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Post surgery recovery from l 345 laminectomy and discectomy.
Spine Health | Last Active: Dec 11, 2023 | Replies (20)Comment receiving replies
I had the same surgery 10 months ago. Painwise, the worst of it was the first month and a half. You didn't describe your pain so I don't know how it relates to what I experienced. I had very little back pain after surgery but severe nerve pain (both legs). I was taking daily 2400mg of gabapentin, 1000 mg of tylenol and advil every 6 hours, and oxycodone as needed. I limited the oxy unless the pain was unbearable. I think in total I took about 10 doses of the narcotic.
I moved about with a walker at first which was painful because I couldn't put hardly any weight on my legs. My wife got me a shower chair so that I could safely navigate taking a shower and other self-care tasks. Also, added a raised toilet seat. Within a month or so I was able to exchange the walker for a cane.
As I stated, after about 6 weeks the pain lessened enough that I was able to gradually reduce the gabapentin, tylenol and advil as needed and eliminate the oxycodone. I began PT at that point and gradually my nerve pain was confined to one leg. After about 2 months of PT the nerve pain was located in one area around my knee and shin. I did have a setback around 6 months due to my own foolishness in trying to lift a piece of furniture. DON'T BE LIKE ME! A lot of leg pain returned due to this and I had to retrace my path through PT.
At the present time I am taking 900 mg of gabapentin daily and working toward eliminating it. Most of my pain is gone. Daily exercise is the key to building strength and eliminating pain. Oh, and think before you try to lift anything of significant weight. I wish you the best in your journey to full recovery.
Replies to "I had the same surgery 10 months ago. Painwise, the worst of it was the first..."
Wife saw "Spine Surgeon" for back and leg spinal stenosis. Had 3 surgeries in hospital. For a total of 2 previous and 3 in hosp. laminectomy. discetomy and removal of 3 spacer removal,
Now in greater pain for 9 months post surgery and spine has now shifted. Saw same "surgeon" who did hosp op showed him x rays and he said I can fix that and now you need an OBLIQUE operation to fix things. NO THANKS!! Saw other spine surgeons and they said a new revision,
revision op is to complicated and tricky considering past ops and present spinal condition do not recommend it. Now seeing pain mgt doctor gave precrip for Celeprex and offers ep;idural injection. Wife does nor want any more surgeries loking for non-surgical options to ease pain. Very sad but true story. Bottom line be very careful who operates on your back.
Thanks for sharing,,, I am one of those who ignored Drs orders when you start to feel better again and instead of squatting until I could barely get back up I started bending and lifting as well as bought a rowing machine ,, with my Drs permission about 6-8 months after surgery,, I then created more damage, all the pain and more severe sciatica came back., I stretch and stretch to stop the pain, take the Oxycodone , I can't take muscle relaxers they knock me out,,, tylenol. motrin, the only help is my heating pad but that is temp, until I get up.. back to square one in just a year since surgery,,, And now what was confined to the right side only is now affecting left., New MRI has a lot of not so lovely things on it,, I have been told at 60 I have the spine of an 80 year old with severe rotoscoliosis and pretty much everything with an S.. I am at a serious crossroads of do I do the intense surgery to straighten my spine,,,?? I should not even be able to walk at this stage but i donlt listen, I push myself to 2 hours on treadmill after 8 hours on my feet at my Shop, I hurt in the ams.. bad,,, btu once I get moving, in the shower I know I will make it to work but boy is every am a challenge for me,, throw in all the other aches, pain, colon cancer issues and i think give me a break, but I suppose i am not due one rather keep saving everyone else in my family.,,.. I will warn as I have seen written here of feelings of anger and depression are very real so do not ignore them , they are very real,,,, And if you are your self supporter and your family of misfit siblings keeps throwing caring for my elderly parents into my lap I am on the verge of busting from suffocation,, Perhaps I need a therapist,, honestly I do think stress in any form can make recovery 10 x longer,,, wish you well, Jacquie
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Thank you for responding. My pain is in the incision area and a little down the flutes. The incision area is tight and movement of any kind hurts, especially movement when changing positions, standing up, rolling over in bed, etc. I am extremely cold, but I think it is muscle tension protecting the wound. Probably need to increase the muscle relaxants dose.
Did you feel a gradual decrease in pain in the 1 and 1/2 months? Like a small difference each day?
Thanks for your input. Please tell Me more.