Ain't no fun but better than the alternative Update

Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
About every ten years or so I start having some back problems, been having the old down through the butt and right leg pain with some numbness for about six months. I went to visit my surgeon a couple of weeks ago, after getting an MRI, and the bad news was another disc blown and needs to be fixed or somewhere down the line I could lose the use of my right leg. I'm not about to allow that to happen if at all preventable so another fusion was done Tuesday. I came home from the hospital yesterday and other than being extremely sore and weak I'm on the mend. I don't know if it's the normal procedure now but he went in through my left side, right through the old love handle, and fixed it. I guess using a tube to insert whatever he needed to work with. The end result is that my whole left side is one huge bruise with a four inch incision.

It ain't no fun but I ain't done taking a walk about now and then, still got a lot left to do.
 

.35Rem

Eight Pointer
Hope youre up and about soon. Had the same thing in 2015. Waiting months for the surgery was excruciating but worth it. Couldn’t believe how quick they had me up and walking pain free.
 

thandy

Ten Pointer
Sounds like you have been through it before. Hopefully you recover fast and you will be good to go soon!
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Amazing the technology that is available now for these back surgeries, just a few years ago that would be a major operation with months of recovery time.
I hope this one works well, it sounds like you weighed your options carefully.
 

Papa_Smurf

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Glad you are on the mend, and hope you heal up with no trouble.

My mom had the same thing done about 10 years ago. She's a teacher and started giving her trouble around October. She wanted to go through the whole school year and get her kids through their end of year tests before she had the procedure. She was going to Chiro 3x weekly, and around early May she couldn't take it anymore and had to get the surgery done. She still has a little numbness every now and then from nerve damage because she waited so long. Hardheaded teacher, she is. Really hated going out for surgery before the end of the school year, but it was the best decision for her. When I took her into surgery she could barely walk ... had to wheel her from the car into the hospital. A few days later she was walking several miles a day as part of her recovery.
 

bowhuntingrook

Old Mossy Horns
I get an epidural next week for same symptoms but including foot drop. This is for a herniation/compression of nerve root in L5 S1. I hope you heal quickly.
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
I get an epidural next week for same symptoms but including foot drop. This is for a herniation/compression of nerve root in L5 S1. I hope you heal quickly.

Let me know how that goes for you. I “had” foot drop also due to herniation of nerve in L4 and L5 just last fall. Still have numbness in most toes and front half of foot. Back bothers me at times also. Doc wanted to do surgery at the time I did it but didn’t due to me being on a blood thinner for a blood clot. Would be nice to get some normalcy back, surgery might be only option.
 

dlbaile

Ten Pointer
About every ten years or so I start having some back problems, been having the old down through the butt and right leg pain with some numbness for about six months. I went to visit my surgeon a couple of weeks ago, after getting an MRI, and the bad news was another disc blown and needs to be fixed or somewhere down the line I could lose the use of my right leg. I'm not about to allow that to happen if at all preventable so another fusion was done Tuesday. I came home from the hospital yesterday and other than being extremely sore and weak I'm on the mend. I don't know if it's the normal procedure now but he went in through my left side, right through the old love handle, and fixed it. I guess using a tube to insert whatever he needed to work with. The end result is that my whole left side is one huge bruise with a four inch incision.

It ain't no fun but I ain't done taking a walk about now and then, still got a lot left to do.
Feel your pain
About every ten years or so I start having some back problems, been having the old down through the butt and right leg pain with some numbness for about six months. I went to visit my surgeon a couple of weeks ago, after getting an MRI, and the bad news was another disc blown and needs to be fixed or somewhere down the line I could lose the use of my right leg. I'm not about to allow that to happen if at all preventable so another fusion was done Tuesday. I came home from the hospital yesterday and other than being extremely sore and weak I'm on the mend. I don't know if it's the normal procedure now but he went in through my left side, right through the old love handle, and fixed it. I guess using a tube to insert whatever he needed to work with. The end result is that my whole left side is one huge bruise with a four inch incision.

It ain't no fun but I ain't done taking a walk about now and then, still got a lot left to do.
Feel your pain Zack's Grandpa, been there to many times to count not really 4 to be exact , fused L1 to S1 , hope you have a speedy recovery
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
About every ten years or so I start having some back problems, been having the old down through the butt and right leg pain with some numbness for about six months. I went to visit my surgeon a couple of weeks ago, after getting an MRI, and the bad news was another disc blown and needs to be fixed or somewhere down the line I could lose the use of my right leg. I'm not about to allow that to happen if at all preventable so another fusion was done Tuesday. I came home from the hospital yesterday and other than being extremely sore and weak I'm on the mend. I don't know if it's the normal procedure now but he went in through my left side, right through the old love handle, and fixed it. I guess using a tube to insert whatever he needed to work with. The end result is that my whole left side is one huge bruise with a four inch incision.

