alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Many on here will know that I went in hospital in early June for an operation to remove part of a disc which was pressing on a nerve and giving me dreadful sciatica.

Prior to the operation, I had had constant 24/7 pain for THIRTEEN months, unable to sleep, unable to sit, walk, etc etc. Not just twinges, not nagging pain, but full on blasts of deep pain that brought me out in a swaet and brought tears to my eyes.

The op was a success. the pain went as if it had been switched off, leaving only pain at the wound site, which faded as the days wore on.

Last week it came back.

No warning, just awoke one morning and it's back like it was, just the same, same position and no let-up.

I can SERIOUSLY understand, now, how someone can become so depressed they can take their own life.

I have been recalled to hospital to see the consultant next Wednesday, but hold out no hope whatsoever.

I am supposed to go on holiday next Sunday........

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Jeez, that's hard to take.

But, and I know it's easy for me to say this, if they fixed it, albeit temporarily, once before is there chance that something is pressing elsewhere or in the same place again and they can fix it again?

JEBTHE1

iTrader: (2)

depression is hard on anyone and its very hard to speak out about it. taking one step at a time will help. keep your chin up

SiPie

Nightmare Alcazar....so sorry to hear that

As I've previously mentioned, I'm 'lucky' with my sciatica only giving me occasional stabs when walking. Even then the stabs are enough to bring me to a halt and shout out involuntarily...

God only knows how you put up with it 24/7, it's a brutal pain

nick172sport

iTrader: (6)

ive had 2 opeations like this within a ten year period as ive posted on alcazars thread before i was lucky didnt get any symptons again until 5 years later and more discs had to be removed to the op did a neurosurgeon do the work i advised you to use one off them instead of a bone man its all about tying nerves up as well not jst taking discs out

spudboytim

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like you've had it rough bud! Keep your chin up and try and stay positive.
I'm sure you'll get it sorted.
Tim.

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

Yeah it's a terrible thing
My back pains have now been overtaken by elbow and knee pains
Some days good and some really bad
Tends to be worse at home when trying to relax rather then
A stressful day at work when you haven't time to think about
The paIn but the op symptoms are really bad hang in there mate

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Let me know how you get on Jeff, I know how much you were banking on this ****** going.

TelBoy

Not good, i have somebody extremely dear to me in exactly the same situation.

Unfortunately the human body isn't a static organism and therefore your spine has probably splintered another shard, giving you unremitting pain, as per before.

Just me asking, are you being treated privately or via NHS?

Maz

iTrader: (34)

It sounds as if you've had movement in the affected disk, which does happen quite regularly post operation. The suregeon/specialist will be aware of this so get straight on to them Jeff. I had a consulatation earlier in the year with a neurosurgeon and he rejected surgery on the basis of too much disk damage (three affected disks) and therefore to much risk. I do get excruciating sciatic pain on occasion (akin to red hot knife being plunged in to the top of my foot) but it doesn't last more than a day. I find diclofenac and tramadol really help. Above all trying to be mentally positive (as hard as it is) will help. I wish you all the best and hope you get a speedy resolution, you must keep on at your GP/specialist to get you appropriate treatment.

Turbohot

alcazar, easy. Hopefully you will get seen soon and get sorted, then you will go on a holiday and have a great time. Stay positive.

ScoobyWon't

Do you get any sort of pain management treatment? The physio department in the local trust, here, provide weekly sessions to help patients pre and post treatment.

tony de wonderful

How painful is it? Sometimes one just has to accept a certain amount of pain and the fact that one isn't going to be perfect again.

I've kind of accepted that with my back and shoulder although now the pain is lowish, just the fact that I'm not the athlete I was is vexing but I can live with it.

I was suffering badly with a physical alinement late last year and early this year which was like being hit with a hammer, I think it made me properly depressed for a few months and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Never felt anything like it. I can't say what it is but I'm slowly getting better although sometimes I still wake in pain and my mobility is impaired.

RICHARD J

iTrader: (4)

Jeff, don't write yourself off yet let the consultant look at it first, it may be just a flare up & a course of diclofenic or similar is needed to settle things down. Iv had 20 odd years of disc problems & it's not always as bad as it seems. Good luck & stay positive.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

The consultant is a nuerosurgeon. I'll wait to see what he says wednesday.
I'm being treated NHS, can't afford any other way...

