Double Discectomy - Anybody had the op before
Discussion
Well after 5 years of putting up with back pain (last 6 months absolutely unbearable) the wife has finally decided to have surgery.
We are lucky in that the wife has private medical care through her employer and they have covered physio and root block injections but there simply not working any more.
Surgery should be in the next 2-3 weeks. I’m obviously going to be her carer after the op and she’s been told 6 weeks recovery.
Anybody on here had a double discectomy before. How did you find it. What was the pain like afterwards. Was it successful. Wife is as you would expect when they start talking about paralysis / death / worst case quite nervous.
Any advice from anyone that’s cared for someone who’s had the op. I know she is impatient and won’t want to rest. Unfortunately I’m going to have to put the foot down and rein her in.
Disks L4 and L5 if that matters to anyone.
We are lucky in that the wife has private medical care through her employer and they have covered physio and root block injections but there simply not working any more.
Surgery should be in the next 2-3 weeks. I’m obviously going to be her carer after the op and she’s been told 6 weeks recovery.
Anybody on here had a double discectomy before. How did you find it. What was the pain like afterwards. Was it successful. Wife is as you would expect when they start talking about paralysis / death / worst case quite nervous.
Any advice from anyone that’s cared for someone who’s had the op. I know she is impatient and won’t want to rest. Unfortunately I’m going to have to put the foot down and rein her in.
Disks L4 and L5 if that matters to anyone.
Massive thank you guys for getting back to me so quick.
I know the chances of anything going really really wrong are minuscule but I must admit to having a bit of a moment and needing to take a deep breath listening to the dr talking about paralysis and death. The sensible side in me says it’s l1:10,000.
Anyway she can’t carry on as she is as she has no quality of life being in agony every day drugged up to her eyeballs on prograblin, oramorph, diclafenic, neproxin, tramadol, diasapan, co-codimol and whatever else she has been taking over the past 6 months.
I know the chances of anything going really really wrong are minuscule but I must admit to having a bit of a moment and needing to take a deep breath listening to the dr talking about paralysis and death. The sensible side in me says it’s l1:10,000.
Anyway she can’t carry on as she is as she has no quality of life being in agony every day drugged up to her eyeballs on prograblin, oramorph, diclafenic, neproxin, tramadol, diasapan, co-codimol and whatever else she has been taking over the past 6 months.
bonerp said:
Have you asked about prosthetic discs? I had a disc out in 2001 and occasionally it hurts especially after lifting heavy stuff or jumping or running.
A mate had a disc replaced and is fine. No issues, can run etc.
I'd avoid spinal fusion. Another friend has lots of issues.
Good luck.
The wife saw the consultant last week, she’s booked in to have the Op on the 13th of the month. I think we’re both quite nervous about it. He’s confirmed yet again that there is to be no fuse of the discs just the trimming of two and then adjustment of a ligament, to help free it up.A mate had a disc replaced and is fine. No issues, can run etc.
I'd avoid spinal fusion. Another friend has lots of issues.
Good luck.
Just awaiting game now.
Thanks for the advice, we have an XC 60 that is really quite soft on air suspension so that will be the mode of getting her home. Don’t think a 911 is a good option really for the journey home.
Fingers crossed now it’s all goes well, and she’s paying free afterwards. thanks for all the advice.
Well wife did the pre-op yesterday, just had a phone call, op cancelled, they have discovered something wrong on the ecg and won’t operate until a cardiologist gives the ok.
To say she is gutted is beyond words, Inothing I can do or say to console her. She now has potentially months and months of excruciating pain whilst waiting for a cardiologist to take a look.
I’m a bit pissed off, why not do an ecg once it was decided she needed surgery, why wait until 3 days before the op. This could have been picked up ages ago and the wait reduced.
FFS
To say she is gutted is beyond words, Inothing I can do or say to console her. She now has potentially months and months of excruciating pain whilst waiting for a cardiologist to take a look.
I’m a bit pissed off, why not do an ecg once it was decided she needed surgery, why wait until 3 days before the op. This could have been picked up ages ago and the wait reduced.
FFS
GeneralBanter said:
MB140 said:
Well wife did the pre-op yesterday, just had a phone call, op cancelled, they have discovered something wrong on the ecg and won’t operate until a cardiologist gives the ok.
To say she is gutted is beyond words, Inothing I can do or say to console her. She now has potentially months and months of excruciating pain whilst waiting for a cardiologist to take a look.
