Cervical Discectomy
Comments
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Am hearing a few positive things about the op - another guy I have spoken to had a similar op on his lower back and now works part time as a mixed martial arts instructor!
Do you guys think I am right in thinking the op is inevitable and other methods are just going to prolong it?
Am feeling a little more up-beat today as the diazepam seems to have had some effect and I can now move my head enough to almost feel like a human being and not a turtle sticking his head out of a shell!
My shoulders and lower neck still feel like someone has been whacking them with an iron bar though
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Hi Gcwebbyuk,
Got it in one. If the discs are trapping the spinal cord, and you can see this in an MRI scan (Kellog's example is pretty clear - mine were just the same, except at 3 levels not just the one), then all you need is a man with a bag of spanners to fix it. I am now 100% fixed, no pains at all, nothing, zero, zilch.....just a zip-like scar up my back! Well, the lumbar bit is - just need to get the neck fixed! Old rubgy injuries (hooker....says it all) I suspect.
The NHS does not want to spend any budget it might have, so it keeps fobbing people off with drugs. When waiting for my op I slept in the spare room as the painkiller drugs I was taking were something else - Tamegesic (sp? - heroin based I think) if I recall. Co-codamaol wouldn't touch it. Two of these at night and there's no way I would have been safe to drive or ride a bike for at least 18 hours. Woke up screaming the house down one night - so my wife said - I could "see" a huge spider (like about 1m across) crawling up the bedroom wall. They killed the pain but the side effects were beyond belief.
The op solved it all. OK, there may be risks in the op - but staying with the painkillers only wrecks your mind and digestive tract and delays the inevitable. You have to make a nuisance of yourself with the NHS - eventually they have to give in.
Hope this helps.....it worked for me, the trick is getting the NHS to give you the op if that's what's needed.....
Andy0 -
Just to say the - MRI is in fact me....
So is that saying it looks pretty bad then?
Just wish I could get a definitive answer as am slowly losing my mind over it all0 -
gcwebbyuk your scan looks just like mine except mine was bulging at two levels but the symptoms are the same
In terms of age i am 40 (tomorrow in fact) and whilst the surgeon tells you paralysis, death, stroke and all the other nightmares they are really covering there backs
I asked the surgeon how successful he has been and his reply was "well i have never paralysed anybody" he also said you will be fine
I ran through the op with my GP and he said much the same - they have to tell you the scary stuff but, in truth, they expect all to go well
Thats not to say take the scary things lightly at the end of the day the risks are there and you are the one that has to sign the paperwork to agree to it all
I know of a guy in Scotland ( friend of friend etc) and he had the op about 3 weeks ago and was back home, like me, within 3 days and his recovry is ticking along fine
I was offered steroids and an epidural but the surgeon said they might damp down the pain for a while but it would inevitably resurface.
You are young so your speed of recovery will be good and yes the risks ARE there - what you have to think about is how long can you live a life of constant pain and drug taking that plays havoc with your system - fend that off against an op (all be it with risks but all ops have a lot of the same risks its just that nowadays they have to warn you cos if it goes tits up you will sue so they just cover arse) and if you think like me there was no alternative but to have the op.
Its your choice at the end of the day and i can only tell you of my dilemas and now my recovery but you must get into the sysyem quickly so that something gets done
All the best mate - if you want to chat about it i will post up my phone number
Jim0 -
Many thanks kellog.
Am off to physio this morning, and following that will ring the surgeon's secretary and see if there is any movement on the queue etc.0 -
gcwebbyuk - hope your ok as long time since last post by you!!
i returned to see surgeon today 2 weeks after op and all is well
two new discs are in line with my natural spine but are still to fuse to my bones
doctors orders are take it easy and let nature take its course which will be another 4 weeks and then i see them again.
WORD OF WARNING - i feel quite well but there are times when my body tells me i am not as well as i think - I mentioned in an earlier post that a friend of a friend had same op in scotland a couple of weeks before me and he was doing well - he has apparently gone against docs orders and drove a car!!
