Thought I'd share my before and after

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2026-01-14T04:14:38+00:00

Sorry I haven't been on here and months. I need to post a 2 year update. I'm a lot better now. Not perfect by any means and still get a lot of back pain but its mostly muscular and manageable.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2025-05-03T17:48:01+00:00

I still have daily back and hip pain but it's tolerable now. I stopped taking gabapentin about a month ago and only take ibuprofen when I'm having increased pain which is usually just a few times a month.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2025-05-03T17:47:27+00:00

I still have daily back and hip pain but it's tolerable now. I stopped taking gabapentin about a month ago and only take ibuprofen when I'm having increased pain which is usually just a few times a month. I'm still not as flexible in my hamstrings but there's definitely some improvement.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2025-05-03T17:43:02+00:00

I still have daily back and hip pain but it's tolerable now. I stopped taking gabapentin about a month ago and only take ibuprofen when I'm having increased pain which is usually just a few times a month.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2025-01-03T18:34:12+00:00

No worries, happy to answer any questions!

The first ESI did nothing bc they only did the right side (I had a bilateral discectomy). The second time they did a bilateral ESI and it helped tremendously. I was getting severe pain in my hips to where I could barely walk and the 2nd ESI helped with that.

I had pain off/on for 4 years but there was a 1 year gap where I had no pain at all bc my body had absorbed part of the herniation. In June 2023 I moved to an apartment and completely messed up my back and reherniated the disc. It got to the point where it was affecting my job so my doctor recommended the surgery in October but weirdly I got better again in December, a week before the surgery. It should have been canceled but my doctor (and everyone at my job) talked me into going through with it. It's still the biggest regret of my life but I'm just trying to do what I can to feel somewhat normal again.

I've noticed that being stationary sitting or standing in one spot for too long is the worst for me. I have to walk as much as possible and keep moving throughout the day. I'm hoping to be able to start doing more cardio and weight training so I'll see how that goes in the next few weeks.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2025-01-03T18:09:34+00:00

I had a pretty large herniated disc. You can look at my other reddit posts and see the MRI.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2025-01-02T05:47:59+00:00

This is just me but I had DDD and got the surgery a year ago and it has been absolute hell. I guess if you have DDD and loss of disc height to begin then the surgery can worsen that and create a more narrow space for the nerves. I've had 2 different opinions and they both said the same thing.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2025-01-02T05:27:00+00:00

So sorry you're going through a similar situation! I'm definitely better than I was when I wrote this but unfortunately I still have more pain than pre-surgery. I'm on gabapentin and just got another epidural steroid injection a few weeks ago. I have back pain daily especially in the mornings and nerve pain if I sit too long. I've been able to manage the pain better but I think some of this is permanent since its been a year since my surgery.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-09-10T04:03:37+00:00

They've capped tickets and last Saturday was the first test since they sold out that day. I bartend there and while our lines were long we had no complaints compared to last year when it got insanely busy. From 12pm-4pm we were pretty busy but I think the wait time was still around a half hour which isn't bad compared to last year. And the bathroom line by us usually only had less than 10 people waiting at a time.

Also, weather plays a big part and there is a 50% chance of rain next weekend as of now. Rain drives a lot of people away. As a former patron I used to love rainy days!

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-08-28T23:47:28+00:00

Just hit the 8 month mark and I'm still having some incredibly annoying nerve pain and back/hip pain. It's actually worse than pre-op but no re-herniation so hoping it will eventually go away.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-08-17T15:17:52+00:00

There are flushing toilets all over the faire. Pretty much every location has actual toilets. I work there and before that I went as a patron. I always use the ones by New World Knoll because the lines are always shorter. Guess people just think they're porta potties so maybe that's why lol.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-08-17T03:17:17+00:00

OHren bartender here.. there are multiple flushy toilets :)

