Microdiscectomy... My Story

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icb please make sure and let us know what you find out at the doctor today. I know how discouraged you must be with such a recent surgery and having problems already. Maybe the doctor will give you some encouraging worRAB.

Prayers and hugs your way.

Linda:angel:
 
Just back fom the surgeon..... I have the to have the same procedure again next Thursday! He said is was very unusual but the same disc blew out again. Just my luck. The pain is not as bad as it was before, so maybe this one will work. Thanks for all of the support.

Cindy
 
I had the same procedure twice myself. Four days after my first surgery, the discs re-herinated. The doctor stated that this could happen. Also, both surgeries were failed, and I ended having a back fusion, which has also failed. I suffer every day from chronic back pain and nerve pain in my right leg. I suggest to go to the best neurosurgeons and get opinions. I had no choice, the military doctors did my surgeries and now I am able to see civilian doctors and there is not a lot they can do because all the damage is done from their piece of work. Good luck to you.
 
I recently ( Six weeks ago ) had a microdiscectomy L5-S1. I felt fine, and even walked out of the hospital. I thought I was in heaven, no more back pain. About 3 weeks later I began to have the same symptoms as before.
I just had another MRI with and without contrast and the results are as follows.
L3-L4: Disc desiccation with arthopathy. No significiant stenosis.
L4-L5: Broad based disc buldge with disc desiccation and facet arthropathy. Mild narrowing of central canal.
L5-S1: Right laminotomy. Recurrent disc extrusion on right with evidence of inferior extension and free fragment formation which measures 10mm. This produces mass effect on the right S1 and S2 nerve roots. There is mild effacement of the anterior thecal sac. Mild asymmetric central stenosis. No foraminal stenosis. I have a very good neuro surgeon, and he said that this very rarely happens... just my luck. I have the report, but have not had the follow up appointment yet.
What does all of this mean? Do I have to start from square one again? HELP!
 
When your doctor told you "this rarely happens...just my luck", was he indicating to you that these changes have happened since your surgery? How does this report differ from the one prior to surgery? I am curious because it appears that much of the problems mentioned are things that take awhile to develop.

The following is an art major's explanation!!!

Disc dessication is when the disc atropies and loses height. This happens eventually to all of us as we age. You have this at L3-4, but you do not have significant narrowing.

At L4-5 there is more disc dessication in addition to a bulge in the disc and also facet arthritis...there may be some little bony growths on the facet joint. These two conditions are causing the space in the central canal to narrow.

L5-S1 notes are what I don't really understand. There is stuff coming out of the disc and either it has formed into fragments, or there are other fragments (maybe pieces of bony growth or something) which measures 10 mm -- this is hanging into the central canal, causing pressure on the S1 and S2 nerve roots.

Do you have any pain traveling down your leg, into your foot, or pain on the bottom of your foot?

Hope my layman's explanation makes some sense to you!! I do not know how the doctor would want to proceed....
 
I had the second surgery on Thursday, but I am still having pain down my leg. My doc is on vacation, but I will be calling the office in the morning.
 
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles OP. Hope your doc is able to get this corrected soon.

What exactly is done in a microdiscectomy? Is that the same thing as a percutaneous disk decompression?
 
lcb5011:
I am so sorry you are going through this again. I had my first discetomy (L5-S1) when I was 19 weeks pregnant with my daughter. Five hours after the surgery I walked out of the hospital pain free and was told i had less than a 5% chance of it ever herniating again. I went on to give birth to a healthy baby girl. Soon after she was born I began having pain again. It continued to get worse and worse. My disc ruptured again very badly and I had my second surgery on (L5-S1) almost 1.5 yrs. Howver, the pain came back about 6 weeks post-op this time. They are now telling me I have nerve damage from all this.

I am sorry I am not much help. Even though my same disc herniated a second time, it wasn't until about a year after my surgery. (it had started buldging soon after though).

REMOVED
 
Thanks for the feed back... I would have not complained if the first surgery had at least lasted a year or so, but 3 weeks into recovery the pain came back! I don't know if a second procedure will be required this soon, although I can't imagine how to eliminate the pain without it. I have another appointment today to review the most recent MRI... cross your fingers!
 
I'm sorry you're still having pain after the second surgery. I know for me the nerve related pain seemed to clear up immediately, but I also know we are all different. And your nerves may still be sensitive (especially from having two surgeries so close together). Just keep communicating with you Doctor.

You're in my thoughts.

~ Fiona :angel:
 
cindy please becareful because everyone i talked to got worst from more back surgerys and i should know i am one of the failed back surgerys so be careful
 
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