Lumbar Microdiscectomy Surgery for Herniated Disk

[greaser13]

After 2 months of bad sciatica pain and weakness in my calf, I finally got an MRI and the news was bad. Herniated disk at L5-S1. The doc recommends surgery before the nerves die from being strangulated resulting in permanent left leg weakness. He said he thinks I'd be a candidate for the microdiscectomy procedure, which is outpatient. I'm still processing this news which comes on top of what was already a really bad and depressing year. I'm not a competitor or anything but the gym is pretty much the only thing keeping me sane these days and the thought of losing that is terrifying to me. Has anyone had this or a similar procedure done? If so, would you mind sharing your experience?

Thank you all in advance.

 

[bg65]

You'll be limited in the gym for 6 wks while it heals but after that you should be good to go. You should really clarify what lifts are ok, bench should be fine but they're gonna want you to avoid loading your spine for those 6 wks. My wife has a friend who competes in bikini and she had a lumbar microdiscectomy, after being cleared by her surgeon at the 6 week point she was back full effort in the gym, feeling good
Try to do it sooner rather than later, the nerve deficit can become permanent

 

[Bio]

That surgery is nothing to be worried about and it's a common level to have issues. Even if you had a fusion at that level, it wouldn't affect you. Just don't rush things coming back. Let it heal and remember the weights aren't going anywhere!

 

[Jgardn14]

After 2 months of bad sciatica pain and weakness in my calf, I finally got an MRI and the news was bad. Herniated disk at L5-S1. The doc recommends surgery before the nerves die from being strangulated resulting in permanent left leg weakness. He said he thinks I'd be a candidate for the microdiscectomy procedure, which is outpatient. I'm still processing this news which comes on top of what was already a really bad and depressing year. I'm not a competitor or anything but the gym is pretty much the only thing keeping me sane these days and the thought of losing that is terrifying to me. Has anyone had this or a similar procedure done? If so, would you mind sharing your experience?

Thank you all in advance.

Praying brother. Let us know how it goes

 

[TrippplePPP]

If offered a microdiscectomy its probably one level and apparent herniation. If I was dying in pain I'd do it but I would do injections and PT if you are not in killer pain as it could go away potentially. Did you try any injections or have the doc suggest you try one before surgery. Most surgeons want you to get one or two prior to considering surgery. But the weakness would have a surgeon forgo those if the weakness was bad.

 

[lookslikesausage]

Had it done last Dec. and mine was also on L5-S1. Recovery was a breeze. I got hurt in 2009, did epidurals, facet joint injections, PT, saw a guy trained by Stu McGill, gave up squats, gave up leg press, and DLs. Stopped doing pretty much any manly exercise. I regret not doing the surgery sooner. The side the neurosurgeon operated on is great now. I still have some pain on the other side on a different level but it's manageable. I'm just greedy I guess. I wish I could feel like I did before I got hurt in 2009 and do all the things I did before the injury. Recovery was a breeze. Even though I had to take it easy for three months, I feel like after three weeks things pretty much smooth sailing after that. This is common sense but I was sure to ask how many of these my neurosurgeon did and it's in the thousands apparently.

 

[greaser13]

You'll be limited in the gym for 6 wks while it heals but after that you should be good to go. You should really clarify what lifts are ok, bench should be fine but they're gonna want you to avoid loading your spine for those 6 wks. My wife has a friend who competes in bikini and she had a lumbar microdiscectomy, after being cleared by her surgeon at the 6 week point she was back full effort in the gym, feeling good
Try to do it sooner rather than later, the nerve deficit can become permanent

That's awesome to hear about your wife's friend going back to competing after surgery! I was worried about not being legs properly ever again. Each case is different, obviously, but that's very encouraging to hear.

 

[greaser13]

That surgery is nothing to be worried about and it's a common level to have issues. Even if you had a fusion at that level, it wouldn't affect you. Just don't rush things coming back. Let it heal and remember the weights aren't going anywhere!

Thanks for the encouraging words!

