L4/L5 discectomy success
Posted , 5 users are following.
Evening
Just thought that I would add another discussion after my first L4/L5 discectomy success story. For the full low down please read up on my first one.
I had a L4/L5 discectomy and 15-20 percent of the facet joint cut away on the 7th December 2016.
I have been swimming quite a lot lately. I do 100 lengths on a Monday (1.5 miles), 70 lengths on a Wednesday (1 mile), 80 lengths on a Thursday and 70 lengths on a Friday. All of this is front crawl only and I started off doing 2 lengths at a time then stretching and now I do 6 lengths then stretch. I am looking to get back in the gym in 6 weeks as well as a bit of running on a treadmill.
If anyone has any success stories about getting back to exercise after a discectomy please can you update this post. If you only have doom and gloom stories and say 'You will never get back to normal' then bore off and comment on the hundreds of forums that are more suitable for you.
Let's try and bring a happy story to the hundreds of negative ones.
2 likes, 6 replies
anglosaxon1 jim12346
Posted
I'm in.
Microdisectomy 2 years ago am fighting fit and am off skiing next week, can't wait.
My advice take rehab very slowly, but steadily.
hayley70884 jim12346
Posted
SO good to hear your story like u say so much negativity out there about this procedure! I'm only 2 weeks post op l4/l5 laminectomy but already walking 1-2 miles a day split into 3 walks I'm planning on swimming in next couple of weeks, sorry can't give u any long term recovery story but Be great full if u can keep us updated on your progress to help keep me positive!!
hayley70884 jim12346
Posted
SO good to hear your story like u say so much negativity out there about this procedure! I'm only 2 weeks post op l4/l5 laminectomy but already walking 1-2 miles a day split into 3 walks I'm planning on swimming in next couple of weeks, sorry can't give u any long term recovery story but Be great full if u can keep us updated on your progress to help keep me positive!!
jim12346 hayley70884
Posted
Morning
I am glad that there are comments on here which are positive. I remember reading this forum when I was in hospital after my surgery thinking 'What the hell have I done, if I was a dog I would of been put down'. None of the bad stuff has happened to me, I came to the conclusion that there are hundreds and thousands of people who have this type of surgery over the year and you only hear the bad stuff and that is because if your surgery goes well and you get on with your life you are not looking through these forums. I looked on here because I had to have emergency surgery and didn't have time to think about it.
I have read that people are asking about when to go back to the gym and after some long winded comments the conclusion is always, ask your surgeon. I asked my surgeon after my 6 week check up when I could go back to the gym and he said to go swimming first until I see him again after another 3 months (so 4 and a half months).
I am sensible about it, I know that I can't just jump back on the bench pushing 150kg again and it will take time but I will get back there.
When my surgeon said go swimming I don't think he meant swim 4 and a half miles a week but I feel fine to do it and if I am honest I feel so much better for doing so.
If you where an active person before the surgery then there is no reason why you can't get back to it. If you look after yourself in the first 3 months especially, than the world is your oyster.
jessica_78456 jim12346
Posted
It's great that yr story is a positive one, but for those who it isn't, I think it's equally good to share both side s of the story. Give s people's a more realistic out look on this.
drinxs jim12346
Posted
Totally agree.
I had a laminectomy about 18 months ago( bulging disc compressing nerves at T10-11, middle back. all my problems were nerve related both thighs and numb toe, lose of balance etc).
Now at gym 5 times a week, 12km cycle this morning. I have permenant nerve damage ( causing 24/7 burning in my thighs and aggravated numbing in toes on right foot) but I have learnt to live with this, because my mobility is fantastic. I have always been fit and bit by bit from post operativaly only walking 10 minutes a day to full fitness and no medication has been driven by a need to control my symptoms (than them control me). Getting active or just keeping mobile (as best you can) is so important and I believe accelerated my recovery.
There is hope!!