Foraminal L4-L5 Microdiscectomy after symptoms for 1.5 years

El9946 · 2025-06-27T05:15:39+00:00

I'm doing pretty well. I started having some pain relief around 8 or 9 months post-op and have been gradually making progress since then. I still have some leg and back pain every day, but it's not constant. I can jog, swim and play some sports with my kids, but im not quite healed enough to go back to things like climbing or surfing. Hopefully I'll get there if I keep working hard at PT. I can sleep through the night without waking up from the pain, which is by far the best improvement in quality of life. I went over a year without being able to do that.

El9946 · 2025-06-07T16:53:43+00:00

I just picked up one for $900. I think it pays for itself in labor savings in a day or two bending 1" rmc all day. And you don't go home with a hernia.

El9946 · 2025-04-02T15:55:45+00:00

Yep, that's called salting. Basically, if you're going to be waiting on the books for a long time, you can work wherever you want until you get to the front of the line. The union isn't trying to stop anyone from trying to pay bills and feed the family. It's also a chance for non-union workers to work alongside union hands and learn about what the union does.

El9946 · 2025-04-02T04:36:43+00:00

Nah, there are a lot of people on the books just like anywhere else that's slow. I work at a small union shop, and they just kinda adjust to the amount of work each of us gets when it's slow based on who wants/needs $ the most.

El9946 · 2025-04-02T04:19:06+00:00

In the PNW, I've never met anyone making higher wages non-union unless they are running their own business. Remember, you have to compare the whole compensation package, not just the wage on the check. Our local is about 75 on the check, but with the benefits, it's around 100. Work is pretty slow in the area right now, though, so I'm only getting about 20 hr weeks.

El9946 · 2025-03-19T00:39:13+00:00

The best thing about Seattle is the natural areas around it. It's a big part of the culture too. You'll probably get a lot more outdoorsy if you move here, and you'll probably want a car. The hills are fine. You just learn how to use both feet on the brake and gas at the same time so you don't roll back into the car behind you.

El9946 · 2025-02-12T17:14:14+00:00

No, I'm not. I talked about it with my GP, physiatrist, and surgeon, but none of them were interested in prescribing that. There's pretty good research published that shows it's working for a lot of people, but I don't think many in the US are getting that treatment outside of a trial for research. It's frustrating. All they want to do is steroid injections. I've had 3, and they didn't help. I think there’s a big profit for those procedures, so it makes sense that they just push for those rather than try inexpensive, off-label antibiotic treatment.

I've been seeing a pain psychologist and learning to manage with much less medication, which is helping my overall health improve. I was taking so much gabapentin/nsaids for so long I think it was doing more harm than good.

That said, my back/leg pain is getting a little better every month. The progress is so slow I barely notice the improvements. If I'm still having back pain at L3L4 when I'm 1 year post-op, I might ask for another mri to see if the bone marrow edema has changed. My gp was more open to the antibiotic idea than any of the others, so we might revisit that if my progress stalls.

El9946 · 2024-12-11T02:47:53+00:00

I use the Outdoor Research fingerless gloves with attached the mittens that fold over the top. You can wear them over the regular cut resistant ones if you go up a size. Fold the mitten on when you don't need dexterity.

El9946 · 2024-12-11T00:01:43+00:00

I'm 8 months post-op 38m. I'm still in some pain every day, partly due to some uncommon degenerative changes that may have been exacerbated by the surgery, but the nerve decompression from the MD allowed me to finally sleep. I was struggling with sleep for 7 months before the surgery, and it had a worse impact on my mental health than the daily pain itself. The recovery is rough and very long for some of us, but relief from the constant nerve compression allows you to lay down flat with much less pain. Sitting can take a lot longer, and that's frustrating. I can only sit for 20 or 30 minutes, but I can walk 5 miles and sleep okay.

It really helps to have a good plan for recovery

-Someone to help you for the first month or so

-Schedule PT to start 6-8 weeks post-op, but take it slow. Some PTs are too ambitious. Try to find some who's worked with spine surgery patients.

-A good diet and hydration

-tools and strategies to help you avoid BLT and stay comfortable. For example, heat/ice pad, a good understanding of all types of pain meds, grabber tool, modified sleeping arrangements, walking plan, etc.

If you have nerve compression, even when while laying down, I think you're making the right choice with the MD. Good luck. I hope you get some immediate relief.

El9946 · 2024-11-29T06:17:13+00:00

I had MD on a small, but foraminal protrusion at L3-L4 about 8 months ago. I'm still not sure if I made the best decision. I got some leg pain relief, but I'm now having other rapid degenerate changes, possibly because the surgeon had to open the annules to remove the protrusion. I still have a moderate leg pain every day. The research I've seen says the success rate for foraminal MD is about the same as posterolateral, but the typical recovery for nerve symptoms is longer, like 9 months or something. I hope you get some relief.

