Lamentation thread: Have to have back surgery

[Elefantino]

Found out today that I have another L5 disc bulge. It's been painful for a while; I've been off the bike since the Levi Gran Fondo. So, surgery sometime early next month. :crap:

They tell me that they've improved discectomies. I had one on the same disc in 2000; it was full surgery with an overnight in the hospital. I'm told it's now minimally invasive and I will be home the same day, with quicker recovery. So that, at least, rocks.

This will make my seventh back surgery and 12th overall, tying me for the family lead with my mom.

I miss riding. It's made me grumpier than usual. Now this. I will likely be a real pain in the ass for a while.

Sorry for the poor me-ism. Just had to vent.

[RPS]

Sorry for the poor me-ism. Just had to vent.
Sorry about that; and by all means vent if it helps. Many here will listen and help any way we can.

Hope you have a quick recovery.
Rick

[thwart]

At least it's timed OK, during the 'off-season'---if there is such a thing in Florida.

Hope it all goes well.

Kick us instead of the dog... :D

[jmeloy]

E-man, that is rough. 12?? Has cycling exacerbated the problem over the years?
Good luck, friend!

[Elefantino]

E-man, that is rough. 12?? Has cycling exacerbated the problem over the years?
Good luck, friend!
Nah. Cycling has actually been good for it, until this last ride. Because I twisted my ankle the night before the Gran Fondo, I had to change how I climbed. Doc says that probably put too much pressure on the lower back. Oh well.

Thanks for the wishes, all.

[Ozz]

Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Back problems suck.....

[dave thompson]

My wife had L5-S1 surgery a couple of years ago. She was on her bike not too many months later and is better than ever.

You'll still be a pain in the a$$ Mike! :D

[gasman]

****- you deserve to whine with a 12th surgery.
The microdiscectomy route is the way to go if you need surgery.
You are not alone.
Good luck and speedy recovery.

[rwsaunders]

Sounds like the perfect opportunity for a new build....best of luck.

[rounder]

Maybe you just need a new bike. Best wishes and good luck.

[Dekonick]

Sounds to me that you need a new F&F to assist with recovery....

Serotta or Bedford... either way you win!

[stephenmarklay]

Gripe away. I would go crazy. Keep your chin up.

[Tonger]

The previous back surgeries can complicate things and often themselves stand in the way of pain relief. If the OP was relatively pain free until this single event that has caused pain, possibly for a short duration, it might be worth while just to do stretching/PT/yoga to work on mechanics and flexibility over time. It's amazing what just a few weeks-months and dedicated stretching will do. A lot of folks (including myself) got better and are now essentially pain free. You could even try inversion therapy to unload the spine.

More back surgery is not always the answer. There is something called 'failed back syndrome' the basically the surgery fails, scar tissue forms, and the patient's pain is either unchanged or worse. These are rather unhappy patients.

I have a huge L3-4 disc that was absolutely incapacitating for 2-3 weeks (couldn't walk 7 steps without laying down flat to ease loading my spine. The symptoms resolved with conservative therapy so that I could resume all my previous activities.

Good luck!

Tonger

[RABikes2]

Dang Mike, I'm sure you already are, but please try other alternatives before another surgery. Sending you a PM with a suggestion/referral.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, buddy.

I'll be looking for you and Anne at TOSRV in April. :hello:

RA

[drewski]

I sent you a ping on a back book which I recommed looking at.
It takes a look at the holistic link of back pain with the mind.

[Louis]

Dang Mike, I'm sure you already are, but please try other alternatives before another surgery.

I'm not a doc and don't play one on TV. I know little about backs, but this sounds like a very good idea to me. Surgery would be the very last of my alternatives, after having exhausted nearly every other option.

Another random comment:

I would not allow the person who is going to be doing the surgery (or somebody in his fraternity) to make the final decision on whether or not it ought to be performed.

To a man with a hammer everything looks like a nail.

[54ny77]

Louis--I was introduced to one of the best back docs in town by a kind gentleman here in NYC (also a cyclist and a Serotta customer).

It was among the best things to happen for my health in quite a while. For a couple of years I had back pain so bad I couldn't walk or stand for more than 20 minutes. It was searing pain.

The doc worked with me on therapies vs. exploring invasive surgery (always a last resort).

If you're ever up visiting in NYC, make an appointment to see this man.

http://www.mssm.edu/profiles/sheeraz-a-qureshi

[RABikes2]

Information sent Mike. Hope you haven't changed your email address!

Thinking of you buddy and keeping you in my thoughts and prayers for a full and speedy recovery!

Ritaann

[RPS]

I'm not a doc and don't play one on TV. I know little about backs, but this sounds like a very good idea to me. Surgery would be the very last of my alternatives, after having exhausted nearly every other option.

Another random comment:

I would not allow the person who is going to be doing the surgery (or somebody in his fraternity) to make the final decision on whether or not it ought to be performed.

To a man with a hammer everything looks like a nail.
That’s a great point Louis. There is the hammer thing for sure, but also of concern is that there could be a financial conflict of interest which may occasionally affect decisions and/or recommendations. It’s hard to imagine but I’m sure it happens sometimes. BTW, I’m not suggesting that’s the case here with Elefantino at all.

An impartial (both monetary and by association) second or third opinion is always a good idea particularly if you have the time to get one. That and a little luck is the only thing that saved my wife from having back surgery earlier this year following our car accident. The orthopedic surgeon assigned by the ER wanted to do surgery to stabilize the fractured vertebrate right away, but a one-day scheduling delay by the hospital allowed me to get a second and third opinion from orthopedic surgeons in our cycling club. They recommended a more conservative approach taking into account all risks associated with surgery. They were up front and explained we were taking a risk either way since the outcome for neither choice was certain, but when I asked what they would do under Nancy’s circumstances if it was them or their wives they were in full agreement they’d take their chances without surgery.

[Dekonick]

Oh, it happens...

St. Joseph Hospital in Baltimore is suffering big time from a surgeon who placed hundreds of stents in folks who did not need them... :crap: