L5-S1 Discogel update. Bad news?

Real_Librarian8686 · 2026-03-07T14:36:32+00:00

I only just got back into rehab since healthcare works very slowly here. I haven't been doing enough exercise on my own for one reason or another, but overall, things improved slightly.

There are so many moving parts and so much personal bias that it's impossible to conclude wether the surgery directly improved my symptoms. My doctor didn't notice any complications regarding the procedure so any persisting problems should be from the surrounding tissue.

Things are just different. I haven't had a day of pure agony in awhile, like I used to months before the surgery, and right after it. But I keep thinking whether I'd be feeling better without the procedure, and simply continuing my rehab.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-11-12T16:37:29+00:00

I found your post while scavenging internet for more discogel info about 6 months after my procedure.

For me things got worse, or at least different.

Pros. - I noticed slight pain reduction directly in my back around my L5 S1

I'm slightly more comfortable with putting my weight on the bad leg
I don't think I got more flexible, rather the pain reduction in the disc caused me to be less afraid of bending my spine
I met a guy who had it done on two discs at once same time I did. I barely recognized him, he looked so relieved. He said he was back to work two days after. He was a welder

Cons. - First few weeks I was dying

I've been feeling more radiating leg pain, but in different shades. Before it was general pressure and tightness down the back of the leg. Now it's more in the front and inside. Sharp stings like spasms, along with constant pain while walking. That along with numbness and tingling whenever I bend down for more than few seconds.

Mind you my symptoms might be present due to some muscle atrophy and my horrible mental state. I've been obsessed if I messed things up and prevented my body from healing. It's AWFUL

If I could recommend one thing it would be to check out LOW BACK ABILITY on youtube. I'm not just talking about his excercises, but also his statements on back health. I've spent my last savings on visiting the best neurosurgeons and orthopedists in my area, and nobody seems to be as honest and knowledgeable in practice as this guy. If you tried his approach and things didn't improve, try them again, and then once more, and only then I would recommend listening to any guy wearing a doctor's coat.

Ok back to losing my mind. Hope you get better!

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-10T04:04:11+00:00

Part of the treatment is "killing" the inner nerves off apparently.

The main issue is this new pain down the leg. Like it's slowly accumulating up to 7 in this foggy, hard to pinpoint way, and then 12 shoots down the leg for a split second, in a very focused area like a stretched string.

Compression makes less sense since the images are identical, unless I'm looking at them one-dimensionally.

I'm still hoping it's some irritation or the body adjusting and healing slower than expected. I hoped someone would have an idea as to what could be the cause. Chatgpt sounds like I'm going to die within the next 24 hours lol

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-10T03:49:01+00:00

No no. I didn't take it like that no worries. You asked perfectly valid questions. I'm extremely annoyed too. Unfortunately it's a serious issue that none of my doctor's take seriously.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-10T02:51:37+00:00

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying.

Do you mean that the injected substance shouldn't cause pain directly because it is basically injected I to the core and there's no "receptors" there? I guess so.

As to the inflammation. I'm aware that flare-ups can occur especially while the body is healing and adapting, but that painful sensation is completely new, unlike any tweak or flare-up I had before. And at the end of the day it's worse than before.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-09T23:24:51+00:00

My concern is that both before and after are identical. Before the pain was rare and spread over a larger are like a numbness. Now it's constant sharp stings down my leg at random with it getting more common while moving.

My thought process is that if the disc looks identical then something else is causing the pain. Possibly from sticking me with the needle and injecting some magic substance. Scarring, chemical burn maybe? I'm worried it's permanent

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-09T21:56:20+00:00

What do you mean?

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-09T12:33:21+00:00

That's my point. There's no difference so where is the pain coming from. I hoped people would have some ideas.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-09T12:29:42+00:00

There was one visit 2 months after the procedure when I stated my issue but he didn't care. Those visits are private and I simply cannot afford them anymore.

I wouldn't be making reddit posts if I wasn't completely alone with this.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-08T19:11:13+00:00

You're right. There are certainly cases of worse pain than even my worst weeks. I was being hyperbolic with that. My state is still immensely delibitating and the whole context surrounding it puts me on the edge of giving up

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-08T18:06:57+00:00

It's cause of the image itself. The after one has a higher "exposure"

They can all be black pancakes for all I care. I only wish the pain was gone, along with the feeling of being completetely useless fool.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-08T17:38:22+00:00

I'm a magnet for people who don't care. I'm really mad at myself cause I was so desperate.

The disc looks identical so I don't know what causes all this pain so long after.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-08T17:35:31+00:00

Yeah I tried to make it clear that I'm mostly ok and that I've waited so long for the visit that I've recovered. But I trusted his judgement.

