OMG ! I can walk again !!

[Roweena Creme]

Had my minimally invasive spine surgery with Mr Knight on Thursday. Op lasted just over 2 hours in which a lot of disc material was removed at L5/S1 and after discovering problems at 2 other levels (L4/L5 and S1/S2), a lot of clean up work was done to free nerves and make more room in the spinal canal.

I was awake for most of the time and only felt some pain during the nerve probing and lasering, but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as the pain I'd had for the last 8 months. After the op I had post op pain across the lower back but that faded after 5 or 6 hours, and then I tried to get up.

WOW, what a difference. I was able to stand up fully and then walk un-aided. All my leg pain had gone, and the crippling lower back pain was also gone. I was so excited I started doing laps of the hospital corridors

I'm now in my 2nd day post op and I still feel great. I'm not doing anything silly and I am preparing myself for a flare up (more likely for me says Mr Knight since it was such a big op) but I have a lot of guidleines (medication and physio instructions) to follow if and when that happens.

Anyway just wanted to update you on how it went. Right now I'm just over the moon and so excited to have got my life back.

This is a great community and I don't think I could have gotten through it all without the advice and messages from some great people on here.
I'll keep you posted on how I get on over the next few weeks.

All the best
Jim

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hi Jim
So pleased to hear of your recovery. Isn't it a true blessing just to have the body functioning perfectly!
Wishing you well

 

[Molly SH]

Hi Jim

That is fantastic news and you must be so excited and relieved. Brilliant!!

I have a friend who is struggling with his back and I think I might point him in the same direction (Mr Knight) - not a nice thing to have to deal with.

Wishing you continued improvement

 

[eqeavukyivqidieru]

Wonderful news Jim. Good luck in your recovery!

Thanks Martin Knight for his valuable work in past 15-20 years...

 

[zvxbvtle]

Great news...I am so glad it has gone well for you....

 

[Irish Girl]

Wonderful news! So very, very pleased for you.

 

[brokendown321]

WTG Jim and MK !!!!! WhoooHooooo do rest though, no marathons.... yet

 

[Spoiled B]

That is brilliant news, wishing all the very best during your recovery !

 

[STUDY]

Great news Jim!

Take it easy and allow yourself to recover properly.

Maz x

 

[Oueradstan]

Woweeee that's wonderful news, well done!!! xxxxxxxxxxx

 

[owhikimj]

So pleased it has worked for you!!! Isn't it great to be able to walk!!! Yo may get some spasms, but they are nothing like as bad....but do rest and take care of yourself!!!!

 

[Katie G]

Hey Jim, how are you getting on?

 

[kvechuifirciohety]

Great news Jim. I hope you are continuing to recover well.
Love and Light
Linda

 

[MarTamieia]

Sorry I hav'nt PM'ed you at post op Jim, up to my eye balls and all that!!

Bloody brilliant news though hey!!, I'm so pleased all went well for you.

Don't forget though, take it steady and build you tolerance and strength gradually.

As Mr. Knight says, it takes 'some guts' for a patient to allow him to work on their spines whilst they are still awake, and he has expresssed his awe of patients who allow him to make a difference.

Well done and best wishes

SPINELF

 

[BIG T]

Thanks for all the messages of support folks. Sorry I haven't managed to post for a while. I've been up to my eyes in...life (I forgot how much time is taken up by normal stuff when you are physically able to do it). Anyway, here's an update on my condition.

I'm almost 5 weeks post op now and I'm still feeling pretty great. I can get out and about and walk almost normally (just a bit slower than before) and I can walk for up to half an hour now before my leg starts to hurt a bit. The pain is in my calf, but only about 4 or 5 out of 10 at worst on the pain scale. I rarely get any back pain now (only if I've been sitting or lying in one position for too long, I get a twinge) and my body shape is coming back to normal now since I'm putting weight on both sides evenly again.

I've been doing the physio exercises that were given to me, but they are very gentle (mainly working your stomach muscles) so I've been trying to do a bit more. 10 mins on the cycle machine, every other day, and some press ups, just to get some fitness back. I was warned not to lift anything heavier than shopping bags and I've mostly stuck to that. But, I did take down a trampoline, and shift a double mattress - very stupid (and my back did hurt a bit afterwards) I know. I'm just impatient but I'm learning.

I was given lots of meds to take away with me after the op and I was taking them strictly for the first 3 weeks. But I've now halved the dosage of painkillers (just plain paracetemol) because I want to come off these as soon as I can. I'm still taking the anti-inflammatories (diclofenac) and I think I have to stick with these for 3 months (the average healing time for the sciatic nerve) but I'll check with Mr Knight.

I wake up most mornings now with what feels like a heavy leg (a sort of dull ache). And now and again it wakes me up in the middle of the night. But this goes away after I get up. My calf is also quite numb - it's been that way since the op. But I was prepared for that after reading some post-op stories.

All in all, I know I'm not back to normal and I might never get back to normal, but I've got my life back and its a 100 times better than it was before the surgery. But I'm not taking anything for granted. This is not over yet. I still have a bulging disc at the level above, to worry about. And I've been diagnosed with osteopenia (usually a precursor to osteoperosis).

So I've got a long battle ahead yet and I could have a relapse at any time, so I'm determined to do everything I can to protect what I have now.

I'll keep you all posted.

 

[Fish Lover]

WELL DONE JIM, KEEP IT UP, TAKE IT STEADY AND SPREAD THE WORD!!!

Best wishes and kind thoughts

SPINELF

 

[LauriGyday]

Thanks Spinelf.

Well it's been just over 2 months now and I'm still doing okay but not as well as last month. I'm getting pretty bad leg pain now (up to 8/10 pain level) when I walk any sort of distance. It was just the calf at first but I can feel it creeping up towards the buttock now, so I'm a bit worried about that.

Trying to stay positive though. The crippling back pain hasn't returned and I'm still able to get out and about and carry on with life almost as normal. I was told it takes at least 3 months for the disc to heal, and the sciatic nerve can take a lot longer than that, so I just have to be patient - not my stong point, though.

I'm due to have a review soon with Mr Knight, so that should answer a few questions for me, and I'm thinking about having a fresh MRI scan done, to see the progress made.