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Herniated Disc Repair

 
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Anonymous
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 3:25 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Herniated Disc Repair Reply with quote

Doc-

I recently (3 weeks ago) had surgery/herniated disc repair to my L4 L5. I had the new latest and greatest minimally invasive technique that allows persons having this procedure to recover faster. I was back at work in 4 days and given great drugs to manage the pain. That's the great news.

The not so great news was - I was advised not to run or bike (or anything high impact) for at least 60 days. I was also advised to limit bending, stooping, twisting and sitting for periods longer than 30 minutes at a time.

I travel quite a bit and spend long hours at my desk so I have begun to discipline myself on making it a priority to stand frequently when sitting.

I have not fully recovered, but there was significant decrease in pain from the alleviation of the nerve being pushed by the herniation. I still have "hot nerve" moments that send a severe pain down the length of my leg and foot. Recently, having to spend a great deal of time on a proposal, I worked many hours in succession and really paid for it the next few days. I had to limit my work hours and the pain originally felt prior to the surgery, came back for a short period of time.

I know you have had many questions regarding this and as I recall your suggestion for an alternative to riders with back problems has been the recumbent. I am considering finding one for an interim solution but want to know how soon would you recommend being able to ride after this type of procedure? Would it be the same length of time recommended by the neurosurgeon or would it be feasible to begin sooner due to the bike set up?

Also, my schedule is pretty tight and to carve out time for PT is limited. Are there exercise instructions (ie., website, other) that you know of that deal with back strengthening? that can be done at home?

I do not want to create a recurrence of this event, as it progressed over a period of about a year ending up with the surgery.

I understand the risk of re-herniation and possibly long term nerve damage - so believe me I want to approach this by gathering as much information as I can to make an appropriate decision.

Can you offer some advice on the presenting problem?

Best regards-

Lea
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The Bike Doc
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Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas

PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2005 11:11 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lea:

The three big risks to your back while biking: one is the bent over position that the body has to assume with traditional bikes; two the impact of pot holds and road/trail irregularities being transmitted into your back; three having a wreck and injuring your susceptible back. A recumbent aleviates number one and markedly reduces number two, a recumbent trike can help reduce but not eliminate number three. A recumbent trainer will eliminate numbers one, two and three. Talk with your neurosurgeon about when he or she would give a recommendation for starting a recumbent trainer and then a recumbent bike or trike. Also visit with your surgeon and PT regarding exercises you can do safely on your own within the time constraints you are limited by. There are home exercise programs that can be done but it is best for your surgeon who knows the limitations of the surgery and the time frame of the healing process who should make those recommendations.

Thanks,
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 11:30 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks Doc.

Im headed back for another MRI this week- I might have tried to come back to soon since I am experiencing a lot of nerve pain again - that or a fragment of the disc might have broken off. We shall see.

After speaking further with my Dr, I will have to stay off anything for now and it was also advised to baby this thing for now - especially with what I could end up risking.

I also spoke with my PT and we will just have to wait until the results of the MRI.

Amazing how so much of the body depends on the health of the spine.
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PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 8:28 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Neurontin Reply with quote

Doc-

My neurosurgeon wants me to try Neurontin for a week to see if the sciatica pain will subside/go away. I am to take 900 mg a day for 5 days. If that doesn't help with the pain I've had since having the surgery - then he wants to do the surgery again - next week. My MRI did show a slight bulge since the last surgery - and I am having muscle spasms now in my upper hip and leg that are short in length but continue for hours.

I did some research on the medication and I am wondering if a week would be long enough for it to show any success. I am really crossing my fingers that it works and I don't want to have to redo the surgery if at all possible. I just don't like the side effects though of the medication and this is on top of vicodin and methacarbomal.

Any thoughts? Question

Thanks - Lea
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The Bike Doc
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PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2005 5:59 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lea:

You are on the higher end of the dosage so hopefully you will see some benefit more quickly than the often tried method of starting with the lower dose and gradually working up. It may take more than 5 days to see a response so visit with your neruosurgeon about this.

Thanks,
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PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2005 8:31 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: 2nd Surgery Scheduled Reply with quote

Hey Doc-

I got a little bit overzealous and worked out with weights over the weekend. I had already visited with my neurosurgeon who suggested a second surgery. I wanted to see for sure if this was something that just couldnt be postponed and recovery be done by "just laying low".

Well, I was only using 8# weights and after resting overnight began to experience severe sciatica on the right side down to my foot again.

After the neurosurgeon reviewed the MRI w/contrast - it was agreed that there was significant protrusion again in the L4 L5 to warrant a second discectomy. I am having it on Thursday.

Any suggestions on PT involving outside activity? I like to ride/run trail and only slightly enjoy paved trails.

Do you think the 2 week turn-around time will be sufficient given the prior surgery.

I do listen to my neurosurgeon, but being in the medical field myself, I prefer to get a "well-rounded" opinion.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Lea : Sad
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The Bike Doc
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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2005 4:37 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

LeaG:

Give yourself time. Two weeks to recover from surgery is way to optimistic. You do not want to set your self way back. 6-8 weeeks is more realistic. Remember you have a life time ahead of you, don't push it too soon and regret it the rest of your life. Talk with your neurosurgeon.