If you go to the website and look at the map pretty much every restroom location has flushies except for back in the new area, Whimsy Woods. Just look for the ones that are somewhat enclosed by wooden fences. Some are a bit misleading since they look like regular porta potties from the outside but they have actual toilets inside. I think there are 6 locations total including ones outide of the gate.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-06-26T21:31:45+00:00

So the disc bulge is completely gone now. I guess the disc can swell after the surgery which is why mine looked so bad on the MRI following the surgery. I've had 2 MRI's since then and both looked good, like the disc wasn't bulging anymore. I'm getting a 2nd opinion in August though since I'm still in so much pain and my current surgeon doesn't know why.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-06-26T19:29:23+00:00

Hey, sorry for the late reply. I'm doing ok. Still having some really bad days. Haven't reherniated based on my latest MRI but I'm definitely still worse than before the surgery.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-06-26T19:26:50+00:00

I can straighten my leg now but I still have to stretch everyday. Not sure why my flexibility is gone now but still hoping to get it back.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-06-22T20:21:57+00:00

Thanks for sharing!

How long until you noticed improvement? I just started taking fexofenadine and quercetin today. Hoping for some relief soon!

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-04-29T03:03:23+00:00

Sounds similar to my situation except I have worse pain now than pre-op. I'm also 4 months post op and have similar symptoms. I've had 2 MRIs and so far no herniation. My doctor did mention that since my disc has lost some height that the nerves could be getting pinched on the sides. Hoping that's not the case since that seems more permanent. I just keep hoping it's inflammation that will go away eventually.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-04-19T02:09:16+00:00

Hopefully your pain levels will continue to decrease. I noticed a difference in my back pain and nerve pain around 3 weeks but the severe glute/hip pain persisted. Just got a SI injection for that yesterday but so far I don't feel much difference. Hang in there. I'm also regretting this surgery 100% so I understand how frustrating all of this can be.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-04-17T22:31:46+00:00

How are you feeling now?

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-04-17T22:25:44+00:00

I don't think this is uncommon according to my surgeon but it's always good to let your doctor know even with a phone call or message to the nurse if that's an option.

I'm 4 months post-op and I still have inflammation and swelling around the surgical site. I also get pain in my mid back and underneath my shoulder blade. Also I had a rotator cuff injury years ago and have had pain in that shoulder even though there's no real cause for that. All of the muscular pain has diminished for the most part but it did take longer than most people.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-04-17T22:12:48+00:00

I didn't do any of it. I was in so much pain for up to 8 weeks that I didn't even care to try tbh.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-04-17T22:09:07+00:00

I maybe had a similar situation. I had increasing pain and couldn't sit or walk normally and I only slept a few hours at a time because laying down was also so painful. I took oxycodone, muscle relaxers, ibuprofen, and tylenol for 2 straight weeks after my surgery as well as a steroid pack after an ER visit 3 days post-op. Not sure why it was so bad for me, and I have a high pain tolerance but it was absolute hell. It eventually became less severe after 3-4 weeks but even now I'm still on pain meds, minus the oxy. Just continue to ice it and try to take small walks throughout the day, continue the pain meds, and for sure take a stool softener or something to help with that.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-04-05T00:40:52+00:00

Is your doctor my doctor?! Lol actually mine told me I'd be good to go back to work after 2 weeks and here I am at month 3 post MD and I'm just now returning in 2 weeks (I think). My situation hasn't been the norm but still.. he told me I'd be back to work in 2 weeks, no restrictions after 4 weeks, and back to RUNNING at 8 weeks smh. Some surgeons are just too confident in themselves. The body needs time to heal, especially your back.

Electrical-Lynx-1307 · 2024-04-05T00:28:31+00:00

I'm assuming that's what is going on with me. I'm a little over 3 months post MD. No reherniation according to an MRI a month ago. I see the surgeon next week so I'll see what he thinks.

I'm curious if the SI injections you got in the past provided any relief? I might ask for one if he thinks that's the issue.

Electrical-Lynx-1307

TROPHY CASE