noharleyyet
Well-known member
Any you guys had this performed for sciatic relief & lower back pain?
Spinal Decompression/Laminotomy
- Thread starter noharleyyet
- Start date
dustinf
Active member
A few years ago, I had a cyst in my lower back removed from my sciatic nerve. I have so much arthritis in my back I basically developed a blister on/near the nerve.
I hate be a Debbie downer, but after the surgery I still have constant pain in my lower back. Before surgery, the pain was damn near unbearable. I was taking MS cotin(synthetic morophine) and it wouldn't touch it. At least now, Advil will tame it, when it's bad.
The neuro-surgeon told me I have the back of a 75 year old, I was 29 at the time.
I hate be a Debbie downer, but after the surgery I still have constant pain in my lower back. Before surgery, the pain was damn near unbearable. I was taking MS cotin(synthetic morophine) and it wouldn't touch it. At least now, Advil will tame it, when it's bad.
The neuro-surgeon told me I have the back of a 75 year old, I was 29 at the time.
dustinf
Active member
Oh yeah, we bought a Sleep Number bed last year, and it's amazing how much better it makes my back feel when trying to sleep.
EasternMTHunter
Member
Why are you consdiering it? Multi-level stenosis or a single level stenosis. From my experience if you have bad multi-level stenosis and have a laminectomy they get pretty good result, but as Dustin said there is no guarantee of complete pain relief. If it is a single level or 2 and your leg pain is worse than the back pain there are better than average odds of the leg pain going away but more than likely you will still have some back pain (depending on the procedure used). I have seen a few people where all the pain is relieved, but more commonly the pain level may go from a 7-8/10 dow to a 1-3/10. Hope I didn't muddy the waters.
DRAFTSTUD
Well-known member
EMTHunter beat me to it! John
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Multi level laminotomy w/ non hardware bone graft fusion to relieve spondylosis and stenosis @ L4&5. March 29.
I had a laminectomy done two years ago, and for a few months things were better. Then, when I stood up, I couldn't feel my legs for 30 seconds or more. The surgeon recommended a double-fusion surgery in my lower back (L-1, L4-5). I had the procedure done last July and have regretted it ever since. I can stand up and feel my legs now but my lower back feels like it is tied up by an enormous hose, pain in the right leg, numbness in my right foot. Of course, some of this was present before the surgery. I have tried physical therapy, acupuncture...nothing really works. I hope to see a different surgeon later this year, get an MRI done and see what he says.
spook12
New member
Damn anything with that many big words in it sounds scary.Hope all goes well and you get some relief.
P.S.
If you think there is a chance that a swift kick in the butt would straighten your back up all you have to do is ask.
P.S.
If you think there is a chance that a swift kick in the butt would straighten your back up all you have to do is ask.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
I hope you find some relief zulu.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
My surgeon told me I had the lumbar region of a 62 year old....in big words. We talked quite a bit about hunting the mountains as a long term prognosis but he wouldn't go so far as to guaranteeing premium unit draws for me.
idnative1948
Well-known member
Any of you decrepit young/old guys ever had pictures taken of your hips while you have been going through this pain and PT? Just wondering, considering what we have just gone through.
spook12
New member
My surgeon told me I had the lumbar region of a 62 year old....in big words. We talked quite a bit about hunting the mountains as a long term prognosis but he wouldn't go so far as to guaranteeing premium unit draws for me.
Sounds like you should find another sawbones and get a second opinion. Guaranteed tags should be part of any prognosis.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Yea, his tag pessimism was disapponting considering his hourly rate.
whyelkhunt
New member
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2011
- Messages
- 122
Second opinion, from a "sawbones" at least a hundred miles from the other Dr. would be a good start.
tarheel
Well-known member
Had mine done (4-5) back in '98. The sciatica had gotten so bad I couldn't work, so he drilled a hole in my spine and did whatever it was and no more sciatica. The pain didn't all go away, but it's localized neuro-muscular pain and I'll take it to my grave. About 11/12 weeks of recovery and some damned painful therapy got me back going again.
idnative1948
Well-known member
Only reason that I brought that up is because according to my wife's surgeon, he has been referred patients with what other doctors thought were back problems when it actually had something to do with the piriformis(sp?) so back was getting a bad torque, but was coming from the hip.
tarheel
Well-known member
No Harley, hope the kinks get ironed out; it's no fun getting old. Had I known I was going to live this long I'd have taken better care of myself.
I go in on March 20th for an ablation procedure on my heart. Catheters run up both groins, three in all, one of which will be used to fry the openings of all four pulmonary arteries with RF energy. The idea is to get scar tissue to form which will block the triggers which cause my heart to go out of rhythm so I don't have to take this highly toxic med I'm on and maybe come off the anticoagulant too. Looks good on paper, and my electrophysiologist assures me he hasn't lost a patient yet or had anyone get a stroke, so if it works maybe I'll experience something akin to normal life for a while; if not I'll be drooling on my shirt.
I go in on March 20th for an ablation procedure on my heart. Catheters run up both groins, three in all, one of which will be used to fry the openings of all four pulmonary arteries with RF energy. The idea is to get scar tissue to form which will block the triggers which cause my heart to go out of rhythm so I don't have to take this highly toxic med I'm on and maybe come off the anticoagulant too. Looks good on paper, and my electrophysiologist assures me he hasn't lost a patient yet or had anyone get a stroke, so if it works maybe I'll experience something akin to normal life for a while; if not I'll be drooling on my shirt.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
My situation is nowhere near your's, zulu's, or what Sytes has endured but I can tell you my symptoms have my full attention. Let's just say I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be proactive. My best wishes to you guys and thanks for your thoughts.
