Back Surgery - Laminectomy

[Texas Maverick]

Please move this if it should be in the saloon. I am having back surgery on Monday where they are taking off the wing between L3 and L4 and then cleaning out the end of the vertebrae to make room for the nerves and help relieve the pinched nerves. I have been told to expect to be down from 2 to 6 weeks. To me that is a big difference. Hopefully it will relieve the pinched nerves and allow me to move around without leg pain going forward. Just wondering if anyone else has had this surgery and how did it go. It is supposed to be the least invasive of back surgeries. I have 2 pinched nerves between L3 and L4 and 1 pinched nerve in my left hip. Not looking forward to it but need some relief from the pain so I can get back to shooting. The surgery is called laminectomy. 

 

Thanks

 

TM

[Chief Rick]

My wife had one.

 

If they go through the front, she says it is minimally invasive and could be closer to the two weeks.

 

If they go through the back (which they did in her case) expect closer to six weeks or possibly longer.

 

She had four or five vertebrae roto-rootered.

[Tracker Jack Daniels,58780]

Good luck to you. Prayers up!

 

[Texas Maverick]

8 minutes ago, Chief Rick said:

My wife had one.

 

If they go through the front, she says it is minimally invasive and could be closer to the two weeks.

 

If they go through the back (which they did in her case) expect closer to six weeks or possibly longer.

 

She had four or five vertebrae roto-rootered.

Going through the back and taking the back wing off.

[Yul Lose]

Best of luck to you. Times and procedures have changed a lot since my first 12 vertebrae were done in 1979 and 21 vertebrae, including the first 12 were fused and instrumented in 1992. I was in a body cast in 1979 for 4 months and then a back brace for 18 months after that. In 1992 I had so many complications that they put me in a medically induced coma for 2 months. They cleaned out the old fusions and discs and the other 9 discs and were going to go in the next day and do the fusions and install the hardware but I started having breathing issues and they couldn’t go back in to finish up for 5 months. So I laid in bed in a kydex jacket trying to get strong enough for them to finish. I was tube fed for nearly 3 months and had to learn how to talk, swallow and walk again.

Both of the latter procedures were anterior and posterior approaches so they opened me up from tail bone to neck and across my abdomen both times. Recovery took many months. A lady that I shoot with just had 11 vertebrae done  and her recovery was much faster. My surgeon told me that between my side to side and front to back curvature (scoliosis) I had 94 degree curvature, he said it was the worst he'd ever attempted to repair.

 

Listen to and follow all of the advice that your surgeon and therapists give you, you’ll be glad you did. 
 

My X-rays.

[Jack Spade]

I had this surgery done in 2012.  I had a bulged disc pinching my sciatic nerve, pain running from my butt all the way to my heel.  Here is the best advice I can give you.  Make yourself get up and walk as soon as you can.  They had me hooked up to a "pain pump" that would hit me with a pain killer when I hit a button.  I hit it once.  Within a couple of hours of waking up from surgery I got up and walked to the bathroom.  An hour later I did it again.  An hour later again.  By that evening I made myself walk out of my room and to the end of the hall that was about three rooms down.  I did it again before going to bed.  The next morning I got up and walked to the nurses station, about 75 ft down the hall.   Did it again in an hour.  By noon I had walked all the way around the wing.  When my dr came in that afternoon I asked if I could go home.  He wanted to keep me one more night. The next morning after I walked around the wing twice the doc made me go the physical therapy room and go up and down a set of 3 steps.  When I was able to do it he let me go home.  Most people stay in the hospital about 5 days after this surgery.  I went back to work on light duty 7 days after surgery.  I was off light duty after two weeks.  I got the get up and walk advice from an old surgery nurse who was a good friend of my grandma.  No matter what the surgery is, get up and walk as soon as you can.  Good luck!  Usually with this surgery if it is successful you will know when you wake up because the sciatic pain will be gone.  There will be pain at the surgery site but the pain down my leg was gone.  

