Discussion
Uncle John said:
How’s it all going chaps?
Seven weeks for me now & going very well. Did a day in the garden on Sunday, digging, clearing stuff etc shoulders & arms are sore otherwise all good.
Did a decent walk over the Heath this evening & plan to keep this up to get the fitness back. Slight numbness in my right foot the only complaint. Crazy considering where I was before.
Glad to hear its all going well!Seven weeks for me now & going very well. Did a day in the garden on Sunday, digging, clearing stuff etc shoulders & arms are sore otherwise all good.
Did a decent walk over the Heath this evening & plan to keep this up to get the fitness back. Slight numbness in my right foot the only complaint. Crazy considering where I was before.
I had my decompression and l5/s1 fusion 4 weeks to the day, yesterday.
Mobility is gradually returning but the soreness and nerve pain is still there albeit on a much lower level.
Can't wait for everything to return back to normal, its made me appreciate my life so much more than I used to.
I'm 5 weeks on now and doing great. My lower back is still a bit stiff but not bad enough to cause me any real problems. I've got no leg symptoms at all which is such a great feeling after struggling on and off for years with this.
I've been going to the gym again for a few weeks now concentrating on getting my cv fitness back. It's been hard work getting back into it but I definitely feel like I'm going in the right direction.
I've been going to the gym again for a few weeks now concentrating on getting my cv fitness back. It's been hard work getting back into it but I definitely feel like I'm going in the right direction.
Nearly a month on, how is everyone getting on?
The nerve pains have subsided even more for me with the smallest occasional flare up.
My core area has been decimated along with my lower back and since the brace came off its been a bit tough, getting up and sitting down has many muscular pains and what not.
But I should be starting physio in the next week, so that should be remedied over time.
The nerve pains have subsided even more for me with the smallest occasional flare up.
My core area has been decimated along with my lower back and since the brace came off its been a bit tough, getting up and sitting down has many muscular pains and what not.
But I should be starting physio in the next week, so that should be remedied over time.
TheGreatDane said:
Nearly a month on, how is everyone getting on?
The nerve pains have subsided even more for me with the smallest occasional flare up.
My core area has been decimated along with my lower back and since the brace came off its been a bit tough, getting up and sitting down has many muscular pains and what not.
But I should be starting physio in the next week, so that should be remedied over time.
That's great that the nerve pain seems to have gone. Fingers crossed for you that it stays away. The nerve pains have subsided even more for me with the smallest occasional flare up.
My core area has been decimated along with my lower back and since the brace came off its been a bit tough, getting up and sitting down has many muscular pains and what not.
But I should be starting physio in the next week, so that should be remedied over time.
I'm 11 weeks post op today and still feeling great. I've been working hard at getting my CV fitness back for about 8 weeks now and it's definitely going the right way (I've been sticking to the wattbike, not started anything with higher impact levels yet)
I had a scan and review with the consultant yesterday and he is happy with the progress so far, hopefully I keep on improving
Got a nice picture of my metalwork too
I'm doing ok, going through my rehab/physio as I have lingering pains which aren't shifting.
Mainly on the right side, but I still get sciatic pains (not as bad as I previously did) going down to behind my knees.
My surgeon did say my nerves were heavily irritated so I'm hoping they calm down over time.
Since the surgery I've lost 20kg which is a touch alarming.
Mainly on the right side, but I still get sciatic pains (not as bad as I previously did) going down to behind my knees.
My surgeon did say my nerves were heavily irritated so I'm hoping they calm down over time.
Since the surgery I've lost 20kg which is a touch alarming.
I've got an odd issue which is causing me concern.
I have recently started running after my surgeon gave me the all clear to do so.
Yesterday as I got up off of the sofa I had pins and needles around my rear and going a bit into my legs however I still could feel everything but I felt tingly.
Slept on it and today my left leg is slightly tingly, bum slightly, right leg is absolutely fine.
My paranoia is in overdrive.
I have recently started running after my surgeon gave me the all clear to do so.
Yesterday as I got up off of the sofa I had pins and needles around my rear and going a bit into my legs however I still could feel everything but I felt tingly.
Slept on it and today my left leg is slightly tingly, bum slightly, right leg is absolutely fine.
My paranoia is in overdrive.
Its been 2 weeks to the day when it happened and I'm happy to say it has calmed down massively.
It's not back to how it was but it's a definite improvement.
