Ruptured Disc Surgery/Sciatic Nerve Pain Recovery

HI ALL,i had a microdisectomy done on L4L5 DISCS 5 Days ago, still not pain free, have pain in both legs and not sleeping well as cannot get comfortable. Please tell me this will get better I am so sick of being in pain. ITS been over a year

So i have been following these posts for 2 years now. I hurt my back (no idea how) in May of 2009. I have undergone PT, Sports Therapy, Medication, Pain Medication, Anti inflammatory meds, chiropractor etc. etc. I bought a machine called back to life and i also bought an inversion table. Nothing is working. i have been putting off surgery for a while and im afraid its time for it. Im only 24 years old which is the sad part but i cant stand this pain anymore. I just researched the surgery you mention about and it doesn't seem that bad. I just want to get a sense for the success rate and find out if i should do it or not as surgery is scary. I have had a hernia repair surgery as well as appendix bursting so i have had serious surgeries. I live in pittsburgh and im trying to find the best back surgeon. Any suggestions

No numbness in legs or feet? Happy to hear that my husband experiences both and he is almost two weeks post op.

WOW   I  REALLY   DIDNT THINK  SO MANY  YOUNG  PEOPLE   HAD  THE   SAME  PROBLEMS   WELL   WHEN I WAS  17  YEARS OLD I  GOT INJURED ON THE  JOB    AND NOW  I  AM  LIVING WITH  HERNIATED DISC  I HAVE   L1 L2 L3 L4  L5  HERNIATED  BUT L4 AND L5 ARE FRACTURED THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT SURGERY  AND I AM  SCARED   I AM  ONLY  26  ILL BE 27  NEXT MONTH  THEY WANT ME TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT AND QUIT SMOKING  I  HAVE TRIED  EVERYTHING  AND THIS IS  REALLY HARD TO DO   I  HAVE OTHER MEDICAL  PROBLEMS AS WELL   I  AM  A DIABETIC,I HAVE DEPRESSION,BIPOLAR,CARPAL TUNNEL,SLEEP APNEA,FIBROMYALGIA,OSTEOPORIS,ANXIETY DISORDER  MY DOCTOR SAID  I  AM A VERY HIGH  RISK   I DONT KNOW WHERE TO START THEY TOLD ME WHEN I WAS  17  I COULDNT HAVE THE SURGERY  DUE TO MY WEIGHT AND THAT I SMOKED ALSO  I AM DEALING WITH THIS SCIATIC  NERVE  WHICH IS VERY  PAINFUL I WOKE UP AT  630 AM  AND I COULDNT MOVE   ALL I COULD  DO IS  CRY  FINNALLY  AROUND 930 PM I WAS  ABLE TO  WALK A LIL   I GOT  RUSHED TO THE  ER  AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDNT  DO MUCH  BECAUSE IT WAS A CHROIC   PAIN  BUT  GIVE ME A  FEW SHOTS  WHICH HELPED SOME BUT NOT  MUCH THEY ALSO DID  XRAYS AND CT SCAN  AND TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG BUT THE NEXT  DAY THE HOSPITAL  CALLED ME AND SAID THAT THE RADIOLIST REVIWED MY REPORTS AND THATS  WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE FRACTURES ON L4 AND L5 I AM SO SCARED   I DONT KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN   THEY TOLD ME WHEN I WAS 17 MY BONES LOOKED  LIKE A 90 YEAR OLD WOMAN  AND HERE NOW IM 26  SO MY BONES  LOOK WORSE NOW THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THE SURGERY WOULD BE FROM 7 TO 9 HOURS LONG  AND HE  HAS TO CUT IN THE FRONT  AND  IN MY BACK  CAN  ANY ONE HELP ME OUT WITH SOME ADVICE  ON WHAT  TO DO

I am also 23 years old, and had a little but similar situation. I was althletic just like you, and had always had problems with hip pain. When I did the tough mudder in April, I had an nagging pain in my hip and back. Over several months the pain got worse and physical therapy was no help. On MRI the doctor diagnosed me with a bulging disc, herniated disc, and displaced nerve roots. When the surgeon actually got in there to perform the surgery, he discovered how tight the space around my spine was and realized I didn't even have a herniated disc as previously thought. It sounds as though you have a more severe case, but in my condition it just involved shaving down pieces of my spine and pelvic bones. I am 1.5 weeks post op and have nerve pain and a deeper pain that I'm told is bone pain. I'm already walked quite well. Hope that helps!

I HAVE THE SAME AS U L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 AND AND L4 AND L5 ARE FRACTURED AD THEY ARE TALKING BOUT SURGERY ON ME BUT I HAVE TO LOSE WEIGHT AND QUIT SMOKING THEY SAID THAT THE SURGERY WILL BE 7 TO 9 HOURS THEY HAVE TO OPERATE ON MY STOMACH AND MY BACK AND REMOVE ALL MY ORGANS I AM ONLY 26 I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH BACK PAIN SINCE I WAS 17 THEN ALL O F SUDDEN I AM EXPIERENING THE SCIATIC NERVE PAIN WHICH IS HORRIBLE

Hello David

This is Henry-- how is your back and leg now? It is 2 years later.

