Back surgery mix?

[rawdeal]

Not sure what my gizmo was called, just mention it here as a possible "temp help" for Wilson6 or anyone else in that predicament. Don't even remember if I used it or if I had outgrown the need by the time I got home.

In any case, I did not get it wet ... I only needed Urologists sometime later

 

[KyGentleman]

Interesting read here and feedback from other individuals w/ a love for the iron. I woke up one morning in May 2017 and literally fell out of bed. Severe pain in my right glute, hamstring, and all the way down to my calve. Also, couldn't put my right heel down. After a few MRI's and alot of time, I had a laminectomy in the area of L3 to L5 in December of 2020, and while I had no crazy thoughts of being what I once was, I regret having the procedure. I even took my MRI's (both pre and the one post) and got a second opinion from a neurosurgeon at Vanderbilt. Squats and deads were my faves and go-to's, needless to say that's over, but I honestly think I'm worse after having the procedure.

 

[rawdeal]

Ky, one of the things I like about this place is there is so much medical experience here ... from a Patient's viewpoint ... that it's a little like Consumer Reports.

Can't help too much about naming a doctor to choose in your location, but threads like this one do prepare you for what to expect, and maybe for how to assess a doctor you might be considering before you commit.

 

[lifter6973]

Interesting read here and feedback from other individuals w/ a love for the iron. I woke up one morning in May 2017 and literally fell out of bed. Severe pain in my right glute, hamstring, and all the way down to my calve. Also, couldn't put my right heel down. After a few MRI's and alot of time, I had a laminectomy in the area of L3 to L5 in December of 2020, and while I had no crazy thoughts of being what I once was, I regret having the procedure. I even took my MRI's (both pre and the one post) and got a second opinion from a neurosurgeon at Vanderbilt. Squats and deads were my faves and go-to's, needless to say that's over, but I honestly think I'm worse after having the procedure.

You want some real horror? Watch the documentary Dr. Death. Fucking neurosurgeon maimed several and killed 2 doing back surgeries in Dallas.
I had never even heard of him. I am surgery last resort kind of person and after seeing that I don't know if I ever want to have surgery.
Sucks that you are worse than going in. That should NEVER be the case but too often it is.
I haven't had surgery but my days of squats, deadlifts and powercleans have long been over.

 

[jipped genes]

So, I had a single fusion of L5 to S1 back in 91. Took a year to recover with the old style surgery. I am sure it is way better now.

A bit of unsolicited advice: When you can, and do not push it, follow your rehab instructions and PT. Then when you feel back to normal, do not stop your PT. Do it every day. Keep strong core and abs. From 92 until 2016 I still had a lot of back pain. Dr. prescribed an epidural steroid shot and PT. Pain went away but I stopped PT after pain went away. It came back.

So another shot and another round of PT. Pain was all but gone again. This time and until this very day I get up out of bed and do my same PT routine religiously. Not only did it stop the degradation of my other discs (L4-L5 was/is in bad shape but has not gotten worse) but I have remained at 90% pain free ever since unless I tweak it lifting something or such.

Best of luck to ya brother. Bonus is wicked strong abs from all the PT and better flexibility to boot. Just takes 5-10 minutes daily for a higher quality of life.

 

[lifter6973]

So, I had a single fusion of L5 to S1 back in 91. Took a year to recover with the old style surgery. I am sure it is way better now.

A bit of unsolicited advice: When you can, and do not push it, follow your rehab instructions and PT. Then when you feel back to normal, do not stop your PT. Do it every day. Keep strong core and abs. From 92 until 2016 I still had a lot of back pain. Dr. prescribed an epidural steroid shot and PT. Pain went away but I stopped PT after pain went away. It came back.

So another shot and another round of PT. Pain was all but gone again. This time and until this very day I get up out of bed and do my same PT routine religiously. Not only did it stop the degradation of my other discs (L4-L5 was/is in bad shape but has not gotten worse) but I have remained at 90% pain free ever since unless I tweak it lifting something or such.

Best of luck to ya brother. Bonus is wicked strong abs from all the PT and better flexibility to boot. Just takes 5-10 minutes daily for a higher quality of life.

I'm guilty of the same. No shots but Ill take a lot of prednisone and muscle relaxers until the pain is bearable then do PT religiously but eventually slack off until the next incident happens and then the same cycle again.

It has been happening more lately so I am trying to be better about doing PT every day. My issue is the same area of yours and the vertebrae by L5 is cracked. I've had issues since late 90s and been able to control for the most part. The last few years I have had some pretty bad episodes though.

 

[Kluso]

I'm guilty of the same. No shots but Ill take a lot of prednisone and muscle relaxers until the pain is bearable then do PT religiously but eventually slack off until the next incident happens and then the same cycle again.

It has been happening more lately so I am trying to be better about doing PT every day. My issue is the same area of yours and the vertebrae by L5 is cracked. I've had issues since late 90s and been able to control for the most part. The last few years I have had some pretty bad episodes though.

This is me too. I will start feeling good again and then think I can start squatting again or something else and the pain comes back. I’m there again now. Surgery scares me. Especially fusions. I know a guy that has had probably over 10 surgeries. He told me don’t ever get a fusion. Once they fuse the discs above and below get fucked and then they need fused. His entire back is now fused and now they starting on his neck. Fuck that! Hopefully better options will be available by the time I can’t stand it anymore. Like disk replacement mentioned already. But I’m biased against getting fusion done I guess. But when you’re in pain and that’s all u have the option for u do what u have to do. My wife is in similar boat with her ankle. She will eventually have to get a fusion but they say once u do that your knee goes next so she’s holding off as long as she can. But being in pain sucks!

