Back Problems

[Rangerman]

I have been having some back problems with soreness/stiffness in my lower back for about a year. In December I started having severe pain down my left leg on three different occurances. The first time lasted about 3-4 days then second time a little longer, then again on New Years Eve Day which has not sub-sided as of today. Back in December I went to my doc and he gave me some good drugs and sent me to Phyiscal Therapy a couple times a week. Anyway, on Monday I could not take it any longer and told him the PT was not working. He set me up for an MRI yesterday. Well, he got the results this morning and called me to say I have a severely ruptured disc in my lower back area between L4 & L5. The ruptured disc is sticking out so far it is making contact with my sciatic nerve and causing the awful pain down my leg. He is scheduling me to see a neurosurgeon and I guess that means a pending back surgery. So it looks like I might be down a while. Anyway, I was just wanting to know if anyone has had anything like this before on here and the outcome. I really don't like the idea of back surgery but I don't like the pain down my leg either. I am told if the pain down my leg continues it could cause other issues. Anyone with any experience on something like this????

Thanks in advance

[steemer1]

I have had back surgery twice to repair a the same ruptured disc, Dr Tibbs at UK did both of mine He is a great surgeon. The first surgery lasted about 1 1/2 years and the second surgery has been 2 years ago. The surgery I had was a microdiscedamy(I think that is how you spell it) My pain was to the point I couldn't walk 30 ft without being in excruciating pain down my right leg when I sat down my pain would go away in about a minute. My quality of life was miserable. I couldn't play with my kids or fish and hunt. I was taking 800 mg of motrin 3 times a day and it wouldn't cut the pain. I did physical therapy with no results and I did 3 pain shots in my back at a pain clinic and KDMC with no results. Then I changed Dr's to Dr Tibbs He said with my condition none of this would have helped me and it didn't. With this surgery I was off work for 2 weeks and couldn't lift anything over 5 pounds for 6 weeks. With this surgery i was in the Hospital for 1 night and then to the recliner and bed. It wasn't that bad. I am doing fine now.

[Doubledee]

I had a ruptured disc lower back in 1993,,pain from nerv running down my left leg. Put up with it for 2yrs. Same as you,did the pt,, then Quartazone shot into the disc,,didnt help. After MRI said I needed surgery,,,2 ways to fix it. Spinal fusion with 4 screws and 2 metal plates or remove the part of the disc sticking out rubbing the nerve. Doc sugested the later so I did that. He told me I would get 10yrs out of that and they might have a better fix after that much time.After 14yrs I'm still going.Not to say I dont have some pain,[got to do your stretching excercize to keep it down]. I am now 54and and so far dont need another surgery. My son at age 18 had to have the spinal fusion done on lower back [trampoline accident] and is 28 now,,has no real pain or problems. Now they can replace the disc Iv read if your age is right for them. My Doc I highly recomend did me,son,motherand several friends over the yrs nobody has complained about his work Dr John Roberts in Cinn. Ohio I hope this helps and goodluck. If you have any ??? Just ask

[Rangerman]

Thanks for the feedback. I am not sure what course they will want to take as I am going to the neuro tomorrow. A couple questions..

1. What are your limitations after surgery such as how much can you lift, etc.?
2. Has your quality of life improved after the surgery or about the same with the exception of the severe pain?

So far I have tried PT, 800mg Motrin which was a joke, and steriods which did help but were discontinued after a week as they were supposedly severely effecting my blood pressure. I have never been over 120 or so over 70 or 80. I started taking the steriods and it supposedly went to 170/110. I am not sure that I believe that though. I checked it that same afternoon and then again the next day and nothing near what they said. Anyway, within 12 hours of taking the first steriod I felt great. I know that is not a longer term fix but that is the only thing that has really helped for any length of time.

[steemer1]

To answer your questions.
1. I pretty well do what I want to however I do watch what I lift and how I lift it.
2. I still have some stiffness in my lower back but no pain the main thing is to walk and strengthen your back and stretch I need to lose weight and I think that would help me out more than anything. As for quality of life I can pretty much do what I want to I play tennis in a league once a week and do other activities with no problem.

[bassin_bug]

My son had severely ruptured discs in his lower back. It was so bad that he was in bed for over a month. He heard of a new procedure where the disc is replaced and started making phone calls to locate a surgeon trained in that procedure. He had the surgery last year and is doing fine with no more back and leg pain. I hope your surgery is successful and you have a quick recovery.

My daughter had two ruptured (herniated) discs in her neck and suffered just blinding headaches. She had surgery and the doctor used cadaver bones along with a steel plate to keep the discs aligned. He told her that in about six months the cadaver bone would take hold and begin to grow. All the pain stopped within a week of the surgery and now 4 years later she's still pain free. She joked with the doctor that she would need a prescription for WD-40 to keep the steel plate from squeaking when she turned her head.

[redneckshadrap]

Dang Marty..sorry to hear that, man.

Billy

[Doubledee]

I can lift 100lbs as long as Im carful. He removed 40% of my disc. I cant do anything that pounds down on it such as running for maybe 2min,begins to hurt.If I was younger Id have had the fusion,or look into the disc replacement.Also get a second oppinion.The first Doc I saw wanted to remove the disc all together and leave it bone to bone.He was a jerk that said I could point when I wanted something done lol.I can hunt, fish, water ski some for short periods. Again goodluck let us know what he says.

[MsgMills]

Check out the www.Kentuckyhunting.net web site, someone else has made the same thread and lots of responses. I'll include a link to the site for you.

I also was one to reply to the thread.... Copy and paste the link into your browser and check it out.

http://www.kentuckyhunting.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55091

[roadrunner]

I have had a back problem for years mine is a degenerative disk. I have been to Chiropractors, Doctors Etc and finally it got so bad I had have something done. With my MRI in hand I went to a neurosurgeon. He informed me that surgery was not what he wanted to do because the success rate for my disease was only about fifty percent. He told me I needed to learn to live with pain. He wanted me to do exercises and told me the best thing I can do for a back is walk. He sent me to PT and said if this pain ever radiates down your back we will have to do something. I walk six days a week on the tread mill and do several stretching exercises. This was six years ago and I am fine, I do have some pain from arthritis. If you have surgery please do your exercise it will make a huge difference.

[Rangerman]

Thanks.