 

[greaser13]

If offered a microdiscectomy its probably one level and apparent herniation. If I was dying in pain I'd do it but I would do injections and PT if you are not in killer pain as it could go away potentially. Did you try any injections or have the doc suggest you try one before surgery. Most surgeons want you to get one or two prior to considering surgery. But the weakness would have a surgeon forgo those if the weakness was bad.

The pain is bad but they said the danger is that my nerve will start dying in the next few months. I've been doing PT but it hasn't really helped. The doctor said that I would likely lose 30-40% of the muscle in my left leg which scared the Hell out of me. He said that for an active person like me that he would "100% recommend the surgery."

 

[greaser13]

Had it done last Dec. and mine was also on L5-S1. Recovery was a breeze. I got hurt in 2009, did epidurals, facet joint injections, PT, saw a guy trained by Stu McGill, gave up squats, gave up leg press, and DLs. Stopped doing pretty much any manly exercise. I regret not doing the surgery sooner. The side the neurosurgeon operated on is great now. I still have some pain on the other side on a different level but it's manageable. I'm just greedy I guess. I wish I could feel like I did before I got hurt in 2009 and do all the things I did before the injury. Recovery was a breeze. Even though I had to take it easy for three months, I feel like after three weeks things pretty much smooth sailing after that. This is common sense but I was sure to ask how many of these my neurosurgeon did and it's in the thousands apparently.

Oh man, so you dealt with it for 13 years? It sounds like you did everything possible to avoid the surgery which was my plan until I got the MRI consult with the doc. I'm glad the recovery was as easy as it turned out to be. Are you able to squat again now -- maybe not like before 2009 but better than from before the surgery?

 

[IFBBProDomCardone]

I had a triple level done 2018. Had no choice because I literally could not walk and was even rushed into emergency surgery. 3 weeks ago hurt my lower back pretty bad grappling. Next day whole food and leg numb, severe pain, could barely walk, again triple level

. One doctor in LA told me I need surgery ASAP, and my chiro here told me I absolutely do not. I used the reverse hyper almost every day, didnt sit down (worked standing up), stretched daily and did yoga at home. I am completely fine now. Foot is still numb but it takes weeks for that to come back. I also know 4 other stories similar to mine where they avoided surgery by decompressing the discs.

 

[TrippplePPP]

The pain is bad but they said the danger is that my nerve will start dying in the next few months. I've been doing PT but it hasn't really helped. The doctor said that I would likely lose 30-40% of the muscle in my left leg which scared the Hell out of me. He said that for an active person like me that he would "100% recommend the surgery."

I have had similar symptoms for 15+ years on and off. When it first happened and occasional flares it can get decently painful. But I never had any muscle weakness. Also Ibuprofen can take away my pain. I do a lot of stretching, occasional inversion table along with loosing weight when I flare up. Anyway, it couldn't hurt to hear from a conservative doctor like a PMR, physiatrist or pain management doctor for another opinion. You could even copy paste your MRI report here. No doctor can truly predict your future and surgeon can only recommend surgery as their tool. Not trying to talk you out of surgery but letting you know in certain cases a person can get better without.

 

[greaser13]

I had a triple level done 2018. Had no choice because I literally could not walk and was even rushed into emergency surgery. 3 weeks ago hurt my lower back pretty bad grappling. Next day whole food and leg numb, severe pain, could barely walk, again triple level

. One doctor in LA told me I need surgery ASAP, and my chiro here told me I absolutely do not. I used the reverse hyper almost every day, didnt sit down (worked standing up), stretched daily and did yoga at home. I am completely fine now. Foot is still numb but it takes weeks for that to come back. I also know 4 other stories similar to mine where they avoided surgery by decompressing the discs.

Damn. Was it the same 3 discs? What has me freaked out is the doc telling me my nerves would start to die 4-6 months from the onset of symptoms if they remained impinged. I've been doing manual decompression by hanging from bars or propping myself up (like doing a dip) and as well as the standard cobra stretch type moves most PTs recommend. I wasn't even contemplating surgery until they hit me with the "nerve death" thing.

