Just had a lumbar Laminectomy...

[MikeBear]

On Friday, 12/17/10, 9:15am, I had a Lumbar Laminectomy on levels L3-L4 and L4-L5.

:hack: :grind: :hammer: YouTube - LUMBAR LAMINECTOMY


Only 1 night in the hospital, and I'm home now. Real sore, and walking CAREFULLY with a cane, and sometimes without it. Hardest part is getting into bed. They messed my throat up by shoving a breathing tube down it during the surgery. Still hurts, and I'm eating ice cream, and cold water and such. Oh, I ended up with pressure/contact hives where they taped gauze over the wound in my back. That's nasty, it's kind of like poison ivy blisters, and itches! There's internal stitches, and they GLUED the outer skin back together!

So, I'm probably off work for at least 6 weeks at 60% pay, and probably can't ride either of my mini-bikes for a year, but I hope this all heals up, and takes most of the pain away with it. It's too soon to tell how well it'll all work out, but I'm hoping for the best.

 

[The Restore Kid]

Rouch Shaggy.. hmy: Old Dinger had something similar in his neck and they cut him from ear to ear.. Hope ya get better.. Ya can't get much worse, huh? :doah:

 

[MikeBear]

Rouch Shaggy.. hmy: Old Dinger had something similar in his neck and they cut him from ear to ear.. Hope ya get better.. Ya can't get much worse, huh? :doah:

Yeah, I agree. Going without being able to ride my mini-bikes for a year is a bitch! :laugh:

Oh, I also had the Cervical (neck) Discectomy with fusion on 3 levels in 2007... I was off of work 5-1/2 months for that one, and had to wear a hard collar for a year, but it was real serious. That one healed up pretty good, and as a BONUS, it cured me of all regular sickness. I no longer get sick. That wasn't planned, but I'll take it. Maybe it'll eventually wear off, but sick free for 3 years so far is good. The back problem was from a 15 foot ladder fall over 8 years ago, with a running chainsaw... I threw the chainsaw away from me, and it bounced and is fine... I landed in a sitting position, and lost 1/2 inch in height instantly...

 

[Neck]

Ouch!!

A 15 foot fall! your lucky to still be walking! on the top side of the sod! Get better soon!

 

[buckeye]

Did they use pedicle screws for a fusion with your own bone? If so see if the can get a bone growth stimulator. They really help the healing process so maybe be ridin in 6 months. Is it a work comp injury? If so never sign off of the medical liability as when you get one sometime in the future you may need another couple if levels fused. Good luck on the healing process!.

 

[jrzmac]

I had a Laminectomy in 1999. L4 L5 and S1 S2. I was in the hospital for 3 days. Doc wouldn't let me in a car for a month. They've come a long way in back surgery I hear. It lasted a good 5 years before the pain started again.(sorry) Hopefully it works good for you. I think it all depends on what you do for a living. I lift crap all day so there's always stress on my lower back. I've done all the shots, meds, p.t., anything you can think of. They wanna go back in there, I told them forget it once is enough. I was out of work for 8 months. Good Luck. I know what your going thru believe me. a bad back is the worst. nobody understands the pain unless they have the same thing.

 

[MikeBear]

Did they use pedicle screws for a fusion with your own bone? If so see if the can get a bone growth stimulator. They really help the healing process so maybe be ridin in 6 months. Is it a work comp injury? If so never sign off of the medical liability as when you get one sometime in the future you may need another couple if levels fused. Good luck on the healing process!.

No fusion with hardware at all on my back. My neck has bone and screws and a Titanium plate. For the back, the Neurosurgeon just removed parts of the Lamina, and crushed disc's, and junk in there to un-pinch the nerves. It wasn't a workman's comp issue.

I was at home, 15 feet up a ladder, cutting a branch at the crotch of a maple tree. The branch was real long, and needed to be removed before we had a new shed brought in. My 15 year old at the time son was holding/pulling on the branch, cocking it into the ground behind him. Before I could say anything, he yanked real hard, tore the branch away from the tree, and wound it up REAL good! He then couldn't hold it as it was wound up like a spring, and it came at me, hit me in the center of my chest, and I was knocked off the ladder. I fell 15 feet, and landed in a sitting position in the loamy soil. Good thing it was a bit soft, as that helped a little bit.

