hello everyone I have a herniated disc in the L5-S1 part of my spine and was wondering if anyone has had the surgery im about to have...Fusion single level

welcome to Neruo Talk. There are alot of folks here you can help you while you make this decision. I hope you already have gone for a second and even a third opinion, crossing professional medical specialists. Your MRI is the best indicator of just how serious your condition is. There are people here who can help you to understand your own MRI. I have had two spinal fusions. I do not tell anyone to get the surgery until all other options have been explored. For me the first single fusions a C6-7 did NOT work, I was left with multipal problems that were not addressed, and I did NOT do my homework about my condition before I submitted to the surgery. 22 months ago I was fused C3-7. I had the domino effect, where the verterbre above and below were not good. Many questions need to be answered before you go ahead and do this. Please make very sure, that there is no other options, as far as treatment goes. My surgery did turn out OK but this road was very very difficult. I do wish you all the best. I will be here for you no matter what your decision is to help you in any way I can. Leesa, is the best as far as being able to understand the MRI termonology. Keep in touch. Welcome again to Neruo Talk. You really did find a compassionate group of people here. ginnie

concerned216,

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Happy to see you have come to be with us. Here are a great number of dear friends to listen when you are in need of ears. Please let us know how we can help you out. You will find out we are supportive and relaxing place.

Check into the following forum for some assistance:

Spinal Disorders & Back Pain:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum22.html

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Darlene

I have been dealing with this condition for almost a year. I just found a clinic that does non surgical decompression therapy. I recommend researching it. I have only gone 7 times. I felt a little better after a few treatments but then pushed it too hard and not feeling great. Twenty sessions are recommended before you feel pain free. Also you are suppose to take it easy for first couple weeks which I didn't but will now. This condition has changed my life. I pray everyday that my therapy will help me get my life back. I will keep you posted on my progress. My doc told me traditional chiropractic, injections, surgery, and pt won't fix the root of the problem. My treatment also consists of oxygen therapy and product b vitamin.

Welcome,

L5-S1 is a common place to have disc problems. It's the junction where your lumbar spine meets your sacral spine.

The MRI "impression" has valuable info, if you can type that in for us.

Your disc is the spongy cushion between your vertebrae. They act as shock absorbers for your spine.

Your discs are considered "soft tissue." Not bony material.

A herniation is an opening in your disc. Sometimes it is a surgical condition. Again, you have to rely on your healthcare professionals, doctors, surgeons, therapists.

A herniation is more serious than a bulge.

There's lots of suggested conservative treatments here.

In my journey, I learned to grade things as positive or negative. Your body will let you know by its response.

You'll have to decide what is best for you. So, arm yourself with knowledge before you lay down. It's never easy when you're not a whole person. There are no guarantees, you know.

We do understand here at NT.

Take care...

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Happy to see you have come to be with us. Here are a great number of dear friends to listen when you are in need of ears. Please let us know how we can help you out. You will find out we are supportive and relaxing place.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Darlene

I've had the same thing for several months (5) now. I have bilateral sciatica, left worse than right. In constant pain. I cry nearly every day in secret from the pain and overwhelming feeling of doom. It's the most horrible thing I think I've ever gone (going) through. I am actually a chiropractor so feel I have to hide it, which only made it worse. I had, in the beginning urinary incontinence. That has subsided. I am able to tolerate less pain now than I could in the beginning. It wears you down. Most of the patients I treat that have a prolapse this bad just go into surgery right away. But I've seen the outcomes of these too many times that are bad. I know the body will reabsorb the disc material eventually. I've been doing decompression therapy A LOT!! I actually purchased my own decompression table and pretty much have been on it five days a week for the last 5 months. It helped a ton in the beginning and now when it flares up I hop on and it always helps for a while. It seems the amount that it helps now is starting to plateau. But that could also be because I'm feeling better and have gone out and tried to do stupid stuff like climb mountains then run back down. Since I am a physician I was able to have a follow up MRI two weeks ago. In the beginning my hernia from front to back was 7 mm. It was pinching my cauda equina (bottom part of your spinal cord) in half and completely obliterating the left nerve root and impinging the right. And I had to keep working. My roommate had to get up in the morning to help me get dressed, do my laundry, get my groceries, feed my dog, pick up anything I may have dropped on the floor, the list goes on and on. So the follow up MRI measurement front to back now is 5 mm. I've been working my *** off doing physical therapy for over an hour on my own 5-6 days a week and also swimming 30 minutes 4-5 days per week. This type of injury is horrific. What makes it worse is that no one can see it. So unless you've been through it there is no way to gauge how serious it is. I am disabled. I will be to a degree the rest of my life. This is hard for me to accept as I am extremely active. My dog and I last year summited 43 mountains. I rollerbladed 25 miles on my lunch breaks in the summer. You get the picture. I am getting extremely depressed. I fear my boyfriend (who is also EXTREMELY active) is becoming alienated. He just doesn't understand. I cant do my job very well and have to turn bigger people away just because I can't handle the strain. But I know there is hope. It's shrinking. If it's shrunk this much in 5 months, then in 8 more months it should be gone......if I don't injure it again. That is the hardest part. Once you start feeling kinda good, you go try to do something that used to be so easy and there you are again set back 2-3 months again. I've gained a ton of weight because I turned to alcohol when all I could do is lay on the couch. I just have to keep working hard and laying low. I don't know how bad your hernia is or how long you've tried dealing with it, but surgery for a low back disc herniation should be the absolute last thing you do. You need to be showing certain neurological deficits before surgery is an option......or you just can't take the pain any longer. I struggle with the decision of surgery or not every day. The thing is I own my own clinic and would have to be out for 6-8 weeks. Then what If I came back and symptoms were the same. Talk about depression!! And I've seen it!! Or they come out worse than when they went in. Let me know what happens. Good luck to you!!

Grace,

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Happy to see you have come to be with us. Here are a great number of dear friends to listen when you are in need of ears. Please let us know how we can help you out. You will find out we are supportive and relaxing place.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Darlene

Actually the MRI is not the most important diagnostic tool in evaluating your situation. The physical exam is the most important tool. I've seen a lot of bad discs on MRI where the patients have little symptoms. Just keep that in mind. This type of injury involves changing your lifestyle for a while. Maybe permanently to a point. You have to work very hard to avoid surgery/chronic pain. Let me know if you want more information. I can help.