herniated disk back surgery (Houston, Dallas: health, best, place)

[cyberchild]

I have a herniated disk in my lower back between L5 –S1. I am having pain from my buttocks all the way down my left leg. My back feels some tightness but I can manage that but leg pain is bad. I can’t stand more then 5 minutes without having to sit down due to intense pain in my leg.

My Doctor says that I need surgery. Did anyone have back surgery to fix the pinch never due to herniated disk?

[RevImmigrant]

I worked for 2 very busy neurosurgeons in Dallas for many years. This is a very common procedure and over the years that I worked there thousands of our patients had it, usually with good results. Of course, the results depend on the patient and that individual patient's specific problem. Some patients got better results than others. It is a time-tested procedure that has been done for 40 years or more. You will need an excellent neurosurgeon to obtain the best results. I hope you do well.

[TFW46]

You might get more responses posting this question in the HEALTH forum...unless you're looking for info on Houston surgeons. Good luck!

[maggie2101]

Originally Posted by cyberchild

I have a herniated disk in my lower back between L5 –S1. I am having pain from my buttocks all the way down my left leg. My back feels some tightness but I can manage that but leg pain is bad. I can’t stand more then 5 minutes without having to sit down due to intense pain in my leg.

My Doctor says that I need surgery. Did anyone have back surgery to fix the pinch never due to herniated disk?

I just had surgery on a herniated disc (L-3,4) January 18th. I no longer have the intense pain from my butt down my entire left leg and I am glad of that. Unfortunately, I have permanent nerve damage in my leg and I'm not exactly sure why that happened. I still think the surgery was successful and I'm glad I did it.

There are some websites dedicated to spine issues with lots of helpful info and some good support if you are nervous about upcoming surgery. DM me if you want some links.

[HBsteve]

I was diagnosed with a herniated disc, also L5-S1, almost two years ago. Pain was consistently down to my knee or below and was often excruciating - I remember not being able to drive 10 minutes without agonizing pain. Lying on my back, I couldn't lift my left leg past about 35 degrees. I was sent for a consultation with a neurosurgeon. He took one look at the films and said, "How about next Thursday?"

Two years and no surgery later, I am fine. I probably would have had surgery, but the brother of a friend had been through this and was adamant that I try physical therapy first, as he had done. I was skeptical through the first few weeks of therapy. It didn't seem to be improving. Then it did - not overnight, but over the next few weeks, episodes of strong pain disappeared and were replaced by a dull ache that didn't go beyond my buttocks. I also tried acupuncture, after a few sessions and continued work on the exercises they taught me at therapy, the pain was essentially gone. And hasn't returned in any significant amount since.

I'm 6', 250 lbs, I'm not an athlete, and I haven't kept up with my exercises as diligently as I should have. But two years later, I'm pain free. Every once in a while I get a little twinge, I get back on the exercise thing, and it goes away. Look up the McKenzie method and its associated back exercises. Get a good physical therapist. You may need surgery in the end but my strong advice like my friend's brother is NO SURGERY until you give physical therapy a try. Hopefully it will help you like it did me.