Well after about 10 years of on and off low back pain from disc issues, it finally became overwhelming the other day and I had no option but to have it operated on. Had such impingement on my L5 nerve that I could not move or bear weight without excruciating 10/10 pain. After a couple days of this my left leg began to lose strength and go numb. I made the choice to undergo a semi emergent lumbar laminectomy with partial discectomy.

I’m a couple days out of surgery and although overall I feel like things are improving, I still have left leg numbness and irritation/weakness with walking especially. I have been told that this is normal due to the swelling and the fact that the work was done in close proximity to the nerve, and will taper off over the next few weeks. It’s just really aggravating and concerning to me. I’m in the medical field and see patients post op, but not until about the 6 week mark and usually I’m not finding that they have a lot of neuro issues.

I’d love to hear about anyone’s story regarding their low back surgical procedures and outcomes. There has got to be a few on here with all our members anyhow.

It gets better. Way better.
Give yourself some time. From what you post it seems like that 10 out of 10 pain is gone.

I don't have your 1st name , but if you post it or send it to me, I've got a space in my prayer for you, best wishes and fondest regards. - bendable

Nerve issues heal ridiculously slow. Months.

Its gonna take time, and don't get all funky with the pain pills.
Prayers for you and your family.

Oh brother, this brings back memories. My laminectomy was done August 5, 1997. Like yours, L5-S1. Radiating pain down the back of my left leg all the way to my toes, then came the numbness and muscle weakness.
My surgeon was great and very optimistic about the outcome of the surgery. Physical therapy began about a month after surgery and continued thru December. Went back to work in January, 1998. I worked as a delivery driver for a foodservice company, handling products weighing up to 100 lbs. To this day, my back is good as new, no exaggeration. So, as Scott in NCal said, it gets batter. Way better. Just take things one day at a time.

Ive also had a number of spine issues over the years. Friday had rhizotomy or radiofrequency ablation performed. Basically surgeon burns the nerves, thus they wont transmit pain signals to brain. Says it may take a couple of weeks before notice an improvement, in fact it may be a little worse before it gets better. He wasnt wrong.

Trust the doc, follow their instructions through healing process. It will work out. Besides, its a good time to be recovering, otherwise you be in stir crazy quarantine with the rest of us.

Thanks guys your input really helps with the anxiety this has brought on. I knew I wasn’t alone on here. Bendable, my name is Matt. Thanks so much for the prayers. I have a lot of people on my side praying right now and I feel it truly does help.

I hope your recovery is quick and complete.

I had a partial discectomy (L5/S1) almost 4 years ago. Relief from that tremendous pain was immediate. Thank God. However, it left me with what appears to be permanent nerve damage. Numbness and weakness in the left leg has not improved. My surgery was delayed 4 weeks from the onset of severe pain. What hell that was. I think the delay may have caused the permanent damage.

The wife is in the same boat but it’s coming back, slowly. She’s now able to move lift her big toe a bit. She got to do it twice within 3 weeks... She’s a month out from surgery and she too put it off.

Do the PT of course, gabapentin has helped with the nerve tingling, foot asleep, restless leg feeling. She’s off anything stronger than Ibuprofen. We were told to get up and move. Laying down is the best, standing/walking next and sitting down is the worst.

I had a discectomy/laminectomy on L5/S1 back in 1992 while active duty in the Army. Suffered for almost a year prior going through physical therapy and taking steroids. Lost all strength in my left foot. Had the surgery in Nov 92 and maxed my PT test in Feb 1993. Best surgery I ever had.

I have had one upper(C5-6) discectomy with instrumentation. A few years later it had to be addressed again with another surgery it is 100%
Also surgery on L4-5 fused and 50% of three vertebrae removed. I’m gonna be 63 this year and I’ll give you one hell of a run for your money for guys 25 years my junior. I have broken my back twice and spent many many hours of rehab, starting over in the gym and actually rebuilding my body to support what was weak! I’ve got to say I have a 98% complete recovery. You don’t want to hear what my wife had to have done and she’s about 100% also. There is hope with back surgery today and your body will tell you if you are in need, actually it will fucking scream at you.....Best of luck with any type of back surgeries, I’ve got some great guys here in Nashville Tennessee if you’re close. Holler

My wife just had Back surgery 3 weeks ago and is doing great. Good Doctor and staff, she went home the next day.

I’m anxious to follow your recovery..

Years on subs left me with an L5-S1 issue that has nagged me for years.

Like yours, mine is getting progressively worse.

Please keep reporting on your progress and I hope it is quick.

Stay healthy and good luck to you!

I had back surgery about 20 years ago. The pain prior to having the surgery was unbearable. I could not stand straight for at least fifteen minutes after sitting down, could not get comfortable by either lying down or sitting either. After about 10-15 minutes of either I was in pain again. It was horrendous. One day my partner and I stopped a suspicious person. He was driving. He got out of the car to talk to the guy while I stood outside of it doubled over unable to stand up straight. It was then that I realized I was a danger to not only him but myself as well because had that guy decided to fight I would have been useless to my partner. So I went to see a doctor and he told me what the problem was. L4 and L5 were completely destroyed he thought when I was in a fight for my life with another guy a few months earlier. He recommended surgery which I agreed to. So I had the surgery and was off work for about 3 weeks. After the surgery and up to today I am able to do anything I want to do which includes running and weightlifting. All of which is pain free. It was probably the best decision I ever made.

Edited to add. Prior to the surgery, we tried everything else we could. Chiropractor, steroid injections etc. The only thing that worked was the surgery which consisted of cleaning out the spinal column and fusing L4&L5 with IIRC, titanium spacers in between.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Nerve issues heal ridiculously slow. Months.

True. Not as serious, but I had some nerve damage to my thumb from a saw accident about 10 years ago. Took a couple months to heal, but I'm back to 100%.

Don't be surprised if you get weird sensations as it heals... Random jolts of "cold lightning", etc.

I had Microdiscectomy about 20 years ago for the discs on L3-L4 and L4-L5. I think it took 4-6 weeks to get the feeling back 100% in my leg.

Take it easy, walk and follow the Doctors instructions. It will get better.

Hang in there buddy it does get better. When I was 18 years old I blew out my L5 S1. It felt as if someone took a big Glock field knife and stabbed it into my leg and began to twist. And the pain just wouldn’t subside. I think a combination of BMX racing and roofing work blew it out while I was so young. It also probably runs in my family as quite a few family members have had similar issues.

While trying to decide what to do I had to go to high school on crutches. I was shocked how people looked at me differently. That was eye opening.

The pain is definitely a 10/10. But when I got out of surgery even with the trauma to the muscles from the surgery etc I felt amazing. It took about 2-3 weeks for my lower back to heal up and a good 1-2 months before I began to feel normal. But right out of surgery it felt like the knife had been pulled from my leg. I wish I had not waited as long as I did to get the surgery. My indecision allowed for some permanent nerve damage and muscle atrophy that even to this day I am unable to build back. My microdiscotemy was a success and true Godsend. Unfortunately, I blew the other side out a few years later while working and immediately had surgery and avoided any nerve damage.

I’m not sure I have much disc left to blow out but I have taken much better care of myself and my back and thus far I have been lucky to not have to deal with any chronic pain issues. To be completely honest with you the pain pills they give you can be worse than the damn pain from the injury. When I stopped taking them EVERY injury my body ever experience flared up as my body went to war against me in an effort to get me back on that shit medicine. If I got shot I’d refuse narcotics for pain. It was a hell of an endeavor but I came out ok. I wish you the best and a speedy recovery.

Hey Lincoln,

How’s the recovery going?