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You guys better be on alert. I might be hanging around for a few days while I get my feet back under me. I had arthroscopic discectomy at my L2 - L3. Recovery should be much faster than when I had open back surgery 25 years ago. I have HMO insurance coverage so I actually had to fight to have it done.
They would have been happy to keep me on pain pills forever and try alternative treatments.

My history and experience told me not to wait. My original injury at my L4 –L5 disc over 30 years ago did not show on the then state of the art Milo Gram so my hot shot surgeon did not want to operate. He went on to be an NBA orthopedic surgeon. I suffered in pain for years.

20 + years ago my L5- S1 disc collapsed. With severe right leg pain I landed at the head of neurosurgery at Seattle’s premier hospital. After a CT scan and an MRI, he looked at me and said “I can fix you” Recovery from open back surgery was tough. It was weeks before I was up and around but it worked. I believe in a good surgeon. They are like a cracker jack mechanic.

I am not as confident in this one but I am hopeful. They all get better everyday. I will start walks tomorrow and be in the gym in a week. I hope.

Good luck with recovery MR. Hate to hear you had to fight to get it done. Insurance is the biggest scam ever.

Good luck with your rehab. Get well.

Get better soon, MR!

Hope you heal well and fast.

Been there done that, Went 20+ years with a herniated disk C-4/ C-5
At the time I damaged it no Cat Scan or MRI existed. so I did not know
I was screwed up. Had it fixed in 2008 and haven't felt this good in 25 years.
Recovery was a breeze. Except I couldn't lift anything over 8 lbs. for 45 days.

Speedy recovery to you and get back to the still!!

Coyote

Jesus H Scotty,
Just reading about it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

Feel better soon
Larry

Speedy recovery to you mash. Take it easy!

Good Luck with the back there MR, spent a month in Harbor View when I broke mine so I know how the dang things can hurt. Hope you have a quick recovery

Been there and got that t-shirt. No throwing around 50lb sacks of corn and sugar for a while. Take care.

Take it easy. Back pain is no fun at all and I hope this surgery cures what ailed your body and your whiskey heals your mind.

WB

Thanks for the well wishes guys. Not feeling too bad with a few pain pills on board. It will be a few days before I know if the surgery is going to help.
Damn the time just crawls by when you are pinned down. Bored! I read every new post today on HD. Watched all the news headlines, three movies and have a ball game on. Argg. I wont be able to stay still long. I am used to moving at a fast pace.

Good luck with your recovery, MR. I know what a hemorrhoid a bad back can be, though mine's never been cut. Get better soon.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

Good luck dude. Just had a spinal injection in L5S1 about a month ago. Started out with tingling in the leg, then went to SEVERE leg pain. They put me on the oxy and sent me home. I too had to kick and scream to get any further. Had the injection and havent needed a pill since. Surgery scares me. Best of luck

good luck for a speedy recovery for u mash! i know about ur pain..i have 4 in my lower back bad and no insurance anymore...and now cant work becuz of it ....take care and heal well b4 u jump back in! my hobby does ease the pains sometimes tho

MuleKicker wrote:Good luck dude. Just had a spinal injection in L5S1 about a month ago. Started out with tingling in the leg, then went to SEVERE leg pain. They put me on the oxy and sent me home. I too had to kick and scream to get any further. Had the injection and havent needed a pill since. Surgery scares me. Best of luck

Thanks for the positive thoughts B. I am glad the cortisone injection worked for you. I had a series of them with my first ruptured disc and they did not help. Remember. Surgeons are like a crackerjack mechanic. That said, I would still not let you operate on me.......

mash rookie wrote:That said, I would still not let you operate on me.......

What the hell? I thought we were friends? You are right about surgeons. You got good ones, and you got hacks.

I should cross my fingers when i say "it worked" as it has only been a little over a month. I could be eating my words any day. Back problems are a bitch.

MuleKicker wrote:

mash rookie wrote:That said, I would still not let you operate on me.......

What the hell? I thought we were friends? You are right about surgeons. You got good ones, and you got hacks.

I should cross my fingers when i say "it worked" as it has only been a little over a month. I could be eating my words any day. Back problems are a bitch.

If you have a female employee, 30 yo 110 lbs and hot, I would let your shop service my ball joints. Now that would be crackerjack! oops I might censored for that one.

BEST OF LUCK AND MAY YOU HAVE A QUICK RECOVERY

How's the back doing MR, I had x-rays yesterday, gotten to the point where I gota do something with mine too. OMD

Hope things are getting better, MR.
My 80 yr old neighbor had back surgery last year, was miserable for a month or so and gets along fine now, with little pain (a lot less than before).

It has been a week since my surgery. The pain has gotten better as I heal from surgery. The jury is still out on how much the surgery will help the underlying problem but I am optimistic.

Having minimally invasive surgery will speed recovery time by weeks if not months. Even with that said, I expect it will be awhile before I am healed.
I had open back surgery over twenty years ago and it was weeks before I was up and around. Not only did I come home the day of surgery, I have been on my feet from the second day.

OMD as I stated earlier in my post, I believe in surgeons. They are like a crackerjack mechanic. They fix things that a pill won’t cure.
If you have a bulging or ruptured disc, DO IT. It will not go away on its own. Actually the nerves will re grow after 10-15 years. How much pain do you want to put up with?

I have had a lifetime of pain from my back. I was not going to let them tell me to wait and see how it goes. I paid for my MRI out of pocket and made the surgeon operate because of the results.

I slept pretty good without pain meds last night. Just a good night or am I seeing improvement? I hope to post in a few weeks how great I feel.
Thanks again for the well wishes guys.

The marvels of modern surgery. Less invasive, better the recovery and outcome. Best to you.