my doctor said i have two discs pinching a nerve and that i need surgery … my symptoms are lower back pain and pain running down my right leg i cannt walk for more then 5 minz i cannt stand i cannt work nutttin all i do is stay home sitting down all day is surgery the way to go ?

I have siatica now and I’ve got the numbness down my right leg, which makes it difficult stability wise. I think this may be my only option if therapy doesn’t work. How long did it take you to recover from this? Did you do it as day surgery or overnight? I’m curious to find out because I may be going down the same path.

Damn…… I could not be the doctor doin that….

Check Back Pain And Sciatica Exercise Video Program here: watch?v=3Xt0kkr74xg

I had a 12 inch incision last Thursday to insert appliances, etc, etc, etc. I used one of Dr. Revici’s medicines prior to surgery, and had some sneaked in a couple days after.

As a result, I got off all the morphine, Lortabs – everything other than Revici in five days. Was sent home – no rehab hospital. His med is nonconstipating and nonaddictive, non toxic really.

Failed back syndrome or post-laminectomy syndrome is pretty self-explanatory = persistent low back pain after having back surgery. Calf wasting, like mind, on medial (inner) side, can occur. I like total body stretches and core strengthening execises for life, especially abs, hamstrings & calf muscles; whirlpool;sleep in fetal position w/body pillow between knees; low doses of Ibuprophen and Neurontin usually work pretty well enuff.

I had exactly the same thing. Now 4 mos post-op, still constant pain, burning, crunching sounds in area of laminectomy upon movement. Cannot sit stand or lie down for any extended period of time. Calf muscles have no flexibility. Rock hard and hard to walk. Has anyone else experienced calf muscle problems post op?

I acctually have 27 vertibres its crazy

I had a lower lumber laminectomy in June 2008. L5-S1. I am in more pain now than I was before, and my surgeon has since retired. Good luck trying to find a surgeon to touch you after a 1 year post op.. its not happening! I was told I need a fusion, but cant have it done for at least another year.. any suggestions?

mine took around 2 hours from looking at my anesthesia bill. I had a nuro surgeon take care of me. I’m 3 months post op and feeling better every day.

2-3 hours w/o complications, but I was totally under (uncounscious) at the time so don’t take that as gospel. hospital stay: 2 days, with f/u home nursing care.

do u know how long the procedure takes?

How long is the procedure?

My MRI findings/dx: L4, L5, S1 moderate to severe, right sided, lower lumbar disc herniation causing an obliterated nerve root at one or more disc spaces. Symptoms: constant numbness, tingling w/sharp shooting sciatic nerve pains radiating all the way down the rear of right leg into my toes. Weak leg, foot & ankle muscle strength – (wasted) calf muscle over time. Underwent laminectomy with no significant improvement or relief. Retired/Totally disabled @ age 51.

Your lucky you found a good surgeon. I have herniated discs L5s1 and L2/3 causing piriformis and sciatic problems in both legs and sides for 8months now. Injections and surgery are my last options.Nothing has worked for me yet apart from light stretches. Good luck to every1, ta 4 posting

What caused this that you had to have this procedure done?

If you have low back pain, mid-back pain, etc., there is a really good book called “Healing Back Pain” by Dr. John Sarno. It conveys, without a doubt, the most Responsible Content on the matter that I have ever come across and is NOT “about” anatomy in general. You can google his name. You can probably find it at your local library if you don’t want to purchase it. P.S. I’ve had 2 discectomies in the past – didn’t know better, and…..yeah, it’s a really worthwhile read.

I just had this done. I’m really young so that was in my favor. I had it done early in the morning and was released about a hour after the surgery was over. I could walk and move around in about two days. I’m already back to doing whatever i want and it hasn’t even been a month. The worst part was just that my throat was sore from the tube

i just had the surgery 2 weeks ago. my back hurt, of course, but i felt so much better even in the pacu. i was walking in my room, 2 hours later. i have a lot of weakness in my r foot, i start physical therapy for that next week. i am already going back to the gym. can do elliptical machine and treadmill. i wish i would have done it sooner.

i had my surgery 2 weeks ago. i have already started going to the gym. i had been in pain for several years off and on. i had sciatica, horribly for about a month. i couldn’t walk, i couldn’t sit, i could only lie on my left side. my leg ended up going numb from the knee down. my doc said to watch it and see. i got fed up and went to the e.r. where i work. i was walking 2 or 3 hrs after with no pain in my leg. i still have numbness in leg, may or may not go away. i start therapy soon.

He also noticed a sebatious cyst on the left side of L4 which the radiologist missed when reading the MRI and making his report. Makes me wonder what else he might have missed. The neuro surgeon said that he would have thought I had pain down my left leg. I don’t have much pain in my left leg. It’s 98% in my right leg. Go figure

He used the word laminectomy. I asked him what exactly that meant and he said he filed down the L4 and L5 vertebrae so there was more room for the sciatic nerve and thus it would not be touching the disk or the vertebrae which has arthritic spurs in it. I’ll ask him when next I meet with him to make sure.

Does he/she want to do a discectomy w/ the laminectomy?

Jdp, Thanks for your replies. I met with the Neuro Surgeon today. The 6 shots did not work. After looking at my MRI’s again he said that a laminectory in L4, L5 is the thing he thinks will really clear up my problems. I asked him lots of questions. He said I would probably be out of the hospital on my second day there and after 2 weeks I probably would feel good and be pain free. I would definitely like to correspond w/you more by email before I get it done.

If you would like to know the name of the surgeon, i will give it to u in a private email. Be cautious as to who you see. Do your research, ask how many surgeries he/she has performed. Success ratios etc. Best of luck to you!