Ruptured Disc, L5

BeanMan · Nov 16, 2009

Ther verdict is in. The MRI says I've got a ruptured disc at the L5 vertebra. It's probably been like this since August when I started having what I thought were pulled hamstring symptoms in my left leg. My thought is to try and rehab without having the surgery. I can lose about 20 pounds of upper body weight and try to build core muscles. I'd sure appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through back troubles and what has worked, or not worked, for them.

Thanks,

Bean

rutnbull · Nov 16, 2009

I have done it twice. L4/5. Had it done in 2005 and felt great and again this past july and was doing good until as of recent.Get the best surgeon in you area.

3DEER · Nov 16, 2009

This is something to check into.
www.jackstockwell.com
This stuff sounds crazy. Heck the whole process is wierd. It has worked for me and I have suffered from the same type of thing a couple years ago now. I missed a work for a couple months and even a hunt because my back was so bad. Sucks to have back pain! No surgery here!

The best of luck

stinkystomper · Nov 16, 2009

I've fracture that one and 3 more around it. Actually I think it was L5 that I completely broke the year before last sheep hunting. I couldn't lift anything for a year and then started some hard core weight lifting and beefed up the crap outa my lower back. The arthritis is now gone and the pain is non existent. My doc was awesome.

feddoc · Nov 16, 2009

Been there....errrr....am there now with two ruptured discs (L4/5) and (C6/7). Dunno what caused it; coulda been a couple of helo crashes when I was a kid. Didn't hurt so much until a couple years before I retired. Navy Docs tried to pass it off as muscle related, bad prescription (for the migraines...'cept I don't wear glasses) until the MRI results came in.

I don't like the surgery thing much myself. Makes far more sense to try a non surgical approach, such as Physical Therapy, then maybe epidural injections or facet injections.

From there, maybe some less invasive surgery might be an option depending on what your doc says.

My back is responding, for now, to epidurals. The first time, I was willing to send the docs kids through college on the spot; after that the effects were not so dramatic. Much better than whacking away at my back.

My neck has not responded at all; I am due to meet with the surgeon tomorrow to discuss surgical options. Doc assures me that they will try minimally invasive stuff first; his planned surgery will have me home the same day.

If that fails, off to snack on some vicodin and Yukon Jack

Good luck with your back; I know how you feel.

Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?

polarbear · Nov 16, 2009

A couple of years ago I blew up L3, L4 & L5 and had to have surgery because I couldnt walk. I was out of work for 8 months. The good thing was that the relief was immediate and so far long lasting. What ever you do make sure you keep up with your core exercises and watch how you do stuff.
Eric

Ultra liberal, wolf loving, illiterate, gay, hippie midgets on crack piss me off!!!!

Phantom Hunter · Nov 16, 2009

Beanman,

I had surgery for a ruptured disk L5/S1 in March of 94. Was walking 3 miles a day by the end of the week. Did exactly as doc. said and was elk hunting in the South San Juan wilderness in Oct. That was, as many will remember, the year we had 4 to 5' of snow during the first season. Have not had any problems more severe than some occasional arthritis since then. Would not hesitate to have the operation by a competent doc. I am sure they have improved the proceedure even more since I had mine. the key is to do what the doc says during rehab. Good Luck

Phantom Hunter

Elkcrzy1 · Nov 16, 2009

L5 been there done that....blown disc, bad pain right in my ass cheek coulnt walk, sleep, stand and the day after surgery I felt like brand new, outpatient surgery home the same day, it was easy and very rewarding for me.

gonelkin · Nov 17, 2009

L 4/5 s1 for me as well, I have had two surgeries one by a Nuero surgeon the other by a Orthopedic the second one has been by far the most succsesful one, the Orthopedic did the surgery about 10 years after the first one so technology was more advanced and as others have said DO WHAT THE DOC SAYS post surgery, if you have it done you will feel like a million bucks and think you are superman (DO NOT DO IT)let the body heal and you will be in good shape. Lots of excersise afterwards has helped me in many ways, kept my weight down and helped my keep in shape to chase animals in the mountains.

cjboz · Nov 17, 2009

Good luck Bean, sounds like you are actually getting some sound advice from MMs!!!

BuckSnort · Nov 17, 2009

My dad is in recovery as I type this...Yesterday they fused L5 together with 2 others...IT should eliminate a lot of pain and numbness he has had for 10 years....

Disclaimer:
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larrbo · Nov 17, 2009

I blew out C4 & C5 ten years ago. Had problems with neck since high school when I hurt it playing football. Had them fused and have felt great ever since. If you have your back fused use bone from a donor not your hip. Also I would have a neuro surgeon do it.