I’m a bit pissed off, why not do an ecg once it was decided she needed surgery, why wait until 3 days before the op. This could have been picked up ages ago and the wait reduced.
FFS
Speak to the hospital PALS they may well be able to help here.To say she is gutted is beyond words, Inothing I can do or say to console her. She now has potentially months and months of excruciating pain whilst waiting for a cardiologist to take a look.
I’m a bit pissed off, why not do an ecg once it was decided she needed surgery, why wait until 3 days before the op. This could have been picked up ages ago and the wait reduced.
FFS
I’m assuming the cardiologist can be done private but that has to be done via the insurance company, not open this late on a Friday.
I realise having private health cover we have no right to complain,we are very lucky, we are being seen much faster than NHS patients. But when you see the person you love the most sobbing in pain most days it’s souls destroying for her and difficult for me and our family. Her step dad is waiting for the same op and has been told it could be 12-18 months. He’s practically bed bound.
Sorry this comes over as a bit of a rant. It could be much worse.
JerseyRoyal said:
It might not have been there months ago.
It sucks for your wife but better all round to wait until you have the answers.
Weirdly she had her Garmin watch replaced by Garmin after it started plying up. (Impossible heart rates whilst doing no activity)In feb, the new one also said the same. She just put it down to software. Clearly not after today’s revelations. It sucks for your wife but better all round to wait until you have the answers.
We both acknowledge that it’s better that they found it now before surgery and cancelling the op was the right thing to do.
I’d also like to say a huge thank you all for being so understanding. It’s nice to have a thread where it doesn’t descend in to arguments and being my fault as the op. You have all restored my faith in the PH community.
Now I’m off to read the remainder of the thread about a PH’r that has adopted another ph’r dog when it was going to have to be put in a shelter and possibly put down.
The dog now lives out in the countryside having the time of its life. It’s restored my faith in this forum as well
Now I’m off to read the remainder of the thread about a PH’r that has adopted another ph’r dog when it was going to have to be put in a shelter and possibly put down.
The dog now lives out in the countryside having the time of its life. It’s restored my faith in this forum as well
Okay anybody got any advise on this one.
We were supposed to be going to Le Mans middle of June, obviously without surgery there is no way in hell she could go and even with it being as touch and go.
We have contacted our travel insurance company (post office), they require a form filling out explaining why she can’t travel.
This HAS to be filled in by her GP. Now of course all her care has been done privately via vitality private medical and Ramsey group. According to the post office only her GP can fill in the form.
GP is refusing to sign the form (despite being paid £150 admin fee to do so). Saying he hasn’t been part of her care so won’t do it.
Ramsey group (private medical) say every part of her medical care has been forwarded on to her GP and he is aware of every single test / scan / letter etc etc.
So now we’re in the following situation: post office (travel insurer) will only accept form filled in by GP not her consultant.
GP won’t sign it saying he hasn’t treated her (even though he has ever detail and aspect of her care in her notes).
The woman can’t walk more than 10 ft without the aid of two crutches. Can’t stand for more than a minute without being bent over double and can only walk maybe 50-100ft without being bought to tear inducing pain.
What more does the GP need to know.
FFS, I would like to go down the GP office and give him a serious one way discussion. f
king imbecile.
We were supposed to be going to Le Mans middle of June, obviously without surgery there is no way in hell she could go and even with it being as touch and go.
We have contacted our travel insurance company (post office), they require a form filling out explaining why she can’t travel.
This HAS to be filled in by her GP. Now of course all her care has been done privately via vitality private medical and Ramsey group. According to the post office only her GP can fill in the form.
GP is refusing to sign the form (despite being paid £150 admin fee to do so). Saying he hasn’t been part of her care so won’t do it.
Ramsey group (private medical) say every part of her medical care has been forwarded on to her GP and he is aware of every single test / scan / letter etc etc.
So now we’re in the following situation: post office (travel insurer) will only accept form filled in by GP not her consultant.
GP won’t sign it saying he hasn’t treated her (even though he has ever detail and aspect of her care in her notes).
The woman can’t walk more than 10 ft without the aid of two crutches. Can’t stand for more than a minute without being bent over double and can only walk maybe 50-100ft without being bought to tear inducing pain.
What more does the GP need to know.
FFS, I would like to go down the GP office and give him a serious one way discussion. f
king imbecile. Edited by MB140 on Monday 13th May 15:07
GeneralBanter said:
Don’t bother with the GP tomorrow, GET HER TO A CHIROPRACTOR ! I had similar lower back problems in 2002 and was all signed up for a disc op and had met the surgeon. I was recommended a chiro and went to see him. He said ‘hmm I think this may take 3 or 4 sessions’ - WHAT?!? You’ll sort it?? ‘Well, yes I don’t see why not’
The op was cancelled.