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Had it done in 2021 to L4-L5. Excellent results. Hope yours goes as well as mine. 
 

 

Edited February 1 by Abilene Slim SASS 81783

[Pat Riot]

I hope your surgery goes well@Texas Maverick

[Buckshot Bear]

Fast recovery and best wishes to you TM.

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

This was my back.  Doc went in and cleaned up all the restrictions in about 30 minutes.  Back was really sore for awhile, I took hydrocodone for three nights to help sleep, did OK after that. 
started therapy two weeks after surgery for about 4 weeks.  I still have some occasional mild lower back pain, but zero sciatica.

[Texas Maverick]

1 hour ago, Yul Lose said:

Best of luck to you. Times and procedures have changed a lot since my first 12 vertebrae were done in 1979 and 21 vertebrae, including the first 12 were fused and instrumented in 1992. I was in a body cast in 1979 for 4 months and then a back brace for 18 months after that. In 1992 I had so many complications that they put me in a medically induced coma for 2 months. They cleaned out the old fusions and discs and the other 9 discs and were going to go in the next day and do the fusions and install the hardware but I started having breathing issues and they couldn’t go back in to finish up for 5 months. So I laid in bed in a kydex jacket trying to get strong enough for them to finish. I was tube fed for nearly 3 months and had to learn how to talk, swallow and walk again.

Both of the latter procedures were anterior and posterior approaches so they opened me up from tail bone to neck and across my abdomen both times. Recovery took many months. A lady that I shoot with just had 11 vertebrae done  and her recovery was much faster. My surgeon told me that between my side to side and front to back curvature (scoliosis) I had 94 degree curvature, he said it was the worst he'd ever attempted to repair.

 

Listen to and follow all of the advice that your surgeon and therapists give you, you’ll be glad you did. 
 

My X-rays.

All I can say is wow, glad it has all worked out for you.

 

TM

[Texas Maverick]

1 hour ago, Jack Spade said:

I had this surgery done in 2012.  I had a bulged disc pinching my sciatic nerve, pain running from my butt all the way to my heel.  Here is the best advice I can give you.  Make yourself get up and walk as soon as you can.  They had me hooked up to a "pain pump" that would hit me with a pain killer when I hit a button.  I hit it once.  Within a couple of hours of waking up from surgery I got up and walked to the bathroom.  An hour later I did it again.  An hour later again.  By that evening I made myself walk out of my room and to the end of the hall that was about three rooms down.  I did it again before going to bed.  The next morning I got up and walked to the nurses station, about 75 ft down the hall.   Did it again in an hour.  By noon I had walked all the way around the wing.  When my dr came in that afternoon I asked if I could go home.  He wanted to keep me one more night. The next morning after I walked around the wing twice the doc made me go the physical therapy room and go up and down a set of 3 steps.  When I was able to do it he let me go home.  Most people stay in the hospital about 5 days after this surgery.  I went back to work on light duty 7 days after surgery.  I was off light duty after two weeks.  I got the get up and walk advice from an old surgery nurse who was a good friend of my grandma.  No matter what the surgery is, get up and walk as soon as you can.  Good luck!  Usually with this surgery if it is successful you will know when you wake up because the sciatic pain will be gone.  There will be pain at the surgery site but the pain down my leg was gone.  

Mine is gonna be outpatient and going home sometime that evening. Hope this is correct.

 

TM

[Rye Miles #13621]

Good luck with the surgery. Hope all goes well!🙏🏻

[Pat Riot]

I had some cleanup in my lower spine as well. It made a difference for a couple of years. Now I go every 3 or 4 months for nerve ablation and epidurals. They help. I also take Lyrica to help with nerve pain. The doctor says I will be on Lyrica (Pregabalin) for life. 