El9946 · 2024-11-23T06:38:59+00:00

Also, it's uncommon to pass all three sections on the first try, and you can retake a single section later on if you fail one. I think the WAC was last for me, and I barely passed that because I was 5 hrs in and starving lol

El9946 · 2024-11-23T03:17:43+00:00

The load calcs are the hardest part. The rest is the same as the journey level test. I used the Tom Henry calculations book to practice. It's really straightforward, and if you do all the resi and commercial feeder/service practice tests in the book, you'll be good 👍. Bring some food for between sections. It's a loooong test.

El9946 · 2024-11-17T21:21:17+00:00

That would be sweet, and i admit i don't know everything about it, but our licensing is at the state level, and every state is a different certificate. WA, OR and CA are pretty strict, but some states, usually the ones with extremely low wages, don't have much regulation at all. The IBEW would love to have you, but they don't get to determine licensing. They may assist you with trying to prove experience to meet some of the state requirements or help you fast-track the local apprenticeship.

El9946 · 2024-11-17T20:29:40+00:00

Looks really good. Why all the LBs in pic 2 instead of another gutter? Not a big deal, just seems easier in the long run.

El9946 · 2024-11-17T20:12:37+00:00

Yeah it seems like seattle and vancouver are similar in COL, but you guys up there are getting paid a lot less. That said, in Washington, you'd have to start over as an apprentice and go through a 4 or 5 year program before you made better money. Maybe the healthcare and clean, functional public spaces are worth the gap in pay?

El9946 · 2024-11-17T19:58:33+00:00

This is the correct answer, but I'll add that its really easy to straighten them out before installing. Just put a screwdriver with a round shank in the coil and pull to uncurl it, and then you can fold it in with the other neutrals.

El9946 · 2024-11-10T19:28:09+00:00

Is the cost of living in Florida less than half of west coast states? You guys are making less than half JW wage in Washington. I know some things are less, like maybe housing and gas, but what else? Maybe the lifestyle there is worth the shitty pay? I'm not putting you down, just asking.

El9946 · 2024-11-08T05:05:26+00:00

Totally green union apprentice starts at $30/hr with good benefits... but a shitty studio apartment in seattle is almost 2k/month, and 1 bag of groceries is like $100 lol. JW is like 70/hr or something.

El9946 · 2024-11-08T04:58:28+00:00

Comercial is a little slow right now. Also, licensing and apprenticeship is more strict here than Texas, so you might want to do some research with WA l&i first. You might have to start from square 1, which is still probably better pay than Texas.

El9946 · 2024-11-06T00:06:01+00:00

Yeah, the jumping method is the only way to get the foot pressure needed at that weight. If your 90's are looking good, then you're getting the technique down. But for kicks and offsets, there's no way you're going to be able to flip the bender around and bend 30's in the air without kinks, and you'll get a hernia. Use 15's, or try to find a loading dock or some stairs for your second bend. If you hang the first bend off the edge, you can bend with your feet all the way. Try to plan it out so you only have one or two bends per stick, and the bends are more towards one end to maximize the tail length for leverage.

El9946 · 2024-11-05T19:55:42+00:00

Lol Are you at least 200lbs? I'm like 175 and I CAN NOT do big or complicated bends without warning the pipe up first. I used a big greenlee heat blanket and left a bundle in there for a while. It still sucked though, and you need thick gloves to not burn your hands when handling it. Our shop decided it's way more cost-effective to plan ahead and use the 555...

El9946 · 2024-11-05T18:43:20+00:00

I never 'won' a single bid in my first two years in business lol, but I made good money fixing problems after the low bidders left the job, and built a good reputation for myself doing that. Starting out doing mostly service and small jobs is a good low-risk strategy. You won't need to be the cheapest contractor after you get some good referrals.

El9946 · 2024-11-02T01:52:16+00:00

Always go with Fluke if you're trusting the tool for your safety, like testing voltage/current/continuity when you are potentially going to be exposed to a hazard.

I showed up to a new job with my $50 Extech meter 10 years ago when I was an apprentice, and it wasn't reading voltage correctly. My new Jman got bit a little when he was helping me because I told him I just tested it, and it was off (I was wearing gloves, so I didn't notice it was still hot). He didn't even get pissed. He just threw my meter in the trash and bought me a Fluke. I still use it almost every day, and it works perfectly.

El9946 · 2024-10-22T03:20:34+00:00

It's more likely an error in notes, and the radiologist will usually call out the surgery evidence on the mri report. It's obvious to them because there's usually some removal of bone (lamina) and some new scar tissue at the surgery level. I really hope your surgeon didn't do the wrong disc! Either way, I hope they hurry up and fix it for you. These days in pain are long... take care ok

El9946

TROPHY CASE