what can you do after slipped discs?

[jenhden]

my dh had a discectomy 2 years ago and he now has degenerative disc disease.

He will need a spinal fuse (we're trying to find out about disc replacement but can't find much abiut pro's and cons) which they are trying to put off with nerve root blocks and large amounts of medication, as he is only 32.

he has never been told what he can do to help himself i.e swim or not swim, walk or not walk as everyone seems worried about litigation rather than giving holistic health advice.

meanwhile we have 4 dd's under 8yrs old and i'm turning into a fish wife telling him not to do anything at all ever!

he doesn't want to end up with heart disease etc from inactivity and he was previously very active so this change in ability along with all the pain is causing depression and he now refers to himself as "broken".

i'm scared of him making it worse and don't know what will - doing or not doing activity?

i would really appreciate any advice!

My mum has a slipped disc
she swims everyday and it has made a real difference
I'm suprised the gp wouldn't recommend exercise or no exercise to him

Hasn't he been sent to any physiotherapists at all? Or a sports physio?

I don't know to be honest - I'm sure there are things he can do that will exercise him without further damaging his spine but I don't know enough about it.

for him - sounds dreadful.

DH had a disc removed from his neck in 2000 apart from not going on theme park white knuckle rides and heavy lifting he does everything as normal, we where worried about further injury at first but it passed with time our kids were all 8 and under at the time including a SN one and we coped.[just]
he was 42 and told it was an old mans injury.

nobody reccomends anything and the only physio he saw was post op in hospital who told him to stand at the kitchen counter and stretch backwards!

i think the risky part is that once one disc is affected the surrounding one's take the strain and then weaken so ultimatly you can end up all fuse and no bend.
they make it clear pre op that surgery is to prevent worsening not ease pain but that most get relief which he did initially but now the other two discs are going its a bit grim again.
thanks for responding