The pain is unremitting. I take Morphine twice daily, but can't bear to sit in an e4asy chair, wake if I turn over in my sleep, and limp when I walk. Occasionally it's enough to make me cry out, but it NEVER lets up, not for one second......

tony de wonderful

Sorry to hear about that alcazar. When I wrenched my back cycling the pain was like that, couldn't sleep, couldn't sit down. After quitting cycling it is now pretty minor.

The Zohan

This is great advice!

GazTheHat

That's really tough mate. I suffer back ache and a few other medical things which really p!ss me off. When i was reading your post and you said the pain switched OFF, i thought, that's brilliant. I'd like that myself. I've even told myself that i can't handle the next half of my life living like this, it does get to you.

Don't panic yet, maybe there's more that can be done and the relief will be back.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Thanks mate. I'll know more after tomorow night.
my guess is that he'll schedule another MRI. But I won't be able to have it until September, as I need to take my wife away for her holiday. She won't go without me, and works so hard in a very stressful job, she needs the rest.

I suppose I could fly back....., have the procedure and fly back again.
But I'd have to rely on one, or both of my lads being bothered enough to open my post and tell me when, plus the flights would then be horrendously expensive, in the region of £500 return instead of £80 or so.

Leslie

I am really sorry to hear about that Alcazar. I can understand how upsetting that must be for you.

I hope it can be easily sorted out for you. I have had some pretty major operations via the NHS and have always been well treated and the operations were all very well done. I think that the NHS treatment is very good in fact.

Les

shooter007

keep your head up alcazar dont let the ba***** grind you down

Maz

iTrader: (34)

Michael Mates is that you?

CREWJ

That is terrible news Al. Hopefully it's just something simple. Get well soon.

Don Clark

Not good, a friend went through the same thing and ended up having spinal fusion to stabilise everything with excellent results.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Just got back from Hull with a detour to Sheffield to pick up a tap I bought off ebay, and give the Scoob a spin.

The consulatant thinks the disc may be swollen. he has put me on a waiting list for something called a "nerve root block injection", and did ask if I wanted it done urgently.

I explained about the wife's holiday and we decided to see what the waiting list throws up.

Meanwhile, I rest it and keep taking the tablets..........

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Although not immediate, this seems like a positive thing? Could the swelling be a side effect of the proceedure or drugs you're taking for the recovery? Or is it something that can be treated with more drugs or these injections?

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Had that done a while back, did **** all for me.. Apart from traumatise me. I have a serious needle phobia nd being awake while someone inserts a dirty great needle, takes an x-ray, removes it, re-inserts it for what feels like forever, then finally hits the nerve that's causing the pain.. Not my idea of fun.

Feel for you though mate. I think I mentioned it on one of your threads before but I've suffered since I was 14 (35 now)

Over recent years I got very bad, I was stuck bent over by mid morning every day, only time I could stand straight was sometimes first thingin the morning. Pain prevented me from walking more than a few yds without stopping and holding on to something. I've had morphine, and have to take pain killers still after years which give their side effes and withdrawl problems.

I was actually booked to see my surgeon and have disc removal and literally a week before it was like it was turned off like a switch. He reckons a bit broke away. I still get pain but nothing like it was, only trouble is he reckons it'll probably come back to haunt me.

I'd go for disc removal if I was you.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

That's not been offered...yet. Trouble is, it's so low down that they don't like to remove it completely as that can have even worse side effects.

Whoever invented the human spine wants shooting.

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Took a while before they offered it to me. They try and go through the root blocks first. As you say, they try and avoid it. I'm glad I didn't have the op because my surgeon said it's tricky and could do the obvious big damage. Trouble I've got is it's been so long my disc has calcified according to him, makes it very tricky to get out and he did worry me a bit saying it makes it more risky.

I'd happily have my lower spine made solid, lose a bit of movement but better than the loss of movement and pain.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I wish I knew more about this root block, I mean, will I still FEEL the leg? Will I be able to drive? Will I have full control?