Physio said I've undone weeks of recovery as everything is now inflamed, surgeon said this happens so I had a full spinal MRI yesterday to check if everything is ok.
Lesson learnt, I won't be running for as while.
It's not back to how it was but it's a definite improvement.
Physio said I've undone weeks of recovery as everything is now inflamed, surgeon said this happens so I had a full spinal MRI yesterday to check if everything is ok.
Lesson learnt, I won't be running for as while.
I would appreciate your voices of experience on this...
As a result of getting a second opinion, both surgeons say the only option is L5/S1 fusion. However, one will do from the back, the other from front and back (360). Having read the risk literature they sent me it looks like there's a very good chance of ending up with some form of nerve damage or hideous injury to my bowel etc as they come in from the front. It did mention that I could end up with permanent numbness in a leg which doesn't sound very attractive to me!
I have a bilateral pars fracture that cant be fixed with grade one slippage. I've had it for nearly 30 years but its getting worse and now I cant stand still for more than a minute without it flaring up. If I do literally nothing I'm pain free, if I do anything it will come on. So its either a couch potato (which to me is a nightmare) or risk it all on the dice!
Has anyone got any advice, based on experience.
As a result of getting a second opinion, both surgeons say the only option is L5/S1 fusion. However, one will do from the back, the other from front and back (360). Having read the risk literature they sent me it looks like there's a very good chance of ending up with some form of nerve damage or hideous injury to my bowel etc as they come in from the front. It did mention that I could end up with permanent numbness in a leg which doesn't sound very attractive to me!
I have a bilateral pars fracture that cant be fixed with grade one slippage. I've had it for nearly 30 years but its getting worse and now I cant stand still for more than a minute without it flaring up. If I do literally nothing I'm pain free, if I do anything it will come on. So its either a couch potato (which to me is a nightmare) or risk it all on the dice!
Has anyone got any advice, based on experience.
I wouldn't like to comment on your case at all, not a medic etc., but if it helps I had fusion from the front a few years ago for L4/5. I don't remember being told about significant risk to bowels etc. as a result of going in from the front specifically. There has been some minor nerve damage to my right leg which has taken a few years to show properly (leg is getting weaker over time and the foot is sweaty/clammy with poor temperature control). But the benefits for me far outweighed that. There is also a numb patch on my left leg but I don't remember if that was post surgery or was already there from the back problem itself.
Since the fusion I've taken up skiing, mountain biking, running, motorbiking, and various other things I could only have dreamt of pre fusion. It took a few years to get to that point, but I couldn't have done the couch potato thing (like you, it would've been one of my worst nightmares!)
Since the fusion I've taken up skiing, mountain biking, running, motorbiking, and various other things I could only have dreamt of pre fusion. It took a few years to get to that point, but I couldn't have done the couch potato thing (like you, it would've been one of my worst nightmares!)
dreamer75 said:
I wouldn't like to comment on your case at all, not a medic etc., but if it helps I had fusion from the front a few years ago for L4/5. I don't remember being told about significant risk to bowels etc. as a result of going in from the front specifically. There has been some minor nerve damage to my right leg which has taken a few years to show properly (leg is getting weaker over time and the foot is sweaty/clammy with poor temperature control). But the benefits for me far outweighed that. There is also a numb patch on my left leg but I don't remember if that was post surgery or was already there from the back problem itself.
Since the fusion I've taken up skiing, mountain biking, running, motorbiking, and various other things I could only have dreamt of pre fusion. It took a few years to get to that point, but I couldn't have done the couch potato thing (like you, it would've been one of my worst nightmares!)
Thanks for that. The surgeon is highly rated (Stanmore) so I'm ok with his ability, I'm terrified of making things worse. I'm lucky in that Monday-Friday I'm working at my desk with 0 back pain. Come the weekend I try and do something and it comes on as I'm loading up the pressure on the fracture site by standing up. After reading all the literature and reading online it really feels like a roll of the dice as to the outcome. On the positive side I'm relatively fit, slim and a non smoker so have that going for me which I understand helps with the overall operation and healing process.Since the fusion I've taken up skiing, mountain biking, running, motorbiking, and various other things I could only have dreamt of pre fusion. It took a few years to get to that point, but I couldn't have done the couch potato thing (like you, it would've been one of my worst nightmares!)
Edited by Four Litre on Tuesday 8th March 11:43
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff