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Prolapsed disc, long term back issues

Posted , 4 users are following.

robert65776
robert65776

hi all, my first post here, i was diagnosed with a prolapsed disc 3 weeks ago (s1/s2) id been suffering with severe pain, numb legs, constant tingle in both legs and cold extremities. Also complete loss of feeling resulting in colpasing every now and then. My MRI took 7 weeks from referral to scan and id been suffering for around 6 weeks prior to my initial doctors appointment.

little bit of history i has diagnosed with degenerative discs at 19 years old (now 36) i had spincath ident at 21 which the surgeon half did wrong, one of my discs was so bad he could get the catheter fully round the inside of the disc but heated it anyway. Had l5/s1 removed at 26 (l4/5 was the disc that was half heated) i have had constant pain for 10 years since the fusion so toughed out the prolapse as thought was just a bad few weeks with my back.

past mri's have shown the a screw "may or may not be" touching a nerve.

Seeing its been 3 months of bad pain how long should i put up with it before seeing doctor again. The mri showed was quite n the surgery stage.

through this i have had half a day off sick at work and gone onto lighter duties  by cutting out driving and some of the more physical parts of my job.

i take dyhydrocodene, naproxen and paracetemol as a top up.

 

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • robert65776
    robert65776

    Posted

    Sorry damn ipad keyboard the mri showed i wasnt quite bad enough for surgery. Since the mri the pain is back to how it was 4 weeks before the mri, which was pretty bad. Struggle to walk most days, sometimes crawl, constantly having pain spasms (had these for 20 years but they didnt feel like this). I have a young family and kinda getting very low with it all. 
  • charlotte42196
    charlotte42196 robert65776

    Posted

    Hi I have just had a discectomy after two years of none stop siatic pain. You really need to push them, my doctors told me it would go away on its own and to use paracetamol.  After a year they finally referred me. Luckily my consultant was very good and on my side. Ive had an l5/S1 discectomy, so far no sciatica since !!! 
    • gary81059
      gary81059 charlotte42196

      Posted

      Hi Charlotte, It sounds like you had a good consultant, may I ask your consultants name please?

      Gary 

  • gary81059
    gary81059 robert65776

    Posted

    Hi Robert and Charlotte,

    Sorry to hear your problems Robert, I have had a few problems myself, and a lot of people speak very highly of Daniel Chan at the RD and E in Exeter, some say he is the best in the country. 

    Hi Charlotte, It sounds like you had a good consultant, may I ask your consultants name please?

    Gary 

    • charlotte42196
      charlotte42196 gary81059

      Posted

      It was Mrs Donaldson Hugh's. I trusted her. I think if I didnt I wouldn't of had the procedure, now a week and two days post op no sciatic pain! 
  • gary81059
    gary81059 robert65776

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte, 

    Thank you for your reply and information, and I am please that things seem a lot better for you.

    Gary 

  • joe52881
    joe52881 robert65776

    Posted

    Hi, i see Charlotte must have had her operation at Preston Royal if Donalson-Hugh did the procedure, i've had 2 surgeries there myself. Hey Robert, this is your thread buddy, you sound like a helluva brave guy. Remember, surgery is a very last resort as a discectomy is usually a first step to fusion-(they never heal, usually re-herniating at a later date) but if you need it brother then get stuck into your consultant, fast. You've had one fusion, so you know what's coming, my best thoughts go out to you Robert, please let us all know how you get on, good luck.
  • joe52881
    joe52881 robert65776

    Posted

    Hi, Charlotte, must have been private then, she does all her NHS work at Preston. Highly regarded though as some of the others are
    • charlotte42196
      charlotte42196 joe52881

      Posted

      I was through NHS although she asked if she could take me to blackpool, the care was so much better than Preston. It honestly cannot compare in anyway. 
    • joe52881
      joe52881 charlotte42196

      Posted

      I hope you make a complete and wonderful recovery Charlotte. For what it's worth, i've had 2 major surgeries and recieved wonderful care, pre and post-op on both occasions, totalling about 3 weeks. Take care and good luck for the future.
  • robert65776
    robert65776

    Posted

    Ok saw a doctor tha knew wha he was talking about, they wont shave the disc as its not pressing on the nerves that control bladder etc, i'll heal slower as i had IDENT in the l4/5 disc (where prolapse is other doctor told me was in sacreal area) no one hd told me that i have bad arthritis in my spine as well. Prognosis keep on nothing they can do. 

    Feeling really down as im 36 have two kids under 6, cant lift, worried about my job, worried about the stress and worry that my wife is now under.

     

    • joe52881
      joe52881 robert65776

      Posted

      Hi Robert, i know you're down buddy but not out. Disc pain will improve over time, as for arthiritis i'm not sure about that one. What i do know is that it's best to try to keep active and mobile even on the days when life sucks and you don't feel like it. I'm sure your wife married you for better or for worse, so tell her how you feel about everything. I's easy for someone else to tell you to stay positive so i'm not gonna do that, life is like a marathon though, the race is long, i really hope you get some peace from your pain Robert, i wish you all the very best.

       

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