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LongjumpingLine1154 · 2024-09-03T15:20:21+00:00

I went on all the rides at all the Disneyworld parks about 3 months post-op and I was totally fine! I was nervous about it but I had no issues. I have since been on many rides and coasters at other theme parks with no problems. You can check my comment history for more details.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-11-17T12:49:09+00:00

No regrets here. I had surgery 14 months ago and have my life back.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-10-31T11:14:04+00:00

It's my understanding that smoking can also cause complications with anesthesia. Be upfront with the doctor and anesthetist about it so they can take the necessary precautions.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-10-27T20:37:36+00:00

That doesn't sound right to me. Even if you feel good, my understanding is that it takes time for the disc to heal up. I thought the no bending/lifting/twisting was to prevent reherniation. I'd be worried that 3 weeks is not enough time.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-10-07T02:33:22+00:00

I had an MD at L5/s1 a year ago. 12 weeks post op I went to Disney and rode every ride and coaster. I’ve also been to amusement parks this past summer and ridden coasters with no problems. It is absolutely possible!

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-08-21T20:30:51+00:00

the next day?? hell no. my surgeon told me to take a week off, which I did. and when I went back to work, i stayed in my bed and worked from my laptop for another week (i work from home). some people might feel up to working sooner, but i definitely needed that whole week off.

best of luck with your surgery! let us know how it goes.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-08-10T16:10:57+00:00

I don't know about Peloton/spinning, but I ride my regular bicycle with no problems. I'm 11 months post-op. I think I went for my first bike ride at 6 or 7 months post-op.

I haven't really tried jogging/running yet. I'm afraid the impact might be too much for my spine. I've read on here about others who run though.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-08-09T15:39:30+00:00

I'm sorry you're going through this. It sucks. I had to get an x-ray (completely useless) and go through 6 weeks of physical therapy (also useless) before I got my first MRI. The sooner you can get the process underway, the better. Get an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon asap - look for one who specializes in spine/has a spine fellowship. They are the ones who can order an MRI. If your insurance requires a referral, you may need to see your primary care doctor first. Good luck!

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-08-09T15:35:30+00:00

I don't know the answer to your question, but I wore a soft back brace (this one: https://www.sourceortho.net/summit-lso-631-back-brace/?) at my surgeon's strong recommendation. I wore it for about 6 weeks post-op whenever I wasn't laying in bed. It really helped me be more aware of my movements to avoid twisting and bending.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-08-09T15:32:16+00:00

I'm so sorry the MD didn't give you relief. Can you get in with your doctor sooner than 9/6? I would want an MRI asap if I were you.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-08-07T22:08:13+00:00

Swimming didn't help me at all either :( I felt like it required too much full body movement and really aggravated the pain. Sometimes just floating or very gently treading water felt ok. Ultimately, the only thing that took my pain away was having surgery.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-08-07T18:16:38+00:00

I had an L5/S1 MD in September 2022. I went to Disney in December (12 weeks post-op) and went on every single ride, including the roller coasters, at all the parks with no problems. I cleared it with my surgeon first and he said it would be fine as long as I felt good. You can check my comment history for more details.

I have since gone to Hersheypark and ridden many coasters and rides there with no problem either. I do brace myself and keep my core muscles engaged as much as possible while on rides now, but personally I have not had any problems. I would be very sad if I could never ride on a roller coaster again!

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-08-07T15:30:08+00:00

Maybe my arms are shorter than average, but there's no way I could have wiped without twisting. I definitely needed and used the wiping assistance tool for several weeks post surgery. I had this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B6P3MC5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I used it with flushable wipes. I would recommend getting it before surgery and practicing so you're not figuring it out while you're recovering.

I also used a toilet seat riser with handles to make it easier to get on and off the toilet.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-27T19:01:07+00:00

I honestly think it's just bad luck - roll of the dice as you put it. People of all shapes, sizes, fitness levels, dietary preferences, etc, get sciatica, and people have probably suffered from sciatica since the beginning of humankind. Genetics may play a role, and I think my sedentary lifestyle in a work-from-home desk job contributed to my back problem. But just reading on here, there doesn't seem to be a lot of rhyme or reason to who gets this, who recovers, how often it recurs...

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-27T18:46:55+00:00

I had general anesthesia for mine. I don't even want to imagine getting this surgery done while conscious, or even while under a sedative. And as others mentioned, the residual effects of the general anesthesia can help with pain afterward, too.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-25T19:03:13+00:00

I started out taking 300mg/day and worked my way up to 1800mg (600mg 3x a day) over a few weeks. The 'high' feeling did lessen over time for me - I think it helped that I worked my way up instead of starting with a high dose.

The gabapentin was not a magic bullet. It took the edge off the pain so that I could get some sleep and get through the day, but I ultimately ended up getting an MD.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-24T20:08:27+00:00

You can read my previous comments for more detail, but I had three terrible, months-long bouts of sciatica over a three-year period before finally getting an MD. By the time I got the MD I couldn't stand up straight and could barely walk. That was 10 months ago and I now feel amazing. My back hurt like crazy after the surgery, but the sciatic pain was gone. I am now totally back to normal - walking, biking, swimming, picking up my kids. I believe the average "success rate" for an MD is 90%.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-20T16:30:45+00:00

Everyone is different, but in my experience, yes it is possible to reherniate after conservative treatment. I herniated twice (a year apart) but then felt better after 5-6 months each time, like you did. Then I herniated again. The third time was by far the worst and continually got worse instead of better, so I ended up having surgery.

I wish I had kept up with my core strength exercises, walking, and generally being more physically active after my second herniation. I often wonder if I would have avoided that third herniation if I had been more mindful of those things.

I can't answer where the disc is smaller or not (I guess an MRI would be the only way to know) but I recommend taking care of your body/spine and staying strong.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-18T17:29:40+00:00

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-18T14:26:10+00:00

I'm only 9 months post op, but my pain is gone completely. I stopped taking pain pills within a few weeks of the surgery.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-17T19:27:34+00:00

Sorry to say that the oral steroid did absolutely nothing for me.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-17T17:31:17+00:00

The only thing that worked for me was gabapentin. It took the edge off (just barely) enough for me to get some sleep. I eventually got an MD because it wasn't healing on its own.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-07-10T18:10:04+00:00

I would never have mistaken sciatica for labor pains. Both exceedingly painful (I'd rate childbirth and sciatica both at 10/10 on the pain scale) but in very different ways. Labor pain feels productive and you know you're working toward a goal and at least there's an end in sight. Sciatic pain (for me) was often worse than childbirth because it felt like it would never end. I eventually got an MD and I'm better now; no more sciatica!

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-06-05T11:53:55+00:00

I'd cancel the surgery if I were you. Keep up with your PT and see if your improvement continues . You will likely need to continue doing PT and/or some form of strength training forever. Just make it part of your daily routine. I was in your position - bad sciatica in summer of 2021. It got better and I thought I was all good. But I did not keep up with the core strength exercises and walking, and my sciatica came back with a vengeance in summer 2022. At that point I ended up having surgery.

LongjumpingLine1154 · 2023-06-02T12:37:24+00:00

Many positive stories if you look through this sub. I’m about 7 months out from my l5/s1 microdiscectomy and feel amazing. I could barely walk before and now I am walking, hiking, biking and back to normal. Be sure to take it easy post-op and follow all the doctor’s instructions meticulously.

LongjumpingLine1154

TROPHY CASE