SEVEN years post microdiscectomy

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!

SIX years post microdiscectomy

Well, it's been 6.5 years since my surgery. I am updating this for those who are scouring the internet for information, any, about this surgery as I know I was doing 6.5 years ago. I hope this helps someone like me who was freaked out about having the surgery.

So, six plus years later, I'm doing great. Rarely have back problems. Don't even think about it! I have realized that I am a teeny bit weaker on my "bad" side where I had the limping pre-surgery. I think this slight weakness led to … a broken ankle! But it healed and it's actually OK too. The human body is such an amazing thing!

My most exciting news, and hopefully someone out there fretting about this will see this, is that … I had a baby! I was so worried about planning for pregnancy post-microscectomy that I probably put off having one a little longer than I had to. But guess what? It was fine! It was uneventful! I didn't have a single back pain while pregnant! I was so afraid of the back pain that everyone assured me that I'd have that I almost waited too long to try to have a baby … I'm 40 … but it was fine! It was great! I have the most adorable 6 month old in the world! I wish I hadn't been so scared about it. But isn't that how so many things in life go?

Progress Report: FIVE YEARS LATER!

More of the same, still will pull my back now and then, still ned to strengthen my core, but overall pretty good. Am I the same as I was before that first injury years before my surgery? Well, no. Am I in pain? Hardly ever, once a year maybe. I am pleased with the outcome and have never regretted the surgery which is kinda funny when I remember how conflicted I felt over the decision to have it.

I even ran my first 5k this fall, and ran the entire 3.1 miles. Who could have imagined I'd be able to do that?!

Progress Report: Four and a half years later!

I'm back with an update! January of this year marked four years since my microdiscectomy/laminectomy. I can't believe it's been that long! A lot has happened.

Back-wise, I'm in pretty good shape. I can't say I'm where I was before I got hurt years ago, but I rarely have back problems or pain. I still have slight nerve damage in my baby toe/certain areas under my foot. They feel slightly numb most of the time. But even that has subsided over the years. I used to call this numbness my "warning sign" that I was doing too much -- I assumed it had to do with the sciatic nerve. I don't have that any longer. I guess that is good.

I still get stiff in my back, I still get the slightest bit achey, I still occasionally pull my back while vacuuming or something. But it's no big deal. I have been trying to get back into shape (again) with renewed vigor -- around December/January my husband (yes, the sweet boyfriend who helped nurse me through my back surgery!) and I actually started jogging on the track at the gym, of all things. And guess what? No back pain! I was actually very skeptical and was pleasantly surprised to see I could run without pain. We were up to two mile runs (one mile running continuously -- no big deal to runners out there, I'm sure, but a big deal for me!) when in March we tried running on a trail. Big mistake. You know they make "trail running shoes" for a reason. I sprained the hell out of my ankle and that sidelined me for a good 7 weeks. But we've been back at it for almost a month, and slowly but surely running longer and longer each time. My goal is to comfortably run a 5K later this summer and we're both well on our way to doing that.

The times between really pulling my back are fewer and farther between. The first real incident of note was this past August/September. I ended up going to the doctor because I was in a lot of pain, wondering if I somehow even reherniated due to the horrible sciatica I was experiencing. It was the kind that was so bad you can't sit down. I actually went to a doctor, the first time I'd seen anyone about my back since my surgery. She told me she thought it was muscle related and gave me flexaril and mobic, and a small shot in the behind, I think it was cortisone? It totally killed all pain for 3 days. Then I took the prescriptions for a week or so. And then I was fine. 

Whenever I don't exercise for a while, like my several weeks off in March/April healing my sprained ankle, I start to eventually have a little back pain and sciatica. This goes away immediately after exercising. So I know what I need to do.

I've moved 2,000 miles away from SoCal and I'm not only in much more comfortable environs (no more 400 sq ft cluttered big city apartment!), but I purchased a really great mattress. It's a huge spring mattress with a big, thick memory foam quilted top. It is amazing. I never wake up from back pain -- heck, I never have back pain! I didn't realize how little my last mattress helped my back issues. So that is nice. I still only buy good shoes and stay away from heels. I'm working on firming up my core at the gym, I have a long way to go but I can tell a huge difference already. The little things.

I am really happy that my back pain is not defining me as a person any longer. I know I am lucky.
I'm in a new city in a new job and none of my coworkers have any clue I even had surgery. It's just really not a big part of my life right now. And I'm killing myself at the gym in order to keep it from ever being like that again, as much as I can help it.

Oh, and my siamese nurse? She is still "nursing" me back to health, and always up for a good cuddle:

This just in: I am alive!

...but on an ipad so its hard to type. An update coming this week. Overall things are good, no post-surgery horror stories. Still the best decision I ever made to have surgery. Details soon!

Progress Report: 1.5 Years

It's been a year and a half since my surgery. Things are better. I'm still not 100 percent. I might not ever be. But I'm close. Ninety percent I'd guess. Still have some numbness in my foot and little toe, I guess it's nerve damage. But not dead numb like it used to be.

Currently undergoing a little setback -- good news is that they are fewer and farther between. But I did a number on myself this time. I think it is a strain or pulled muscle though, and not disc-related. I was sweeping and cleaning the kitchen, doing a bunch of bending and twisting, and then when I went for the dust pan, BAM. Ouch. Stabbing pain on the right of my spine (my "bad" side is my left). Stood up and was in excruciating pain. I've heard of people hurting their backs this way ("suddenly") but that had never been the case for me -- mine came on gradually over the course of several months.

I instantly felt pain in my upper right thigh, and, thinking it meant this was disc-related, freaked out. I have read so many accounts of people herniating the remaining disc on the other, "good" side that I was afraid this had happened. I envisioned a second microdiscectomy, followed by a disc replacement (due to no disc material left!) and then a lifetime of chronic pain and back problems -- not a life I want to ever lead. I've read the message board postings and talked to some of these poor people and it's not somewhere anyone wants to go.

I have been icing my back and taking a non-steroid anti-inflammatory and two days later feel much, much better. It still hurts. But not in the leg and I don't think it's a disc problem anymore. It feels like a strain from back all the way around my side. More reason to get that core into shape.

Which is hard, getting your core into shape. I am exercising -- swimming and walking -- but not doing any core stuff. It's hard when it's so easy to hurt yourself. Yet it's something you gotta do in order to quit hurting yourself. If this most recent mishap ever heals, I swear I will get more serious about some core work. It's gotta be done.

Progress Report: Week 58

I've been a little on the lazy side the past two or three months. Not exercising. Gaining a few pounds. And guess what -- it makes you feel horrible! Some weak sciatica returning, more numbing of my foot/toe, back pain -- none of it major, but just enough to make me feel like crap. So a little over a week ago, I got back in the saddle, watching calories (already lost a pound!) and most importantly, exercising. Briskly walking for 30 mins several days a week, and yesterday I swam laps. I had not swam since early December, and let me tell you, I was exhausted last night! And starving still today! So that lets me know my metabolism is going. And sure enough, after just a week, my back/sciatica problems are already subsiding. Even the numbness is a little less numb. It is amazing how much physical activity helps, like I keep saying. I think it increases the blood flow to the lower back, which doesn't usually get a lot of it. Now I am ready to start strengthening my core and back muscles through exercise, yoga, etc. I will still put a hold on the super-strenuous aerobics I used to do -- this walking seems to be enough for now.