RESULT = In more pain than before op was done so this does not bear thinking about!!!
I have a good boss and he has told me to take my time on returning to work as he wants me at my best (he was formerly a pharmacist so is probably a liitle more aware of the problems than most bosses) and the result of my "friends" actions above have headed me a big warning.
Painting and washing cars and windows is apparently a good work out for this injury in times of recovery!!
Will post up in due course as time progresses0 -
Nice one Kellog, sounds like you're well on the way. i found I got tired easy for a good while after.
It's good that you've got a good boss, I felt a bit pressured to get back to work, but you know what, I don't have the same boss now, but i've got the same neck - so it's obvious which one is the important one to take care of.
As you say hope gcwebbyuk is OK.Be happy, communicate happiness.0 -
Pleased to find this thread on the forum as it has given me some hope.
I have now been of the bike since the beginning of april,missing most of the racing season,plus little hope of competing the rest of the year.
It all started with contractions in the muscles of my shoulder,back and arm so off to the phisio used by my club/team (this guy knows his stuff and has worked on teams in the tour,vuelta,giro etc)
after a couple of sessions things got better in the muscles but my right arm was going to sleep,with pins and needles from my shoulder down to the thumb and the two fingers next to the thumb ,so he marked the problems with a pen on my body and said go to the hospital and tell them whats up (i have a friend whos a doctor in the local hospital so i get through the system a bit quicker otherwise i'd be waiting weeks/months).
I'm now waiting on the results of a scan to see what the next move will be......i guess an operation.
Like most of you here who have had problems i too have so many drugs to take which make you feel rough and sleepy.(i think the gossip in the village is that i'm a drug addict leaked out by the girls in the chemist).But the drugs seem to be doing nothing.
At least i dont feel guilty of watching the tour on tv this year when i should be training.
I will keep you posted on scan results when they are available.Myprotein referral code mp288135 (get money off)0 -
Hi guys
The physio felt he couldnt help any more with his manipulations, and decided a course of acupuncture between now and seeing the surgeon to deal with the pain and try and come off taking so many tablets - considering this.
I returned back yesterday from a 2 week rest in Egypt - decided to go there (Taba) so that all I do is rest rest rest.
The first week and a half my actual awake time was roughly 5 hours per 24 hours - was snoring pretty much all day apart from getting up to eat etc!
Neck is still in the same shape though, so rest didnt help in any way really other than help me out of the state of fatigue I was in before.
I started to keep a diary of what pain I received and where etc, so I can give a better picture to the surgeon when I finally see him.
No luck with moving along the queue with the surgeon either.
Am going to try seeing a chiropracter in the month between now and Aug 24th. Will see what he suggests - I saw him prior to receiving the MRI images and he thought he would be able to help in some way - but couldnt be sure - now I have the images I will see what he thinks, and then take a choice on that or accupunture.0 -
Oh and regarding work being helpful...
...had a meeting with my boss before going away on holiday. He agreed that he would pay me full pay for 5 weeks (have been with the company 5 years now) while recovering from op etc - after that though would have to be SSP.
I found that quite understanding of him. I think the main problem we may have though is my role in the company is quite key to day-to-day running, I am a senior technical engineer for an IT company, and the other staff do not have full understanding of the software/hardware at all of our customer's sites (so I imaging some of my resting time will need to answer the odd work phone call etc).
Chiro booked for tomorrow - will see what he says once he has seen the MRI images :?0 -
Pretty good from the boss!
Hope the scans are what you want.0 -
Already have the scans and report - but when I saw him it was just a physical examination etc - he didnt have a full idea of what was going on inside.
He did spot straight away that the whole of my left side of my body/back is higher than the right where the muscle structure has adjusted to deal with the pain - probably over many years (10ish), and that my spine is slightly bent from half way up my back too - none of the three different physios had noticed / mentioned this :? when I past this information onto my wife she saw straight away too.
He did give me some confidence in that he may be able to help - but could not guarantee it obviously.
