Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Back Surgery (Microdiskectomy for herniated disk/sciatica pain)

I'm not posting this for sympathy or "glad you're feeling betters." I'm posting this for any of you that have sciatica pain and are hesitant to have the microdiskectomy surgery. Find the best surgeon you can. Get it done.

Physical therapy worked but sciatica came back worse later. The cortisone/steroid injections got me better, but not back to work. It's 16 days post-surgery today. 1.5" incision, one hour surgery. The incision hurt for 5 days, but I was only on painkillers for the first 24 hours after surgery. I needed muscle relaxers for the first 3-4 days to help spasms. The stitches itched until my post-op appointment today, doc said everything is progressing swimmingly. Well I don't think that word is in his vocabulary but whatever- I'm sure he doesn't eat beef but I trust him anyways.

I woke up in recovery in a lot of pain due to the incision. Got some drugs, then they make you piss, walk and eat. Then you can go home. You can walk right after surgery. With a walker first time, but you walk out unassisted. Doc says to walk walk walk. No BLTs (Bending, Listing or Twisting). My doc gave me a back brace to wear when not in bed. No sitting for more than 20 minutes. Your doc may recommend different. My doc is one of the best in MKE so I'm following orders. No BLTs, extended sitting and a lot of walking for 8 weeks. Six more to go.

Get the injections gents, and if they don't work have the microdiskectomy procedure. My herniated, torn and extruded disk was L5-S1 on the right side. MRI did not show the extent of herniation the doc saw and removed once he had me on the table. That is all.

Sounds like a rough ordeal.

Despite why you posted, I do wish your recovery to be fast and complete.

It's amazing what they can do now if caught in time.

Mine were fused back in 87,88,89,it was all that they had back then.

Hope things go right for you.

Interesting, Big Fish....we just got back from the Hospital 30 minutes ago. Wife had a laminectomy on L4-5 in 1985......8 months later, she had to go back and they removed more bone, but the damage was done. Her pain worsened over the years, and nothing helped. Doctors went so far as to prescribe avenza…..24 hour time-release morphine. She took that for 6 years, hated it, and finally got off of it. Three months ago she had a trial version of a spinal nerve stimulator and got 50% less pain. Today, she had the real thing installed (Stimulator). We are both hoping for better than 50%relief since this new unit has 8 leads instead of the 2 leads in the trial version. She has been a real trooper through all of this, maintaining a good attitude even with the constant pain. We are hoping for relief and a return to a more normal life with this fix, and throw the drugs away. She has always hated taking them, and never abused them.

Good luck to your recovery, do a lot of walking, and physical therapy if it helps. The typical laminectomy ( not the type you had) only has a 30% success rate, and it is a terrible way to have to exist!

Glad you are felling better...........

The secret to success with back surgery rests on two things, get a good surgeon and when it is done listen and do exactly as he instructs.

Thanks in all seriousness... but... I only hope this thread can get at least one person off the fence about this type of procedure or even getting the injections. So far so good and I obviously hope it continues as pain relief was immediate, long term who knows. Six more weeks in the back brace/girdle/corset. I look damn sexy in it for sure!

Doc says walk walk walk... your surgeon MMV. MI gettogether is on my to do list. Keep me updated. Ain't shot a damn gun in some time due to the pain.

Great news, Biggun.

Part of my procedure was a laminotomy- they don't remove the whole lamina, just a part to make room for the sciatic nerve to decompress. Good luck to your wife. This medical knowledge of back surgery has advanced a lot in 3 decades. I am only 34 so no fusion or anything cray cray (that is "crazy" for you curmudgeons). Best to your wife. I know the pain sucks.

BF,

Best hopes for rapid and continued improvement. And thanks for the pep talk.

I am not on the fence, but so far, my surgeon still is. I am looking for surgery to take care of a disc at C5-C6 putting pressure on the ulnar nerve and causing pain down my back, across the shoulder and down the R arm to my wrist.

I have to deal with it for another four weeks until I can see the surgeon again. Hopefully we can schedule something at that time to fix it, cause I am not doing any drugs stronger than advil and tylenol.

Only the ladies call me that you homo. Cause I got a high cap mag...

Doctor shop if you can! I had to wait to get a good doc and worth it so far.

Glad to hear your procedure helped you. Microsurgery has made great strides in fixing problems while not causing as much damage in the process.

Hope you feel well enough to make it to the Get Together

Hey Mark,

Glad to hear you're doing well with it. A hunting buddy recently had a similar procedure and he is doing well also. He was in a lot of pain for a lot of years...

Congrats!

I had the exact same surgery almost 6 years ago, L5-S1 on the right side. I still get some occasional stiffness when I over do it at work, but for the most part my back is good. Still plenty strong for my job (carpenter), and all my outdoor hobbies.

I did some post op PT on one of those underwater treadmills, man that was awesome and really helped.

I had platelet rich plasma therapy in July. I was less than one week away from spinal fusion. I cancelled my surgery. I hunted pheasant the last couple of days this week and my Fitbit counted over 17,000 steps each day. At least look into it. It won't cure everyone, but it helped me. Good luck to everyone with this.

I probably need disc replacement surgery, but will this procedure repair a dead disc between L4 & L5?

Disc replacement surgery is not covered by insurance & I refuse to get my spine fused.

My procedure wasn't covered either. It cost about $3,000 out of pocket. Luckily, they have a thing called Care Credit. It's a low/no interest program with 12-18 months to repay. I used it when I needed an unexpected root canal several years back. Sending you info if you want to check it out independently.

MRI this spring, see what is going on.
Sciatica and other stuff getting pretty annoying.