Hello everyone.
I wanted to post here to update everyone on my condition so that it can be a learning experience for those with similar condition.
I had 6 weeks intense sciatica due to L5-S1 herniated disc and nerve root compression. The symptoms I felt were throbbing pain in buttock, going down to behind the thigh, calf and down in the foot near the tiny toe. I could raise my leg to about 25 degrees (without deadly pain) and had full sensation in my leg and foot.
I went in for spine decompression therapy and they would attach a machine to pull open or stretch my spine, hoping the herniated disc material to get somehow sucked back into the disc. Sounds like a science fiction movie and I guess it was..... because the therapy didn’t help at all. At this time I was as well taking all the medications you can imagine lyrica, some other anti inflammatory, vitamins , pain killers and what not!
I was then given depo-medrol injections in my back near the disc area and buttock hoping to reduce the inflammation and this injections instantly killed my muscles which were holding my back together and made the condition worse for me.
I then started feeling pain to a point that I couldn’t speak anymore, couldn’t cough, couldn’t laugh, couldn’t walk 5 meters without excruciating pain. Anything I did would hurt. If I would breathe deep, it would hurt badly.
I was almost going in depression. By this time I had stopped smiling, I didn’t feel the need to live anymore with this pain every second and I would cry every night to sleep.
I was then finding and consulting many doctors and I found one qualified neurosurgeon who had uplaoded his surgery videos on YouTube. He specialized in brain and spine neurosurgery and looked quiet detailed when performing operations as seen on YouTube videos that he had uploaded. He looked at me and understood my symptoms to conclude that I needed an operation called minimally invasive MicroDiscectomy. He explained that there are three kinds of minimally invasive techniques. 1) they make an incision of 1-2 cm and insert tubes and work through those tubes. 2) they make an incision of 2.5cm and retract the muscles and work through that space using microscopes. 3) full endoscopic surgery where they insert a camera from one end and microscopic instruments from the other side and all is done this way.
He suggested that I go for 2nd option (open MicroDiscectomy) as it is more successful and gives the surgeoun better view of what is happening and as well assists better to ensure all the herniated disc material is out. As well there wasn’t much difference between 1st and 2nd option. And I personally didn’t like the idea of tubes being inserted in me and surgeon working through it. So I went with 2nd option.
I was given a pre-operation briefing from surgeon and I was then asked to come to the hospital 3 hours before the surgery set time of 9am. The doctor told me the possible complications it could lead to: 1) Nerve damage 2) dura tear 3) infection. The doctor reassured me that in his career he hasn’t had any complications (touch wood) and I can relax and go for the surgery. Doctor further explained that the nerve damage can happen when they’re trying to cut the ligament to access the nerve root or while they are removing the herniated disc material.
So sharp 6am I left Home, after I offered prayer to God to give me the power to go through this and make everything successful.
I was admitted and I couldn’t wait for the surgery to start and get over with. Nurses kept asking me a million questions (which is normal) and I was anxious to get the surgery done.
Around 8:30 am I was taken in to the operation theater and while the two nurse were speaking to me about different countries that I have visited, the last thing I remember is saying “yes I’ve been a 100 times to manila”.
The next thing that I remember is someone lifting me to transfer me on my bed and I felt pain in my back. I felt super cold and I was shivering like someone just brought me back from Siberia. I was shivering to a point that I asked the nurse to give me blankets ! They gave 4 blankets on me to keep me warm.
At this point I was in and out of my senses and I was talking like a drunk man! I could feel my back was HEAVY!! Like someone stuck 25 kilo weight on it.
I badly wanted to use the toilet to pee but the nurse wouldn’t let me move for 3 hours and gave me a bottle to pee. My bladder felt like it’s gonna burst and I couldn’t pee lying down. I tried and tried and tried and eventually succeeded in peeing in a bottle lying down *Grin*. Oh!!! Who could ever say that peeing would be so satisfying ! Haha!
After 3 hours I was asked to get up from my bed (on my own) and start walking. The physiotherapist was present and taught me verbally what to do and doctor was there watching me as well. I rolled on to my side and I swear it felt like I have a gym weight of 25 kilo stuck on my back. I then pushed myself up from the bed and voila!!! I was on my feet with no sciatica pain!!!!!! I was full of joy and had tears in my eyes because of happiness and I couldn’t believe I could be pain free again! I took my first steps while tears flew from my eyes like river !
I took a round in hospital corridor and came back to the bed. Doctor, nurses and therapists were happy to see me get up and move about on my own and they did have trust in me to do this because of my fitness level before the surgery.
I stayed in the hospital for 4 days after surgery. I was allowed to be discharged on the 2nd day by the doctor but I wanted to stay more on my own just to be on the safe side. During this time of my stay at the hospital, i would walk around the corridor every 2 hours and the doctor would come and visit me every morning and every afternoon.
When I would walk, SOMETIMES I would feel a sharp sciatica nerve pain come and go. More like a Pulse of a second ! Imagine a spark come and go! That kind.
I was freaked out and told the doctor and he calmed me down telling me that it was normal and will take time for my nerve to calm down as it was really squeezed!
On the 4th day I was pushed out of the hospital *grin* and I got home in my brothers car. I chose to lie in the back seat to make sure I don’t mess up my disc anymore and wanted to avoid sitting in the car.
I got home with the discharge information and things to do and not to do.
I was asked to walk as much as possible but to keep things and do things with moderation. Being pain-free, I went kooookooo and my first day at home, I walked about 16 kms in 24 hours.
For the first week at home, I walked a lot and I ended up with swollen ankle due to all this walking all of a sudden. I rested up a little bit and continued my walk but reduced the KMs to 6-8 kms a day.
I would feel sciatica lingering and sometimes would feel a spark of pain. That pain slowly started disappearing and I could then feel restless leg and buttock kind of feeling.
Stretching obviously helps those feelings so I did that and I did that ALOT that I ended up with sciatica pain in my buttock. I freaked out and applied ice to my surgery site and buttock area and didn’t do any stretching. I continued icing the area and over time the pain and awkward feeling slowly started fading away.
I WAS THEN PAINFREEE - until I started doing lunges (keeping my back straight). Lunges surely felt amazing but after 2 days I could feel the nerve pain (burning sensation) in my buttock and calf.
I stopped doing lunges and applied Ice... overtime the nerve pain disappeared and it’s been a week now that I am completely pain free!!! Today is the 7th week since operation.
During this time I am taking things slow and the exercises I am doing are: Walking (10kms a day, Lying flat on high raised platform so I don’t have to go on the floor to do pelvic tilt, leg raise, knee pull in and lower abs exercise by lying flat and raising legs up keeping back flat on the surface).
It’s working pretty well and I can sleep well now. Oh! I as well bought a special KingKoil mattress that keeps the spine 100% aligned and in natural curve. I tested and tried it and have pics as well to make sure my spine was straight. This really helped me a lot.
The doctor did not prescribe me ANY medication once I was discharged and his ideaolgy was to let my body heal myself and as well allowing my body to fight it’s own inflammation and associated pains that I felt.
I had requested the doctor to record the surgery video for me so I can share with people with similar issues and he was glad to do it for me. So I do have a video link to my operation video if any of you is interested I can send it to you.
I hope this helps and I am myself in the recovery phase of my life but I am surely willing to help if I can!
Always remember one thing, God is always there for us. Sometimes things don’t make sense but in the long term it alll turns out to be good and then we understand the super plan behind all what happens to us!
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