Back Surgery

[Caustic Burno]

How many of ya'll have had back surgery and your opinion. This is one I have been putting off, due to the down time required and there are some things you just don't want someone whittling on. Have a herniated disc in the low back to much tractor time over the years, getting to the point of more bad days than good.

 

[Alice]

Van's bulging disk arose from a plane crash about 12 years ago. Van's medical doc recommended he check out spinal decompression treatments first. It's pricey...$5,000 all up front and as of yet insurance won't cover it. It's also chiropractic, but the results are as as good, if not better, than spinal surgery, and it's non-invasive. Some people have said it absolutely changed their lives.

Van checked into it and was impressed, but doesn't want to let go of the money. The times coming, tho...

Alice

 

[Ryder]

Van's bulging disk arose from a plane crash about 12 years ago. Van's medical doc recommended he check out spinal decompression treatments first. It's pricey...$5,000 all up front and as of yet insurance won't cover it. It's also chiropractic, but the results are as as good, if not better, than spinal surgery, and it's non-invasive. Some people have said it absolutely changed their lives.

Van checked into it and was impressed, but doesn't want to let go of the money. The times coming, tho...

Alice

I haven't had it but have heard good things about spinal decompression. Had a friend that wouldn't have surgery and finally tried accupuncture. That really helped the pain.

 

[Limomike]

My brother-in-law is a team roper (45 yrs ol) and he has the same problem. Doc told him to quit or face surgery. He just layed off it for a while... rested, took some relaxers, and it healed back up. no surgery required. He dont go roping like he used to, but he still drives his truck, runs his herd, and rides his horse.

 

[dun]

I've had 2 friends that were almost paralyzed from herniated disks. Both had surgery, took about 4 months and the one was back to dairying, he had sold out before the surgery not knowing what to expect. The other one took about a month and he was back to cutting wood and doing general farm work. The second guy got his fixed within 5-6 months of the problem starting the other guy waited 10 years before doing it.

dun

 

[Lammie]

I know that some people never get over back surgery, but my dad had it in his late sixties and after a recovery period that lasted about three months, including the therapy and taking it easy, he had a full recovery. I think that the secret is doing what the doctor says and not overdoing it too fast.

Now his knee is another story. Everyone says that knee replacement is great but he had it and has regreted it ever since.

My dad had two disks fused.

 

[sidney411]

CB- I have 2 herniated discs in my lower back and I've done the chiro thing - no good. I basically didn't do anything strenious - no tractor time - no horseback riding , ect for about a month and mine is pretty much better. Sometime when I sit wrong or get off the tractor after several hours I have to go to bed for a while but it's not too bad. TJ had back surgery about 5 yrs ago and he hasn't seen a whole lot of improvement. BUT - he went back to doing things the doc said not to too soon.

 

[millstreaminn]

CB

My younger brother owns a saw mill and had lower back surgery about 2 years ago. He did the chiropractor thing for a bit but that didn't help. He put up with the pain for about six months before the surgery.

After surgery he spent the night in the hospital and was up and walking the next day. Took about one week off then was back to work. He said he should have never put up with the pain for six months.

 

[Susie David]

C.B.
For me it was the only option.
I couldn't put it off any longer....had spinal stenosis, where the verterbrae grow tighter around the spinal cord and eventually pinch it off and you loose everything below the waist.
Had one of the best nerosurgens in town do the job....actually did three vertabrae and some other stuff while she was in there. Felt the difference as soon as I woke up.
Joked that I was a man with a new back...she reinforced the fact that I would never be a new man, just a old man with a bad back and not to think that I could work like a kid again.
The back will let you know when you are doing to much...takes days to recover...can't buck 100# small squares again and tractor time will be shortened, have to get up and walk around every few minutes.
Good luck to you.
Dave Mc
P.S. talk around to get the best Dr for the job, mine had the rep of being "high maintenance"...not good for a gal pal but what I wanted in a surgeon.

 

[VanC]

Wife had surgery to repair a cervical disc about 12 years ago and it worked wonders for her. Of course hers was in the upper back while yours is in the lumbar(lower) area. Plus she was in her mid 30's at the time while you are (I assume) a bit older than that, so you can't really compare the two.

I've had back trouble for about 10 years now and finally went to see a chiropracter last year. So far it's worked wonders, but again, my situation is probably different from yours. My problem was the lower 2 vertebrae were bent in 2 different directions to the point where they were pinching the nerves that come out between them. Probably from getting in and out of the seat in my UPS truck 100-150 times a day for 27 years. Had days when I couldn't even stand for a few hours. Fortunately, the disc between them is still in fair shape, so all it took was a little straightening of the vertebrae to relieve the pressure on the nerves.

But enough about me. I wouldn't pretend to give medical advice, even if I knew your exact situation. It's my understanding that if the disc is deteriorated to the point where the vertebrae are rubbing together, then surgery is almost always required. Only a doctor can tell you that. I will say this: if it's to the point where you can't function without a lot of pain, or can't function at all, then something has to be done. My only advice would be get more than one doctor's opinion since some are quicker with the knife than others. Find one you trust and do exactly what they say. Good luck.

