Surgery to repair herniated disk? (Wakefield: home, live, floor)
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Has anyone on this forum had surgery to repair a herniated disk? L4-L5 disk, lower back................My husband has been found to be a candidate for this surgery--good health, weight, etc, 90% chance of full recovery, etc..........I am looking to see if anyone here has had this done before? He is working with the NH Neurospine Institute. Any info appreciated, thanks!
Has anyone on this forum had surgery to repair a herniated disk? L4-L5 disk, lower back................My husband has been found to be a candidate for this surgery--good health, weight, etc, 90% chance of full recovery, etc..........I am looking to see if anyone here has had this done before? He is working with the NH Neurospine Institute. Any info appreciated, thanks!
Hi Angela - I have no personal experience with this or with the NH Neurospine Institute, but my mother's cousin, who is 82, had surgery last year to repair a herniated disk at L4-5 and has been doing fine ever since, if that helps any. Also, here's a site that talks about back problems with a link to surgical repairs: Herniated discs - back pain causes on back.com .
Has anyone on this forum had surgery to repair a herniated disk? L4-L5 disk, lower back................My husband has been found to be a candidate for this surgery--good health, weight, etc, 90% chance of full recovery, etc..........I am looking to see if anyone here has had this done before? He is working with the NH Neurospine Institute. Any info appreciated, thanks!
Yes, i had a replacement disc put in the exact same one. in the summer of 2006 i had the operation done. i am doing really good. i'm getting ready to go back to work soon. if you have any more questions feel free to ask.
ooo....ouch. My husband doesn't need a disk replacement thank goodness. They will just be making a small incision and cleaning out the stuff that is leaking out and repairing the tear. He doesn't need a replacement.....yet. I am glad you are doing well with it!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by JFRRACING
Yes, i had a replacement disc put in the exact same one. in the summer of 2006 i had the operation done. i am doing really good. i'm getting ready to go back to work soon. if you have any more questions feel free to ask.
i'll tell you that was the best thing i ever had done. i also had a bad disc and they replaced it. i tried everything before they did. it wasn't that bad. they made an insision just below my belly button about 6 inches long and it took about 4 hours. they had me up walking the next morning and i had no back pain what so ever. the only thing that was sore was my stomach. i was only in the hostpital for five days. i have been doing great ever since. i had everything possible done before they did that and nothing else came close to working. my doctor had me do all kinds of different things for the first three years. now i'm all healed and ready to go back to work soon.
[FONT=Fixedsys]i'll tell you that was the best thing i ever had done. i also had a bad disc and they replaced it. i tried everything before they did. it wasn't that bad. they made an insision just below my belly button about 6 inches long and it took about 4 hours. they had me up walking the next morning and i had no back pain what so ever. the only thing that was sore was my stomach. i was only in the hostpital for five days. i have been doing great ever since. i had everything possible done before they did that and nothing else came close to working. my doctor had me do all kinds of different things for the first three years. now i'm all healed and ready to go back to work soon.[/FONT]
Hi, can you please tell me what the name of the procedure you had is? It sounds a lot like what I have to have done very soon, and I wanted to research it a little more.
About 15 years ago, I had my L2-L3/L3-L4/L4-L5 disks replaced... I had problems with my "back going out" for years, but it was never serious enough (or scary enough) for me to resort to surgery. I had heard all the issues about it being an absolute last resort and had always just waited for my back to "go back in". Finally, I literally had no choice... when I ended up on the floor and could not even reach a phone to call for help, that was the deciding factor (yeah, didn't they make a commercial about that???).. all three had collapsed, and that was it... It took about 4 months of rehab and learning to walk all over again, as well as change how I approached various task in life ("leverage" is now my favorite word... amazing what you can still manage to do without ever actually lifting anything), but it was truly miraculous. I have occasional relapses, but nothing at all major, and it usually just lasts a day or so... mind you, this was the "old method", before they had really developed the procedure to reach the disks through the front and bypass a lot of the nerve and muscle that seems to be an issue when operating through the back itself. In hindsight, I should not have waited as long as I did and gotten other opinions on whether or not surgery was right for me. I'm sorry I don't know any of the local surgeons/hospitals in the area for advice... but don't wait, if that is what is being advised. You would not like some of the possible complications.
About two years ago, I had almost complete compression of three of my C disks, and at that point they went in through the front of my throat. That was a revelation (had it done at a hospital down in DC) - when I got out of surgery that time, I was almost completely out of pain that same day (I had lost complete use of one of my arms) and I was back to work half-time within two weeks, and back full-time within a month. I regained almost complete use of my arm again, minus some deadened nerves in one finger.. the new procedures are truly incredible.
Trust me, suffering and babying yourself for years is not the way to go, especially if he is a good candidate for the procedure and can find a reputable doctor (and hospital staff) to give you the quick-fix! I don't remember what they used for the replacement disks on my back, but I had the choice of cadaver bones (well treated/sterilized/screened) or synthetic material for the disks in my neck... I went with the cadaver bones with titanium plates/screws for my neck, and I have almost complete range of motion once again... don't know what the options are for your husband, or what exactly the newest options are. The surgeon even managed to make the incision in the front of my throat where one of the natural creases is when I put my head down, so unless you REALLY look, you cannot even see much of a scar!
Life is truly good for me once again! I wish you both well!
Hi, can you please tell me what the name of the procedure you had is? It sounds a lot like what I have to have done very soon, and I wanted to research it a little more.
Thanks,
Noelle
hi, this is a website that has information and a video so you can see the procedeger. it is pretty amazing.. i couldn't beleave they had me up walking the same day...don't wait, it only get's worse...
NY Spine Institute: Easing Spinal and Neck Pain (http://www.nyspine.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/site.home.cfm - broken link)
yup, back surgery isn't what it used to be.. rehab is much shorter and results are usually much better - of course YMMV . And I've heard back surgery now is one of the better ones to rehab from (speaking as one who has had both knees replaced and know people who have had hips replaced, and elbows worked on...). I haven't personally had back surgery, but the ones I know who have usually say afterwards they wish they hadn't waited so long.
However, if your hubby feels it may be too much surgery.. it is always good to get a second (or even third) opinion first. You want to be comfortable with your surgeon and their plan.
I had the same disc location as your husband's actually "removed" because the herniation was so severely damaged. The technology they use today is soooo much better than when our grandmother's had it. Mine was a laser surgery technique where the incision/scar is actually less than 1". I went in for the surgery at 7am and was leaving the hospital at 2pm. The next morning I felt like I could do cartwheels - the surgery was so successful. At the time, I lived in Mass. and had it done at Melrose/Wakefield hospital. Most important thing is to really LIKE your doctor. Prior to the surgery, I met with alot of "knife-happy" surgeons who I wouldn't let touch me. The doc I chose was not only very nice, but patient and explained everything - really put me at ease since I did everything to avoid the surgery (physical therapy, etc.). Anyway, the procedure was a piece of cake, the only pain I had after the surgery was from the few stitches that I had, but that was handled by pain killers the first day and after that, no pain at all. I know the pain your husband is experiencing and it's horrible. Find a doc that you like/trust, have him/her explain the procedure and if it's the great type that I had, your husband will be going home the same day (within hours of the surgery actually). Good luck!
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Back operation
Best thing I ever did...
don't wait
