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Double disc replacement
Topic Started: 9 Nov 2010, 08:18 PM (851 Views)
mad_maz
Member
[ *  * ]
Hello All

I am going to try and update as much as possible since my op on Monday 1st November.

I arrived at the Spire Cheshire Hospital in Warrington at 7.00am and my surgery was started at 9.30am. Everything went well other than my blood pressure dropped very low causing the alarms to go off in theatre and when I came round in the recovery room I just remember being very, very cold.

I was on oxygen, and a drip, also catheterised until Wednesday, and it was so good to get rid of them as I felt constantly tangled up! I was very positive following the op and thought that this was the beginning of the rest of my life.
I was given basic exercises to do by the physios and all seemed to be going well.

On Friday night I had a very bad episode where I had pain from head to toe, which was identical to pain experienced before going into hospital (I have mentioned in a previous post) whereby my head hurt, my back, hips, legs, arms and shoulders hurt and my hands had pins & needles. My mood plummeted & when the physio and Mr S saw me the next day they both said that it is important to stay positive. Mr S didn't know what had caused this episode but thought it might be the tramadol reacting with my other medication (that wouldn't explain why I have had the same thing at home previously as I was not on tramadol). He did say that it might take longer to see the results as I have had problems for so long.

I tried to pick myself up again and looked forward to coming home on the Sunday and was so greatful to sleep on Saturday evening, as my sleep has been very disturbed for a long time. The journey home was long as we stopped off several times to break the journey up, and boy did I know about it when I got home.

I have a constant ache in my back, hips and legs, and also a burning in the legs. My left leg is the worst and also feels very weak so my walking is still not very good. I had been told what to expect but I didn't think it would be this bad. Sunday evening I couldn't sleep again and went to bed at 4.00am Monday morning. Yesterday I went into a depression and can't stop crying. I am so disappointed in myself as I had expected to remain very positive and deal with it. Last night was also a broken night though I did stay in bed so again I am shattered. My physio rang me to make an appointment and I burst into tears!

I have an appointment with my GP tomorrow so hopefully he will be able to sort me out, I just can't believe I feel like this. There is no way on earth that I could go out for a walk, no matter how short, as suggested by the hospital physios.

Sorry, to be doom and gloom once more. I had never suffered with depression until the op I had in May didn't have the desired results.

Marion
1990 back problems started - degenerative disc disease
2001 disc protrusion L5/S1 - physiotherapy & pilates
2002 discectomy L5/S1 (Bruce Summers)
2008 disc protrusions L4/L5 and L5/S1 - fusion offered but declined
2009 disc protrusions L4/L5 and L5/S1
2009 physiotherapy & hydrotherapy
2010 endoscopic lumbar decompression & foraminoplasty L4/L5 (Martyn Knight)
2010 two level ADR L4/L5 & L5/S1
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ajj1001
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Don't be down, I didn't leave hospital for 2 weeks after my op and had the most awful couple of days when i first got home, chasing pink elephants across the duvet during the night and everything.

I started to do rehab 5 months after the op but despite a really hard time recovering from the op and a slow rehab I made a good recovery. I returned to work and all sorts of physical activities.

Rest up and recover and stop worrying.
Std Meds Gabapentin, MR Tramadol, Paracetemol, Laxatives
2011 Sept PLIF L4 - S1
2010 May Discogram L2/L3 & L3/L4 both looking ok.
2009 May PLG Fusion L5/S1 Charite in situ
April Dismissed
2008 Caudal Epidural failed to work
2007 Deterioration L5/S1 Facet arthritis, Loss of disc height.
2004 Returned to Work
2002 Aug - physio
March 2 level ADR Charite L4/5, L5/S1
2000 Broadbased disc prolapses L4/5, L5/S1
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naintaid
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
hi marion. sorry to hear you are sad,however please try to stay positive as a good mental attitude will do wonders. the first week is the worst ,it will get better.
i saw mr s last fri and he said i am doing great.i have bought a gym ball to help my core muscles.
forget what went on theatre you cant change what went on,like me having the blood transfusions,you must now do the physio as recommended as this will aide your recovery.
lots of us on here have had double disc replacements and have had different levels of recovery.nailah and i are at different stages and had op at similar time. please dont think i am being a bitch because i dont mean to sound like it but please stay strong,you need to help yourself to recover. best wishes that you will feel sunnier soon. xx
you can pm me if you need to moan xx
discetomy feb 2005
discetomy june 2005
mri 3 of
cat scan
facet joint injections .aug 2007
adr active l disc 2 level .l4l5 and l5 s1 .sept 2010.
2 blood transfusion after adr surgery
feeling more positive.