Hi all, Ryan here. Like i mentioned before. 24 years old very athletic, have lifted for years and years and ran a half marathon last year. I hurt my back in May of 2009 with pain in my lower right back. I then went and did plumbing work for 1 week in a crawl space bent over. Lets just say that didnt help my back. Month after Month it just got worse. Moved to the entire low back both right and left side then into hips. Worst case it was back, hips, and pain down to toes. I have literally done everything i can, physical therpy, chripractic, bought an inversion table (helps alot), "back to life" machine that moves your hips in and out - crappy machine doesnt work. Medication etc. I am currently taking tramadol as if i dont, i cant function. I got 2 injection sites on the left and right side of L4/L5 last week 2-5-13 and the day after i felt great. As of today i feel AWFUL. I laid around all day long yesterday because i didnt feel good (drank to much) and lets just say if you lay around the next day is horrible. I currently have a capsicum hot path from rite aid on and WOW this thing is awesome. Im feeling great right now. Its a topical analgesic patch. i will continue to respond how my progress has been going and i am going to schedule some more PT this week and next week. I seen Dr. El Kadi in Pittsburgh as he is the top rated neurosurgeon in the Eastern half of the U.S. He said i am way to young for Surgery and PT plus epidural injections will make all of my pain go away. Im just sick of being in pain!

Hello all. I had my l5 S1 surgery about ten years ago. I think there is a big difference between waiting five years and getting it done after a year. I tried conservative therapy for about a year before I threw in the towel. Getting up every morning with a fireball on my butt and thigh was getting really old! I also had the benefit of having my brother have the surgery about a year before me so I was a bit less apprehensive because he was my test subject. He had great results. It was a great choice for me. I was on my back for about six weeks but total healing was about nine months. My surgeon said it would be that long before I could or should resume any heavy lifting and such. I followed his advice to the T. Showed up to all my PT sessions and ten years later its mostly a memory. 

Hello all. I had my l5 S1 surgery about ten years ago. I think there is a big difference between waiting five years and getting it done after a year. I tried conservative therapy for about a year before I threw in the towel. Getting up every morning with a fireball on my butt and thigh was getting really old! I also had the benefit of having my brother have the surgery about a year before me so I was a bit less apprehensive because he was my test subject. He had great results. It was a great choice for me. I was on my back for about six weeks but total healing was about nine months. My surgeon said it would be that long before I could or should resume any heavy lifting and such. I followed his advice to the T. Showed up to all my PT sessions and ten years later its mostly a memory. If I lift too heavy or or over use my back I will get some leg or butt pain but I can usually take care of it with some Advil and rest and if need be some massage, but it doesn't last more that a day or two. Like a normal injury.  So if your in a lot of pain and are in an area that has a GREAT surgeon ( don't just use anybody) it's worth traveling if you have to! Don't wait till you have irreversible damage!! I can't stress this enough! A drop foot won't heal. Do your MRI's do your conservative therapy. If therapy doesn't work after 12 to 20 months, consider the surgery soon. It's scary I know! But  long term pain is as well!  I stress again find the best surgeon you can, this is your body we're talking about! Do the therapy like your life depends on it, then enjoy your life again!!!!!!!!!! Good luck and god speed to you all. 

HHi have just found out I have l4 & l5 & l6 bulging disc's and wondering if anyone could give me an idea on how much an op on them to fix them would be

Hi, My surgery was 6 1/2 yrs ago for a similar situation. I was 30 and had 3 primary school aged children to look after. My recovery began with swimming ( as soon as I was waterproof) jut one or two lengths, moved onto aqua aerobics. Then yoga ( I hate swimming) this took around 18 mths to get back to taking spin classes. The key for me was to avoid any impact exercises eg aerobics and change the type of excersise or horseback riding. The excersise endorphins made me happy, improved my mood and the rest of the day. The key is be kind to yourself , dont push. You will have good and bad days. All this time later I still can't walk for more than a mile and have little feeling in one leg, and some pain in my back. However I am a yoga instructor, aerial yoga instructor,and aerial hoop teacher. My back issues and its maintenece have helped create a fabulous, rewarding, and stimulating new career. Sometimes you have to let somethings go to allow new ones come together.

Hello All

God bless you all! I am a surgeon. Brief history- L5/S1 herniation for about 4 - 5 months- tried it all - steroids, chiropractor (then MRI), physical therapy, steroids again, steroid injection. Had pain and also some problems with my foot. GLAD I did the microdiscectomy- THREE weeks ago. I am no here sitting at work and back on the job. Advice- GET THE SURGERY and go to a superb hospital with a surgeon who does this OFTEN- find some of their patients. Choose someone with experience- 40 plus year olds. I used a highly respected neurosurgeon who has operated on other surgeons I know. I still have sciatica- but 90% less severe and no hideous pain as before. I am told this will improve.

Hello! I just had surgery on my L5/S1 Disc and it was herniated and pushing on the sciatic nerve, but before the surgery I couldn't walk or sit, and it was like having a baby without pain meds all over again. I had lost complete feeling from my left knee down to my foot. But after the surgery my pain was completely gone. It has been 3 weeks and I have since discovered doterra essential oils, and instead of the pain meds I've used these oils and I have complete feeling back in my leg, my back is healed and almost have full feeling back in my left foot. I am only 25 years old and I have 3 year old little boy, a miniature horse ranch. 

Hi bubblebath, just wondering how you are now as I also have terrible sciatica caused by bulging discs l4/5, am considering ssurgery best wishes 

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