Pins and needles

hey guys,

sorry not replied sooner, hope all are well....

Erm as for whats been said, thanks BUT I really dont think Im an inspiration to anyone, I think I am just one of the luckier ones who gets seen real quick, if I was still doing this through the NHS I know I wouldnt be happy as when I first saw a doctor, a week afer my initial injury, caused at work I hasten to add, in 2005, he told me to drink vodka to numb the pain....that was the extent of his daignosis, oh and he told me I had a bad back, I think I saw three different specialists who refused me an MRI each time, said there was nothing wrong, four different doctors, who wanted me to either drink, walk or take meds and one osteo....hmmmm think Im ranting a tad now remembering just how bad they were :-) oooops

Anyway, have the injections to look forward to on Tuesday so will let u know how it all goes.

Sorry for my ranting, didnt mean too :oops: and if anything its u guys that are the inspiration, friends to everybody on here and so open and welcoming to all, so its u all, not I, that are the inspiration :lol:

Thanks to u all

Russ x

Hey Angela, hey guys

Hope all are well...

Yep, I did do another thread, sorry :lol: and yep I have aa recurring disc protrusion so habve to have nerve root injections, starting next week and then see where they go from there, if that doesnt work then I have to go for another op of which there is a 70% success rate ( thats just figures as far as Im concerned and just another way to say it may or may not work ) in my head it will work if I have it and thats what matters, and worse case scenario is I have at least been pain free(ISH) just over four months now

Will update everyone once I have the injections which I am sure will work, and THANKS everyone for asking too, much appreciated

Russ x

Well 'No Regrets' Russ, continued PMA - POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE is always an inspiration to me (wished I had more of it) and you've been there to support others too :D.

This forum has been just faaaabbbbb for me, it's just so good to talk to other people who really know what you're going through, the good times :D and the bad

Good luck again with the injections next week, sure they'll help you :D

Love

Jude xxx

thanx all

for your good will messages they do mean a lot as the support i,ve had from patient this past year has been brill,

my swim ! well i couldnt manage a full length, i had to stop and do my neck exercises as the back of my neck was aching like crazy, managed to stay in the pool for an hour but didnt do a heck of a lot of swimming(confirmation that hey im not back to normal after all) but i,ll try again next week, i was hoping to start going back to the gym as well but im going to wait until im swimming again i,ll know then at least i,ll be ok. thanx again all for your support and good luck to all the peps waiting for their ops wont be long now eh!gail

Hi guys

Just wanted to update you a little. Saw my GP yesterday, not seen her since I saw my Consultant. Explained everything, told her my biggest worry was the expertise of the surgeon (may sound silly I know but this IS my biggest worry). She's given me a few avenues to pursue so I'll do that just to put my mind at rest about it. As I've said, my Consultant specialises in knees/hips not backs but does do 20 discetomies (sp?) a year, I still don't know whether this is a lot or not.

Well it's gonna be worth the phone calls cos after all, we only get one back.

Hope everyone is managing with their conditions, big 'gentle' hugs for you all.

Love

Jude xxx

hi angela

well lets hope that the benefits agency can help you out, as no doubt the stress would make your recovery a little slower, as your consultant has told you your recovery is taking a bit longer than the rest of us because of complications, dont rush it you will get better just not straight away, im a very impatient sort(you,d never have guessed eh lol) but i have done everything the physio and docs have told me, and i was surprised at the pain i had whilst trying to swim yesterday(new post) so just goes to show yes it does take a lot longer than we think, but we,r here to support you even if its just to let of some steam! all the best.gail

hi jessica

couldnt believe you said you started physio already just 2 weeks post op! maybe a little too soon eh? perhaps the pain your feeling is the un-trapped nerves waking up, i too had bad pain about 2 wks post-op at the site of surgery and had to go onto double amatryptaline at night to help with the nerve pain, i thought i had done something to undo the surgery but after discussing it with my gp she said it was quite normal to have this pain and that it should go within a few days, and it did start to ease, i found though the less movement seemed to cause the pain and when i moved around all be it slowly it did ease the pain so stick with it im sure you,ll start to feel less pain shortly. (although i was about 6 wks post-op before managing to come off pain meds all together) remember everyones different and we all heal at different rates. all the best gail

hi jude

i think your doing the right thing and thinking things through and researching your surgeon, as you say we only have one back/neck, and not everyones recovers without complications, at least when you go for your surgery you would have put your mind at rest and can look to getting better. after saying all that im sure your surgeon is totaly competant they do wonders these days. the peps i saw in my ward who had the backs done were recovering brilliantly, and when they were discharged you wouldnt have even known they,d had surgery done.gail

Hi everyone,

Just writing to let you know that I underwent a posterial lumbar fusion with instrumentation 1.2.08 for two disc levels and I am feeling really positive.