4 years post op and everything is fine,really pleased with outcome.
go back every 2 years for check up and x ray.
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mad_maz
Member
[ *  * ]
Hello

I do feel a little better today because I actually slept last night and it has made a big difference to my mood. All of the pains are still there but I can cope becasue I'm not so tired, if only I could sleep more :rolleyes:

Even after the GA I didn't doze during the day whilst in hospital, and only had one decent nights sleep. One fella 'lost' two days after his GA because he couldn't stay awake! He needs further surgery and was refusing to go through another GA.

Nantaid, I don't think you are a bitch at all (but yesterday anything would have made me cry).

I think me and the GP need to look at the meds to see if something different might be beneficial. I am supposed to be reducing the morphine type drugs soon, though I have been told that as the morphine is reduced it will be replaced with another type drug, and then that will be gradually reduced. I didn't realise it would be so long winded, but I have to admit that right now I wouldn't cope without them.

Sorry for being a moaning ninny yesterday , just felt like the end of the world to me, and I DON'T KNOW WHY...... :angry:

Take care all

Marion x

1990 back problems started - degenerative disc disease
2001 disc protrusion L5/S1 - physiotherapy & pilates
2002 discectomy L5/S1 (Bruce Summers)
2008 disc protrusions L4/L5 and L5/S1 - fusion offered but declined
2009 disc protrusions L4/L5 and L5/S1
2009 physiotherapy & hydrotherapy
2010 endoscopic lumbar decompression & foraminoplasty L4/L5 (Martyn Knight)
2010 two level ADR L4/L5 & L5/S1
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naintaid
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
hi good to see u bright yed and bushy tailed today.
i am on tramodol still but feel so good. everyone comments on how well i look and it does make a difference when the pain has gone on your face.i look about 10 years younger .
best wishes for more good days than bad.xx
discetomy feb 2005
discetomy june 2005
mri 3 of
cat scan
facet joint injections .aug 2007
adr active l disc 2 level .l4l5 and l5 s1 .sept 2010.
2 blood transfusion after adr surgery
feeling more positive.

4 years post op and everything is fine,really pleased with outcome.
go back every 2 years for check up and x ray.
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Guinea Pig Crazy
Member
[ *  * ]
Hi Marion,
Don't be too hard on yourself, you've been through a lot, just try and stay as calm as you can. Hard I know and don't bottle it up. We all sympathise and I doubt there is anyone who hasn't felt moody after all the pain and what we've all been through.
Just try to keep doing what you can and definitely pacing and adjusting makes a big difference with coping.
Take care and please don't be too hard on yourself!
Jen
Suffered since 1986
Physiotherapy, Osteopath treatments over numerous years
Caudal Epidurals, Facet Block Injections
Unsuitable for Fusion Surgery 1995 Mr Findlay - Walton Centre
Second discogram done June 2009 - listed for ADR surgery
2 level ADR (Activ L) - L4/L5, L5/S1 November 2009 - Mr Shackleford Warrington Hospital
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Lynda
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Hi there Marion,

Glad your home, be kind to yourself and don't worry about feeling it was the end of the world. Major surgery and sleep deprivation, not to mention unmanaged pain, can make you feel like that. Its a shame you didn't sleep in hospital as it does make all the difference to coping, everything seems worse if you're exhausted. Plus the long journey home must have taken its toll so, all things considered, I think your feelings were a result of everything combined and not at all surprising. I hope you can get some sleep at night and a little nap during the day too and build your strength up. If it makes you feel any better my emotions were all over the place for about three months. At first I was on a high but then when I wasn't progressing as fast as anticipated I thought I was a failure and miles behind the norm in my progress. I got there in the end though and you will too.

If the morphine meds are working for you take them as long as you need them, why rush to get off them and suffer unecessary pain? Give yourself chance to heal and recover from this major op as comfortably as possible.

I wouldn't stress about walking outside right now either, I was in hospital for ten days and didn't go out for well over a week after I'd got home. This wild weather were having isn't worth battling with. You're only just over a week post-op. I think at this early stage just getting up and showered and dressed takes it out of you and as long as you walk around the house a few times during the day you'll be fine.

