he was well enough he went to the gym every day to do the gentle exercises, and he went for slow walks every day as well;
  • Take as much time off work as you can, don't underestimate how much rest and recuperation you will need.

It sounds like you have a really busy life, but if you make time for this you will feel so much better at the end of it. We both wish you all the best Flowers

StarsShineBrightly · 04/03/2021 20:40

I'd recommend the surgery. I was off work for a year as I couldn't get to my job. The pain was excruciating and I couldn't drive for longer than 10 minutes.

In that year I had the steroid injection, swam virtuality every day and did pilates every day. Nothing worked, had the surgery, I wasn't pain free straight away which concerned me, but then it slowly started to get better.

Have very slight flare ups now and again, but I have a sedentary job and just need to move more.

I went skiing a year after the op! I'd definitely recommend it, but I was incredibly frightened. The specialist physio I saw however said not to worry as on the scale of spinal surgery, this was incredibly minor to the spinal surgeon, that helped put my mind at ease. He told me after that the disc must have been out a while and wouldn't have gone back in on its own.

Good luck

Original poster
colouringindoors · 04/03/2021 20:48

Mystified thank you so much. Recovery is my big question as I'm a single parent... and an employer whose HR Manager insisted I work a full day Monday as I hadn't had the chance to get another reduced hours doctors note for that morning as I'd been in hospital all the previous week with my son.

OP posts:
pc03780 · 04/03/2021 20:53

I had a discectomy about 30 years ago, after many years of pain. In the end I had sciatic pain going down my calves and hit was like someone was rubbing a broken bottle up and down my leg.

I think surgery has improved enormously since then, as I have a 6 inch scar down my lower back. However, i worked very hard on my recovery program, which included swimming a mile every day for 3 months. I also bought a gym ball which is excellent at helping to stretch my muscles which were tight from scoliosis.

Up until 2 years ago, when I had a double hip replacement, I was able to touch my toes, and even place my hands on the floor, after stretching exercises.

So, my point is that you can recover, but it requires focus.