I had back surgery yesterday

[shaftbass]

Well as some of you knew, I had back surgery yesterday the 27th.

Basically, I had a huge herniated disc in my lower back that was pressing against my right sciatic nerve which runs from your spine down to your toes. It was causing moderate to severe pain all the way down the back of my leg, from the top of my butt to my toes. It had been going on since November.

After physical therapy and a series of epidural injections (which helped, but only for a short period of time), the pain returned and my doctor and I decided surgery was the best option. I was very confident in him, and that confidence was justified because I had surgery yesterday, and I have no leg pain at all now. The procedure was a microdiscectomy which trims off the protruding disc piece. The incision is only about 1" long. I felt very good about him from the first visit on..

My back hurts at the injection site which is to be expected, but I feel good enough to go to a cookout at my friend's house right down the road tonight. I can't drive of course since I can't twist my body, and the pain killers I am on prevent my from driving, too.

Anyways, I'm doing a ton better. Surgery is weird.. give you an injection, the next thing you know you are waking up in recovery. Everything went fine yesterday, and I am feeling good today.

Thanks for all the well wishes. I want to get back out to the range soon.

[Guest Hyaloid]

Best wishes for a quick recovery!

[Guest db99wj]

Wow, great to here that it went well. Good luck on the recovery!

[TGO David]

Wow, Chris. I'm really glad the surgery went well for you. I know all too well the pain of an impinged nerve in your back. Mine acts up every so often and it just burns right down my left leg. I admire the courage it took to go through with the operation.

Congrats on going through with it and here's to a quick recovery. I'm sure you'll be 100% before you even know it!

[Guest Len]

Great news Reef. I too suffer back pain as you describe and have so far been able to get away with chiropractic treatment. Kudos to you and your doc!

[Guest DeeZee]

That's pretty awesome man.....Everyone Ive ever met that has had back surgery was miserable for weeks/months after it was over.....a few never really recovered from it. If I ever need my back torqued I need to look up your Doc!

[Marswolf]

Sounds like a great report!

Just do what you are supposed to do.

[Guest RN MEDIC]

Private mail sent relative to medical matters. Hope all is well.

RN

[Guest 10secL]

Good luck on a speedy recovery Chris

[Guest GlocKingTN]

Hope everything comes out ok! It already sounds like your on a good route to recovery!

[shaftbass]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

[Guest Phantom6]

Good luck dude! I've got chronic back pain and sciatica as Tungsten describes due to a fall involving a damaged grill over a floor furnace so I know something of what you suffer.

[shaftbass]

Just some added info, it was the L5/S1 nerve root.

Here's a picture from the MRI. The disc is freakin HUGE. www.lxcoupe.com/images/mri.jpg

As an added bonus, a guy at work who had back surgery a year ago swore up and down that I wouldn't be able to go to a cookout today, so much that he bet me $5. Well, I'm $5 richer

[Branket]

Dang! That disc is massive.

I got a back injury from playing hockey to where I couldn't stand up straight for a week and it still flares up from time to time...maybe I should get that checked out.

[2000silverz28]

I know exactly what you are going through. I had surgery right before I turned 18 for two ruptured discs and one that was partially ruptured. I got to the point where it hurt so bad I was in tears. It's been ten years since my surgery and I still have alittle pain if I move the wrong way or pick up something wrong. It's alot better than what I was going through though. I had the same problem as you with the pain shooting down my leg. It is something I don't ever want to have again. My doctor said I could possibly have problems again by the time I'm 50.

On mine he said he completely removed the inside of the disc and only left the tough outer part. I don't know the actual name for it but it seems to have done the trick. He also said I have a narrow spinal canal and thats why I had problems so young.

I hope you recover fast. Just do what the doc tells you to do and everything should be fine.

[towerclimber37]

I admire the courage it took to go through with the operation.

Congrats on going through with it and here's to a quick recovery. I'm sure you'll be 100% before you even know it!

Ditto!!

Hope you feel better today than you did yesterday.

[Guest Len]

Hey Reef!

If you keep up the speedy recovery, you're gonna have to join us at the TGO class on the 26th!!

Man, that MRI made me wince in pain just from looking at it. Keep up the speedy recovery and follow the doc's orders.

Best wishes.

[saintsfanbrian]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery - Now get back to work.

[Guest RN MEDIC]

Yep, from the look of the herniation on that MRI, you couldn't get by without surgery. Our neurosurgeons where I work in intensive care teach the nurses a lot.

More private information to you in answer to your previous private note.

All Good Wishes, RN

[Sean]

Wow, good to hear your doing well.

I have to go to the Chiropractor once a week. I had numbness in my right hand alot (due to a nerve being stretched from mis-alignment of my c5 and c7) and my back after a few hours of work would be burning and very tight. I love going to teh Dr. to get a adjusted, plus its a female Doc, shes kinda hot.

[shaftbass]

Thanks all.

RN I will respond to you tomorrow, just read it but am a bit drugged and tired.

[Guest utarch00]

Chris

WTF. I did not even know you had back problems.

Hope you are doing well and hurry back to work.

Chris

[shaftbass]

Thanks Chris. Yea, I didn't tell too many people. I only want pity on the internet, not real life Just kidding..

Anyways, hopefully I'll be back sometime next week.

In the meantime, I'll be thinking about all of y'all at work while I'm chillin in the recliner

[Guest utarch00]

Yea. You suck.

[Guest Voodoo_1]

Looks like with that good sense of humor you've got, that you are well on your way to a speedy recovery. Enjoy chillin in that recliner. Best wishes!