I still think that surgery is going to be the only way forward, but want to extinquish all other possibilities first, as I am worried that fusing two disks together will only put more wear on the others?0 -
Have any of you guys out there with back problems tried an inversion table?
While i'm waiting to get my back and neck sorted i thought i might try one.
Would be interested to hear from anybody who has tried one.Myprotein referral code mp288135 (get money off)0 -
I thought about this idea too - it seems similar to traction in the way it helps stretch your spine and take weight off it - just the fact they cost so much has put me off0
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gcwebbyuk wrote:I thought about this idea too - it seems similar to traction in the way it helps stretch your spine and take weight off it - just the fact they cost so much has put me off
Yes they dont come cheap,but then again the doctor i'm seeing next week is not cheap either. He's meant to be one of the best back specialists in europe and trained under a top specialist in Switzerland who has since retired
.I think i will run the idea by him when i see him next week,even if it wont fix my immediate problem maybe be it will prevent other problems ocurring in my back in the future.Myprotein referral code mp288135 (get money off)0 -
Be good to hear what he says.
Keep us posted.0 -
gcwebbyuk wrote:Be good to hear what he says.
Keep us posted.
Yesterday i had the appointment with the specialist for my neck/back problems.
This was the first time i had met this specialist and was put at ease isntantly when he made fun of me being English and living in Spain,as he had recently been to Ireland to give a conference and it just rained nearly all the time he was there.
I went armed with all my x rays, MRI scan and a list of all the medication and supplements i had been taking.
He explained everything clearly and expressed that an operation is the last resort on problems of the spine,so many doctors will operate when not always needed and later in life they will be back in for another op,and that can get complicated.
I explained that this is the first week of a series of injections i was prescribed and that they are working,its the first time in four months i can use the turbo trainer with out my right arm going to sleep.(turbo trainer in the spanish summer is not much fun but its a start back to fitness)
The good news from my scans was that the discs were not interferring into my spine,but were badly compressed in the lumbar region and in the neck.
Lots of therapy will work out the problem and with less problems in the future,which can not always assured with an operation.
I had taken to show him a supplement i had started to take for him to give his opinion.
The supplement was the High 5 joint supplement pack (i bought online from www.return2fitness.co.uk good site with telephone help line) He says its not a miracle cure,BUT will help and when you put all these things together to help good results are possible.
I then asked about an inversion table as i had heard good things about them. The answer was quite positive,they are not for everybody but in a very high procentage showed good results.The answer to should i buy one was yes it could help,only a little or a lot.
The problem people have with them is they get them and use for a short while and give up...........wrong move it takes time and then when things have stretched and loosend up you should sort the possible muscle imbalance around the spine.
So i ordered one today and should arrive next week. I could not find a secondhand here in Spain,but i see that there are some secondhand ones in the UK ebay.
I will keep you posted on the progress and if the table works.
Its costing me money but i miss racing and have goals i would like to achive.
Thats all for now off to do a turbo session then relax and watch my near neighbour Alberto wrap up the tour.Myprotein referral code mp288135 (get money off)0 -
ArroyoDave - sounds good that you have avoided surgery. In the back of my mind I am hoping surgery isnt the way forward for me - have had mixed answers from the various people I have seen.
What therapy have they suggested?
I have considered a turbo trainer to get some use out of the bike as its sat in the garage and hasnt been used in over a month
I can't seem to get more than a mile down the road before my neck is too painful to continue.
I am seeing a chiropractor at the mo, twice a week up until my date with the surgeon (24th August) to see if it is an alternative to surgery. At the mo its dificult to say if it is working (have had 4 appointments so far) its certainly no worse!
I don't suppose you are able to scan your MRI / X-rays for your neck could you?0 -
The therapy for the neck i believe he said would be with some kind of lazer?? I'm not sure of how this will work but i have to pass on his notes next week to the clinic so i will beable to give more details after then.
I will try and scan my images up next week for you to have a look at.
Yes,like you i could only ride a short while.The last time i went out the door i managed only 45 seconds before my right arm went to sleep.
