anyone had low back surgery (discectomy)?

[Alpha-Male]

ive got a herniated disc at L5-S1 and two moderate bulges above that...it's killin' me, and i've had problems with it "going out" since i was 22 (about 7 years)...i go to see a spine-specialist tomorrow, but my neurologist said that since i am and want to continue to be a fairly active individual, i should consider the surgery...anyone here had this done? results? other conservative treatments?

i'd love to be able to do squats, deadlifts, heavy bent rows, all that good core stuff, but i cant...and my overall size/growth is suffering...thanks

AM

[Heracles74]

I have had a lamenectomy. (Lumbar decompression)
Go easy man, I feel your pain

[the hulkster]

I am also batttling a hernation on L4-L5, but it is comparable to the pain of a headache now, bearable but who in the hell wants a headache all day. I did self rehab which consists of a lot of core strengthening and stretching of the lower lumbar. When I first got the herniation I could barely bend over to tie my shoes now I am running sprints again, the rehab was very painful but it is working. That is the suggestion I can give you, because I have known people who have had a discectomy and still the pain never quit, also there is a new treatment out called vax-D which has a 75% success rate even for those who have had an unsuccessful surgery, If I was you and didn't want to throw away 2-3 mnths for recovery then I wouldn't get the surgery at least that is what the doc told me.

[Alpha-Male]

what is vax-d? my doc today recommended an epidural injection to help with the inflammation, and then i can get aggressive with therapy/rehab...hey Hulk, what kind of exercises did you do? i know abs, hams, and low back, but the docs just keep giving me stretches and i want to build strength...

[the hulkster]

It hurts like a bitch, but if you have a liftin partner try these
1. lay flat on your back legs crossed at the ankles knees at 90 degrees cross your arms, hands on each delt, ball up like an egg and keep your elbows touching your knees and find five diff. positions, first at almost a sit up contraction position except w/o anything touching but your butt and then four others from in between there and the ground or starting position of a situp, the objective is to never let your knees off your elbows and not let anything touch other than your ass. I do 1 1/2 min sets/ for usually 5 sets

2. AB BRIDGES: hands together elbows bent at 90deg, on the floor, feet straight behind you with toes together lift up your torso/midsection making a straight line from armpits to ankles. hold 1 1/2 min.

3. one elbow on ground, roll on your side, feet on top of one another, perpindicualr with the ground make a straight line with your side form armpit to ankles, point your other arm straight up in the air. Hold for 1 1/2 min.

4. Supermans: Hands and feet all four in up position such as top of pushup, but place you feet shoulder width apart, raise opposing sides i.e right hand/left foot straight out in fornt and behind you and hold as long as you can. of course do the other sides.

This should get you started, pretty much the basis of my rehab exercises, coupled with stretching it worked. If these aren't good for you let me know and I have a shit ton more.

Oh yeah and vax d is a 5-10 week long process where they basically hook you up to some machine and put your disk back in, to make a long story short, which they always say its a non-evasice process and blah blah blah blah, you know the drill, ask your doc about it. Hope it helps
Later

[Alpha-Male]

yeah, i found that vax-d site, looks cool, but i dont have $10K lying around at the moment

thanks for the exercises, i'm gonna give some of those a shot...i'm going to a pain management doc next monday, we'll see...

[Rhyalus]

I had a discectomy in 1990 for L4-L5.

Best thing I ever did!!!

I have a new disc problem at L3-L4, but I have had it for a few years, and the pain has gone away. I am lifting carefully, and I always wear a belt to protect the muscles in the lower back.

The surgery has improved dramatically in the last 15 years, so I am a firm believer in the procedure if you need it. Ask for PT following the procedure so that you get to 110%!

Regards,
R

[the hulkster]

10k damn it is 2900 where I 'm from.

[Alpha-Male]

10k damn it is 2900 where I 'm from.

dood, really? well, that looked like it included the MRI, which i already have and i know is around $4K anyway, and all the scripts and whatnot...didnt call to find out how much the therapy alone would run...i'm prob. gonna do this injection first, and then take it from there...thanks again for your help, especially those exercises...i started them last night , along with my other stretches...peace

AM