Just had back surgery

[hacker_cracker]

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't been around in a while. but I just had back surgery a few days ago, and I am just able to sit at my desk again. I was wondering if anyone else out there has ever had surgery for a herniated disc before, and if so, how long will it be before I am able to go back to normal. The surgery performed was a micro discectomy, where they removed a piece of disc that was bumping into my main nerve and causing me bad chronic pain. I notice that I seem to re-gain a llittle more mobility with each day that passes. If anyone else out there has ever had this done before, please write me back, and let me know wht kind of recovery I'm in for. Thanks in advance,
hacker cracker

[ecross]

Hello Justin, I've not had a back surgery but I hope you make a full recovery. Glad you are back to Virtual Dr.

[hacker_cracker]

Thank you, ecross.

[imadreamer2]

I too wish yu a full recovery.

My husband had a spinal laminectomy where they removed a disc that was mashed down for lack of the original term the doc used and a spacer was put it. He took about 2 weeks to stop taking the pain meds and just use ibuprophen and another 2 weeks before he stopped taking that. As I recall it was about 2 months before he was walking fairly well. That was with physical therapy 3 times a week. Don't know how close it is to herniated disc surgery but I think it fairly close.

[Nick Grana]

Most people mend in their own time. One may recover quickly while another takes forever.
Hope you are in the quick recovery process which seems that you are.
Nothing speeds recovery up like getting to your desk for some surf'n.
It's great exercise for mind, body, and spirit.
Good luck and welcome back. Keep us posted.

[fink]

Hi.. I've been having some spinal disc problems lately as well. I've not had surgery but I have done a fair bit of research on the whole subject. Perhaps some of these websites will be of assistance.

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/wwwboard.html

http://www.eorthopod.com/eorthopodV2...ab9a955/area/5

http://www.faithreason.org/chiusurg/

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/index.php

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/...play.php?f=237

One pertinent thing I can say though, from my own experience, is that recovery is a very slow process and don't hesitate to ask the doctor any questions you might have and also don't hesitate to ask more than one doctor.

It also helps to take notes. There can be a lot of info that you forget when speaking to a doctor and having everything in writing (including the questions) can be very helpful.

Additionally there is some evidence that taking supplements of Glucosamine and Chondroitin can be helpful with disc problems. The material that the discs are made of is a fibrous cartleginous substance that the glucosamine has, in some studies, been shown to help rebuild.

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/3/2

I've been taking both for about 4 months. I can't say for sure if it's helped since I have no other "me" to compare the results to but my condition is improving and there are no side effects at all from taking them... they're both overwhelmingly safe products. They can be bought, pretty cheaply, in almost any drugstore or vitamin shop and come in compound type pills so you only need to take one tablet two or three times a day.

[hacker_cracker]

Thanks for all of the good wishes, everyone. I'm just going to take it one day at a time.