Anyone had lower back surgery?

Talked to back surgeon today. MUST have surgery but he needs a ct scan of my L4 area to see if fused already. If fused much more drastic surgery needed. Have ct scan on 23 oct.

He thinks it is not fused. He says he is going to go in from right side above my hip and clean out little remaining disc and put synthetic disc in there and pack with bone and make a cage around it and put plate and screws to hold in place and possibly a clamp in another place.

A date is not set for the surgery yet. Will know when after ct scan.

I had an L4/L5 (if I remember correctly) microdiscectomy when I was 19. It fixed the two disc herniations that I had for about a year or so and then I started having trouble again. I have a brother-in-law who is a physical therapist who believes some back surgeons rush into surgery without exploring all other options.

I am again experiencing pretty bad sciatica from a lower disc herniation and have been seeing an upper cervical chiropractor to fix it this time. It seems a little cooky at first that adjusting my neck could fix my low back, but it had been getting better and at one point I almost had no pain remaining until I decided to move some furniture by myself.

My situation sounds like it might be different than yours, but if I had to do it again, I wish I wouldn’t have had the surgery. I wish I would have had a second opinion on it or done more intense physical therapy.

Either way, good luck and hope you heal up fast because life sucks with back pain!

Was this caused by lifting too many big trout???

Any time they want to cut me, I get a second opinion!!!!!

If you haven’t already, make sure you get a second opinion. Back surgery can be a great or awful thing. Luckily I haven’t had to deal with it personally but I know people who swear by it, and those who swear at it. Make sure it’s your only solution.

Call Dr. David Spencer in Chicago! He does laser Surgery! When my Mom was 75 years young a Nero Surgeon wanted to put plates, pins, screws, rods in her back! Also said she had 5 bulging disks!! And then told her that it may not help her! needless to say we got a 2nd opinion & went to dr. Spencer!
He had her bring it most recent MRI! Come to find out she had NO bulging disks but 2 bone spurs that were pushing on her Sciatic nerve! We drove her there they did surgery at 630-7 in the morn & she was on her way home by 4 in the afternoon! there are alternatives! Please get a 2nd opinion! If you would like Dr. Spencer’s # I would be happy to get it for you!! Good Luck!

Talk to the Favorite Daughter after Nov. 5th. She’ll have some fresh experience.

Definitely always get another opinion. I had the majority of the disk removed between L4 and L5 along with some bone removal but no fusion was needed. The surgery was a complete success and I have had no further issues since and that was in 2002. I hope what ever you need to have done will bring you relief and no further issues.

Paul Delaney
http://www.lateeyessportfishing.com

I would highly recomend the UW. Dr. ZEDUBLIC to be precise. I was crushed under the DOT bumper of a semi trailer, needed a T-12 and L1 fusion. This was done after a year of therapy. That was done back in 00. Lazer surgrey has come along way for disc surgery. There are specialized clinicks now that would have multiple Dr.s review your situation. Would not go on just one surgens opinion.

I had Lumbar Laminectomy (L4/5) in ’91. I have been tip-top since then. Yours sounds more extensive.

I had back surgery just about exactly 1 year ago. I had back issues that were on and off for 30+ years. I tried everything chiro, injections, etc. Finally surgery. Mine was a microdiscectomy L5/S1. I was always nervous about back surgery because I had known so many people who had minimal improvement or even had more pain. But it was my only option left.

My experience has been fantastic. I could not ask for a better result. My surgeon was Dr. Stefano Sinicropi with Midwest Spine. I am sure there are other fine surgeons, but I know at least in my case he hit it out of the park.

I had 2 partial disks removed and a hole ground in my spine to allow the nerve to pass without impingement. This was in 2000. I have since had no problems.

Best advise I received from my surgeon was to never gain any weight. He said the strain on a lower back due to a “beer belly” has caused more bad backs than all the poor lifting technique in the world. The constant strain on the back is more than the human back can take.

in 2004 I had a bad disc L4/L5 messed around with therapy and injections for about 6 months finally had the surgery best thing I ever did I now have the same problem this time I am not messing around I have surgery on the 17th of oct to me the therapy and injections are just to try and get more money from you