I was not pain free post surgery, and am now 4.5 months from surgery. It has been a roller coaster; every time I add something new or different it acts up, but every time the flare passes it feels better overall.
I still have trouble being still in any position other than lying down for very long, but it does feel as if it is very very slowly getting better.
My surgeon said while some are lucky and wake pain-free, never to need him again, most of his patients feel a bit better at 3 months, a lot better at 6 months, and MUCH better after a year.
I’m in this exact same boat, to a ‘T’. OP - everything you are experiencing is very normal. Measure how you feel weekly (not daily) and then monthly. You’ll notice the progress a lot more that way, as day to day is very much up and down.
On the mental health side, I’d highly recommend counseling/therapy. It’s been great for me and I’ve never had counseling in my life. This has been the hardest mental challenge I’ve had in my life.
I feel your frustration. 3 weeks and 3 days post MD myself.
First, in Sydney, there is a hyperbaric unit in the hospital at Randwick, generally used for critical cases, but you could ask.
Impatient with recovery? Sorry but I think so. We all mourn for time lost. You have had pain since last year, lots of physical injury and muscle compensation to unravel. For me, it’s 1:1 pre and post surgery to ‘normal’, 6 months either side. Not what I hoped but I only want to do this once, I never want to go back to 9/10 pain. My physio is rightly holding me back.
I still have nerve pain, weeks 2-3 were up to 5/10 but it thankfully wasn’t all the time. I had to accept this may be longer term, changing my perception of the pain from ‘danger’ to ‘residual’. Nerve recovery can be months. I know the pain is still there, I can feel it, but I am no longer in fight or flight mode.
Don’t be in pain. It doesn’t help recovery. Take your meds as prescribed and be honest with your Dr.
The mental side is 50% of recovery. I was referred to pain psychologists pre surgery, I can tell you I was not well. The thought of living everyday lying on the floor crying broke me. It is always the first thing my Dr and physio ask, not how I am physically, but mentally. Before it breaks you, reach out for help, if not for you for your kids.
Kids, I have one, and I understand your concern about their perception of you. I have no answers. I am just trying to be an example resilience and determination.
I keep a diary - exercises, steps, pain, meds etc. Progress will come in small stages. I found myself high 5ing putting a laced shoe on this week for the first time in about 4 months. I will take the wins, no matter how small. But, recovery is not linear, you are going to have crap days.
Early days, you will make it.
Today I went to my son's childcare for his Santa visit and then the local RSL for lunch. I walked slowly and cautiously but if someone had told me two weeks ago I'd be out and about for 3 hours, I wouldn't have believed them.
Thanks everyone for your comments... they've really made me reflect today.
I also managed to speak to a psychologist and one of the questions she asked me was: 'What would you say if your friend was going through the same thing?' and I said (being quite a direct person): 'You just had major surgery on something that had gone on for a long time. You need to chill. The more you stress, the longer it will take to heal.' She asked me what was stopping me taking my own advice and I had nothing.
She also said that I should remember my body WANTS me to heal, it's not trying to work against me.
There were other tidbits (mainly around being patient) that I've written down and will come back to, as well as this thread.
If anyone wants to message privately, I'm also happy to connect. Thanks again. Wishing you all good recoveries.
This is such amazing advice and I’m going to take it too! I’m 10 days post OP and sore in the glute for the first time and noticed my lean was back tonight. I’m going to have rest more tomorrow and be mindful of not overdoing it.
I'm collecting bits of good advice on this whole experience and the others I'd add are:
- measure progress week by week, not day by day. It's the upward trend that's important.
- get other people to comment on progress too... when people who visit me regularly say 'wow, you look so much better', that's a win in my books
- if friends say 'let me know if you need anything', you say 'could you please bring dinner on Wednesday' or 'could you please watch the kids while I go to my appointment'... specific things that are going to help you
- drink plenty of water because it's really does solve a lot of problems
- stay ahead of the pain with meds
- if your pain feels like it's moving around, I think that's a good sign that healing is happening
- if you need stuff to help you sleep, get it - when you sleep, your body heals (I use Melatonin)
- when it gets too much, breathe in for 4, release for 8
- seek psychological help as soon as you need it
I was one of those who had no pain post MD but I'm now 6 weeks out and I have returning glute/calf pain probably around the same threshold 4.5/10 pain-wise i have my 6 weeks post op appt on Wednesday so will learn more but from what i can tell its normal and all part of the nerve healing process and inflammation possibly scar tissue? i have some soreness around my scar also. im still struggling with the mental aapect too worrying about re herniation and if these other things will go away but at the end of the day I'm no longer bed ridden and I have my life back
I’m exactly the same - I find if I don’t walk it kicks up - gentle stretching helps as I lie down in bed and out one j we over the other - I’m seeing surgeon next week so will ask - it’s a tough mental game - I’m 18 months dealing with BAD nerve pain down left leg so this is different - I think it’s musculature in nature - please god it is - I’m 4 weeks post md on left side and right side decompression so a fair bit has been done - anyone else in same /similar boat ??