[Texas Maverick]

40 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

I had some cleanup in my lower spine as well. It made a difference for a couple of years. Now I go every 3 or 4 months for nerve ablation and epidurals. They help. I also take Lyrica to help with nerve pain. The doctor says I will be on Lyrica (Pregabalin) for life. 

I was getting the epidural shots about every 6 months until they quit doing anything about 3 months ago. Now I have pain from the lower back through my thighs to my knees. Sometimes it is so bad I have to use a cane to walk. They did the nerve testing and said I have 2 pinched nerves between L3 and L4 and 1 in my left hip. I have 4 bulging discs and 1 perforated disc plus a cyst between L1 and L5. This surgery is to remove the pressure on the nerves in the spinal column and the doc said it was the least invasive and is out patient surgery. I am supposed to be up and walking a couple of hours after the surgery and going home that evening. I hope this all works out as planned. He said PT will start after 2 weeks and last up to 4 weeks. I just have to find a good PT tech. I have been through 3 different places and they were crap. Taking 4 or 5 patients per hour and trying to work with everyone during that hour was a total waste of time. I told them I was not a cow being shoved on the cattle truck and I expected more from the tech. I made them print off the workouts and took them to my physical trainer and had him work with me on the exercises. This way I had one on one sessions. I just hope I am able to shoot our Texas State / Comancheria Days match in April and then getting ready for Land Run in October.

 

Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes.

 

TM

[Eyesa Horg]

🙏Prayers up for a successful surgery and quick recovery🙏

 

I have a bad disc between L4 & L5, hoping to not have to deal with it! Every once in while, sproing, and a lot of pain for a few weeks and poof all better til next time!

Yul, that's just an amazing story, gawd.

[Yul Lose]

38 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

🙏Prayers up for a successful surgery and quick recovery🙏

 

I have a bad disc between L4 & L5, hoping to not have to deal with it! Every once in while, sproing, and a lot of pain for a few weeks and poof all better til next time!

Yul, that's just an amazing story, gawd.

Going through airport metal detectors is a real party. I’ve been taken to a private room to take my shirt off so that they could see I wasn’t really carrying a bunch of guns on me.

[WD Farren]

Take the longer recovery.

You only get one chance to fully recover.

If you overdo it and screw it up you wind up permanent and stationary in pain.

 

Happend to my neighbor and he is paying for it for the rest of his life.

[Redleg Reilly, SASS #46372]

Had that surgery for L1 to L4 10 years ago.  Walked out of the hospital the next day but ended up in a rehab hospital for 10 days.  I was off work (office work) for almost 1 months, regaining movement and strength in my back and legs.  I still have some back issues but the severe pain and movement limitations I had prior to the surgery have never returned.

[Chief Rick]

12 hours ago, Texas Maverick said:

Mine is gonna be outpatient and going home sometime that evening. Hope this is correct.

 

TM

My wife's was also out-patient.

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

2019 had had L1 to L5 done. Severely crimped spinal chord. Surgey and an overnight stay. No real pain after. Started therapy a week later.

 It caused neuropathy in both feet. It has now gone into my ankles/lower leg. NO real pain just a very slow progression of loss of feeling. I have to use a walker.

[Texas Jack Black]

4 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

Going through airport metal detectors is a real party. I’ve been taken to a private room to take my shirt off so that they could see I wasn’t really carrying a bunch of guns on me.

 Taking your shirt off in the lobby could have caused instant blindness.😉

[Pat Riot]

20 minutes ago, Texas Jack Black said:

 Taking your shirt off in the lobby could have caused instant blindness.😉

It did until he got the shirt completely off.  
 

Of course everyone around him wished they’d gone blind. 