BeanMan · Nov 17, 2009

Thanks for all your help. A question for you guys who did have surgery. What type of surgery did you have, Discectomy, disc fusion, or both?

Thanks,

Fred

sageman · Nov 17, 2009

I have 3 blown discs the surgeon said no operation can help mine but soon will have surgery for sciatic pinched nerve,Im counting the days......Jim

Paul_Crawford · Nov 17, 2009

Fred, don't have any back help, but I do have a question. How did you do in 61? pc

Feleno · Nov 17, 2009

L4/5 about 15 years ago. Was scared to death of surgery, heard all the horror stories. Rehabed and built muscle around it. Took about 2 years of really watching what i was doing to not hurt it worse. Now i'm fit as a fiddle, i backpack, lift weight and ride mnt bikes. No pain.

Frontier · Nov 17, 2009

Good Luck with what ever you do. I had no choice on my back, they had to operate from my accident. It was very invasive. Usually with back operations, except for people with degenerative problems, they are successful with the back. The problems usually come from the muscles after the operation and the older you are the worse it is. Less cutting equals better chance of full recovery.
One thing that helped me before my accident with my lower back was the inversion table. Worked up to hanging upside down and doing about 50 sit ups. It really did help alot.

maxxbob1 · Nov 17, 2009

I had two disks removed from my lower back in 1983 after a year of extreme pain and progressively worse symptoms and loss of feeling in my right foot. I woke up from the surgery with major relief from the pain. I followed the rehab and walked a lot. Not much to complain about since. I went to the best doctor I could find and ended up paying about $5000 out of pocket over what the insurance paid, but it was money well spent. Good luck, we'll say a prayer for you.
-- Bob

BeanMan · Nov 17, 2009

Paul,

It was hot and dry and few and far between for deer. I passed on a couple of decent bucks. I went home for a shower and a night of rest on Wednesday with plans to come back up and hunt Thursday to Sunday. Thursday morning I walked out to my garden just prior to leaving for hunting and gave a mighty yank on a weed. That's when the back blew up. I could barely get back to the house much less contemplate going back hunting. Saw a couple of monster bulls though.

Fred

antlerrick · Nov 17, 2009

I blew a disc at l4/l5 in 1989. Had a disectomy in Sept of that year. I rode bikes and excercised regularly are my buffalo hunt was that November. I done ok for a few years and then started having more problems. Went to a specialist who told me the doctor who had done the first surgery had really made a mess and it had created tons of scar tissue, which was swelling whenever I done much bending and thus was pinching my nerve. Ended up having to have a fusion, and have done pretty well since then. I just have to be careful with what I do...
My wife had a dicsectomy and two years later, the piece of disc that they had left, somehow come loose and slid down into the opening where the nerve goes down to your foot/leg. She moved wrong and it really smashed her nerve and she fell and couldn't move. Got her to the hosptial by ambulance and the dr misdiagnosed the problem and sent her home. She tried to rest for about 10 days, and then it happened again. We rushed her to her specialist in SLC and he took her in for emergency surgery after seeing the problem from an MRI test. He pulled out a piece of disc about as large as your little finger that had been smashing the nerve for 10 days. She lost the feeling of her leg from the knee down and lost the use of her foot. She has to wear a brace on her foot to even walk and has such bad nerve damage that she has a constant, steady burn. She spends most of her time in a wheelchair when she wants to go anywhere for any time over a few minutes.
If you can solve your problem with physical therapy and excercises, go for it. The surgery will help but there are always complications that can come about with surgerys..
Good luck!

BreederBuck · Nov 17, 2009

Been there myself with L5, Hopefully you can take care of it with Physical therapy. If you do end up having surgery do yourself a big favor and listen to these guys about following doctors orders.
I felt like a million bucks after my surgery also and thought that I was ready to go back to work alot earlier than I had been instructed.
Bad move!! I still have some problems due to not healing properly.
Biggest regret of my life.

Good luck man............

Phantom Hunter · Nov 17, 2009

Fred,

Mine was a discectomy. As I posted it worked great. They tried the steroid shots in my back and physical therapy for months and it didn't work. If all you need is a discectomy I wouldn't hesitate. I have heard good things about fusion as well but that sometimes it will limit mobility. Find a good doc and discuss with him. Most aren't knife happy. I was told if I had waited much longer I would have had permanent nerve damage to my left sciatic nerve.

Wish you the best
Phantom Hunter