Microdiscectomy - DONT WORRY

[Poildella]

Hi,

This is a post to all those people out there who are waiting to go for a microdiscetomy procedure on the lower lumbar!! Dont panic you'll be fine!

I had this operation done on Monday the 10th October and I feel fine! Obviously aching in the area where the incision was made! But thats expected!

After looking on the net for positives about this operation all I could find was horror stories and problems people had been experiencing, and this made me question my decision to go through with it right up until the morning of lying on the bed waiting to be wheeled to the theatre! But I can honestly say now I made the right choice! Ok theres some slight discomfort and aching from the wound but thats about it! Dont worry about pain from the incision, just think of it as a normal cut, by the time you wake up from the anasthetic it will have started to join up again with the stitches and wont give you much pain! The operation itself will onll leave you feeling bruised and aching on the inside a bit, nothing a few pain killers wont solve!

They also make sure you wont have any problems with DVT ( deep vein thrombosis ) from lying in bed motionless for most of the day! You will be given some very tight tights and air bags wrapped around your legs that pump air in and out of the all day to keep the blood flowing!

I was worrying about all aspects of this procedure, going over it in my head, but the truth is that once they give you the anasthetic the next thing you know you will be waking up in the ward and it will all be done and you wont have any clue about whats happened!

I fasted from lunch time 12 o clock the day before the op as I think this is best as you wont have any chance of being groggy from the anasthetic when you wake up! They put me to sleep at about ten to nine in the morning, and I didnt really come round properly till about half 4 in the afternoon! Such a good deep sleep!

I then got up during visiting hours and my wife helped me put the night clothes I had packed with me on! They will expect you to pass water before they let you go home, but I didnt go for a wee till about 9pm as I think all the fasting of food and drink from the night before had left me very dehydrated! You also have to wee into one of those cardboard things not sure what they are called, so they can measure the amount you are passing!

Best idea is to get up when you feel ready and get yourself mobile! Dont worry you'll be fine doing this even if your back is aching! I was more concerned about opening the wound up by getting up and down but theres no need to worry about this as its stitched and well taped! And the dressing itself is so small! So no big shocks when you have a look in the mirror! Its just looks a bit like a normal sized plaster, I was expeting to see large dressing and blood but no!

Last year when my back really went on me I was in much worse pain I couldnt walk for 3 days and couldnt get off the bed for nearly a week! Compared to that this opeation was nowhere near as bad! Its more discomfort than anything else!

Ive beed hame now for 2 days nearly and I'm up and about and resting and doing the exercises! I feel ok and Im sure that in a few weeks this will be the dest decision I made to get rid of all those pains in my legs and aches in my bum and lower back!

Dont worry about all the risks they tell you about you have more chance of winning the euromillions with one line! Thats what my surgeon told me!

Any question please ask and I will try to answer for you! Get it done you will make the right choice!

Thanks!

Cruiser!

 

[Hector Flores]

Hi Cruiser and welcome

I am so glad you are having a good experience, it is also quite rare for people to bother to post about them too. I hope that your recovery continues swiftly but please remember that you are only 2 days post op and your body will still have an awful lot of pain medication in it so just don't overdo things.

Regarding the fasting, every doctor seems to have their own ideas, some are happy with 4 hours, others want more depending on the op and the person. Always best to check.

Good luck

 

[~ Jenni ~]

Hi thanks for the reply! I wrote this post to give people some positives about this op as when faced with all the potential, all beit low risks, its still daunting to go ahead with! I was looking for some positive things to read before I went in, so wanted to give others some reassurance so they felt better! I was dealt with at the Walton Centre in Liverpool! And all the staff from the surgeons to the bed pushers and nurses to the catering staff were all amazing, made the whole thing a relaxing experience! Especially loved the fish and chips with mushy peas for tea in the afternoon after op! mmmmmmmmmmm lovely!!!
Will post again soon to report on progress!

Thanks,

Cruiser!

 

[Ropinsono]

Best wishes Cruiser!
I hope you continue to do well and get back to full health as soon as possible.

SPINELF

 

[kunimitsuadrian]

Cheers,

3 days post op now and feeling stronger and better with every passing hour! Movement getting easier, sleeping better, walking better, sitting better, so glad I had this done!

Was informend this op is mainly for sciatica but I'm sure the ache that was in my lower back 24/7 has gone! Will post again soon with updates, but up to now everything fine!

Thanks,

Cruiser!