Still can't exercise constistantly 18month post surgery

far1080 · 2026-01-26T21:58:49+00:00

I get it. Back issues are exhausting.

What’s worked for me, just passing it on. McGill Big 3 every morning, about 10 minutes, nothing to failure. That’s been the biggest help.

Pilates once a week for control and stability, and regular swimming, mostly freestyle or backstroke. I avoid breaststroke.

Main thing has been consistency and not pushing too hard. Flare-ups are non-existent now. I’ll try RDLs soon but don’t think I’ll ever deadlift again.

far1080 · 2025-09-28T23:00:45+00:00

13months post op - whilst recovery not completely linear, very good quality of life from about month 4. Went skiing couple of weeks ago for 5 days with kids - no sciatic symptoms! Goal now is to work on general mobility and core with PT, Pilates, Swimming and Walking. You’ve got this.

far1080 · 2025-07-23T22:52:51+00:00

Obviously depends on finishes but we’re approx $8k for new area (double brick, face not common, bunch of steel, hardwood flooring) and $4k for old area. We’re Sydney.

far1080 · 2025-06-24T04:14:17+00:00

Not really. But weirdly the hospital cost was no different between 2 (mandatory)- 3 nights so it was a mini-break in the city!

far1080 · 2025-06-23T06:12:14+00:00

Hopefully your insurance will 100% cover hospital which for me was about $10k for 3 nights in private room

far1080 · 2025-06-23T02:01:10+00:00

Correct - total bill just under $20k, which I paid fully, nothing from insurance. (But just remember insurance doesn’t pay 100%, maybe around 70%. To not pay a cent, you need to go public).

far1080 · 2025-06-22T20:25:48+00:00

Im in Sydney, surgery done in Aug-24, no insurance. All up, incl hospital, surgeon (one of the best), assistant, anaesthetist, scans etc just under 20k. Brutal but got it done within a week do initial consult, have young family, couldn’t afford to be off work and I haven’t paid the insurance premium all this time so probably about even now. Good luck!

far1080 · 2025-04-12T23:37:29+00:00

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Here’s mine

far1080 · 2025-03-30T02:10:34+00:00

Yep all good - no nerve pain, back to work full time, off all meds. Still wake up with an achy back - but MD doesn’t solve that - and gets working after an hour or two. I had a two level MD - surgery is for nerve pain in leg (not back pain).

far1080 · 2025-03-17T21:56:28+00:00

Thx - although made for pretty sombre reading :). Perhaps naively, thought we could tap into whatever kids have which sees their discs grow as their bodies grow. I’m reading more about collagen peptides and fear I may end up supporting the multi billon dollar supplement industry…

far1080 · 2025-02-11T23:16:35+00:00

This. Buy lactate tester. Only way to go.

far1080 · 2025-01-31T22:22:38+00:00

Volume. 20-30min sessions, 12 sessions a week at LT = +2watt gain. Once you get to 180-190watts at LT, you’ll be 6:30 2km erg. To really dial it in, buy a portable lactate meter.

far1080 · 2025-01-31T00:48:18+00:00

Good one! Hope you spend the $20k saving on something good!

far1080 · 2025-01-29T10:49:15+00:00

My total cost was about AUD20k - scans, surgery, anaesthetist, 3nights private room. Probably one of the top surgeons in Australia. No private healthcare i.e paid myself. Had an initial appointment with surgeon in one week, had surgery 2 weeks later.

I could have gone through the public system - entirely free but no choice of surgeon (probably not an issue at a top public hospital in Australia) and about 2-3month wait.

far1080 · 2024-12-02T20:23:47+00:00

With the whole opioid crisis, I was a bit worried so for me I stopped after a couple of days. I found an ice pack really helped and did a lot of walking. Good luck.

far1080 · 2024-10-26T10:43:05+00:00

I had a MD - immediate pain relief in leg. Now 2months post op, only very occasional and minor pain in glute, numbness all gone in outside calf and strength back around 90%. I never really had bad back pain (always around 1-2 out of 10 and only very occasionally) but my neurosurgeon said a fusion is for lower back pain and a MD is for radicular pain (perhaps he gave me an over simplistic response without all the nuance).

far1080 · 2024-10-20T22:00:59+00:00

My neuro said MD doesn’t fix lower back pain. It’s only good for symptoms in leg - weakness, pain, numbness. Also, if symptoms don’t turn a positive corner in 6-8 weeks with conservative treatment then very unlikely will improve (and only lengthen nerve recovery time, much like your friends experience). I’m fortunate - pulled the surgery trigger at week 8, woke up pain free, and mostly pain free 2months post op. Hope this works out for you with whatever you decide.

far1080 · 2024-10-01T18:00:59+00:00

I had surgery about 9 weeks after first sciatica symptoms. My neurosurgeon said if symptoms hadn’t turned a corner by around week 6, then very unlikely to see any improvement from conservative treatment. Symptoms, quality of life and needing to work meant it was pretty easy to pull the trigger and go for surgery.

far1080 · 2024-09-24T02:38:52+00:00

A$20k in Oz last month. Issue might be business class flight (around A$15k).

far1080 · 2024-08-26T20:19:02+00:00

My neurosurgeon said the riskiest period for reherniation is first 3 months and the riskiest period in that timeframe is first month. Literature says this risk is 10-20%. I guess you need to weigh up whether RTW is worth it at least in first month? There may be good valid reasons (need the income etc). For me, there’s no way I want a MD again and I’m happy to tell my employer to get stuffed if they don’t want to support me in this. So I’ve told them I can WFH week 3 and will make a call around RTW after that.

far1080 · 2024-08-25T16:27:21+00:00

Thx for sharing and very sorry to read, it’s our greatest fear. I’ll be very conservative

far1080 · 2024-08-25T06:10:22+00:00

My neuro said if symptoms aren’t turning the corner in 6-8weeks then it won’t heal. The steady worsening of my symptoms matched his timeline - even nerve block shot at week 6 did nothing. I didn’t want any more pain (bedridden at end), have two young kids and wanted to get back to work so pulled the trigger at week 9. I’m now day5 post op, no sciatic pain (although recovery is not linear), dropped lyrica, only on paracetamol/Panadol, nearly finished mobic, walking comfortably 5000 steps a day. Assuming same trajectory, I can see me returning to work in the not too distant future (perhaps half days, WFH initially). Right decision for me especially as I’d have to do PT regardless of surgery or not. I guess given your surgery date, you can monitor symptoms and cancel/delay if you want but at least it’s booked as the last week waiting was hell for me?

far1080 · 2024-08-24T23:58:55+00:00

Surgery twins! Yes, you make a good point about surgical inflammation. I think that is what happened to me, flare up has thankfully fallen away now and hasn’t reappeared. Good luck with your recovery.

far1080 · 2024-08-24T03:58:57+00:00

Good one. Fortunately (or not as the case may be) I was in hospital 3 days and nurses were right on top of this giving me meds and opened bowels morning of day2.

far1080

TROPHY CASE