 

[greaser13]

I have had similar symptoms for 15+ years on and off. When it first happened and occasional flares it can get decently painful. But I never had any muscle weakness. Also Ibuprofen can take away my pain. I do a lot of stretching, occasional inversion table along with loosing weight when I flare up. Anyway, it couldn't hurt to hear from a conservative doctor like a PMR, physiatrist or pain management doctor for another opinion. You could even copy paste your MRI report here. No doctor can truly predict your future and surgeon can only recommend surgery as their tool. Not trying to talk you out of surgery but letting you know in certain cases a person can get better without.

I'll post it below, thanks!

 

[greaser13]

Here is my MRI report. Any insights are very much appreciated!

Impression

1. L3-S1 combination facet degenerative disk disease more prominent at L5-S1 with 1.8 cm left central superiorly extruded disc causing moderate left spinal canal stenosis and moderate left cauda equina nerve fiber compression as detailed above. Spine surgeon specialist consult recommended.
2. L4-L5 disk with focal posterior annular fissuring with thin linear disk tear-a potential source of pain.
3. L1 vertebral body marrow cavity with 5 mm benign hemangioma. No evidence of cortical breakthrough.


Narrative

CLINICAL HISTORY: Lumbar radiculopathy.

TECHNIQUE:
Multiplanar spin echo pulse sequences obtained.
Exam is performed without contrast.

FINDINGS:
Vertebrae: L1 vertebral body marrow cavity with 5 mm benign hemangioma. No evidence of cortical breakthrough. No fracture or dislocation identified. Spinal alignment is within normal limits. Vertebral body heights are preserved. No evidence of tumor. No abscess or osteomyelitis.
Spinal cord: No spinal cord edema, laceration or hematoma. No epidural hematoma identified.
Soft tissues: Unremarkable. No evidence of mass, hematoma or abscess.

DISCS/SPINAL CANAL/NEURAL FORAMINA:
L1-L2: No posterior disc herniation. No neuroforaminal stenosis. No spinal canal stenosis.
L2-L3: No posterior disc herniation. No neuroforaminal stenosis. No spinal canal stenosis.
L3-L4: Bilateral facet hypertrophy with ligamentum flavum thickening. Associated lateral recess narrowing. 4 mm far bilateral lateralizing posterior disc. Mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing. Mild spinal canal stenosis.
L4-L5: Bilateral facet hypertrophy with ligamentum flavum thickening. Associated lateral recess narrowing. 5 mm broad-based posterior disc. Disk with focal posterior annular fissuring with thin linear disk tear-a potential source of pain. Mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing. Moderate spinal canal stenosis. Mild cauda equina nerve fiber compression.
L5-S1: Bilateral facet hypertrophy with ligamentum flavum thickening. Associated lateral recess narrowing. 1.8 cm left central superiorly extruded disk. 5 mm central posterior disk bulge. No evidence of neural foraminal narrowing. Moderate left spinal canal stenosis identified. Moderate left cauda equina nerve fiber compression.

 

[whacked]

In …..

I need to learn more as I’m probably headed for surgery soon too.

 

[TrippplePPP]

Here is my MRI report. Any insights are very much appreciated!

Impression

1. L3-S1 combination facet degenerative disk disease more prominent at L5-S1 with 1.8 cm left central superiorly extruded disc causing moderate left spinal canal stenosis and moderate left cauda equina nerve fiber compression as detailed above. Spine surgeon specialist consult recommended.
2. L4-L5 disk with focal posterior annular fissuring with thin linear disk tear-a potential source of pain.
3. L1 vertebral body marrow cavity with 5 mm benign hemangioma. No evidence of cortical breakthrough.


Narrative

CLINICAL HISTORY: Lumbar radiculopathy.

TECHNIQUE:
Multiplanar spin echo pulse sequences obtained.
Exam is performed without contrast.

FINDINGS:
Vertebrae: L1 vertebral body marrow cavity with 5 mm benign hemangioma. No evidence of cortical breakthrough. No fracture or dislocation identified. Spinal alignment is within normal limits. Vertebral body heights are preserved. No evidence of tumor. No abscess or osteomyelitis.
Spinal cord: No spinal cord edema, laceration or hematoma. No epidural hematoma identified.
Soft tissues: Unremarkable. No evidence of mass, hematoma or abscess.

