micro-discectomy post op concerns. HELP

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craig wallach

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Hello everyone. I'm new here. This is kind of long winded, so bare with me. I had a microdiscectomy exactly 6 weeks ago. All seemed to be going well for the first 5 weeks post-op(no back pain,minor occasional sciatica but nothing that concerned me). About a week ago I leaned ever so slightly to the side, and my back felt like it went out on me. I know the feeling as it's happened to me in the past. Immediately, fear set in. I worry I ruptured the disc again @L4-L5. The following 2 days I took it VERY easy. My back wasn't in bad pain, but I did have a constant low grade ache across the small of my back from right to left. My back is now much better, but on my daily walks I've been noticing sciatic pain in my left buttock again. It's not as severe as pre-op, and it's actually in a slightly different place. I've also been having an off&on sensation of heat and itchiness in the affected area(s). I'm going to get a post op mri done ASAP (even if I have to pay for it). I guess I'm looking for input and advice on my situation. My PT says this is to be expected so soon after surgery, but I still worry. I'll feel better once I see the MRI results. Hopefully they'll show that the disc hasn't re-ruptured, and I can have peace of mind. Any feedback would be hugely appreciated. Should I be so worried??
 
I know that alot of post surgical pain sits right in the hips and but so I really think that your pains when you go walking etc are just resuidual surgical pains, it takes awhile to go away ( about 3 months for me). I DID reherniate- immediately after surgery. BELIEVE ME THERE'S A DIFFERENCE FROM WHAT YOU ARE FEELING AND WHAT I DID!

I had horrid severe stabbing pains electric shock down to my foot, severe pains like a wisrabroadone from my back down both legs and backs of both legs and so on.
My limp was worse than prior to surgery, and continued for 3 months til they re MRI'd me due to my not getting better, and found that I had a huge reherniation- at which I had been telling them there was a problem since I could not lift my leg, roll, and was re-admitted 2 hrs after discharge with the inability to urinate.

The best thing for you is to keep walking as that will deter scar tissue, I had to have a 2nd surgery, at which I was just fused 10 days ago and I am feeling alot better even though I am still suffering resudual nerve pains.

I really think you just aggervated it by doing what you did, and given some more time, maybe a week or 2 that pain that you have will dissapate too. Did you dr give you small exercises to do at home? Mine did, to help get scar tissue away etc, and keep the nerve free, I'd post them but since your still so close since your surgery (6 weeks is nothing truly when it comes to healing) I don't want you doing anything you're not supposedto be doing but truly I don't think by the sound of it you reherniated. I was in complete agony, just as bad if not worse than when I initially ruptured 2 discs largely at once, (that was AGONY in itself). Take care and relax, I think it's just still post surgical pains.

I had a 2 disc micro-d, and only one of the 2 had reherniated, the other is just great and lasted well through this fusion as well, I am only post op 5 months from my micro D and was just fused at L4-5, the other disc that was fixed with the microD but is still intact and fine was the 3-4.
 
Thanks for the input rosespetal. I do hope it's nothing major. I know what you mean by the severe pain of disc herniation. I remeraber. I guess I'm wondering if it was only a small herniation I experienced, or if it bulged out on me, or if it was in fact just muscle strain. My back was in a pain again last night, along with sciatic pain down my left leg. both lasted for several hours. That's the longest my sciatic pain has bothered me since surgery. To be honest, I probably won't relax until after an MRI. Thanks again.
 
Hi Craig,

I am having similar problem. I am 8 weeks post op and have not yet started my physio therapy. The doc said I should not start for 6 weeks since I had a large disc fragment bigger than he had ever seen before. I had a double micro discectomy in my L4/L5 and L5/S1 and prior to the surgery was suffering from a serious foot drop in my left leg.

Just last night I was in the bedroom and tweaked out my back. I stopped what I was doing and now this morning I have leg pain again, near my ankle and also up high right under my knee (towarRAB the outside). As the day is progressing it has be coming and going.

I see that your post is from last year. What were your findings? Was it a re-herniation or had you simply overworked it a bit and caused the nerve to react a bit? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

If anyone else has had similar problems with a post op (4+ weeks) back tweak or sudden movement, and then some back pain and leg pain the next day, please let me know your experiences.

Thanks for any input!

Ian
 
Hi Ian,

I'm at 6 weeks following a laminectomy, facetectomy and foraminotomy. I had a large
disc herniation in the L4. I'm still having back pain in that area which can make me feel nauseated at times. I'm also not starting PT either since the doctor said it would be too soon. The doctor told me the best thing is walking and wading in the pool.
I did go into a jacuzzi last Sunday and also waded in the pool. I felt great that night and pain was fading. As the week went on, I feel the pain alot as of today.
I think I'm gonna try the hot tub/pool again to help it.

I was told it will take a good 3-4 months to heal and it will be all uphill trek from here.
I'm hoping it will get better in time too. : )
 
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