No more nagging back pain or leg pain, just recovering and taking things slowly, just get tired, can't sit for long have to walk around and lay down, but small price to pay for what I had before.

To anyone post op just take it easy, listen to your body, you do get fustrated, I have only just started to shower myself and thats an effort but each day it gets easier as you learn to adapt. I too am on lots of pain killers and it is important that you keep taking them until you are ready to cut them down. Everyone at the hospital was fantastic and I'm due to see the physio on 17.3.08 but in between have small exercises that I have to do.

Keep smiling, everyone heals differently, just go with each day as it comes, theres lots of swelling and bruising that has to sort itself out before you can feel 100 percent better.

Take Care

Raindrop :lol:

Remember me telling you about my best mate's hubby with the same condition L5/S1 prolapse. He had a micro discectomy. Well 4 weeks post op, he's gone back to work :shock: :shock:

I still wonder whether he's gone back too soon but my mate says he's doing really well :D Wow is all I can say :D

Love

Jude xxx

Hey Jude

See, bet he's got no regrets either :lol:

Well done on him :P

Russ x

thanks Gail

Unfortunately my son jumped on the top of me this morning while I was sleeping and now I have the same pain in leg, hip and back as I had before the operations. After me screaming out and crying my poor son cried and kept saying sorry - bless he's only 3.

Very difficult to walk now. Hope to god I dont have to go back to hospital.

Jessica

Glad I read your positive outlook. I am 2 weeks post op and physio told me to exersise 4 times per day, walk (even though I cant feel bottom of right leg) and start doing housework.

That was beginning of last week!! So, I did what she said and now I am majorly suffering. My GP told me to stop the physio for a while, no housework for 6 weeks, and I am on best rest once again.

To top things off, my 3 yr old son jumped on my back whilst I was asleep this morning and I now have the severe pain in back, hip,and leg that I had before my 2 operations!!

Just started on Tramacet tablets yesterday and thank god they sort of work.

Sometimes I feel this is never going to go away and at moment I hope I'm not going to end up back in hospital.

Nice to read a positive note when you feel down. You've cheered me up a little. Keep on the road to recovery, you'll do well.

Jessica

Hi Jude

You are right to make your enquiries but I'm sure he is competent.

Hope all goes well for you when you have your op. Mine didnt go well as you know, but everyone else at the hospital who had microdisectomies were brilliant the day after and all went home smiling. I just have to be the awkward one hahahaha.

Try not to worry - things will be fine for you hun. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Jessica

xxx

Hi Jessica,

I have been been very interested to read your posts because your situation is quite similar to mine, in that you had two discectomies within 4 weeks, as I did, with L5/S1 being the main problem.

And when things kick off and it all becomes an emergency and a situation over which you have no control and no choices, it is very difficult, not to mention scary. Afterwards, it is understandable that you worry about what else can be thrown at you!!

I was told that having two operations at one site, so close in time together, means that the body takes longer to heal, because of the level of internal injury. I ended up in hospital three times with various complications, some serious, and I know that psychologically it is very traumatising. After the third discharge, when I came home I didn't even unpack my bag for about three weeks, apart from the dirty washing, because I couldn't quite believe I wouldn't be going back in again. The bag just sat on my bedroom carpet and every day I wondered if I would be returning to the KCH hell hole and how I'd be able to cope with that.

I guess what I am trying to say is to bear in mind that after everything that has happened to you, not to lose sight of what is hopefully going to be a normal recovery. It won't be quick, but equally don't fear the worse. That is something that even now 6/7 weeks on I need to take on board. I wouldn't worry too much about the physio, just do what you can. What your body needs is TLC....lots of rest.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. :D

TFU