She’s been seeing chiropractors, osteopaths and physios for about 5 years. The pain only got too bad to live with around Xmas time. Her physio is a member of the team GB Olympic physio team and a licensed osteopath, so she’s very good and very experienced.The op was cancelled.
She’s seen the latest scans and said no way can she cure it, only thing she can’t do to help is trying to relax the muscles which are contracted tightly to try and protect the body from pain.
According to her there is no option other than surgery.. Same from the consultant, her nhs GP and the private GP.
Thanks for taking the time to respond with suggestions though, appreciate it.
So bit of an update.
After the spinal op was cancelled due to the problems with the wife’s heart. She was given an appointment via vitality and the insurance company to see a cardiologist.
This involved a ecg, followed by a 24 hr recording of her heart and some scans of it as well. Results came back that she is getting extra beats in one chamber of her heart about 30% of the time. Up to 20% no treatment is needed.
So she was given a low dose prescription of beta blockers and retested. 2 weeks later Cardiologist thinks it might have been an infection that’s caused the problem.
Extra beats have started to reduce and about 10 days ago cardiologist says fine no problem you can have the op.
Cardiologist has written to gp and now we’re back to waiting for the gp to forward everything on to the back surgery team.
Now just waiting for the op to be scheduled. Work have been great. Turns out one of my work colleagues went through the same op about 5 years back and apart from the first 2-3 mins of the day when he gets up and stretches he is 99% pain free so here’s hoping it goes as well for the wife. He was also kind enough to come round and talk it over with my wife as she has been extremely nervous about the op.
I can’t wait for the op for her as I have to selfishly say watching someone you love being bought to tears near constantly due to being in extreme pain is not an easy task. Feeling helpless isn’t my forte. I’m normally a crack on and do something kind of person. I have not found the last 6 months easy (nothing compared to her) and it’s starting to effect me mentally.
As we should have been going to le Mams shortly we have decided we are going to watch the whole race live on the box. I’ll drink some beer (wife doesn’t drink), do a bbq on the balcony, do the whole 24hrs like we would if we were there.
After the spinal op was cancelled due to the problems with the wife’s heart. She was given an appointment via vitality and the insurance company to see a cardiologist.
This involved a ecg, followed by a 24 hr recording of her heart and some scans of it as well. Results came back that she is getting extra beats in one chamber of her heart about 30% of the time. Up to 20% no treatment is needed.
So she was given a low dose prescription of beta blockers and retested. 2 weeks later Cardiologist thinks it might have been an infection that’s caused the problem.
Extra beats have started to reduce and about 10 days ago cardiologist says fine no problem you can have the op.
Cardiologist has written to gp and now we’re back to waiting for the gp to forward everything on to the back surgery team.
Now just waiting for the op to be scheduled. Work have been great. Turns out one of my work colleagues went through the same op about 5 years back and apart from the first 2-3 mins of the day when he gets up and stretches he is 99% pain free so here’s hoping it goes as well for the wife. He was also kind enough to come round and talk it over with my wife as she has been extremely nervous about the op.
I can’t wait for the op for her as I have to selfishly say watching someone you love being bought to tears near constantly due to being in extreme pain is not an easy task. Feeling helpless isn’t my forte. I’m normally a crack on and do something kind of person. I have not found the last 6 months easy (nothing compared to her) and it’s starting to effect me mentally.
As we should have been going to le Mams shortly we have decided we are going to watch the whole race live on the box. I’ll drink some beer (wife doesn’t drink), do a bbq on the balcony, do the whole 24hrs like we would if we were there.
Well today is surgery day. Pre-op done, no cardio problems this time, the beta-blockers seem to be doing there job. She went down for surgery at 0900 and is scheduled to be back up in her room for 1100.
Thanks again to all those that took the time to comment and reassure me. It’s pretty terrifying for someone who likes to be in control of his life to have to sit helplessly for a couple of hours while some bloke take a knife to your wife’s back.
Comedy moment when the anaesthesiologist couldn’t figure out how to open a zip lock bag that had my wife’s medications in. I was sat there thinking is this bloke really going to be in charge of keeping my wife alive. Obviously he must be suitably qualified to do the job but it was comical watching him try to open a simple plastic bag. After he left the wife and I who had been exchanging glances both burst out laughing, followed by her yelping in pain as she was laughing.
