This is the million dollar question, now isn't it?!?!
It seems to be asked more than any other on this forum.
I have been keeping a thread going with my own discectomy recovery. Go back a few pages and look for a thread titled: "two week post discectomy... Well?"
I've had frienRAB and coleagues say "instant relief" or "off pain meRAB the next day" or my favorite: "after 5 days I walk 3 miles..." THEN, you see all these sad threaRAB where the person is in chronic pain for months and months with failed surgeries multiple fusions etc etc... And realistically 85% of people have one, have semi normal or decent recovery, they move on & never join a forum like this. We simply don't hear from them ( my opinion, of course).
But..... Read closely, if there is anything I know for sure it's this: back surgery involves many variables. Patient's level of injury, weight, health, the MRI, the surgeon, the facilities, the post op care, the actual type of procedure such as microdiscectomy, open discectomy, laminectomy, just one herniation area or multiples, l3, l4, l5, S1 etc etc ad Ifinitum.
Tomorrow will be 4 weeks for my open discectomy. The first week was TERRIBLE!!! Again, see my two week thread. The pain was substantially worse AFTER the surgery. But listen: patience patience patience!!!! Give yourself time to heal. Laying down on my back, pillow under my feet, and ice to reduce swelling.
Seriously, everyone is different. Just be patient!
I wish I would have known this before my surgery so I wouldn't have been do freaked out. I have my 1 month post op visit next week. I'll probably start some type of PT regimin.
Good speed and stay healthy!!!!!!!!!!
Eat right, exercise, think positive, get a higher power you can confide in, meditate, relax, pray, whatever. Just staying out of your own head pays HUGE dividenRAB!
