Lower Back Surgery

M&M Offroad

M&M Offroad

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2006
Location
mocksville
I have had some back pain and foot numbness for quite a while.I had been making frequent visits to the chiro with minimum relief. After a bad flare up, Finally my chiro sends me for and mri and they find a ruptured disc, with fragments lodged on top of the the nerve root that runs down my right leg..between L5 and S1. All 3 doctor oppinions were that surgery was the best answer. So just had a microdiscectomy yest. Doctor removed 3 pieces that were lodged on the root. I am Feeling better as far as the pain in my leg already. Obviously will be out of work for a couple weeks and was wondering how many of you out there has had something similar. Surgeon say should have a real good recovery and be back to making buggys soon. I Was wondering about experiences with real life recovery time and mobility after the surgery. Especially ones that have manual labor jobs. My biggest fears are obviously being able to handle picking up things including my son. But i am very interested in what some experiences are with 4 wheeling..... I have to admit i love the sport enough i will do about anything to continue it even it means lots of pain.
Thanks for the Insight...
 
Dang PJ, sorry to hear about all that. I'm having a lot of back problems myself since losing the 100+ pounds. It's supposed to go the other way around. I have yet to find a doctor or chiro that will spend the effort finding the problem. Good for you for getting some progress!

Keep us updated!
 
I currently have 2 herniated disc in my lower back :(

have had them for almost 5 years now.. for last 3 years I have been good but recently had a flare up 2 weeks back and went back to doctor. got another MRI and they said they are better then the wore so now we do more muscle building, etc and try to fix this again.. I have been trying to not have surgery if i can help it but seems like the long this goes on I may be in your position.

few people I know that had surgery all same the samething do EXACTLY what the doc asks and even if you feel GREAT do not push it.. do the therapy/stretches etc.. and follow the plan. all the ones that did not follow what docs says to do after surgery all have issues still to this day.. others that did are not perfect but are pretty much fine.
 
I had a herniated disc and opted for the shots, Doctor prescribed four shots over a four month period to strengthen the disc and that was several years ago, I have not had an issue since,besides the fact they hurt like hell to get. I know it doesn't help you PJ but might help some of the others reading this.

Hope you get to feeling better PJ, back pain sucks.
 
My father in law had the same thing. before he couldn't lift his leg and bend forward, etc. due to the nerve issue. thats all cleared up now. He had it about 2 years ago and nothing now. He was required to be in bed(or couch) for about 2-3 weeks minimum but being as active as he is, he was up and back at it moderately in about 1.5 weeks. Doctor wanted him to stay off more but he was getting bored, etc.

He has a labor job, well, some. Managing cell tower construction, etc. His recovery should have been less but he got off the couch too soon. He is fine now with zero issues from what I know.
 
Hope you heal well..


I know back pain well, it fawkin sucks.
 
I've had three blown discs and surgery, PJ is tired of hearing from me. I stay on him all the time like a old hen! Help him if you can! His daughter will appreciate it. LOL
 
I've had three Direct injections so far, and just had my 4th visit which was just a consult to say, ok, you're getting a referral to a back surgeon. I have almost the exact same thing you have. Same location, same herniated disc issue, but no fragments on me. I'll be going in for pretty much the same thing. I was really hoping the shots would do it for me, but no luck.
 
Crushed 3 discs in my lower back about 11 yrs ago.jumping a conventional cab rig about 75 ft with an abrupt halt.stuck my right arm through the windshield.I went through more pain than i have ever imagined,and ive broke lots of bones threw my life...LOL
8 months later finally getting released from my back doctor i have a letter stating 15% disabled:rolleyes:
i have 3 kids,16,8,5..........i feel great at 38 yrs old.....
you will be fine,just stay active once healed.its when you kick back on vacations and are not active,thats when you feel like your getting old..LOL
Good luck with your recovery,Its problemly driving you crazy not being able to go piddle around in the shop,but it will be worth the wait until your healed.
 
quickracer said:
Crushed 3 discs in my lower back about 11 yrs ago.jumping a conventional cab rig about 75 ft with an abrupt halt.stuck my right arm through the windshield.
Click to expand...

wow. This sounds fun... until the end.
 
