back surgery more than once

[grassfarmer]

Have any of you had experience with more than one back surgery? My first one was in the lower back and it was not minimally invasive. The results of the first surgery was continued sciatica. Now another MRI indicated another blown disk above the first surgery site.
Any advice?

[DirtFarmer]

No experience or advice here, but I wish you the best of luck!

[clamgulch]

I've lived with my ruptured L3/L4 disc for 20 years because even back then, fusion almost always lead to blowing out the discs above and below the fused joint. You do have my deepest sympathy for your misery. Most folks are helped by surgery, but many go through exactly what you are dealing with. I've only met 2 people who didn't have to have a second surgery within 5 years.

Advice? Don't do what hurts. Live with it if you can, get it fixed if you can't. Pray and believe God for a miracle. That's why I didn't have surgery to fix the ruptured disc in my neck- He "healed" it a week before my pre-op appointment and I'm grateful for that. However, I still have to be careful with it and it gets tired and sore very easily, but no more wanting to shoot myself pain going on 10 years.

[94_turbo]

there is a doctor, in illinois i believe--that makes a artificial disc---serious!!! its been couple years since talked with friend about it, he has the guys name and info. they take the bad disc out,the new disc is out of some type of nylon?? with a slot in it to slide the nerves thru, and the bottom and top have a circular "claw" assm that clamps on the vertebrate above and below. at that time--he was seeking fda approval. and had nooo problems with the people that had already had them put in by him--

[grassfarmer]

Thanks for the advice and good wishes. I will seek a couple of more opinions from the medical profession before anymore surgery.

[Pappy19]

I had disc surgery for removal of a ruptured disc between L4-5, back in 1989 and have not had any additional problems since. My wife has had MRI's tell her over the past 8 years, that she has a ruptured disc and needs surgery to fix the problem. She refuses. She goes to a chiropractor that practices "Pro-Life Adjuster", and within just a few visits, she is without pain and walking straight. Google www.prolifeadjuster.com and it should give you some additional information. If you can find a chiropractor that uses this Pro-Life Adjuster system, you might give it a try. It has sure made a difference in my wife's back problems.

My 40 year old son had back surgery about 5 years ago and he has been on a pain management system ever since. Alot of the surgery issues are just due to how good of an artist your surgeon is when he cuts into your back. Some are better than others. I got a good one and have not had any problems since. Good luck with yours.

[Larry S.]

Alot of the surgery issues are just due to how good of an artist your surgeon is when he cuts into your back. Some are better than others. I got a good one and have not had any problems since.

I will double this comment. I blew my back out in a skiing accident 20 years ago. I went with an orthopedic surgeon rather than a nuero surgeon. He had 41 years experience and claimed better than 99% success. I shared a room with two guys in for their second go around, not patients of my doc. When he got in he found a ruptured disk that had migrated down my spine rather than just a herniated disc. He repaired the disc and cleaned out the stuff that had migrated down. It took two years before I was back to normal but now, 20 years later, I have no evidence of the surgery other than the scar. The old boy was very conservative and would have nothing to do with the 2 days in and out. He had his own recovery ideas. He was big on walking in the recovery and I walked a mile one week after surgery. I went deer hunting in the mountains one month after surgery. Today's technology has improved the methods of repairing discs and your odds for success should be higher than it was 20 years ago. But, do your homework before committing and be picky. I remember the horrible pain and feel for you. I wish you the best.

[clamgulch]

As long as someone brought up the artificial disc, I'll add what I know about it. It was invented in Germany 20 years ago and is quite commonly installed there. The insurance industry here has fought it for years because it's cheaper to do fusion, but the FDA finally approved it as an "experimental" surgery limited to about 4 US hospitals as of 3 years ago. As far as I know, it's still "experimental" in the US. Therefore, there are great restrictions on it's use- specific surgeon training, low back only, no other ruptured discs, no adjacent fusions, 6 months of debilitating misery with no improvement, etc. Lastly, I believe there was an age limit on it of 40, iirc.

So if you've already had the disc above or below removed and the joint fused, you aren't a candidate in the USA unless the rules have changed. I know all this because that's what I was holding out for for my low back for 20+ years, but now I'm much too old and they will never approve it for me. I'm now 51 and have learned to live with mine as-is, meaning I can't be building rock walls with 300 pound rocks anymore, and cannot rake leaves for more than 2 minutes, and standing semi-bent over the sink washing dishes is out of the question.

Whatever the case, I wouldn't wish a bad back on anyone. It's really miserable and surgery really is the last ditch repair- and the statistics for 100% recovery are not good. I've seen more than one person who's back was made far worse by surgery, leading to many more surgeries, none of which helped reduce the pain.

[Topcop]

I too have been advised to have back surgery based on several MRI's. L-4-5 herniated discs, plus discs in neck.