[Johnny Buck]

Back surgery is nothing to take lightly.  I've had 6 over the past 8 years.  The first was replacing L1-L4 with carbon fiber disks and spacers (that was some serious pain, I literally looked I got mauled by a bear).  Subsequent surgeries kept working their up due to related stress.  After number 5 I was doing really well until I took a bad fall on the tile and knocked all the screws loose in the upper thoracic.  Subsequent surgery last February left me paralyzed on my left side all except my big toe.  I spent a week in ICU and all my bodily functions had shut down.  After I regained some motion, I was moved to the orthopedic ward for another week with the prospect of wearing a catheter for the rest of my life.  I have since recovered but it's been a long road.  Yul Loose and I share stories.  Take the slow road to recover.  Make sure you are good and healed before you strap on a gun belt and make any sudden turns right or left.  I wish you the all the best and god's speed in your recovery.

 

JB

[Texas Maverick]

Comancheria Days in April is a goal to hopefully keep me motivated to get healed. If it doesn't happen no harm done. Will continue until I feel healed and safe. I did get into Land Run so that is another goal. Will see how it goes.

 

TM

[Texas Maverick]

4 hours ago, Chief Rick said:

My wife's was also out-patient.

Did she have any gotcha's that I need to be aware of? I hope it is all easy as the doc keeps telling me it is.

 

TM

[Yul Lose]

1 hour ago, Johnny Buck said:

Back surgery is nothing to take lightly.  I've had 6 over the past 8 years.  The first was replacing L1-L4 with carbon fiber disks and spacers (that was some serious pain, I literally looked I got mauled by a bear).  Subsequent surgeries kept working their up due to related stress.  After number 5 I was doing really well until I took a bad fall on the tile and knocked all the screws loose in the upper thoracic.  Subsequent surgery last February left me paralyzed on my left side all except my big toe.  I spent a week in ICU and all my bodily functions had shut down.  After I regained some motion, I was moved to the orthopedic ward for another week with the prospect of wearing a catheter for the rest of my life.  I have since recovered but it's been a long road.  Yul Loose and I share stories.  Take the slow road to recover.  Make sure you are good and healed before you strap on a gun belt and make any sudden turns right or left.  I wish you the all the best and god's speed in your recovery.

 

JB

I was just out in the shop and I thought of you and came in to post a comment about your surgery ordeals and you beat me to it. I think you’ll agree that everyday is a gift.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

I have had em cut on me twice ,   some years back 

 

 I am still some what on my feet , reckon that is better than where it was headed 

 

pain and injuries , increase with time and wear  

 

 good luck 

 

  Chickasaw Bill 

[Chief Rick]

43 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said:

Did she have any gotcha's that I need to be aware of? I hope it is all easy as the doc keeps telling me it is.

 

TM

You're having less done than she did so hopefully it will be "easier".

 

Muscles are going to hurt.  Everything goes through that area - cough, sneeze, any movement.

 

Do as much PT as you can push yourself to do - as early and as often as the docs will allow.

 

Stay on top of the pain meds at least initially.  Once it starts to be excruciating, it's a little late to knock the edge off.

[Texas Maverick]

16 hours ago, Chief Rick said:

You're having less done than she did so hopefully it will be "easier".

 

Muscles are going to hurt.  Everything goes through that area - cough, sneeze, any movement.

 

Do as much PT as you can push yourself to do - as early and as often as the docs will allow.

 

Stay on top of the pain meds at least initially.  Once it starts to be excruciating, it's a little late to knock the edge off.

thanks, I was told no bending, twisting or lifting for 6 weeks. That is gonna be the tough part. I have a high pain tolerance and can't take oxy or hydrocodone. Will be trazadone more than likely. I know when they replaced my last knee they had a morphine drip on me after surgery and after 2 hours of not using it they took it out and left me alone. Couple Tylenol kept me going. I know this is gonna be worse so might end up with the hydrocodone but it makes me feel like I am flying around the room and I don't like that feeling. Thanks for the info.