But this week as i said i'm doing up to a hour on the turbo with no problem.
I will wait a week or two before trying a ride outdoors.Myprotein referral code mp288135 (get money off)0 -
I will have a look at turbo trainers then.
Have been put off them a little as I used to own one about 10 years ago, was very basic and VERY noisy even with slicks.
Going to post in the buying advice section now on which one to invest in...0 -
Well i am now at 8 weeks since op and things are going well following a slight relapse a couple of weeks ago.
Basically a few of the old pains came back and i was concerned as to why
Had a scan last week and all is clear so pains are the nerves trying to heal themselves and this could go on for approx 12months
BAck to work on 7th september which will be just over 4months off since it all started back in April
I have a stiff neck and twinges of pain if i make too sudden a movement.
I asked about physio and my doc said that he would not let those guys near me until 14 weeks post op so i go back to him at the end of Sept when he will hopefully bid me farewell
Thats it for now but will post again later when i get through my first week of work0 -
Hi Kellog, glad to hear you are slowly getting there.
How long were you told by the surgeon it would be before you got back to work? I was under the impression it would be 4 weeks.
I have my appointment a week on Monday... counting down the days!
Chiropractor has gone fairly well, am not getting the arm pains as frequently or for as long as I was getting before, but the pain radiating from my neck to between my shoulder blades seems to have increased.
Chiro said the disc bulge will always be there, but he thinks it might be enough to delay surgery. However, he said it could come back quite easily. To be honest, I think I am at the point where if the surgeon thinks its likely to work, then I will go for it. I dont want to live my life always being wary that it might happen again.
On a plus point, I bought a suspension seat post for my bike, which has allowed me to do the 9 mile seafront ride (on the road though) without being in agonny from pot holes.0 -
Hi GCWEBBY UK
Docs told me that recovery is between 6 to 8 weeks with full activity after 10 to 12 weeks
i spoke to my boss who wants to change my job role to include more uk and overseas travel so he wants me fully fit and raring to go
8 weeks took me upto today and i go on hols next week so it was pointless going back for a week
My relapse didnt help so it will be 12 weeks since op by the time i get to work which i feel will put me back to fullish fitness
you can go back earlier but this may slow down full recovery but as i have said before i have been lucky with my boss
I have been looked after financially but, as my work involves PCs, i have been able to do some small amounts of work from home to help him out so it has cut both ways
Key really is to see how you feel but i felt nowhere near right after 4 weeks and relapsed at 5!!
This is a big op (surgeons words) and it takes time to recover properly but everybodys different
Good luck[/code]0 -
Kellog - sounds like we are in the same industry - I am an IT consultant, so I too can do a fair amount of work from home. My boss has agreed 5 weeks paid recovery and I am working from home 1 day a week at the moment to help with resting etc.0
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aaaargh have been really struggling the last couple of days.
Since Sunday I have had a fairly constant dead left arm, It will go for an hour then come back again. Sometimes my right arm will go numb/dead too. Had a numb calf as well on Tuesday for a few hours
GP has told me to double up on my Amitriptyline until I see the Surgeon on monday, to find out his course of action before she prescribes be any different drugs.
the waiting is killing me, and am now having visions/dreams/nightmares of the surgeon saying the wait for the surgey will be months and months :shock:0 -
Had the appointment with the surgeon this afternoon, went fairly well.
He has put me down on the list for surgery - waiting time 3-4 months. I asked how much it would cost roughly if I went private - £9000 to £10000, so thats out of the question!
It will be an anterior cervical discectomy with a replacement disc instead of a fusion with a bone graft. This is to enable my neck to move more than if i had the bone graft (mainly due to my age - 31).
I took the names of the drugs that my GP had suggested I change to (from Amitriptyline) - he recommended the newer of the two Pregabalin - so am seeing GP on weds to get a prescription.
Light at the end of the tunnel - but am aprehensive about having fairly major surgery
:oops:
On the plus side he said once heeled and if everything goes to plan, I should have no problem with mountain biking or riding a motorbike again! 8)0