Very best wishes, get well soon and feel free to offload here anytime

Lynda
May 2008 onwards - Lumbar facet injections - First post-op ones four years post surgery, have lost count of the number I've had since then but they do help. Pre-op they didn't make much difference- Mr Shackleford, Warrington
Feb 2008 - Cervical TDR, (Activ C's) C5/6 & C6/7- Mr Shackleford, Warrington
May 2006 - Craniotomy and resection frontal lobe brain tumour - The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery
Feb 2004 - Lumbar TDR, (ProDisc's) L4/5 & L5/S1 - Mr Shackleford, Warrington
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Gilly
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Have to agree with Lynda. Marian, Your body has been through such a lot and sometimes expectations are high at the beginning. The anaesthetic can affect your mood so much in the first few weeks. There are no time limits for recovery of this op and just do anything as best you can for a beginning. I felt at first that I had been set an impossible task for walking and just pottered around the house - I was about two weeks before I went outside and as Lynda says the weather is not fit at the moment. You have plenty of time to be roaming around!!! I stayed on my morphine medication for a long time post op and don't understand why you are coming off them. In fact when I had my 3 month check up Mr Shackleford's understudy the lovely Jesus said to up them in needs be as keeping mobile is more important than knocking them down.
Hang on in there it WILL get better.
Love Gilly xxx
1990 MRI - disc protrusions levels 4/5 - fusion offered but
declined due to poor prognosis.
2007 MRI - disc protrusions Level 4/5 level5/S1
2010 2 level lumbar ADR Mr Ian Shackleford Warrington General

2010 MRI - disc protrusions at levels C4/5 C5/6
2011 27 June 2 level Cervical ADR Mr S at Spire (on NHS)
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mad_maz
Member
[ *  * ]
Hello All

I am three weeks post op today so thought I would update again ;)

Progress is very slow but I am trying to just take it a step at a time and not rush, as I may have been before. I did go to Asda again today but just ventured to the kiosk inside the main doors to buy stamps. My husband dropped me off outside the doors then he went to park the car, and I was overwhelmed by the amount of people coming from all directions and all moving fast. I found a wall to stand against whilst waiting for my hubby but I felt very vulnerable.

We went to visit my husbands brother at the weekend, and I ended up lying flat out on his lounge floor in agony. Not sure whether it was the car ride or sitting on the edge of his very soft sofa. I didn't do any excercises yesterday, just rested so that things woud settle down again.

Still got quite a lot of pain in my lower back and hips (mainly left) and burning & pins/needles in my legs and feet. My leg pain is now being controlled by the pregabaline.

After some discussion about when phyio should start, as mine began the week after the op, I rang the Spire Cheshire hospital this morning to check and they confirmed that it should start the week after being discharged from hospital. I also rang Warrington General hospital to see if their advice would be different, but they confirmed that it should start the week after discharge, however they rely on referrals so I am wondering if it just takes longer for NHS patients to get their referral, so physio doesn't start for some weeks.

I hope everyone is well, and that people waiting for their ops remain positive.

Marion x
1990 back problems started - degenerative disc disease
2001 disc protrusion L5/S1 - physiotherapy & pilates
2002 discectomy L5/S1 (Bruce Summers)
2008 disc protrusions L4/L5 and L5/S1 - fusion offered but declined
2009 disc protrusions L4/L5 and L5/S1
2009 physiotherapy & hydrotherapy
2010 endoscopic lumbar decompression & foraminoplasty L4/L5 (Martyn Knight)
2010 two level ADR L4/L5 & L5/S1
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naintaid
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
hiya marion.ohh i wouldnt have gone to start physio 1 week post op. i think 6 weeks was early enough for me.
hopefully in the next couple of weeks you should start to feel better.
i am 7 weeks post op now and only have dull ache ib back when i have overdone it during the day.
stay positive from alison
discetomy feb 2005
discetomy june 2005
mri 3 of
cat scan
facet joint injections .aug 2007
adr active l disc 2 level .l4l5 and l5 s1 .sept 2010.
2 blood transfusion after adr surgery
feeling more positive.

4 years post op and everything is fine,really pleased with outcome.
go back every 2 years for check up and x ray.
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dalhousie
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Hi Marion,

I had my single level ADR done at Spire & they gave me the same advice of physio to start the week after discharge. (I think on the NHS there's a bit of a waiting list so quite often it ends up starting at a few weeks post op).

At 2 weeks post op I started with nerve pain in my spine which didn't seem to be a commonplace thing with post op patients on this forum in early 2009 so I battled on with it 'till my 6 week post op check when I was given Pregabalin & Amitriptyline. Due to all the spinal pain I had in the first 6 weeks the physio didn't think it advisable to do anything with me. I had a 2-3 sessions after I started on the meds after my 6 week review but the physio wasn't that experienced with ADR so I left it at that.

In the early days post op I didn't do anything too adventurous - I stuck to pottering round the house, short walks & resting. Sitting wasn't that comfortable so I didn't do much of it in the early days. Everybody's different but I'd keep it basic & undemanding in the first few weeks especially if you're struggling. Things will fall into place in time but it can't be rushed.

Take care.