Fortunately, I've been married to a R.N. and I've received good advice. The only time I would get the surgery is if I lost control of foot or bodily functions. The several Dr's I've talked to advised that 30% of the people that have surgery get improvement,30% remain the same,30% get worse. They also advised that after age 40, you get arthritis in the joints where the injuries are and Degenerative Joint Disease.

As you get older, you have to realize two things. One is you have limitations on what you can do physically. 2, You have to accept your limitations. No, I can't bench 300 anymore, but I don't have to anymore, they pay me anyway. I've had good success taking Celebrex 200 mg. and had two epidural pain shots when the pain was severe and unbearable.

Beat of luck to you, that's the worst pain I've ever had, low back pain.

[Terry Hee]

It took two years before I was back to normal but now, 20 years later, I have no evidence of the surgery other than the scar.

Hey Larry S.,
Just a little over 3 weeks ago a Neurosurgeon performed a Discectomy and (I forgot the name) slight bone/vertabrae grinding to correct a herniated/bulging disc between L4, L5 and then glued the incision closed. Prior to surgery I had some mean Sciatica left side so sitting was out of the question...sitting on the throne was fun. After the 2 hour surgery in the morning I was home by just after 2pm same day...with no pain just aching arond the incision area. The sciatica is gone though my left foot got some tingling/some numbness sporadically. My Neuro doc is only letting me bend some side to side, some backward and to try reaching my toes. I can't lift more than 10 pounds and I've been back to my, luckily, desk job for 1.5 weeks. I'm not 100% yet and I'm gonna see the doc again come monday. I've hear of many different people getting back to just about normal after lengthy therapy/rehab etc...some shorter/longer than others. I'd better just take it slow and not expect too much too soon I guess...what experiences did you go thru during those 2 years after surgery? Thanks for your time.

v/r
Terry

[Terry Hee]

Grassfarmer: I have no idea what kind of pain you're experiencing but for me I got tired of walking with my left hip kicked out to the left and my upper torso bent to the right trying to compensate for the pain. Two professional opinions mentioned living permanently like THAT and taking meds, or an Epidural, or surgery. The Spinal cortisone shot was not an option either so after speaking with the neurosurgeon and arriving home i called his office and had them schedule me for surgery one week later. The tuff part was eliminating my meds for the whole week before surgery.

I feel so fortunate to have made it this far with mostly aching and no "sharp" pain. I'm about, say, 75%...still tough trying to get up off the floor after laying around and watching TV and a lot of knee bending/back straight to reach for things down low...and for all i know this may be permanent.

May all of you some how find some relief from your back problems and thanks for sharing.

v/r
Terry

[Larry S.]

Terry,
I'll try to answer your questions. The technology used in back surgery today is advanced considerably over when I had mine done and some forms are not as invasive. With your short stay in the hospital I am assuming yours was one of the new techniques. But, as I stated before, my doc was very conservative. Before my surgery my pain was like a severe charley horse from my heal to my butt cheek on one side. Nothing seemed to reduce the pain. I was given the choice of trying no surgery methods with no assurance of a cure or surgery with the doc's assurance he could fix the problem. He wanted me to avoid surgery if possible but when I asked how long he would be experimenting with other methods he said 6 months and I said I can't live with this pain that long. After what was found I'm glad I made the choice for surgery.

I started with a 10 lb lift limit, no driving or automobile riding, very limited sitting for the first couple weeks. Don't remember restrictions on bending. I went back to work after 3 weeks. Surgery was 4 days after Labor Day. Went deer hunting with my son in mid October. This deer hunting is not sit in a stand type hunting but involved climbing mountains and hiking miles. Went skiing again at Christmas. Both with the docs OK. During the recovery I would occasionally experience a bit of the old pain, especially if I over stressed my back, but it always went away in a short time. The biggest thing that I found causing the occasional pain was my chair at work. I convinced the boss to get me an orthopedic chair and solved that problem. The biggest issue with the recovery was it took two years to feel as strong as before the back issue came about. I became very careful about activities that could cause a re occurrence because I did not want to go through that again. BTW: I had no rehab or therapy for my back during my recovery.

Take it easy for now and work up to your old self with time.

[Terry Hee]

Larry,
Interesting in that Doctors have different views on recovery processes. I'm cautious with my transitions like from sitting to laying down, sitting to standing etc. and vice versa. I get some aches.

I hear nothing but good things from doing long walks and hikes post surgery.

Did you do any stretching, flexing, strengthening exercises for your back and/or core?

Thanks again,
Terry

[Larry S.]

I don't remember any special exercises, but then that was 20 years ago and my memory isn't what it once was. I do remember the doc wanting me to walk as much as possible. He said it was the best exercise for my back I could get. He was also adamant about not sitting in the early recovery period.