What's done is done though, and it could have been worse, such as hitting the ground, and then that chainsaw landing on top of me. Even though it stopped running, it would have made a mess of me.... So, once I heal up, I hopefully can put all this behind me and go from there. I'm 52 years old, and I've had to lose out on a lot of living due to the neck damage (30 years of doctors/Chiro/therapy/nerve killing shots, etc, etc) and then the back problems, and I plan on making some of it up!

The neck: When I was 17, a neighbor always had snowmobiles since he was 7. For all those years, we tied a tractor inner-tube behind it with hemp rope. This time, a farmer had left an old iron Disc Harrow plow in the bushes at the edge of the field. Well, I was crack-the-whip into that harrow at 70 mph! I saw it coming just before it hit, and crawled up on the rope as far as I could. I hit the harrow with my right leg, cutting it 1/2 the way off, cut through the big muscle, and I went flying up into the air. I was wearing a motorcycle helmet, and it snapped my neck breaking it. They didn't know my neck was broken at the time, and that caused major issues later on....

I know, I know, I'm not lying, and I'm a freaking soap-opera when it comes to this stuff. I've been able to maintain a full time job all these years, but it's been getting harder and harder as I grew older. So FINALLY, all that stuff is behind me, and I'm really looking forward to healing and getting better. I just hope that the back surgery doesn't preclude me being able to ever ride my mini-bikes again. I really like going back in the state-land, but couldn't do it often, because of it being such a shock to the back. I live on a adrenalin high while doing that stuff, and that knocks down the pain, but oh boy, does your body ever crash afterwards!

 

[catfishman]

get well and take it easy.

 

[Tom S.]

On Friday, 12/17/10, 9:15am, I had a Lumbar Laminectomy on levels L3-L4 and L4-L5....

You'll be good to go in no time. :thumbsup: I had the same surgery in the fall of '08. All better and back riding minis, bicycles and motorcycles by the spring of '09. Oh, my buddy fell off his dirt bike a month ago and crushed his L1. They restored the bone's shape w/a ballon & cement injection procedure, called a Kyphoplasty. It's commonly used on old folks w/osteoporosis. He's 52 and said he felt really young sitting w/other patients in the waiting room at the orthopedist's office. He's already back at work and should be back on two wheels before too long.

Kyphoplasty: Osteoporosis Fracture Treatment Video

 

[waynelass]

they have come a long way with that surgury , had mine done in 82 ,they took the entire disc out back then and let the scar tissue grow in . once in a blue moon i,m in agony for about a couple of weeks . life goe,s on , good luck and to a speedy recovery .

 

[wayne]

dont even think i wont to think about sugury,OUCH i need 4 done,but
putting them off,but the pain pills are not working enemore,:scared:

 

[MikeBear]

Well, I'm definitely getting stronger every day, and things are getting a little easier to do. Too bad it's winter, and I can't spend time out on my porch enjoying the sun... I'll certainly be catching up on my reading, and watching tv anyway... :thumbsup:

Thanks everybody for your replies, and stories, as I do appreciate them.

 

[paxson]

I had a c5 - c7 fusion done last monday. They took out a plate on c5 then re-drilled the holes and added a double plate and new screws. First couple of days did ok then started hurting pretty good for a couple of days. Then on sunday I got the flu till monday. I discovered a whole new level of pain throwing up with a new plate, screws, stiches, and a neck collar on. Anyway I'm off for 4-6 weeks. Good luck with your recovery.

 

[MikeBear]

Well, I had my first post-op appt. with the nurse practitioner yesterday. Everything is going fairly well. I have one issue though that started last week. I was trying to lay down on the couch, and suddenly got this pain on my left side front groin area. It felt exactly like a knife was ripping me open to the bone there! Bad enough, that I actually looked to see if I was ripping open. I could FEEL what felt like a metal knife being shoved into me. Not a very good feeling, and it made me scream like a little girl. All the cuts were through the back, so no rips up front. It comes and goes now at times, but not as bad, and must be some sort of referred pain coming from inside.