It ain't no fun but I ain't done taking a walk about now and then, still got a lot left to do.

In reference to your (this) post as well as the one referring to current advancement in technology.

I do not fully agree.

Not sure what has happened since 1998, but something has.
Explanation: In 98, I finally had had enough of the pain and had gotten to the point of only being able to work 4 or so hours a day. One of my customers shared his experience with me, so a trip to Presbyterian Orthopedic was made. Tests came back as a badly bulging disc that was putting pressure on my nerves. The doctor explained all in detail and the plan was to go forward with the surgery. He made a 1/2" incision in my back, opened the disc and removed the filling while leaving the disc in place and no hardware in my spine. This was done basically as outpatient and I walked to the car from the door less than 6 hours after the procedure. I had not been pain free for years, yet woke in recovery ready to bounce. I have since been involved in an incident (2001) that damaged two areas but no one I can find does that repair any longer. My original surgeon retired as, I guess, "the last of the Mohicans"...
I do not understand exactly why the more simple, less intrusive, quicker recovery procedures have been abandoned.....

Oh yea, ZG, heal quick!
 

Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
Let me know how that goes for you. I “had” foot drop also due to herniation of nerve in L4 and L5 just last fall. Still have numbness in most toes and front half of foot. Back bothers me at times also. Doc wanted to do surgery at the time I did it but didn’t due to me being on a blood thinner for a blood clot. Would be nice to get some normalcy back, surgery might be only option.
The healing takes time and as stated it ain’t no fun but it will get you back walking and pain free. I’ve had C5-C6, L4-L5, done and now L2-L3. My pain wasn’t that bad this time but I couldn’t straighten up. Was walking like an old man all bent over.
 

buckshooter

Old Mossy Horns
I had 2 lamonectomy surgeries. Neither really worked. Finally had the fusion of L4 L5 in 2016.

So far so good.

Dr told me I may have to more since the vertebra on top of the fusion take over the stress.

You're a strong , vital individual Larry.

I'll be praying you recover fast.
 

Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
I had 2 lamonectomy surgeries. Neither really worked. Finally had the fusion of L4 L5 in 2016.

So far so good.

Dr told me I may have to more since the vertebra on top of the fusion take over the stress.

You're a strong , vital individual Larry.

I'll be praying you recover fast.
Thanks, other than my back issues I have zero other health problems. I told the OR nurses that I considered myself blessed that what I have is fixable. A lot of people started chemotherapy Tuesday, that puts my surgery in prospective.
 

Hunterreed

Twelve Pointer
Hope that helps your pain,sounds like you know how to handle the recovery well. I know that pain well because I have been dealing with spondylolisthesis for almost 15 years. I don't like the success rate of them cutting through my back to pull the vertebrae back in place,some say it could even make it worse. I have alot of radiopathic nerve pain in my legs nearly constant and restless leg problems that affect my sleep but the recovery time from the way they have to do surgery is a no go for me. Until I am bedridden I'm going to deal with it as long as possible. My neurosurgeon that did my disc replacement on my cervical spine moved his practice to another state two years ago and I went through 3 different surgeons before I was lucky to find him. So now I'm back at start again to weed out the less desired ones to find a new one.
 

dubbeltap69

Eight Pointer
Contributor
Wishing everyone suffering from back pain a quick recovery, and until then endurance. Back pain is no joke. Chronic pain can be very depressing. Stay motivated to keep on moving. Few steps here, maybe a short walk there. Drink lots of water. Those discs can get dehydrated and cause all kinds of pain. Keep telling yourself positive encouragement. Tell yourself you're going to keep going and this is just a temporary setback. Don't give up!

I had back surgery 20 years ago at the ripe age of 30 after 7 years of pain. Still have tingling in my toes and serious aches and pains from time to time. I can feel my L5-S1 vertebrae popping and rubbing. But it's not gonna stop me from enjoying life !
 

Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
Continuing to recover but I have to admit the process is a little different 2010 vs 2021. I wonder if it has anything to do with being 65 vs 75? Nah, they probably just didn't give me the right meds, or maybe the knife was dull.

I'll get there though, walked 2500 steps yesterday making laps in the driveway.
 

Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
Two week post surgery checkup yesterday. X-ray looks good and improving surely but slowly. No pretending here at all this has been a lot tougher at almost 76 than the last time at 65. I guess because of age and just taking extra precautions I have to wear the brace another six weeks and not do much of anything other than walk. I'll be ready for deer season though.

My spine surgery pattern has been about every ten to twelve years and I told the doc yesterday that if that pattern continues I'm not sure about recovering at 86 or older. His response was that if I needed another one in ten years someone else would have to do it because he will be either retired or dead by then. LOL.

Anyone suffering from the debilitating condition of spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease knows the pain that you live with and how it limits your activities. Although the recovery is hard and long I would still recommend to anyone to have the surgery. The first two weeks are the toughest but being pain free is invaluable.
 
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