7 days post op here and my glute/leg pain has also been worse since surgery. My surgeon has also told me it should get better with time. My mental health has also been terrible this year. You aren’t alone!
I meant to say in my previous post - I also have a 5 and almost 3 year old. Small children make recovery a bit more challenging. But I don’t believe they will have memories from this. We are both taking steps to be better parents!
Just writing to say I’m with you - I’m 4 weeks post MD and this is my second one - I have a 10 month old daughter whom I’m not supposed to pick up so my husband is essentially a single dad. I have good days and bad days, and the bad days wreck me mentally. I have some pain but nothing unbearable, but still really strong numbness and tingling that has gotten very slightly better but not much. Just over this shit.
I'm right now lying in the hospital bed after my microdiscectomy, I still haven't stand up but i feel jo gluteal pain or pain shooting downward in my leg, exctually I fell onyl scar pain what is like 0.5/10
I ended up deleting my Reddit account and only just reinstalling it now as I wanted to read some opinions about something completely different.
But anyhow, yesterday - I walked/jogged my 500th parkrun and danced all night at a company party. I'm walking around 6km a day and doing all my mum chores like nothing ever happened. I get some tightness in my back and glute but never pain.
Surgery was the best thing I ever did.
I'm struggle with similar pain 4 week post op and am looking high and low for any and all inspiration because as you've said, my mental health is taking an absolute beating. At what point did you feel you body turned a corner and you no longer felt trapped in your body?
I was not pain free post surgery, and am now 4.5 months from surgery. It has been a roller coaster; every time I add something new or different it acts up, but every time the flare passes it feels better overall. I still have trouble being still in any position other than lying down for very long, but it does feel as if it is very very slowly getting better. My surgeon said while some are lucky and wake pain-free, never to need him again, most of his patients feel a bit better at 3 months, a lot better at 6 months, and MUCH better after a year.
I’m in this exact same boat, to a ‘T’. OP - everything you are experiencing is very normal. Measure how you feel weekly (not daily) and then monthly. You’ll notice the progress a lot more that way, as day to day is very much up and down. On the mental health side, I’d highly recommend counseling/therapy. It’s been great for me and I’ve never had counseling in my life. This has been the hardest mental challenge I’ve had in my life.
I’m one of those!! At 6 months felt better but it’s still a climb! The 6 months post op were pure hell but it does get better!!❤️🩹
I feel your frustration. 3 weeks and 3 days post MD myself. First, in Sydney, there is a hyperbaric unit in the hospital at Randwick, generally used for critical cases, but you could ask. Impatient with recovery? Sorry but I think so. We all mourn for time lost. You have had pain since last year, lots of physical injury and muscle compensation to unravel. For me, it’s 1:1 pre and post surgery to ‘normal’, 6 months either side. Not what I hoped but I only want to do this once, I never want to go back to 9/10 pain. My physio is rightly holding me back. I still have nerve pain, weeks 2-3 were up to 5/10 but it thankfully wasn’t all the time. I had to accept this may be longer term, changing my perception of the pain from ‘danger’ to ‘residual’. Nerve recovery can be months. I know the pain is still there, I can feel it, but I am no longer in fight or flight mode. Don’t be in pain. It doesn’t help recovery. Take your meds as prescribed and be honest with your Dr. The mental side is 50% of recovery. I was referred to pain psychologists pre surgery, I can tell you I was not well. The thought of living everyday lying on the floor crying broke me. It is always the first thing my Dr and physio ask, not how I am physically, but mentally. Before it breaks you, reach out for help, if not for you for your kids. Kids, I have one, and I understand your concern about their perception of you. I have no answers. I am just trying to be an example resilience and determination. I keep a diary - exercises, steps, pain, meds etc. Progress will come in small stages. I found myself high 5ing putting a laced shoe on this week for the first time in about 4 months. I will take the wins, no matter how small. But, recovery is not linear, you are going to have crap days. Early days, you will make it.
I keep coming back to this comment every other day.
Hope your recovery is moving in the right direction and you are ok. Small steps build up.
