Posted , 8 users are following.
After having severe herniation l4-l5 I had a discectomy in April. I thought I was getting better and I would recover slowly. I was told last week after having an mri that the disc has re herniated. I've now got pain in both legs, in different places. The Dr said they'll refer for pain management and that was it. This can't be my life can it? I'm only 25,i don't want to live the rest of my life like this.
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ihavenonickname Sineadsmith90
Posted
I did some research:
Recurrent lumbar disc herniation is a common disease process. It has been noted to occur in 5 to 15% of cases surgically treated for primary lumbar disc herniation.
The removal of recurrent lumbar disc herniations requires meticulous surgical technique. Great care is taken to identify the osseous margins of the previous surgical site. Identification and dissection of scar from the dura mater is greatly aided with the use of a microscope.
The strict definition of recurrent disc herniation is the presence of herniated disc material at the same level, ipsi- or contralateral, in a patient who has experienced a pain-free interval of at least 6 months since surgery. The clinically more appropriate definition, however, is disc herniation at the previously operative site and side. The pain-free interval should not be restricted to the minimum of 6 months.
Once you experience a reoccurance, you risk of a second reoccurrance increases.
So, the only way to insure you have no more occurrences is to have the herniated disc removed and a fusion performed.
I truly understand how overwhelming this is...I have had severe juvenile rheumatoid for 54 years.
Speak with your surgeon...and by all means ask every question you can think of. I am here...post...I will respond.
Your legs are involved because of the compression on the sciatic nerve. Your legs will have the best chance of full recovery if the compression on the sciatic nerve is quickly released.
I do not know what country you are in. I suggest the most noteable university medical school medical center...
kind regards
judith
Enna1 Sineadsmith90
Posted
Enna1
Posted
I sat thinking about you just now, I have 3 discs prolapsed, one same as you. I take Pazital - think it goes under another name in whichever country you live, its 38% Tramadol and the rest is paracetamol. (there has been research to say that paracetamol doesn't work for back pain but I don't know about that so much) and Lyrica, I take 1 and morning and lunchtime and 2 at night. But doesn't help me to sleep. I do a bit of self hypnosis to sleep again.
Having said all that, I know what you are saying. My daughter has the same disc as you. She fell off her mountain bike. She went to physiotherapy exercises, I am not sure whether she originally took anything but don't think so. So exercise is the key. I know that you don't feel like exercise but do it gently. Just walk a little bit and then a little bit more on the flat. In spain we call it en poco en poco - a little and a little bit more. I also eventually got the pain clinic and asked if I could have a cortisone injection, you can only have 3 a year because it affects your bones, but it does enable you to get going with exercise. I can't tell you how its changed my life, I now walk 2 kilometres a day. Just try it. I know you will be scared but go to the pain clinic and ask them if you can try cortisone injections. Then once you have had that a week or 2 weeks later try the walking. Have a goal each day. I have a partner who helped me. I also lost a stone in 4/5 weeks. I have not been hungry at all. I also eat slowly. I know you might think I am nutty but thats how I started, but I am not sure what will happen at x as as I will be due for another injection and that one might not work. I have found personally that they are hit or missy so you will have to trust the dr to get it right. When I go both of us try to find the spot that I usually hit the roof with pain and thats where the injection goes. We laugh about it. The dr will have a fit when he sees me in January so much weight loss. I mkight not hear how you get on but please try. My daughter is a lot older than you, she is 44 and when she picks things off the floor I don't know how she does it, but its a certain way and maybe you sit at the computer all day like she does, make sure you have a rest every 2 hours. So good luck I will be thinking of you and how you are getting on. So first get the pain sorted out. PS I did have a so called decompression at L4/5 - didn't work it I had worse pain. So just try this first. You didn't say where you live or whether you have private insurance.
NK04743 Sineadsmith90
Posted