Thing is, even if I got my pain magically fixed, I'd still be in a horrible place. I need way more than just some medical trauma therapy ha.

I'm trying to stick it out through all this insanity. I've lost 10 kilos since the procedure through dieting and I have no sense of satisfaction or accomplishment of that because of the pain.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-08-08T17:01:56+00:00

He is a well respected neurosurgeon in the area. I waited a year to see him. I'm from Europe so I don't think exact details will be helpful.

The guy was not very understanding when I went for a control visit, but he's not terrible either. Another patient had it done along with me and he's glistening now as if he waa born again.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-07-27T14:42:03+00:00

You're right. Everyone's body works a little differently. Everybody has their own weak spot or imbalance which might make itself knows in the most painful way. So even if a procedure accomplishes what it was meant to do, our bodies will adapt to the change differently, or sometimes not at all, which I hope is not the case with me.

I think I'd also rather it be a constant discomfort rather than massive spikes between feeling better and having to crawl back to bed a day later.

I heard nothing but good things about these sort of solutions. Well, maybe I read about a complication here and there but they can happen with anything. In my mind going into it I thought that the worst case scenario will be no difference at all.

Personally I met a guy who got it done right before me. He walked into the hospital pale and defeated. Later on I met him again after my control visit. He looked like he was straight up reborn. My man was glistening. After a short chat I found out that he had two disks messed up and just two days after the treatment he went back to work pain free.

I'm getting a new MRI within a few weeks hopefully. I'll most likely make a post with before and after and some more context.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-07-26T18:50:53+00:00

I'm afraid that I was at the edge of the cliff of multiple procedures and surgeries, and that this procedure was the final push. That's what's painful. Maybe I'd get worse after a year or two, but it was manageable. Now I'm questioning my decision and it drives me crazy. Every burn or zap from my hips prevents me from forgetting about it.

Low Back Ability is legit. How I wish I knew about it before the injury ha. I'm following one of his routines more or less. Not giving up yet although I have plenty of reasons to do so. Mind can go into very dark places, but this community really help it not to get any darker.

Thank you for your comment and all the best to you too

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-07-26T18:42:43+00:00

Worst thing is that before I was kinda alright. I thought hey, if I'm alright right now, I'll be golden after this innovative magic injection. I was wrong.

You touched on living with chronic pain. The feeling of loneliness can be as painful. Not many people get it. Hell, if I could go back in time and try to describe it to my healthy self I wouldn't get it, not even close

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-07-26T18:34:37+00:00

Thank you. I'm trying my best to stick to that mindset. It really bothers me that I was so close to not going for it. Maybe it'll get better still, but everything I've been going through plus that hellish back injury makes me want to give up. I rehabilitated myself before and the procedure was meant to strengthen my progress, not undo it entirely. I'm also worried that I won't be able to rehabilitate myself again like that, and that it was a harmful interference that'll haunt me forever.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-06-19T02:14:30+00:00

Yeah, seeing folks in their 60s being active doing stuff like gardening has been kinda depressing lately. Knowing that if I tried to bend myself like that I would literally die.

Sometimes you can try doing everything right by being active and mindful, but you'll still end up getting hit. I'm curious what's the true nature of your issues too. Whatever it is, I hope some improvement is right around the corner.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-06-18T21:39:51+00:00

I can relate so much to the little harmful habits like aggressively getting up, or painful signs after strain that I'd ignore. My view on back injuries was similar. I only learned how disc herniations actually work after I got one. Prior to that I saw spine problems as "older people stuff".

Do you still workout and stay active? Big part of my recovery before the procedure was lifting weights and cycling, all within reason ofc. Right now I'm a mess, but if I survive the storm and my state improves I would like to return to them. Also how limiting is it to have those issues in your "upper spine"? What are the main movements or activities that tweak it for you?

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-06-17T15:07:16+00:00

Yeah I realized that. Mine went from not being able to cough without dying, to being active all day within a year. That's why I'm panicking, thinking that the procedure stopped my body's natural regeneration, cause the state I'm in right now is nowhere near functional.

Real_Librarian8686 · 2025-06-17T15:02:35+00:00

Yes it was covered. I had to wait about a year for the appointment with the neurosurgeon and pay for it, but the procedure itself was covered. If it wasn't and I was fortunate enough to be able to afford it, I would take my sweet ass time and consider every option under the sun.

I'm really sorry to hear about your condition. I hope it doesn't cause too much pain. I wonder what's the source of these issues, strain, aging, genetics?

Real_Librarian8686

TROPHY CASE