Discussion
So far so good regarding the injections, I know it’s only been 12 hours but I feel absolutely wonderful. Almost pain free and walking so much more freely. Granted I only walked out of hospital and into the car and then walked around the house a little, but I already feel more mobile. Will take things easy tomorrow and try to build this up slowly.
jkh112 said:
Krusty, not sure how many levels you had fused but times must have changed because it seems the age real advice now is to get up and mobile ASAP and I have been told not to wear any form of brace or support (only a single level fusion though).
L3 was the offending item and subsequently it was fused to L4 and L2. I remember it was a Friday afternoon when I had the operation (Lord Mayor Treloar hospital Alton - which doesn't exist any more) and they had me up and walking by Monday. I could lie down or stand up but it was another couple of days before I made my first attempt to sit. 10 seconds on the first attempt doubling every time. That was painful at firstI agreed at the time to partake in a new form of stitching where they stitched under the skin (Dissolvable) and then pulled together and glued over the top. It was a new theory on producing a really faint scar but it didn't work and I have a 2-300mm horizontal scar about 10mm wide on my waistline (Back - Always referred to as a Shark bite to my son)
This also meant I had to have a barbed drain line at either end of the cut line for the first few days and as you're lying on it every time you moved the barbs would dig a little more into the wound to grip... somewhat uncomfortable.
I hated the harness and to be honest I can't really remember much about my time with it on. It was obviously for support and I had to wear it during the day if I was out/ at work. I'm a draftsman and it was drawings boards back in the day so I was either stood at a board or on a high drafting chair.
After recovery I was advised to join a gym and build up the muscles in my back. For the next ten years I was hooked on weight training/ fitness and even played Rugby again at a reasonable level.
Then met my wife and spent the next 20 years letting it all go. I'm 6 weeks in after joining my local crossfit box aiming to spend the next 12 months getting back to square one. Currently I'm lifting 90kg over my head, squatting and dead lifting quite a bit more and everything in my back feels great.
I had my fusion at 09.00 and by 15.00 on the same day they had me up walking around and sitting in bed. Could have been discharged the next morning with no brace, but I elected to stay in an extra day due to a bad experience after a decompression a few years ago.
I know what you mean about the drain, had one last week following my latest surgery and I couldn’t wait to get it out.
I know what you mean about the drain, had one last week following my latest surgery and I couldn’t wait to get it out.
jkh112 said:
I had my fusion at 09.00 and by 15.00 on the same day they had me up walking around and sitting in bed. Could have been discharged the next morning with no brace, but I elected to stay in an extra day due to a bad experience after a decompression a few years ago.
I know what you mean about the drain, had one last week following my latest surgery and I couldn’t wait to get it out.
How is your recovery going?I know what you mean about the drain, had one last week following my latest surgery and I couldn’t wait to get it out.
Ructions said:
How is your recovery going?
Seems to be okay. I had a scare on Monday when I had a headache and felt a bit clammy so convinced myself the infection was back. The hospital was great and it was nothing.The pain from the re-opening is calming down and the underlying spinal pain is really low so still looking good for the fusion.
Before the infection I had worked up to being able to walk over a mile but now I am back to almost square one and even a little bit of physical exertion makes the back muscles tense and makes me quite tired, but each day is an improvement.
The antibiotics are playing hell with my bowels, I have ordered some probiotics to see if they help.
I am staying off work next week and planning on going back part time the week after.
Are the injections still working for you?
jkh112 said:
Are the injections still working for you?
Good to hear things are going well for you.Injections seem to be working, though I always assumed they could take up to a week or even ten days to work. I’ve had immediate relief and if you consider this is my eleventh set in either my neck or lower back, I know from experience they can take a while to work, so I’m quite happy at the minute. But I am taking it very easy.
Today's issue: the antibiotics are adversely affecting my liver. Levels are elevated to a point that the hospital have changed my prescription. Hopefully this will will still ensure the infection is dealt with.
In other news, my dressing was changed today and for the first time in two months the old one came off with no signs of wound leakage. So looks like it is finally healing.
In other news, my dressing was changed today and for the first time in two months the old one came off with no signs of wound leakage. So looks like it is finally healing.
Thanks. I was really worried when they said I had to change antibiotics but am now actually a bit pleased as some of the gastric side effects have gone with the new prescription.
Decision now is do I go back to work (part time) next week or take a bit longer off. I am off at the end of November for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (assuming I am still up to it), so do I go back for a few weeks and then go off on holiday?
Decision now is do I go back to work (part time) next week or take a bit longer off. I am off at the end of November for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (assuming I am still up to it), so do I go back for a few weeks and then go off on holiday?
I’m now spending more time in bed than out of it, pain has got gradually worse over the past few weeks and walking has become quite difficult and obviously painful again. Things were great for the first week after my last set of injections but sadly it didn’t last. Don’t really know where to turn next, I have an appointment with a pain management consultant in a few weeks, but it isn’t exactly where I wanted or expected to be at this stage. It feels like I’m a pay cheque for the medical profession.
A friend has suggested acupuncture, anyone have any experience?
A friend has suggested acupuncture, anyone have any experience?
Ructions, sorry to hear that but the injections were far from a sure thing, they didn’t work for me either, so don’t let this set back get you down.
Are you any worse than before the last surgery? Remember it is still relatively soon after the surgery, a physiotherapist I know who specialises in backs told me it is not uncommon for people to take a year to feel the benefits from a fusion. (Unfortunately she lives too far away for me to able to,use her professionally).