Anyway i am waffling now (as i often do when I’m nervous).
Thanks again PH collective.
Thanks again to all those that took the time to comment and reassure me. It’s pretty terrifying for someone who likes to be in control of his life to have to sit helplessly for a couple of hours while some bloke take a knife to your wife’s back.
Comedy moment when the anaesthesiologist couldn’t figure out how to open a zip lock bag that had my wife’s medications in. I was sat there thinking is this bloke really going to be in charge of keeping my wife alive. Obviously he must be suitably qualified to do the job but it was comical watching him try to open a simple plastic bag. After he left the wife and I who had been exchanging glances both burst out laughing, followed by her yelping in pain as she was laughing.
Anyway i am waffling now (as i often do when I’m nervous).
Thanks again PH collective.
Well I suppose I should bring this thread to a close.
First off thanks for all the support, well wishes and general goodwill shown by all.
Operation:
Well as scheduled she went down for her operation at 0900 and was back in her room by 1100. They had to do one disk in the end not two but had to shave quite a bit of bone off one of her vertebrae as it was pinching the nerve.
She was quite groggy when she first got back in the room. 20 mins later she was fully with it. No pain at all and by 1300 was up on her feet unaided (apart from a VERY nervous husband who insisted she use me for stability). She slept well that night and I fetched her and drove her home the following morning. I don’t have kids but I now understand how new dads must feel driving a newborn home, sorry if anyone was stuck behind me).
1st week
Progress was good, she had pain but not disk pain, just the pain of being sliced open and operated on. Wound was healing nicely and she could now walk about the house (slowly).
1st month
Progress increased, she had her first physio appointment just to see how she was getting on with the ‘slider exercise to stop scaring occurring).
Week 4, Only issue was whilst the wound had initially started to heal well, the would had started to seep a bit. Visit to the private hospital with the nurse (her own GP practice couldn’t do a wound dressing change or wound check for 9 weeks, don’t get me start, the only NHS involvement and they were fking useless). Revealed she had got an infection.
Months 2 and 3,
The wound continued to seep and dispite daily dressing changes, antibiotics etc the wound refused to heal. This resulted in the surgeon having another look. Turns out 2 of the dissolving stitches (sub skin ones, not the skin closing ones) had failed to dissolve. Surgeon quickly had those out packed it with a shed load of antibiotics and over the next month the wound healed but it’s left quite a scar.
So as of today.
Signed off by the doctors and physio with just an exersize program to continue. The wound has now fully healed. Next to no pain at all (occasionally a bit stiff in the morning getting out of bed or 2hr plus of driving). So all in all a great result. She’s now walking miles every day and life is pretty much back to normal. She started back at work on site (been working from home) this week and it’s been great.
Now to the pain in the ass.
As I said earlier on we should have been in Le Mans this June but we couldn’t go due to her back pain.
We had travel insurance (post office), we submitted every piece of evidence that they asked for.
There initial response was denied this was an existing condition (spondylitis) as it was diagnosed 5 years ago. We counter argued with the consultants report saying that the reason for the excruciating pain was caused by the bulging disk not the spondylitis which hadn’t changed in 5 years.
Next they denied it under the grounds we hadn’t declared the spondylitis. We then countered by suggesting they look at our responses when booking the policy online. Which we clearly answered that she had been diagnosed with back issues.
So they went to have another look. They came back and said they wouldn’t have covered us if they had know she was awaiting an appointment with a consultant. We knew she was going to see a consultant and was under care but they claimed that one of the first ticks you make is are you awaiting care. My wife said at no point did they ask this question as why would we pay £200 for an insurance policy they wouldn’t accept us for.
So we asked for a letter of deadlock before going to the ombudsman.
At this point the post office refused to supply a letter of deadlock so we sent them an email and recorded letter saying if they refused to supply one within 14 days we would take this as a final refusal and look to proceed to the ombudsman.
2days later someone from there legal team contacted us and said they would like to look at it. So we agreed to this.
She came back a week later and said denied, the post office travel insurance home page clearly says are you outstanding any medical treatments in the application. We countered by saying we never went direct to the post office but via a comparison site which thankfully sent an email when we arranged the cover. This never leads to the post office home page but goes straight in to the site with details filled in for a new quote.
So today the post office legal team came back to us and they must have found something because they have rapidly done a 180 and agreed they are going to pay out. They will get back to us (not the legal team) with a figure once they have worked it out.
So fingers crossed we will get back most of the £4500 - excess we spent on Le Mans.