Ruth x
2005 Anterior fusion L1/2 with BMP & floating rib removed.
2009 ADR (activ L) L4/5.
2010 Chronic pain from Facet Joints T10-L2 with lots of muscle pain
2013 Attended Walton PM Programme: not much help.
2014 Chronic Pain - Facet Joints L4-S1
2017 Nevro SCS for thoraco-lumbar & lower lumbar facet joint pain
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Alastair
Member Avatar
Alastair
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
:D :D Hi marion,
Six weeks is the usual time to start Physio

You are overdoing things, walking (strolling ) is good not sitting and travelling Alison and Ruth are sooooooo right :D

Slow and steady wins this race :D :D :D

Back off and I would suggest NOT doing physio at a week -- - -crazy
Best
Alastair :D
Founder of this board 24th February 2007
Slow and Steady Wins This Race
Over 23 Years experience and research into spine surgery and over 2500 surgeries discussed and recorded

ADR L5/S1 Surgery with Dr Zeegers 26th July 2002 in Munich
8 facet joint ablations 28 – 8 – 12 with Dr Baranidharan and Jake Timothy in Leeds Diagnosed Forestiers disease
Your Best Asset Is Your Health
I live in West Yorkshire aged 81 now

Knowledge is power
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Nailah
Unregistered

Hi Marion

You’ve had excellent advice from other Forum members who have had ADR surgery. Both Naintaid and I have recently had ADR. I am now 13 weeks post op and you are doing things which I could never even contemplate at only 3 weeks after surgery. I think Naintaid would agree she wasn’t doing what you are trying to do so soon after your operation. Naintaid – you are not a bitch – you are caring and like you we are concerned what a fellow member is trying to do. I thought at 3 weeks I was doing well just having a shower on my own and pottering around the house. Pace yourself: it is not a race. No wonder you are getting a lot of pain. Don’t forget you are recovering from major abdominal and spinal surgery. You are not a ninny – you will have a lot of emotions going through your head – it is normal. Don’t try and be superwoman.

Give yourself time to heal. You have been given a gift - you have probably waited a long time for surgery. Don't jeopardise your recovery; you will never forgive yourself.

Cheers
Nailah :)
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naintaid
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
cheers nailah. how are you doing ?
i am ok went to drs and am on slow release tramodol to see if that is better than the normal tramodol..doesnt seem it at the moment. my back has gone abit more achey as i start to get back to my normal routine.
when my grandkids have been round it is worse because i play or pick them up,got a couple more sessions at physio then i think i am done. she wants to send me on a back class at local hospital but i am not keen.i just want to get on with my life now,sick of hospitals/drs and such,grateful as i am.
dont suppose you would of wanted to start physio after 1 week either,i didnt even get dressed out of my pjs for 3 weeks and still had my bed in lounge until a month after as i was lying down and sleeping alot.
oh well hope alls well.speak soon from alison
discetomy feb 2005
discetomy june 2005
mri 3 of
cat scan
facet joint injections .aug 2007
adr active l disc 2 level .l4l5 and l5 s1 .sept 2010.
2 blood transfusion after adr surgery
feeling more positive.

4 years post op and everything is fine,really pleased with outcome.
go back every 2 years for check up and x ray.
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Nailah
Unregistered

Hiya Alison

Snap. I want to get on with my life but I need a bit of physio to get my left leg (weak) working. I still need to use a stick for support. No, I would not be able to start physio a week after surgery. In the hospital the physio did get me out of bed and walk around the ward, a bit of gentle movement but nothing rough. I wore my husband's track suit bottoms for at least a month until my swollen stomach went down. Wound and stomach was tender and sore and I didn't want anything tight over my stomach. Wound has healed nicely. Even now, in places, my stomach is still sore - after what we went through I am sure our insides are bruised. I agree with you for the first few weeks I found that I just needed to sleep and kept dropping off for a nap - my body must have needed it.

In the last few weeks I have been food shopping with my husband but I still have to sit down half way round and leave husband to do the rest.

My physiotherapy (started at 10 wks) is very pilates based using my pelvic floor with gentle, slow and controlled movements. No forced or strenuous exercising.

Weather hasn't been very good here in Peterborough and I've been ill with a chest infection so I haven't walked as much as I would have liked. I try to get out every day and walk around the block. I was silly on Monday as I was sitting on the edge of the bed and tried to put my socks on. Mind on was on other things and my foot slipped and I jarred my back. Initial pain was horrendous. Luckily I was seeing my physio that afternoon. He examined and reassured me that my L4/L5 implant was fine and I had just strained my back lower down. Given stretching exercises to do and heat pads. After a few days I am feeling a lot better and just a bit sore. That will teach me. :rolleyes:

Nailah
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