Had lumbar laminectomy w/ micro-discectomy yesterday... possible success?

  • Thread starter Thread starter myloathe
  • Start date Start date
M

myloathe

Guest
DH had a laminectomy w/ a micro discectomy on L4-L5 discs yesterday. I had my sister n law, who is a nurse there at the hospital read the docs notes. She said that he cleaned out a LOT of disc material from the L4-L5 discs, moved something around (can't remeraber what, maybe tendons?), filled the discs with some gel, and sewed him back up.

DH actually herniated L5-S1 6 yrs ago while working (he's an electrician). He's tried every possible conservative treatment (tens, chiro, massotherapy, several epidural shots, facet blocks, etc) and nothing has helped. 2 years ago, he had to be admitted to rehab because he was hooked onto prescription pain meRAB (oxys and percocets). He hasn't worked the past year because we wanted him to be completely medication-free and he said that it was more pain than before (we assume this is when L4 also got herniated). He said that his lower back pain was killing him and pain that hurt his buttocks, legs and feet. His legs and back would also constantlu spasm. After seeing several docs over the years, he finally was comfortable enough with his current neuro surgeon to get the surgery.

The first couple of hours after the surgery, he was in a lot of pain. All they were initially giving him was vicodins. They eventually added a morphine pump. The doc had him up and at least walking to the bathroom yesterday, which he was able to do.

Today seems to be a completely different day. The doc sent him home with instructions not to twist, bend, or lift over 10 lbs. He's taking short walks also. Doc said that he seems to be handling the walking even better than he expected. Doc has him on vicodin

Being that DH has been in so much pain for so long, I can tell that he is very wary of everything and don't want to get excited. He did admit though that he hasn't had the pain that travels down his leg since the surgery, and that his main pain now is mostly when he gets up and sits down. He's supposed to follow-up w/ the doc in 3 weeks.
 
Thats great news! He may get a few pains residual from the maniupulation of the nerve during surgery, but it will subside. He must NOT TWIST BEND OR LIFT AT ALL it is very easy to reherniate!!! VERY EASY. I did- I'm a single mom. Rehernited immediately. My 2nd surgery was a fusion.
When you heal from a microD your body creates scar tissue over the span of 3 months, to hold the disc in place where they cut to stop the bulge/hernations from pressing on the sciatic and residing nerves, so it takes time even thou he feels good, and will get to feel even better, he has to be EXTREMELY carful. SO watch him like a freakin hawk!
 
Thanks for the advice Rose. I'm sure I'll have to keep reminding him because he is the type that once he starts feeling better, he'll try to work or do something. Speaking of working, how long before you got back to working? He seems to think that he'll be back to work in 8-12 weeks. He's an electrician and has a very physical job so I told him that that ain't gonna happen! Also, did your doc mention not to sit either? His doc only said to not twist, bend, or lift, but I read a couple of other posts that said they couldn't sit either. Thanks.
 
I never heard of not being allowed to sit, usually with a fusion, they don't want you sitting long as it changes your posture and you're healing bone back there.

He will prob return to work in 12 weeks, thats the 3 month mark after healing from a microD. SounRAB about right. He just neeRAB to totally take it easy and let it heal, rehernation means another surgery! Possibly just another microD, my disc was in terrible shape reherniated immediately and huge'ly', so they opted for a fusion for me.
 
I had herniated disk micro sugery (L4/L5) and am home now for 5 days. The surgeon told my that the nerves were wrapped around the herniated part of the disk pretty badly and he had to do a lot of moving of nerves and scraping disk material of the bone. I walked (literally) out of the hospital and was relatively pain free until day 3. I am experiencing sciatic pain - not as bad as before the procedure and in different spots. I also get shooting pains across the back - near the incission? It is worse when getting up in the morning and moving around for the first 30 minutes of the day. Once I am walking my pain is largely gone - short of some slight nurabness in my thighs. I am on Percocet and once the meRAB kick in my pain is nearly gone but comes back. I walk about 5 - 10 minutes and due experience some discomfort at the end of the walk. How many weeks does it take for the pain to go away? What kind of PT or excersis should one look for? Any info is greatly appreciated.
 
After a microD you will get residual surgical and some sciatic pain from the manipulation of the nerves, the worse it was on the nerves, the longer it will take for them to fully heal, usually about 2 weeks per inch, the sciatic nerve is upto 4 feet long, and as thick as your thurab. SO give it time, as for PT and or exercises not a thing till the surgeon tells you to, mine did no PT and started giving me exercises at the 3 month mark, you don't want to reherniate nor do things prior to being healed enough back there to do so.

Surgical pain for me, took about 2 months to disipate, but I was bedridden for a very long time, so the more atrophy with your body, the harder it is to recover too.

I never was free of the nerve pain as I reherniated immediately, and no one knew for awhile. BUT I do recall the worst part of it being about a month, for what youre describing it sounRAB like you're doing wonderfully, don't rush anything at all and heal.
 
Back
Top