Well, not much more to add but I just passed my January anniversary and felt I should pop in. Seven years ago I had my surgery. Things are good. Chasing a one-year-old who became a temperamental, active toddler overnight. Realizing my core isn't so strong (as usual) but the not working out thing since having the baby really is NOT working for me. It's a matter of time until I pull my back. But no pain to speak of I'm happy to report. Watching a coworker struggle with a herniated disc who has been going to chiropractor for about a year to "fix it." Guess what? It's not working. Not sure how that is a surprise. Like I said before, for some things, muscoskeletal type of things, I'm sure chiropractors are great and actually work. Not for discs in my opinion. There's no way to "adjust" the jelly back into the donut if you know what I mean.
Another coworker's spouse just had back surgery, but a little more involved than a microdiscectomy. It had me thinking back to surgery recovery. Not trying to scare anyone but I do feel that it was harder to recover from the microdiscectomy than my c-section. It's so funny (not really) because the microd was sold to me as "practically outpatient" and totally a quick snip here and there and it was actually a big deal, at least to me, someone who'd never had any medical procedure done ever. The trying to walk around the L.A. hills was tough, I remember walking several times a day digging my fingernails into my palms, shuffling at a snail's pace around the block. Maybe it'd have been easier had I been where I am now, or if I was in a different point in my life, I don't guess I'll ever know. But it was harder than I realized, and I was surprised that the c-section wasn't that big of a deal in comparison. But you know how mommy hormones or sleep deprivation or whatever it is clouds your memories of early post-partum days so maybe that is at play too, I don't know...
Anyway, it's fun to look back on this blog and see a time of my life that seems so far away. I'm so happy that back pain has not become part of my every day life, or even worse, my persona. I hope it remains this way!
Hello friend, I am 6.5 week's post l5-s1 MD. I love your online journal which gives me hope that the ups and downs will eventually settle out and I'll recover fully. Surgery went well and a 5 week post-op MRI looks good but shows my nerve to be swollen as expected. So all is well mechanically. Yeah! Walking doesn't aggravate my sciatic nerve but the sitting... oh the sitting for any thing longer than 15-20 mins makes me pay dearly. Does this really get better with time?
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting an update!
ReplyDeleteI am looking at possible surgery for my herniated disc. I went to a chiropractor about it. But once I told him about the pain and numbness, he didn't even want to do an adjustment without getting an MRI to see if it was anything more serious. He told me that on the second or third visit. And the previous visits were just massages, minor adjustments to the upper back, and those little electrode things.
This past Saturday I went for the MRI and saw the chiropractor on yesterday. The results said that my herniation was 12mm and he was shocked at the number. He referred me to a Cleveland Clinic neurosurgeon and now I'm waiting to see if I can get scheduled in despite my insurance not being accepted at that hospital. They are working to see if my insurance will pay for it anyway. I sure hope they do and I hope to get it done and over with.
I'm so tired of the random moments of pain and numbness. They scare me and keep me from doing what I love, including taking care of my five year old son.
Hello Tiki and Anonymous! I am 4 and a half weeks post L5-S1 MD for a hernaited disc and Cauda Equina Syndrome. Initially I was just very happy to be up and walking again (I hit 4500 steps twice this week! Woot!) and stretching, but since those milestones have had a good amount of anxiety about not being able to teach Zumba, lift weights, and just do what I did before. It doesn't help that I feel I've put on a lot of weight. I still have some numbness in my one baby toe, heel, and part of my butt, one leg has pain and limited flexibility in the calf, and I get physically and mentally tired quickly. I get very anxious that the horrible, horrible pain will come back or something more serious will happen as other blogs have mentioned. I'm so glad to have yours to give me hope when I'm scared. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Sara! Sounds like you're doing really well! I understand the anxiety, believe me! But I would bet that you'll be able to do your Zumba and everything else again. Just maybe not as quickly as you'd like. Some places, like say inside your mouth, heal quickly. The back heals very slowly. So remember that and keep in plugging along. I know you'll get there!
DeleteHello!! I just want to say thank you so much for the updates on your experiences! And very happy to hear about your health!!
ReplyDeleteAfter a few painful months, I found out I have a 12mm disc herniation on L5 S1 and have been quite depressed and neurotic about it. I'm in the midst of finding doctors and googling information-- I'm very glad to stumble upon your blog, as it has definitely calmed my nerves about surgery as an option.
Best wishes to you!