I will update again when we get the money back.
First off thanks for all the support, well wishes and general goodwill shown by all.
Operation:
Well as scheduled she went down for her operation at 0900 and was back in her room by 1100. They had to do one disk in the end not two but had to shave quite a bit of bone off one of her vertebrae as it was pinching the nerve.
She was quite groggy when she first got back in the room. 20 mins later she was fully with it. No pain at all and by 1300 was up on her feet unaided (apart from a VERY nervous husband who insisted she use me for stability). She slept well that night and I fetched her and drove her home the following morning. I don’t have kids but I now understand how new dads must feel driving a newborn home, sorry if anyone was stuck behind me).
1st week
Progress was good, she had pain but not disk pain, just the pain of being sliced open and operated on. Wound was healing nicely and she could now walk about the house (slowly).
1st month
Progress increased, she had her first physio appointment just to see how she was getting on with the ‘slider exercise to stop scaring occurring).
Week 4, Only issue was whilst the wound had initially started to heal well, the would had started to seep a bit. Visit to the private hospital with the nurse (her own GP practice couldn’t do a wound dressing change or wound check for 9 weeks, don’t get me start, the only NHS involvement and they were f
king useless). Revealed she had got an infection. Months 2 and 3,
The wound continued to seep and dispite daily dressing changes, antibiotics etc the wound refused to heal. This resulted in the surgeon having another look. Turns out 2 of the dissolving stitches (sub skin ones, not the skin closing ones) had failed to dissolve. Surgeon quickly had those out packed it with a shed load of antibiotics and over the next month the wound healed but it’s left quite a scar.
So as of today.
Signed off by the doctors and physio with just an exersize program to continue. The wound has now fully healed. Next to no pain at all (occasionally a bit stiff in the morning getting out of bed or 2hr plus of driving). So all in all a great result. She’s now walking miles every day and life is pretty much back to normal. She started back at work on site (been working from home) this week and it’s been great.
Now to the pain in the ass.
As I said earlier on we should have been in Le Mans this June but we couldn’t go due to her back pain.
We had travel insurance (post office), we submitted every piece of evidence that they asked for.
There initial response was denied this was an existing condition (spondylitis) as it was diagnosed 5 years ago. We counter argued with the consultants report saying that the reason for the excruciating pain was caused by the bulging disk not the spondylitis which hadn’t changed in 5 years.
Next they denied it under the grounds we hadn’t declared the spondylitis. We then countered by suggesting they look at our responses when booking the policy online. Which we clearly answered that she had been diagnosed with back issues.
So they went to have another look. They came back and said they wouldn’t have covered us if they had know she was awaiting an appointment with a consultant. We knew she was going to see a consultant and was under care but they claimed that one of the first ticks you make is are you awaiting care. My wife said at no point did they ask this question as why would we pay £200 for an insurance policy they wouldn’t accept us for.
So we asked for a letter of deadlock before going to the ombudsman.
At this point the post office refused to supply a letter of deadlock so we sent them an email and recorded letter saying if they refused to supply one within 14 days we would take this as a final refusal and look to proceed to the ombudsman.
2days later someone from there legal team contacted us and said they would like to look at it. So we agreed to this.
She came back a week later and said denied, the post office travel insurance home page clearly says are you outstanding any medical treatments in the application. We countered by saying we never went direct to the post office but via a comparison site which thankfully sent an email when we arranged the cover. This never leads to the post office home page but goes straight in to the site with details filled in for a new quote.
So today the post office legal team came back to us and they must have found something because they have rapidly done a 180 and agreed they are going to pay out. They will get back to us (not the legal team) with a figure once they have worked it out.
So fingers crossed we will get back most of the £4500 - excess we spent on Le Mans.
I will update again when we get the money back.
Well final wrap up message.
Post office paid out this morning on the travel insurance. To say I am astounded after there initial response was.
I’d love to go back to them and see what made them suddenly do a 180. They were adamant they weren’t paying out until we sent a letter before action and the post office legal team started taking a look at it.
Oh well alls well that ends well.
Wife is feeling and doing so much better and we got back our £4.5k.
Thats a wrap folks.
Post office paid out this morning on the travel insurance. To say I am astounded after there initial response was.
I’d love to go back to them and see what made them suddenly do a 180. They were adamant they weren’t paying out until we sent a letter before action and the post office legal team started taking a look at it.
Oh well alls well that ends well.
Wife is feeling and doing so much better and we got back our £4.5k.
Thats a wrap folks.
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