Thanks,
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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2005 10:41 am GMT +0000    Post subject: it seems a bit long..... Reply with quote

but I was told since I had another fragment occurence that I should at least give it 90 days before beginning anything else.

2 weeks of just walking and lying down with limited sitting of 10-15 minutes at a time.

I was told that any strenuous sport that required a lot of twisting motion or high impact should not be resumed until after a 2-3 month lay off - so I will stick with walking, water therapy and limited weights.

I guess because this was a minimally invasive lumbar laminectomy, it is very deceiving regarding full recovery. Since I am a repeater of this surgery - I am going to listen this time. I understand that just because I feel a zillion times better - doesn't necessarily mean that I have completely healed. I am definitely going to give it some time - this time.
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mike
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:15 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

LeaG:

Have you considered the artificial disk?
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 10:00 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike-

From what I understand from speaking with my neurosurgeon - ADR is not for people who suffer from leg pain - which most of mine is and it is not chronic. Mine was a result from an injury that I just kept thinking would get better then eventually had surgery for it and then a re-injury from trying to come back to fast after the surgery.

There was no fusion of the discs involved and I think this this is what artificial disc replacement is actually an alternative for. Maybe Doc can elaborate on that.

Hopefully, the surgery I just had will turn this around and so far I am not experiencing the intense nerve pain shooting down my leg to my foot like I was and the back pain is almost gone.

I was just expecting a much more rapid recovery time to get back into riding and running instead of the 2-3 months advised.
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 1:08 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: BookBoy Reply with quote

I know this is a bit late, but as much as it sucks to cut out most of the activities you did before, 60-90 days is a minute part of the big picture. I had the same injury/backpain issues as you described, however surgery was avoided w/ a set of sucessful steroid injections.

I weighed the advice of my doctor, did some reading and thinking and decided to take four months off the bike didn't pick anything up, pretty much avoided everything that could put strain on my back. I believe that practice of patience paid off. I started back to riding two years ago and I feel like I've come back w/ more enthusiasm for the bike and I have very rare instances of pain.

Hang in there and best of luck.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 8:28 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Patience Reply with quote

Yeah, I hear ya BookBoy.

The first time I injured my back (June of 04) I laid off completely also. You almost have to because of the pain right?) I tried several times over the next 6-8 mths to make a moderate comback. I was feeling fine until I picked up a 60# box. The day afterwards, WHAMMO, could barely move and I was unable to even sit for more than 5 minutes without severe pain.

The two separate MRI's I had June 04 vs the Feb 05 showed a huge difference in the level of severity the protrusion from the disc into the nerve.

I tried the cortison injections also - twice with both injuries. During the second round the second time - the anesthesiologist hit the nerve and they had to hold me down on the table to finish the injection and I had never screamed and cried at the same time before. I had also never experienced that much pain in my life (and yeah, I have experienced childbirth and that wasn't as bad). Needless to say, I was a quick to turn to this much talked about surgery that has about a 95% success rate.

I am trying to be as patient as is possible for me. I am only doing very brisk walking on trail for an hour to an hour and a quarter. I haven't attempted to get back on a bike at all, but I am sure learning all the great lines of the nearest trail I used to ride.

It's definitely hard. Especially when you see bikers and runners going by every so often. I'm definitely not walking slow, but neither am I tempted to start jogging. I feel a slight twinge and a lower level of pain at times now, (nothing like the searing hot nerve pain that shot threw down to my right foot) but nothing that IBProfen cant take care of.

It's really hard to be a slug for me - but I do understand the risk I would take to make and try too much too soon. Been there, done that -surgery #2.

I am trying to listen to my body as best as I can - and when it says - "I don't think so" - then I have to say - "It won't be today".

Thanks for your comment on this. Ya know, since having this - I have met a ton of people who have had the same procedure. Most are back to significant activity - even running marathons - so I feel very optimistic about a comeback. It might not be at the level I once was, but I certainly will appreciate the ability to even do it. Ten years ago, it would have meant hanging it up for good. Shocked

I'm in the healthcare industry (sales - demand and disease management) It amazes me that the #6 on the list is low back pain. The other top five are Congestive Heart Failure, Asthma, Diabetes, Coronary Artery Disease, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

I also learned this week that my sister has Hodkins Lymphoma and has been admitted to MD Anderson for some agressive treatment - so I can honestly say - I have nothing to whine about.

Best-

Lea
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Racer-ette
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 8:56 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lea-

I'm coming in on this late, but my husband had a disc removed (I think it was L5-S1) Dec of '99. He stayed away from the bike for 6 months, walked alot, didn't lift, listened to his body when doing PT and still does his stretching on a daily basis.

After the 6 month lay off he started riding easy on the mtb in an upright position (riser bars & angled stem), slowly working his way into a more agressive position. He started racing again in the 2000 Fall series. He does better when he rides his bike, when work & life demands take him away from the bike his back will start aching. He is more conscientious of lifting and moving heavy items.

There can be a future of riding/racing after the back surgery, but you have to give yourself time to heal and change the way some things had been done in the past.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:08 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, for the info Kathy- I didn't know Alan had the same surgery, but it is apparent he made a great recovery. I hope I can emulate his patience.

Did he experience swelling or sciatic pain at first after the 6th month rest? I am experiencing this a little now since walking approximately 3 miles a day. It just seems sitting aggravates it a lot. I bought a ergo wedge to help with the time at the computer all day.
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