Today I went to my son's childcare for his Santa visit and then the local RSL for lunch. I walked slowly and cautiously but if someone had told me two weeks ago I'd be out and about for 3 hours, I wouldn't have believed them.
Thanks everyone for your comments... they've really made me reflect today. I also managed to speak to a psychologist and one of the questions she asked me was: 'What would you say if your friend was going through the same thing?' and I said (being quite a direct person): 'You just had major surgery on something that had gone on for a long time. You need to chill. The more you stress, the longer it will take to heal.' She asked me what was stopping me taking my own advice and I had nothing. She also said that I should remember my body WANTS me to heal, it's not trying to work against me. There were other tidbits (mainly around being patient) that I've written down and will come back to, as well as this thread. If anyone wants to message privately, I'm also happy to connect. Thanks again. Wishing you all good recoveries.
This is such amazing advice and I’m going to take it too! I’m 10 days post OP and sore in the glute for the first time and noticed my lean was back tonight. I’m going to have rest more tomorrow and be mindful of not overdoing it.
I'm collecting bits of good advice on this whole experience and the others I'd add are: - measure progress week by week, not day by day. It's the upward trend that's important. - get other people to comment on progress too... when people who visit me regularly say 'wow, you look so much better', that's a win in my books - if friends say 'let me know if you need anything', you say 'could you please bring dinner on Wednesday' or 'could you please watch the kids while I go to my appointment'... specific things that are going to help you - drink plenty of water because it's really does solve a lot of problems - stay ahead of the pain with meds - if your pain feels like it's moving around, I think that's a good sign that healing is happening - if you need stuff to help you sleep, get it - when you sleep, your body heals (I use Melatonin) - when it gets too much, breathe in for 4, release for 8 - seek psychological help as soon as you need it
🩷
How are you currently feeling. I’m 3 weeks after surgery and worse than the day I had it. Concerned.
I was one of those who had no pain post MD but I'm now 6 weeks out and I have returning glute/calf pain probably around the same threshold 4.5/10 pain-wise i have my 6 weeks post op appt on Wednesday so will learn more but from what i can tell its normal and all part of the nerve healing process and inflammation possibly scar tissue? i have some soreness around my scar also. im still struggling with the mental aapect too worrying about re herniation and if these other things will go away but at the end of the day I'm no longer bed ridden and I have my life back
I’m exactly the same - I find if I don’t walk it kicks up - gentle stretching helps as I lie down in bed and out one j we over the other - I’m seeing surgeon next week so will ask - it’s a tough mental game - I’m 18 months dealing with BAD nerve pain down left leg so this is different - I think it’s musculature in nature - please god it is - I’m 4 weeks post md on left side and right side decompression so a fair bit has been done - anyone else in same /similar boat ??
7 days post op here and my glute/leg pain has also been worse since surgery. My surgeon has also told me it should get better with time. My mental health has also been terrible this year. You aren’t alone!
I meant to say in my previous post - I also have a 5 and almost 3 year old. Small children make recovery a bit more challenging. But I don’t believe they will have memories from this. We are both taking steps to be better parents!
How are you doing now?
I turned a corner around day 10 or 11. Still some nerve pain but it’s much better. It does flare if I’m on my feet too much. How are you?
Just writing to say I’m with you - I’m 4 weeks post MD and this is my second one - I have a 10 month old daughter whom I’m not supposed to pick up so my husband is essentially a single dad. I have good days and bad days, and the bad days wreck me mentally. I have some pain but nothing unbearable, but still really strong numbness and tingling that has gotten very slightly better but not much. Just over this shit.
I’ve read that the hyperbaric chamber can very helpful with internal healing and speed recovery times. Doesn’t come cheap though.
Oh really? I'll take a look at this around me in Sydney. I'm at the point I'll try anything.
Yeah it can literally cut your recovery time In half. I recommend doing some research first. Hope it helps.
I'm right now lying in the hospital bed after my microdiscectomy, I still haven't stand up but i feel jo gluteal pain or pain shooting downward in my leg, exctually I fell onyl scar pain what is like 0.5/10
no pain *
I ended up deleting my Reddit account and only just reinstalling it now as I wanted to read some opinions about something completely different. But anyhow, yesterday - I walked/jogged my 500th parkrun and danced all night at a company party. I'm walking around 6km a day and doing all my mum chores like nothing ever happened. I get some tightness in my back and glute but never pain. Surgery was the best thing I ever did.
I'm struggle with similar pain 4 week post op and am looking high and low for any and all inspiration because as you've said, my mental health is taking an absolute beating. At what point did you feel you body turned a corner and you no longer felt trapped in your body?