I have suffered with excruciating pain,numbness and pins...
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I have suffered with excruciating pain,numbness and pins and needles down my left leg for over a year and have just been told by the nuro-sugeon i have a prolapsed disc (lower lumber). He has not offered any treatment only an operation (alumber decompression) for which im booked in for 7 August. Im petrified of this going wrong,apparently there is a risk of being left incontinent,or of having a 'foot drop'. Has anyone ever had this op? how was it for you? Im only 34 and feel i have to have the op as otherwise the disc will rupture and i would then be left incontinent almost certainly. Also there is no way i can live with the pain any longer. any info would be much appreciated.
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I am also waiting for surgery on a prolasped disc. Have suffered about 2yrs of different levels of pain but about 2 weeks ago was floored with the pain, numbness to my upper thighs front and back( well could not feel anything from waist to top of my knees ....very frightening.) I am going ahead with the OP because my life could not get much worse than it is now.........I dont feel like I am living...cant walk 2 far cant lift the shopping and just living in fear of the Pain it has ruled my life for 2yrs or more. I am thankfull of a caring understand wife and kids. I just want the OP to be over and done with. 6-8 months they have said and this is the only time iI have felt like wishing my life away if i could I would go to sleep today and wake up in 8 months time.
Still have to keep going best of luck with the OP lets us know how you get on.
Nev
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I've just come back from my GP surgery and feel alot more positive about the op now. He says the risks are very small and it's best to have a neurosurgeon do the op which i will have. (Luckily my husbands work provides private health care.) Only 4 days to go now and im really nervous but the pain is so awful that i have to go ahead. Im still working full time, im a nanny, which is not the best job to be in as its so active, maybe this is the cause of the problem!!
I hope you are feeling better today, i find that by carrying on normally as best i can helps with the pain - no pain killers are any help soi dont bother with them anymore.
i'll let you know the outcome next week.
take care.
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Guest
Posted
Back in December i experienced pain i have never felt before burning in my left leg unable to stand pain in my stomach and underneath this carried on for 6 wks until my doctor sent me for physio but they sent me straight for a mri scan as had numbness in leg, foot and underneath it showed prolapsed disc which had prolapsed into my spinal chord, was taken straight to hospital and operated as would have been left paralysed and incontinent and not good for a 30yr old mum of 3, they was shocked it hadnt already happened to me, i was still really frightened of the discetomy as always there was risks but i had no choice as would of ended up paralysed anyway, after the operation for about a wk i was uncomfortable but not in pain, had a recovery period of 3 mnths but i can tell you my life now is pain free didnt think 8 mths ago i wld be normal again, it is fantastic, i wish you all well and hope its a success for you to.
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Posted
thanks for your positive story. It must have been awful for you, im glad you are ok now. i was told if i didnt have the op(a lumber decompression L4/5, with L5 root compression) eventually the prolapsed disc will rupture which is what happened to you.im apsolutely terrified of the op which is next Monday. I'll let you know what happens. thanks again for your support.
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I had the 'op' 20th March after 3 months of hell, not wanting to go on and unable to belive I would ever get my lovely life back. After the op I woke up pain free and was back at work within 7wks!! I am walking my dogs, swimming, smiling, socialising and genrally happy to be here again .. The hardest part of recovery is beliving its over, I hope you and Nev have the same positive experience as Leigh and I.
Good luck and keep us posted, Lorraine xx
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Posted
Well, my op is tomorrow and i feel so sick! Not sure i'll get much sleep tonight but at least i have to be at the hospital early so this time tomorrow it will be over. Im so glad your op was a success too, it seems as though most are.
I'll let you know how i get on later this week when im home.
Thanks for posting your positive story.
Lily
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Posted
Went back to work this week for the first time 2 days out of the house and going great. Trouble is now its 4:30am wednesday and sat here with lower back pain again!!!
Any way my own fault (so the wife says) and she is probably right, I am a works inspector and this involes alot of driving which has been ok for the first few days. Though yesterday without thiking I did pick up box of files in the office. (fool) Have to remember "Change the way you live to cope" Hey Lily hope the OP went well please let us know. I read a story in the Mail yesterday about an OP on the lower back for disc compression, its a fusion OP but less invasive sounds really good but unfortunately not available on the NHS. Privately costing around 8500 for those who can afford it. Right off to get a coffee and some more painkillers and contemplate work !!! I feel this site helps so much with moral support, and as we know we need all the support we can get!!! HAHA :ok: Good luck all. Nev
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Posted
I had my op 10 days ago and it went great! I was up and about 20 mins afterwards with no pain (which was weird). I had slight discomfort in my back and its now quite bruised but nothing compared to the leg pain i'd suffered for over a year. I was lucky my husbands work scheme covered me for the op so i didnt wait once i'd been diagnosed. I've got 2 more weeks off work but feel great already,walking everyday and probably doing too much really, but i get so bored! I hope you dont wait too much longer for your op and you're not too fed up. By the way, just to let you know, i might have to have another op on 4 Sept! Two weeks before my op i started to get pain in my right thigh (front), i told the consultant & had an urgent MRI which didnt show anything significant. He's hoping it will settle but if i've still got pain in 3wks he's going to take me back in and look at the right L5 nerve root. So in a way i'm back to square one! How unlucky is that,but i suppose it's best to get it all done at once. It's good to chat to others isnt it (my husband laughs at me coming on here)but it keeps me positive. Lily
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Posted
Good to hear that your OP went well Lily :D. Sorry the hear that you have to go back in but like you said you may as well get it all sorted at the same time :ok:. My Wife thinks this is a good site for me just to share our complaints. We all need support hey!
catch ya soon Nev.
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