confused about prolapsed disc & what to do next
Posted , 2 users are following.
I have disc bulges at T11/12 L1/L2 and herniation of L5/S1 with prominent compression of the thecal sac. I had an MRI in april and the ns told me to get it sliced and diced or face more probs. I've had a busy yr with a baby born and the sale of my business in june. That was my excuse at the time for not having the op. I used to get really bad leg pain and couldn't really stand up straight and i had the nerve pain in the foot for almost a yr before seeking advise. I haven't worked for 6 months to rule that out as my job involved standing for upto 12hrs a day & 2hrs driving. Strangely some days i'm fine and i think why bother and then i'll have a night like last night when i was getting really bad lower stomach pain which 24hrs later is a dull ache. My symptoms range from rib/chest/lower back pains similar to when you've been beaten up, to like that of having a knife driven in above the right kidney. Occasionally i get the thunderbolt from around the kidneys right down to the tail bone which stops me dead in my tracks. At the time my ns saw my mri he was shocked. He couldn't understand why i was able to carry on working, lifting (living) when the scan was telling him i shouldn't be able to walk. I have a high pain threshold and hate taking pills but my symptoms are so erratic. It is getting me down but i don't know when the right time is or if it is right to have the slice & dice. I've been reading other people's experiences and the commom thing is fear of the op and the consequences. I'm not sure i can make an objective decision. I'd appreciate any comments.
0 likes, 3 replies
crazydaisy
Posted
Really sorry to hear what you've been going through...it's horrible! I had an L5/S1 discectomy on 1st Nov and was also really worried about the op. for me this was the only way to move forward as the herniation was so bad...was also on Morphine and haven't worked since March. The op has been successful although still getting some pain and discomfort. Hindsight being the great thing it is puts me in the position of saying that I would definately have the op again as my probs are not as bad as they were. I can drive again and will hopefully return to work in Feb 08. What I cannot stress enough is how careful you will need to be post-op ( this is from someone who has 2 kids and doesn't have enough hours in the day too).You have to be so careful...you have to learn new ways of getting in and out of bed, how you sit, stand...no bending, lifting, driving, stretching. You will need to way your recovery up with how this will fit in with your circumstances ( with your baby) and the amount of support you can draw on. Only you can make this decision and there is a lot to weigh up.
Take care,
Jules xx :D :D
gsg
Posted
Thanks for the encouragement, i hope all is going and goes well for your rehabilitation. With me I think having some medical knowledge is a bad thing. I tend to focus on the worst case scenario rather than just getting on with it. Drugs really don't appeal to me, I don't want to get hooked on opiates or benzos or amphets. A while ago i was having to pop co-codamol upto the max dose for a while and ended up feeling awful, when I took some more I \"felt\" better. I use them only as a last resort when I can't mentally block the pain. Knowing who to trust is another prob. I've done what most people would do and seen every alternative therapist to get relief. Accupunture worked for about 30 mins, physio was useless, a chiropractor strung me along and did nothing. I've been seeing an osteopath weekly sometimes twice weekly for the past 5 months and i've finally woken up and realized he ain't gonna sort it out he'll just keep me going for a few days at a time. They all say yes we can help and you'll be looking at x weeks but when week x arrives and you still feel like crap you get the \"its a slow process\"!!!! They all say having sex ain't a prob but if I manage to get through it without writhing in agony with cramp at the time the next day I know I'm gonna be hurting. Post op if I've got to be so careful how the hell do I get down with the mrs without undoing he ns's work & for how long? At least now I know what i can get away with!
crazydaisy
Posted
I know what you mean about \"a little knowledge is dangerous\". I'm a registered nurse myself so like you always looked at the worst case scenario....with regards to pain relief, I had no choice other than to take Morphine ...it was the only thing that helped the pain....I don't like taking meds but in this case it was either shoot me which I asked hubby to do one night in desparation after taking co-codamol tramadol and diazepam with no effect, so I had to weigh up the benefits against the risk of becoming addicted. Yes I was addicted to the Morphine but was able to reduce and discontinue within 10 days post-op. You have to do what's right for you in the end and if that means taking stronger pain relief or surgery to be able to function then so be it. With regards the intimate side of your relationship, this will be a temporary thing and I'm sure a few weeks of disruption in that area is better than compromising a positive surgical outcome...and to be honest...for the first couple of weeks after surgery you probably wont feel like it. It's all about compromise and being creative not just with the intimate side of things post-op but with everything you do..Good luck in what you decide and keep us posted! :D
Take care,
Jules :D :D