I don’t know how quickly you recovered from previous operations, but 3 months after my decompression a few years ago I was in worse lumbar pain than before the op and was wondering if I had done the right thing.
See what the pain management specialist says and then decide how to progress. Can’t help on the acupuncture.
Keep us updated.
Are you any worse than before the last surgery? Remember it is still relatively soon after the surgery, a physiotherapist I know who specialises in backs told me it is not uncommon for people to take a year to feel the benefits from a fusion. (Unfortunately she lives too far away for me to able to,use her professionally).
I don’t know how quickly you recovered from previous operations, but 3 months after my decompression a few years ago I was in worse lumbar pain than before the op and was wondering if I had done the right thing.
See what the pain management specialist says and then decide how to progress. Can’t help on the acupuncture.
Keep us updated.
jkh112 said:
Ructions, sorry to hear that but the injections were far from a sure thing, they didn’t work for me either, so don’t let this set back get you down.
Are you any worse than before the last surgery? Remember it is still relatively soon after the surgery, a physiotherapist I know who specialises in backs told me it is not uncommon for people to take a year to feel the benefits from a fusion. (Unfortunately she lives too far away for me to able to,use her professionally).
I don’t know how quickly you recovered from previous operations, but 3 months after my decompression a few years ago I was in worse lumbar pain than before the op and was wondering if I had done the right thing.
See what the pain management specialist says and then decide how to progress. Can’t help on the acupuncture.
Keep us updated.
Am I worse than before I had surgery?Are you any worse than before the last surgery? Remember it is still relatively soon after the surgery, a physiotherapist I know who specialises in backs told me it is not uncommon for people to take a year to feel the benefits from a fusion. (Unfortunately she lives too far away for me to able to,use her professionally).
I don’t know how quickly you recovered from previous operations, but 3 months after my decompression a few years ago I was in worse lumbar pain than before the op and was wondering if I had done the right thing.
See what the pain management specialist says and then decide how to progress. Can’t help on the acupuncture.
Keep us updated.
It's hard to say, the pain is different, it's more concentrated. Before surgery I had pain in my lower back, down in to my leg and on a bad day right down in to the heel. But it was manageable, with a lot less medication than it is now. I had a lot more good days before the op than I have now.
I'm four months post surgery, but I expected to be much further on than I am now. My first surgery, eighteen months ago, was relatively straight forward. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at C6/7 and I literally never looked back, so I expected the same with this one, but it's been one set back after another.
Current pain is lower back only, but it's now on both sides, it was right sided only before surgery. On a good day it's 2 out of 10, on a bad day it's bed and netflix. I'm 12 kilos heavier than I was 4 months ago. 12 KILOS. My dog is even putting on weight due to lack of exercise. If I take too much medication I can't drive. If I don't take enough I can't get out of bed.
Am I worse than before surgery? Yes, in many ways it has brought a whole new set of complications. But I still think it will get better.
Pain management consultant, that will be £180 for the initial visit, plus whatever medication he prescribes. Pain ain't cheap.
Pain management stuff isn't cheap - I ended up with a counsellor who was incredible, and was the approach before trying other drugs and treatments.
I have heard that lumbar stuff is worse to recover from than cervical, but having only had lumbar I don't know. It did take me a very long time to recover though - 3 months off work and the improvements carried on for a while, accelerated by the counselling.
Have they said what's causing the pain, I can't remember?
There's a forum called ADR UK (Artificial Disc Replacement) if you google for it. I don't go there anymore because it reminds me of bad times and people in bad ways, but they do have some good advice and information about treatments - it's not only for people who have had or may have disc replacements. Might be worth a look? Don't get dragged down by it though.
I have heard that lumbar stuff is worse to recover from than cervical, but having only had lumbar I don't know. It did take me a very long time to recover though - 3 months off work and the improvements carried on for a while, accelerated by the counselling.
Have they said what's causing the pain, I can't remember?
There's a forum called ADR UK (Artificial Disc Replacement) if you google for it. I don't go there anymore because it reminds me of bad times and people in bad ways, but they do have some good advice and information about treatments - it's not only for people who have had or may have disc replacements. Might be worth a look? Don't get dragged down by it though.
They don’t seem to know what is causing the pain, scans were ok according to the Neurosurgeon, though there was a lot of inflammation, but a course of anti inflammatories did help. I’m in too much pain for physio, though I have been told to give Yoga a go. Walking, without the dog, helps, but it has to be flat, even ground and although I was regularly walking between 10 and 20k previously I have to do much less now. I’d really like to be well enough to get back to the gym, maybe sometime in the new year.
I’ll have a look at that forum and hope both of you are making good progress.
I’ll have a look at that forum and hope both of you are making good progress.
The pain specialist did not really help with the lumbar pain after my decompression. What did help was time and I also found Pilates to be good. I tried a few different Pilates teachers though to see which style worked for me. I am hoping to start (gentle) Pilates again in the new year.
Ructions said:
They don’t seem to know what is causing the pain, scans were ok according to the Neurosurgeon, though there was a lot of inflammation, but a course of anti inflammatories did help. I’m in too much pain for physio, though I have been told to give Yoga a go. Walking, without the dog, helps, but it has to be flat, even ground and although I was regularly walking between 10 and 20k previously I have to do much less now. I’d really like to be well enough to get back to the gym, maybe sometime in the new year.
I’ll have a look at that forum and hope both of you are making good progress.
It depends on the physio - mine worked in conjunction with the consultant and did everything from acupuncture, to gentle muscle release, to creating an exercise and stretching plan, to quite vigorous and painful "physio" as time went on.I’ll have a look at that forum and hope both of you are making good progress.
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