 

[Ryan]

My dad had a herniated disc a couple of winters ago that pinching his sciatic. Doctor was surprised that my could even walk into the office. I dont remember how long the recovery was, but he said the pain was gone immediately after the surgery. said the relief from the pain as soon as he woke up was amazing. Didnt take him too long to get back up to nearly 100%. Of course it helped with me being at work with him and not letting him do much besides hang out in the office all day. The boredom 'bout got him, but he's a lot better off now.

He went to a chiropractor twice before the surgery, and that helped reduce the pain somewhat, but was it was just good enough to get him home really. From everythign i've heard i would do my best to stay away from a chiropractor. Seems like a lot more risk there than the surgery.

I would recommend the surgery from seeing my dad. I think its better to get it taken care of and deal with the down time, than to leave it and just let it get worse over the years. JMO.

Ryan

 

[john250]

CB, I'd sure visit a chiroquack a couple times before I scheduled the surgery. I found one who helped me a lot.
To me, back surgery is an absolute last resort.

 

[bigbull338]

burno my mom had a ruptured disc in her back 30yrs ago,an she went to the back cracker for a few months.an he couldnt help her.so my dad rigged up a homemade traction an she slept in that for a few weeks didnt work.i think milking every morning for 8yrs messed it up.she was on concrete for 6hrs a day in the barn more or less.she had surgy did what the dr told her.an she was fine.

 

[Gate Opener]

My mom had a herniated disk. She didn't want surgery so an herb lady told her to hang everyday. My dad fixed her up with a pole up high that she could grab(think monkey bars) and her feet would be off the ground. She did this many times a day. She didn't have surgery and hasn't had any more problems and that was probably 25 years ago. Hanging evidently created some space inbetween disks.

 

[ElginRinger]

I've heard of this fella in Waco named Patterson that's really good. He's worked on quite a few athletes, the one I know, and heard this from is Huston Street. UT sends him a lot of work so I'm guessing he's the real deal. I'm sorry I don't know the first name but I bet you can find him on the internet. Supposed to be the non-invasive type. Good luck,and btw, I think I hunted somewhere near your place last year, or sounds like it anyway. Hunted 8mi East of Groveton?

 

[Dusty Britches]

I am finally at 99% from a herniated disc and 4 bulging discs.

I refused to have surgery. Something about the near death experience of it.

Instead, I went through a year of intensive, no pain, physical therapy with the McKenzie method. I learned a lot about herniated versus bulging discs. Fully herniated discs will not heal themselves. Either surgery to remove it or excersises to manage and minimize the pain. I opted for the latter. The only thing I cannot do is sit for more than 3 hours at a time.

btw - after 6 months of PT I went to see what the back surgeon would advise. He did an MRI and could not believe that I could walk. He said most people with the degree of herniation I had can't walk and can't sit. He said my back was the worst he'd seen - completely shot. Then he asked what I was doing to be able to move. I told him and he said keep doing it. Then he started sending all of his back patients to my PT before considering surgery.

I've heard too many stories where the surgeon slipped and snipped nerves and where patients were worse off after surgery. But, a classic herniation can be fixed arthoscopically with no scapels. Down for 2-3 days in bed, back in action after 7. No therapy afterwords, either.

PS - What works for some won't work for others. Decompression may work for you, it may not.
Chiropractics may work, it may not.
PT may work, it may not.
Surgery may work, it may not.

I suggest you try everything before surgery - once you do it, there are no other options.

 

[NamVet_Farmer44]

A few years back I had surgery to fix two of my fractured vertabra...I think it was called vertebroplasty...put some type of substance in the cracks to help them fill in and "relieve" the pain...didn't much have any effect on the amount of pain I was going through though...I've never had any luck with surgery...had surgery on my right knee...doctor said i'd be healed up in around 3 months...it's been 4 years now and the pain is still there, plus I have to wear an $800 knee brace for the rest of my life, that doesn't even fit right, or relieve much pain either

 

[Caustic Burno]

I've heard of this fella in Waco named Patterson that's really good. He's worked on quite a few athletes, the one I know, and heard this from is Huston Street. UT sends him a lot of work so I'm guessing he's the real deal. I'm sorry I don't know the first name but I bet you can find him on the internet. Supposed to be the non-invasive type. Good luck,and btw, I think I hunted somewhere near your place last year, or sounds like it anyway. Hunted 8mi East of Groveton?

Thanks everyone for the feed back this is going to take a lot of thought and research.

My Mom's family is from there, there are several cemetaries on Hwy 94 full of my people.

 

[MikeC]

How many of ya'll have had back surgery and your opinion. This is one I have been putting off, due to the down time required and there are some things you just don't want someone whittling on. Have a herniated disc in the low back to much tractor time over the years, getting to the point of more bad days than good.

Had two of them. First was in the lower back. Bulging disc.
Put it off for over 2 years and could have slapped my own self in the head for putting it off that long. Piece of cake and instant relief.

Second was in my neck. Went right on in and had it done. At least it only hurt me for a few weeks this time.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Caustic, my mother had 2 herniated discs in her back. She did not want the surgery. She chose physical therapy using the McKenzie method DustyBritches spoke about. It has worked very well for her. She gets around better now than when she was in her 50's (she's now 78). She's a very active woman.

One of my brothers had a similar problem, didn't want the PT and chose the surgical route, and followed up on what he was instructed to do. That worked for him. He's glad he did it.

Whatever you choose to do, best of luck to you.

Katherine