DISCS/SPINAL CANAL/NEURAL FORAMINA:
L1-L2: No posterior disc herniation. No neuroforaminal stenosis. No spinal canal stenosis.
L2-L3: No posterior disc herniation. No neuroforaminal stenosis. No spinal canal stenosis.
L3-L4: Bilateral facet hypertrophy with ligamentum flavum thickening. Associated lateral recess narrowing. 4 mm far bilateral lateralizing posterior disc. Mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing. Mild spinal canal stenosis.
L4-L5: Bilateral facet hypertrophy with ligamentum flavum thickening. Associated lateral recess narrowing. 5 mm broad-based posterior disc. Disk with focal posterior annular fissuring with thin linear disk tear-a potential source of pain. Mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing. Moderate spinal canal stenosis. Mild cauda equina nerve fiber compression.
L5-S1: Bilateral facet hypertrophy with ligamentum flavum thickening. Associated lateral recess narrowing. 1.8 cm left central superiorly extruded disk. 5 mm central posterior disk bulge. No evidence of neural foraminal narrowing. Moderate left spinal canal stenosis identified. Moderate left cauda equina nerve fiber compression.

So this looks like you have some typical degeneration with exception of that large herniation. They use mild-moderate-severe to grade degeneration and they use mild and moderate describing you which is good. The only exception is that 1.8 extruded disc at one level which is ripe for a surgeon to pluck out and you would likely get some good relief. Having only one level with this issue is of course much better than multiple levels and when its one level and correlates with your symptoms it greater chance for good success. The larger the herniation the more hydration is in the part that squirted out and theoretically greater chance for it to shrink over time as the hydration gets reabsorbed but that is if you can stand the symptoms and wait several months. Also, lots of people have hemangiomas which are some sort of collection of blood or blood vessels in the bone which usually isn't anything to worry about but always sounds scary. To me it makes sense for a surgeon to offer you surgery and forgo injections in this circumstance yet it would not be out of line to try one or two and see what happens. Keep us informed.

 

[greaser13]

So this looks like you have some typical degeneration with exception of that large herniation. They use mild-moderate-severe to grade degeneration and they use mild and moderate describing you which is good. The only exception is that 1.8 extruded disc at one level which is ripe for a surgeon to pluck out and you would likely get some good relief. Having only one level with this issue is of course much better than multiple levels and when its one level and correlates with your symptoms it greater chance for good success. The larger the herniation the more hydration is in the part that squirted out and theoretically greater chance for it to shrink over time as the hydration gets reabsorbed but that is if you can stand the symptoms and wait several months. Also, lots of people have hemangiomas which are some sort of collection of blood or blood vessels in the bone which usually isn't anything to worry about but always sounds scary. To me it makes sense for a surgeon to offer you surgery and forgo injections in this circumstance yet it would not be out of line to try one or two and see what happens. Keep us informed.

I really appreciate you taking the time to read that over and share your opinion with me. If it was the pain alone my inclination would be to cope with it and try more conservative treatments, but the doctor really scared me with the "permanent nerve death," warning. He said it usually happens within 4-6 months from the onset of symptoms and I'm at 2 months now. I'd much rather let the hydration reabsorb on its own but the idea of forever having a semi-functional leg seems like a huge risk.

 

[Bio]

Keep one thing in mind, pain can mask other pain. Once you get the surgery at the L5-s1 level, you may find that you have pain stemming from the L4-5 level plus the degeneration that affects the levels listed.

 

[headtrainer]

I had a Lumbar Microdiscectomy Surgery for a Herniated Disc at L5-S1. 6 months later the remaining part of the disc collapsed putting pressure on the nerves once again. I had to get that level fused. This led to adjacent levels herniating and multiple level fusion surgeries. You’ll need to give up exercises like heavy squats, rows, and deadlifts or you’ll probably be looking at fusion. If you take care of your back it may do very well after the surgery.