Hey! I'm 18 years old. 4 months post l5 s1 microdiscectomy..when...disaster strikes ag! please help!

Posted , 5 users are following.

HI everyone. I'm 18 years old and had just joined my B.Tech course last August when ...I experienced sciatica in my left leg. I'm not sure what exactly caused it. The neurosurgeon said that it could be because of basketball and repeated falling. But no one knows for sure. I continued going to the uni in spite of the pain as it was quite bearable. But not for long. Things kept getting worse and the pain increased. I finally told my mum about it in the month of November and had an MRI done by December end, soon after my exams. The scan showed an L5 S1 disc rupture and the fluid had come all the way out and was pinching my nerve. My mum didn't want me to undergo a surgery at first. So we went for this korean jade therapy called migun. It didn't help and the pain was getting worse! So we visited a well reputed neuro, who suggested a surgery as I am still young and that conventional treatments would take a really long time to even work. So , on Jan 29th this year, I underwent an L5-S1 micro discectomy. After the surgery , that very evening, he had come over to check on me and told my mum that the disc had ruptured much before as he noticed during the surgery that it had been calcified in the middle. The part touching the nerve however was still a bit soft so he removed it and freed the nerve. The calcified part wasn't touched. He also said that I should lose weight. Well, I recovered pretty quick post surgery. I was off tablets by the 2nd week of surgery. I could walk and run around the mall by the 2nd month and even sat through my classes though it was very uncomfortable. And the numbness was almost gone. Until a week ago. When I had travelled down to my hometown that was about 6 hours from home by car , I experienced a sharp hip pain that night. I was so scared. I told my mum. And she gave me pregabalin. I was fine the next morning and walked about in my heels as it was my cousin's engagement party that day. Then I came home and crashed into bed only to wake up to a familiar numbness and tingly feeling down my left leg. I was scared again and started doing those post op exercises again thinking it would go. My grandma massaged my back as well. The next day we had to travel back , and the pain and numbness was all to familiar. I back ached and my leg was worse and travelling back was hell! Once at home, I took rest for about 2 days...but the pain didn't go. I had lower back pain and sciatica. Then I pleaded with my mum to get an other Mri done. I was worried about a disc slipping again. But all the discs were fine. And the l5 s1 disc was completely degenerated. So my mum felt that it could be muscle spasm. We called the doc, and he said that I might have strained my muscle by twisting or something and that it should go. He said that the nerve was free. I read that one should go through core muscle training after about 4 months so as to strengthen the back . So I went to the gym the day before yesterday and told them my condition. They said they were aware of it And made me do slow cycling and 3 very light exercises . I felt better after that. Yesterday though the pain was still there, maybe a bit more severe. So I took rest and didn't go to the gym. Then today, I had an exam that I had to sit for. Which was for 3 hours at a stretch. My back was complaining and my leg was hurting and tingling. But I sat through and kept moving my back backwards and flexing my knee while writing. When I got up to submit my answer sheet, my leg was ...in severe PAIN. It took all my will power not to scream and I exited the hall while limping slowly. After a few minuted of walking my leg started to feel a bit better. Now i'm back at home,resting. I've scheduled an appointment with the doc on Tuesday. I am so freakin' worried. I couldn't stop crying. It was so bad! I don't know what I did wrong. I'm scared! How am I supposed to go to class like this? I can't travel. I know this is really long but...I really want to get more opinions. I was fine until a few days ago. My back and leg hurt. Do I have to go through another surgery!? I hope not. Please tell me if any of you guys have experienced this! I am really in need of comfort right now. I'm only 18, I don't really have any one my age who can relate to this. Please help!

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi I am in sort of the same boat as you . I have l4/l5 prolapse disks/degenerate disks I have had this 4 the past year and half but I haven't had the op because the doctor said it would cause me more damage or I won't be able to walk I have tried everything and nothing works
    • Posted

      Hi Max, my advice to you would be to think long and hard about this decision. If I could turn the clock back I would never had surgery in the 1st place.I am 47 years old after a micro discectomy onL5/S1. I went back to work as a lorry driver.1 year later got the sciatica in my left leg so I had a revision operation on same disc.This has since turned into a nightmare I now have pain in lower back, sciatica in left leg to the point I can barely walk and have to use a mobility scooter to get about in chronic pain all the time. Unless you have plenty of money to go private they will just abandon you if anything goes wrong. and fill you full of pain killers. I am now on paracetamol, tramadol, gabapentin, diclafenic and morphine. I have lost a very good job and my independence. So all I am saying is make sure you go into this this decision with your eyes wide open.Good luck Dean.
    • Posted

      Hi dean like you I am on pregablin , mst ,oramorph daizapan ,mitrzioine and zapain and like yourself the doctors don't care I have also had 2 epidural a and nerve root blocks and nothing has worked. I am 31 if I didn't have my mrs I would be lost. I had to leave my job as A lorry driver like yourself because I couldn't take the pain no more. I have thought about going private but seeing as I am still young I don't know if I want to risk it. I am still hoping that 1 day I will be pain free I can walk around still but not far.thank you for the replysmile
  • Posted

    Hi 

    What part of the country are you based in?

    I am currently awaiting surgery for bulging disc and the Neurossurgeon  who is doing my. Op. is leading a £5M research project into Sciatia condition - the theory behind it is to develop alternatives to surgery as it has shown some people are having surgery when it is not necessary.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.