Back Surgery

[Djeep]

So i was wondering, Thought i remember a couple of you guys going through some back surgery. Just wondering how you all are doing and if it was worth it. BECAUSE just had an MRI done and talked with the back Doc and they want to open me up. I have a pertruding disc between L4-L5, a pertruding disc between L5-and the ass bone(not the medical term)also a slight pertrusion of disc between L3-L4. They want to shave the disc's back and smooth out the bones if there are any rough spots. Doc said aprrox recovery time of 3 months before return to work on light duty. Does that sound reasonable, would any of ya do it again. Pro's or con's. I figure now is about the optimal time to do it. Next summer i will be moving and this year most of the snow is gone . So the ole lady won't have to do any manual labor (besides take care of me). I just turned 39 two weeks ago.:(:( There goes my riding season.

[DrLewall]

my neighbor had that same surgury..it worked for him! no more back pain..he's been out clearin downed trees just like me..maybe ask the doc while he's in there to dig a lil deeper and tie off your tubes while he's at it..:D

[Rentyotboy]

I just had a diskectomy and some other stuff done in November. I was in agony and didnt do a bunch of research or get second opinions. They told me 8 weeks to ten weeks recovery. Which was about what it took to get back fully. I feel blessed as I am one of the few people I know who actually had massive improvement.
Get your act together beforehand on all the insurance %$#@. I made some mistakes that cost me extra money$$$ like no referral from my Dr. If I only would have put the same amount of effort into researching my spine surgery as I did the Cat Back system I want to buy.

Also get the Surgeon to submit the price in advance. Remember the diagram of an insurance company one giant room with filled with smart people trying to figure out how to get out of claims and one small room with one dumb person paying them.

[mrosbro]

i had a revision of my first laminectomy;smoothing and or removing bone around nerves in your spine. at the same time i had another laminectomy and a laminotomy;making a small hole bigger,all three procedures at the same time. i had a neurosurgeon do it so it turned out pretty well.the orthopedic surgeon i started either was not going to do so i got him to refer me to someone else.got lucky. healed up with little residual nerve damage,less than was expected. did therapy for 3 months and now i see a pain control specialist for pain management. my back was pretty messed up so i dont want to scare you away from getting it fixxed by all means do it before it gets as bad as mine was.4 bulged disc which 2 ruptured and 2 herniated, just get a good surgeon.get online and research them in your area. a neurosurgeon in all honesty is better than a orthopedic surgeon in my eyes and my back . i went back to work after 2 months but i have a cake job and really dont have to work hard as in heavy lifting any more.so i could.your back will let you know when it can go back do your therapy and enjoy a normal life again. good luck......dave :D

[Moose55]

OK, you asked for it, now my version. You will find out that everyone has an opinion on this, and none are the same.

I have had back problems since I was born. I drive a Heep now so it can't be to bad right? I can remember at 5 years old, bending over to pick up a penny, and not being able to stand up again! Well about 7 years ago I sat down on the couch one Sunday morning to read the paper. I had a leg tucked under me when I sneezed and almost sent myself through the roof!! The wife, being an RN recomended a ortho surgeon for me to call, when I called they said that they couldn't get me in until the following Monday! When I called my wife at work, she told me to get my butt into the office and he would see me then (nice to have an RN for a wife!).

Ended up with a herniated disc between L4 & 5. They also found a genetic disorder with the cocyx (ass bone). The cocyx will evetually need fused but that is a major surgery! They reduced the disc with surgery. I had the anasthesiologist tell me that he has only seen 3 people in 20+ years that were in so much pain that they were tense even under the anasthetic! He said when they cut it away I was just like jelly, I relaxed so much. All I know is that this was the only operation that I felt better in the recovery room than I did in pre-op!

I have thrown my back out a few times after that, but with relaxation and my back exercises, it has not ever been that bad! Now I am dropping some weight which I know will help a lot too!!

So in a nutshell, if it is recomended, I feel that to releave back pain it is worth it.

Good Luck!

[Djeep]

ya i know i gotta have it done. tommorrow i am going to talk to the HR lady at my work. Make sure all my insurance stuff is okay. I am glad i have pretty decent insurance. Sitting down is a new experience in pain every time.Just a little nervous, I've never been under before. Just want to make sure i wake back up. Besides i work with my back, I was never smart enough for a air conditioning or a desk.

[mrosbro]

i was thinking, wow, i didnt even mention you need to look into the Family medical leave act "fmla" .and talk to h/r to see if you can keep paying your portion of your medical insurance premiums while you are off and not go on Cobra to pay your insurance. my company let me while i was off and saved me a fortune.i dont know if it is part of the FMLA but it is something to look into. also if you can take time off under the FMLA and your wife needs to take off for a couple days or so she is also covered and no retribution can be taken against her job. this was the way it was explained to me. look into it. the company i work for would allow a 3 month leave of absence, a 3 month leave on the FMLA or a 3 month medical leave of absence. hope i helped a little . good luck......dave

[Rentyotboy]

It will be fine your gonna wake up.. but just in case, Im sure your family would want that Warn winch to go to someone close to you. I mean I have replied to your post twice, I feel like we're brothers..Suck it up man! you got lots of mods ahead of you and having your back fixed is awesome. Enjoy the post surgery meds but get off em and stay off em as soon as your clear.

[mrosbro]

ya dont take the heavy stuff unless you have to. all i take is tramadol to take the edge off and deal with the residual pain. i had some nerve damage so i just go with the flow as far as the pain. its alot less than it was so its cool.havent had to take a norco for about 3 months. i keep all my narcotics locked in my gun safe so they dont walk away with someone else.they are easy to get hooked on and not so easy to get unhooked from.

[Djeep]

ya came up with some more questions for the Doc. So going to make a second appt for a consult and make an appt to get the deed done. As for the meds, it should be a hell of a ride. The only thing i have ever taken is ibuprofen and delt with the rest. So this otta be different.

[mrosbro]

man i
had to have so much demerol,morphine and dilaudid in the E.R before my surgery they brought the crash cart into the room to have it close. they expected to use it and told my wife to watch my breathing. i told them i was in too much pain to stop breathing so stop worrying. my neurosurgeon came in and told them the only way to stop the pain i was in was general anesthesia. i went to surgery the next morning. you will be surprised how little pain medication you will actually need after surgery.you will probably use it more to help you sleep than anything else.