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Lumbar Decompression

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joyceb
joyceb

Don't know if this is the right forum and apologies if not.  I have over the past year been diagnosed with a bulging disc and told to take strong painkillers, which I have been taking regularly which hasn't taken the pain away completely.

Yesterday I had an appointment at Guys Hospital in London where I saw an orthopaedic surgeon.  On the computer screen e brought up the results of the MRI I had last July and explained that what I had was a Lumbar Decompression.  He is now recommending spinal surgery.  This to me is terrifying and to be honest I don't know what to do.  I am going to speak to my GP as well as the doctor at the Pain Clinic where I have an appointment already booked for next week.  Has anyone else had this procedure, did it help with the pain, was your mobility helped or worsened by this procedure.  I have posted this somewhere else on the forums as well in the hope that someone can help.  Still on the painkillers, including the Amitriptyline which I have upped to 20 mg each night.  Not sure it's making a lot of difference to the pain to be honest but up to yesterday my mood was a lot better.  Since yesterday though, because I am scared of what the surgery entails, I have been very weepy indeed.  Thanks for listening. 

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  • joyceb
    joyceb

    Posted

    First of all, Nick I hope you're feeling a lot better now and the pain is much less.

    Today I had to go back to the hospital for the result of the MRI I had a few weeks back.  The consultant still felt I should be looking at surgery (lumbar decompression) but did say the MRI hadn't altered since my first one, last July.  I don't have to decide straight away.  I have an appointment pencilled in for the second week in May and if I don't decide on the sugery then I could leave it 3 or 4 months before deciding.  If I leave it longer the chances are I would need to have another referral from my GP.

    I was able to get a CD of the MRI as well as written details of what was found.  The images on the CD are confusing to me, as a novice but the written details were surprising.  For instance, at the end it says that I should have a DEXA test to see whether I have osteopania (the onset of osteoporosis).  There were a few other details I was confused and surprised about as well.

    Fortunately I have an appointment at the Pain Management Clinic at the end of this month and I will be asking all sorts of questions.  I also have an appointment with my GP next week and I will be asking him whether I should be seeing an orthopaedic specialist rather than the Pain Management Team or the Orthopaedic surgeon, who, as good as he is I'm sure, is bound to push me towards surgery.

    It's still a decision I will have to make at some stage but right now I feel I have more options and the right questions to ask more health professionals before making the final decision.

  • joyceb
    joyceb

    Posted

    Further update.  Today I had an appointment at the Pain Clinic and have been offered another injection, different to the one I previously had in December.  I have also been offered a TENS machine, something I really don't know anything about.  I saw a consultant I hadn't seen before but who, like me, felt that surgery should be a last resort and to be undertaken if my life became so unbearable with the pain that I couldn't do the normal tasks.  At present it hasn't got to this stage I'm glad to say.  Last week I had a DEXA scan to see if I have the onset of osteoporosis but to date I do not have the result.  I was also told to keep taking the pain killing tabs I am taking at present as well as maybe trying Pregabalin, although as I am already taking Amitryptiline I am very loathe to try something else
  • laura49003
    laura49003 joyceb

    Posted

    Hi Joyceb

    thats good you have been offered another injection, anything to help chronic pain. I had an SI joint injection 2 weeks ago and its helped massively. I was prescribed pregablin and i found it wonderful for my nerve pain it helped when the dosage was increased every week until i could take the maximum. 

     I take amitriptyline also this is a great muscle relaxant for me.

     

    • joyceb
      joyceb laura49003

      Posted

      Thanks Laura.  Did you find you had a lot of side effects with the pregabalin?  I have not wanted to try it in case it had really weird effects.
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