 

TM

Edited February 2 by Texas Maverick

[Subdeacon Joe]

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who did patiently endure the scourging and wounding of Your most holy Body, that You might save the souls and bodies of Your people, look graciously, we beseech You, upon the suffering body of this Your servant and give him strength to endure patiently whatsoever You shall see fit to lay upon him. Bless the means employed for the working out of his cure, granting that he may so endure his sufferings in the flesh that the wounding of his body may be to avail for the correcting and salvation of his soul, for Yours it is to show mercy and to save, O Christ our God; and to You do we send up Glory, as to Your Eternal Father and Your All‑Holy, Good and Life‑creating Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

 

[Yul Lose]

4 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said:

thanks, I was told no bending, twisting or lifting for 6 weeks. That is gonna be the tough part. I have a high pain tolerance and can't take oxy or hydrocodone. Will be trazadone more than likely. I know when they replaced my last knee they had a morphine drip on my after surgery and after 2 hours of not using it they took it out and left me alone. Couple Tylenol kept me going. I know this is gonna be worse so might end up with the hydrocodone but it makes me feel like I am flying around the room and I don't like that feeling. Thanks for the info.

 

TM

Good for you on the drugs. After my second big surgery in 1992 I got hooked on oxy to the point I was using 4 different doctors to subscribe it. What finally woke me up was I had follow-up appointment with my surgeon and I hit him up for another prescription. I was using 120 day supply in less than a month. I was kind of out of it because of my oxy haze but my wife told me he spent 90 minutes explaining to me what I was doing to myself, my family and a lot of other people doing what I was doing. After a very tearful and emotional ride back home I flushed my oxy stash down the toilet and with the help of a very good woman, my wife, I beat the oxy addiction. I haven’t used pain pills of any kind since then. I’m not critical of anyone that needs the pain meds but be careful with what you’re prescribed, getting hooked is even easier now than what it was back then, Im told.

[Rip Snorter]

They tell you to take the pain pills as prescribed.  I have always stopped any narcotic as soon as I could stand the pain.  Has worked, and a lot of pills (surgery seems the rule when you are old!) have gone into the depository at the pharmacy.  I saw too many bad things happen to folks I knew who became dopers in the Hippie '60's. Congrats for getting through it!

[Texas Maverick]

5 minutes ago, Yul Lose said:

Good for you on the drugs. After my second big surgery in 1992 I got hooked on oxy to the point I was using 4 different doctors to subscribe it. What finally woke me up was I had follow-up appointment with my surgeon and I hit him up for another prescription. I was using 120 day supply in less than a month. I was kind of out of it because of my oxy haze but my wife told me he spent 90 minutes explaining to me what I was doing to myself, my family and a lot of other people doing what I was doing. After a very tearful and emotional ride back home I flushed my oxy stash down the toilet and with the help of a very good woman, my wife, I beat the oxy addiction. I haven’t used pain pills of any kind since then. I’m not critical of anyone that needs the pain meds but be careful with what you’re prescribed, getting hooked is even easier now than what it was back then, Im told.

I have a bag of pain killers in the pantry. Ones I didn't take. I was told if I was dishonest I could make a few thousand selling them. I know there are 3 bottles of oxy in there. I just can't take them and take the least thing I can which is usually Tylenol. I will take the trazadone if it really hurts but that is the only one of the 3 I can handle. Good for you taking control and getting back on track. It takes a strong person to do that. After over 12 years in LE I have dealt with my share of users and it isn't a pretty sight.

 

TM

[Rip Snorter]

14 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said:

I have a bag of pain killers in the pantry. Ones I didn't take. I was told if I was dishonest I could make a few thousand selling them. I know there are 3 bottles of oxy in there. I just can't take them and take the least thing I can which is usually Tylenol. I will take the trazadone if it really hurts but that is the only one of the 3 I can handle. Good for you taking control and getting back on track. It takes a strong person to do that. After over 12 years in LE I have dealt with my share of users and it isn't a pretty sight.

 

TM

I took a bag like that to the pharmacy last month. Down the chute.