Back Surgery and Neck Surgery
February 3, 2012 - 7:56am
Lower lumbarectomy: Hold on, or do it?
3 weeks ago, I suffered a herniated disc in my lower spinal region. I suffered deep muscle spasms throughout the left side of my buttocks and down the back of my leg. I had short bolts of pain through my entire leg which made lying down, sleeping or sitting very unpleasant.
My physio suggested I go to a neurosurgeon. I had an MRI scan which showed a herniated disc in L2. We scheduled a lower lumbarectomy three weeks later with a daily dose of Neurontin and Tramecet.
A week later, I'm sitting and sleeping comfortably with the only causes of concern being a slight numbness and weakness below my knee. I do have tiny bouts of pain but it is not as much as what I felt in my first week of herniation. I feel I am getting better as days progress. I'm even back at work where I've been sitting for 8 hours everyday.
Now my dilemma: Should I hold on for a few months to see if I recover fully or do I bite the bullet and go for my planned lower lumbarectomy?
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Any surgery is invasive. So in my opinion, if you can hold off, I would just wait. You can always get it done later. Hope you continue to heal and not have to have surgery!
August 2010-January 2011: MRI - C5/6: kyphosis, osteophytes, severe foraminal/spinal stenosis; PT, acupuncture, chiropractor, massage therapy, steroid injections, facet nerve blocks with no relief
February 11, 2011: ACDF at C5-C6
July, 2011: MRI - Mild herniated discs at L4/L5 and L5/S1 and bulge at L3/L4; short leg syndrome
Consult with your doctor. Any numbness below the knee can be a sign of a serious condition.
It's not a dead numb, but a slight numbness on the shin bone. The calf feels normal though...
How bad is the herniation?
What is a lumbarectomy?
On California's mild and sunny central coast
Hmm, tough call but if you are having 2nd thoughts, call your surgeon to talk. And if you are still not sure, reschedule it for 6 weeks out. Give yourself some time to get a 2nd opinion.
My brother in law had some serious issues and after injections really didn't think he had a choice but surgery. He was all set to contact my surgeon for a 2nd opinion after he ended up in the ER but low and behold, he got better after that and has been fine for over a year.
What does your Physio think? He knows you and I wonder if you are just now re-compensating with your knee.
The one thing that is worry-some is numbness.
i cant speak for every one, but in my opinion, avoid surgery at all costs! theres alot of laser stuff now and injections that could help. once your cut, you cant go back. my simple l5-s1 laminectomy (which was wonderful for 6 months) turned into 3 more surgeries and neverending pain, which has ruined mylife. now there is so many options, i wish i had known someone at the time that had gone through it.
ps- come on paul, he obviously meant lumbar laminectomy!
it all started when i was 29 and picked up something i shouldnt have! after that,4 lumbar surgeries in the last 8 yrs, 2003, laminectomy l5s1, 2004,laminectomy l4-5, 2008, fusion, l4-5 through l5s1 with 1 bone graft and spacer at l5s1,6 screws and flexable rods to l4-5. nov.20,2010, add on to fusion, 2 more bone grafts,2 more screws, 2 solid rods, Between surgeries, too many injections to count,including rf nerve burning, pulsed rf, facet block,steroid, caudle epiderals,etc.Ive got- ddd, djd, arthritis,mid level levoscoliosis and alot more i dont understand. constant pain still. taking fentanyl 100 every 2 days, 10 mg oxycodone 5xdaily, xanax 1 mg as needed, 100mg zoloft daily, and ambien to sleep a couple hrs a nite.
I didn't know! It was an honest question.
On California's mild and sunny central coast
sounded like a sarcastic poke. my bad. have you been through that before? not a fun decision to make, but since there is even an option not to, i wouldnt. I didnt have a choice, i had ruptured l5s1 so bad i had free floating fragments and avoided goin to the dr for 3 months untill i lost all the muscle in my right leg. my op report actually said "my sciatic nerve was kinked, pinched off and swolen 3 times its normal size."
I dont know anybody that has had just 1 back surgery.
it all started when i was 29 and picked up something i shouldnt have! after that,4 lumbar surgeries in the last 8 yrs, 2003, laminectomy l5s1, 2004,laminectomy l4-5, 2008, fusion, l4-5 through l5s1 with 1 bone graft and spacer at l5s1,6 screws and flexable rods to l4-5. nov.20,2010, add on to fusion, 2 more bone grafts,2 more screws, 2 solid rods, Between surgeries, too many injections to count,including rf nerve burning, pulsed rf, facet block,steroid, caudle epiderals,etc.Ive got- ddd, djd, arthritis,mid level levoscoliosis and alot more i dont understand. constant pain still. taking fentanyl 100 every 2 days, 10 mg oxycodone 5xdaily, xanax 1 mg as needed, 100mg zoloft daily, and ambien to sleep a couple hrs a nite.
Well it would depend on if your nerve is still being compressed or not. I'd for sure talk to the surgeon and tell him you are getting better. My surgeon only operates if I am not getting any better after 6 weeks. And my first operation was because I had severe nerve compression and lost the use of my calf muscle. So any muscle strength loss even if there is no pain is serious. A little numbness is normal after a herniation. I had numbness before and after my first microdiscecomy for a couple years but only slight in my toes that would come and go.
My husband also had a large herniation at L4/L5 and it migrated. He refused any treatment that's just the way he is and he had numbness in his shin and that went away completely after a few months. The body can resorb a herniation so in my opinion I think you should wait and not have the surgery. Maybe they can do another MRI. It might show that the herniation is already being resorbed. But definately talk to your doctor about this. Do not take any advise on a forum over your doctors.
L5-S1 degenerating. Have had two microdiscectomies. One in 2005 the last one in 2008. Disc continues to degenerate and get thinner and thinner. Herniated now again around the fall of 2011 and still having symptoms. Just finished a Medrol-Methylprednisolone pack January 26, 2012. Improved my pain and ice packs are helping. I can walk around and function but have great limitations on my daily activities. Wanting my surgeon to do a fusion and thinking of going in soon to see if he will do it this time.