Have had cervical fission, C6-C7, feel it when I have to really use neck mussels, and weather changes.
Docs wanted to do lower back surgery 10 years ago, opted not too, not not so sure that was wise. I didn't have it because of time lost from work, no other reason. But I honestly feel the time is growing near to have it done.
Speedy recover my friend!
 
mbalbritton said:
I've had three Direct injections so far, and just had my 4th visit which was just a consult to say, ok, you're getting a referral to a back surgeon. I have almost the exact same thing you have. Same location, same herniated disc issue, but no fragments on me. I'll be going in for pretty much the same thing. I was really hoping the shots would do it for me, but no luck.
Click to expand...

I am getting my next shot Jan 6th..
 
I know how ya feel.

Looking for other situations and comparing them to your own is a bit difficult when it comes to back pain.

It seems everyone has the same story, but different results, actions, etc.. For me i guess it really comes down to pain tolerance, and learning my own limits. After a few years of dealing with degenerating disks, i pretty much know what is going to hurt and what isnt. And as life goes on, the more the pain becomes part of life and the less i seem to think about it.

as far as actually being on the trail, just make sure your rig has comfortable seats. Trail time really hasnt bothered me too much. Long car rides do but for some reason trail riding seems not to be as bad.

LOL..i try to make sure i choose a spotter with a good back. that way when it comes time to stack rocks or change a tire, its not your back thats bending over =)
 
you should be good to go in about 2 weeks. It will still be a little sore but the more you walk, the faster it will heal
 
Hate that for ya, hope you have a quick and full recovery. I couldn't imagine not being active due to back pain, I would run myself in the ground.
Anyway, I still have hopes of you becoming a careless, full throttle wheeler:flipoff2:
 
I had a ruptured disk. Right leg pain numb foot. Had surgery 3 years ago. They put in screws and fused it. Recovery was a couple months. I was ridin my bike in 2 months and back to work in 3.

If it comes down to that. The biggest thing is finding a good surgeon.

Hope you recover quick.!!!!!!

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
 
thanks

Thanks everyone for there input... Day 2 is pretty painful but i am managing. Little more bedrest today as opposed to yesterday. I appreciate everyone's input and prayers.. It is always nice to here real life stories from people you trust. I have been blessed with a great family and friends to get me through it. I am looking forward to getting back to my 2 time a month minimum, wheeling schedule. :driver:

merry Christmas everyone...
 
herniated disc

I had 4 herniated disc in my back range from L1 through S1. had a first surgery in april 2006. went bad. had a 2nd in sept. 2006, and then a third in march 2007. but I now know I should have let a neurosurgeon do it and it may have been done right, the first time. my next two was just to correct problems caused by the first doctor.A orthopedic done the fist. but the neurosurgeon done the 2nd and 3rd. gues you could say it is like the diff, between a mechanic and a technician. the mechanic can do about the same jobs just not as knowledgeable as the tech. ( in most cases ). So I still live daily with the same or worse pain that I had to begin with, Choose you doctor wisely. go with a specialist and do what they say do.
 
Walk!
 
2 weeks after

Ok. Wanted to update so that anyone dealing with this problem can have some input from a credible source. The day after surgery 95% leg pain is gone. After two weeks, I have probably gotten 40% less numbness in my right foot and feel like my strength is back to 90+% in my right leg. I would suggest this surgery to anyone who has sciatic pain that does not go away after 3 months or so..

But ... Here is my problem...

I work for myself and have deadlines on projects in the shop.. The doctors advice is let your body tell you what you can and can't do. (i am sure he has no idea what being a welder is like on your body) I feel like i could go back to lite duty sheet metal work or anything that does not involve lifting much. I am thinking of working some half days at lite duty to gauge myself. Anyone had similar experience.... Good or Bad outcomes?
thanks Pj
 
update 2.5 months in

I wanted to update this for anyone who may encounter the same problem in the future. I went for my first trail ride in the buggy after the surgery last weekend.. Roughly 2.5 months after surgery.. The trail riding was great and i hardly had any discomfort. I then proceeded to jackass it a little bit, and things did not feel just right. Some ice and pills that night and i was good the next day. I guess if will be a little longer before i am endurance race ready, but it felt great to trail ride again. I am waking 3 to 4 times a week and have even got back to (lite weight training with the machines.) I need some ibuprofen after the workouts but not to bad. I still need to lose 20lbs and that would sure help overall.. Overall i think i am improving daily and look forward to this years racing season.. PJ
 
Some good info on here. I have learned alot. I ruptured a disk in the fall of '08. 4 shots with little relief. Left hip and calf burns,big toe is numb 70% of the time. Thinking about seeing a nerosurgen this summer and getting this over with.

Good luck to a working man
 
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