The nurse wasn't very concerned, as it isn't constant. Hopefully, everything will continue to heal, and do so properly. The wound itself on my back is healing perfectly, not oosing anything, and doesn't even need a dressing anymore. The hives are mostly gone, but it still tickles back there, and I'm doing my best not to scratch it.

 

[supernova]

Well, I had my first post-op appt. with the nurse practitioner yesterday. Everything is going fairly well. I have one issue though that started last week. I was trying to lay down on the couch, and suddenly got this pain on my left side front groin area. It felt exactly like a knife was ripping me open to the bone there! Bad enough, that I actually looked to see if I was ripping open. I could FEEL what felt like a metal knife being shoved into me. Not a very good feeling, and it made me scream like a little girl. All the cuts were through the back, so no rips up front. It comes and goes now at times, but not as bad, and must be some sort of referred pain coming from inside.

The nurse wasn't very concerned, as it isn't constant. Hopefully, everything will continue to heal, and do so properly. The wound itself on my back is healing perfectly, not oosing anything, and doesn't even need a dressing anymore. The hives are mostly gone, but it still tickles back there, and I'm doing my best not to scratch it.

The same exact pain I get. My Dr. said it's my lower back pinching a nerve. My back is in bad shape and I'll have to do something about it eventually. I spent 13 months in a halo after breaking my neck 22yrs ago and still have some numbness and pain from that. Fusion at C1,2, and 3 as well as a plate at 6&7. I can certainly relate to what you're going through to a certain degree. You'll be fine as long as you listen to the docs and build your strength back up like they tell you! Take care of yourself!:thumbsup:

 

[Oldschool]

FOOK ME!!!!!

I get some spams in my back and thats it ( mostly from not being in the kind of shape I need to be for the type of work I do ).

I need my knees replaced and hip job in the future but I can hoble along nicely and will for as long as I can ( Naproxin is your frined untill your stomach desolves lol ).

You guys with the back issues have my deapest sympathy and respect to be able to bounce back and function with such serious problems. I get real ugly when I hurt and stairs, ladders and walking on ramps are not my easy ( but all parts of my job ). After reading this I don't think I will be complaining much.

I went under the knife once to have polyps removed from my synous. Worst experince of my life and it was day surgery. Dam if I could deal with getting realy opened up and tinkered with like you fellows, that scares the shite out of me.....

 

[jrzmac]

dont even think i wont to think about sugury,OUCH i need 4 done,but
putting them off,but the pain pills are not working enemore,:scared:

Yeah I know, they stop working when you get used to them!

 

[jrzmac]

Well, I had my first post-op appt. with the nurse practitioner yesterday. Everything is going fairly well. I have one issue though that started last week. I was trying to lay down on the couch, and suddenly got this pain on my left side front groin area. It felt exactly like a knife was ripping me open to the bone there! Bad enough, that I actually looked to see if I was ripping open. I could FEEL what felt like a metal knife being shoved into me. Not a very good feeling, and it made me scream like a little girl. All the cuts were through the back, so no rips up front. It comes and goes now at times, but not as bad, and must be some sort of referred pain coming from inside.

were you on your stomach when they were doing the surgery? they had me on my stomach spread eagle with my legs streched out over the table. the front of my groin was pinching on this table thing, I had pain in my groin and down the side of my left leg for months. they told me not to worry, because it was from the way I was laying on the table. It goes away though!

 

[MikeBear]

were you on your stomach when they were doing the surgery? they had me on my stomach spread eagle with my legs streched out over the table. the front of my groin was pinching on this table thing, I had pain in my groin and down the side of my left leg for months. they told me not to worry, because it was from the way I was laying on the table. It goes away though!

Well, they put me completely out before the surgery, but I was told that I would be on my stomach, laying on some sort of framework. So, that's possible that they pinched me like you were pinched. The pain for that has gone down a lot, so isn't very bothersome anymore. I expect different pains and such until healed. When I had my neck surgery, I had to wear a hard collar for a year, and it took 2 years until I was better. So, I expect to have issues over the next year or so. I'm just looking forward to being completely better, and that should come soon enough.

 

[A R F]

Hope you feel better .I can forsee surgery in the future too.