 

[jipped genes]

Kluso, I squat but only do baby weight never above 185. If I do I hurt for a week.

 

[lifter6973]

Kluso, I squat but only do baby weight never above 185. If I do I hurt for a week.

Word. I was thinking about trying light squats. Squats are great for core too. Thing is I know I can do those exercises and be fine doing them its just that I will pay and feel like an old crippled man for the next several weeks.

A little while back I tried bent over barbell row with light weight. Felt just fine doing it but that's a no go.

 

[Mainelymoshe]

Looks like I’m in good company. I’ve been struggling with back pain since my late teens. No one in the medical community will definitively point at any one thing. XRay shows incomplete fusion of L5 (spinae bifida occulta), probably the most minor form a person can have. Also, positive for HLAB27, the market for autoimmune diseases. This is important because of ankylosing spondylitis, although I’m told I don’t have that. What they do tell me is spondylosis, degenerative disc disease and other degrees of degenerative processes. They never offer any treatment and simply say ice, heat, NDAIDS, and activity as tolerated. Strengthen core as well. Frankly it’s a joke. I too have bulging discs and in 2020 had L4-L5 laminectomy discectomy for a herniation that was crushing the nerve root causing pain and neuro deficits in my right leg. It was bad enough I didn’t care if I lived or died. I told the doc if I didn’t get relief soon my next stop was the street to buy drugs and I hope the f@#k it’s loaded with fentanyl! I didn’t care. The surgery worked, thankfully. 8 month later I squatted 385 and deadlifted 425. Over the last few years my thoracic and cervical spine have joined the degenerative club. For a while I gave up barbell squats and deadlifts and other “load bearing” exercises and found my back still hurt. Now, I do them and will continue doing them. I don’t believe those exercises are harming, but how I do them may be. I’ve always maintained a strong core because I’ve always known that’s the link between upper and lower body. I’ve come to realize I can no longer train at 100% 1RM or 10 RPE. 80-90% is my new 100 and 8-9 is my new 10RPE, if I’m going to continue this. That’s been the hardest adaptation to make because I still have a rep or two in the tank or strength for another 25lbs. However, it’s in those moments that form and technique can falter even a tiny bit, which I have no wiggle room for. Breathing and bracing must be spot on, set up and set down must be perfect, and every rep must be the same whether it’s a double or a set of 12. I do a lot of mobility drills and stretching as well at this age. I’m not stopping doing what I love to do. I’ll have to make adaptations and accommodations but won’t stop. Very often it is when I’m least active that it’s most painful. Man I’m long winded. Sorry.

 

[ceo]

So, I had a single fusion of L5 to S1 back in 91. Took a year to recover with the old style surgery. I am sure it is way better now.

A bit of unsolicited advice: When you can, and do not push it, follow your rehab instructions and PT. Then when you feel back to normal, do not stop your PT. Do it every day. Keep strong core and abs. From 92 until 2016 I still had a lot of back pain. Dr. prescribed an epidural steroid shot and PT. Pain went away but I stopped PT after pain went away. It came back.

So another shot and another round of PT. Pain was all but gone again. This time and until this very day I get up out of bed and do my same PT routine religiously. Not only did it stop the degradation of my other discs (L4-L5 was/is in bad shape but has not gotten worse) but I have remained at 90% pain free ever since unless I tweak it lifting something or such.

Best of luck to ya brother. Bonus is wicked strong abs from all the PT and better flexibility to boot. Just takes 5-10 minutes daily for a higher quality of life.

What are the exercises you do for your daily PT routine?

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[lifter6973]

Looks like I’m in good company. I’ve been struggling with back pain since my late teens. No one in the medical community will definitively point at any one thing. XRay shows incomplete fusion of L5 (spinae bifida occulta), probably the most minor form a person can have. Also, positive for HLAB27, the market for autoimmune diseases. This is important because of ankylosing spondylitis, although I’m told I don’t have that. What they do tell me is spondylosis, degenerative disc disease and other degrees of degenerative processes. They never offer any treatment and simply say ice, heat, NDAIDS, and activity as tolerated. Strengthen core as well. Frankly it’s a joke. I too have bulging discs and in 2020 had L4-L5 laminectomy discectomy for a herniation that was crushing the nerve root causing pain and neuro deficits in my right leg. It was bad enough I didn’t care if I lived or died. I told the doc if I didn’t get relief soon my next stop was the street to buy drugs and I hope the f@#k it’s loaded with fentanyl! I didn’t care. The surgery worked, thankfully. 8 month later I squatted 385 and deadlifted 425. Over the last few years my thoracic and cervical spine have joined the degenerative club. For a while I gave up barbell squats and deadlifts and other “load bearing” exercises and found my back still hurt. Now, I do them and will continue doing them. I don’t believe those exercises are harming, but how I do them may be. I’ve always maintained a strong core because I’ve always known that’s the link between upper and lower body. I’ve come to realize I can no longer train at 100% 1RM or 10 RPE. 80-90% is my new 100 and 8-9 is my new 10RPE, if I’m going to continue this. That’s been the hardest adaptation to make because I still have a rep or two in the tank or strength for another 25lbs. However, it’s in those moments that form and technique can falter even a tiny bit, which I have no wiggle room for. Breathing and bracing must be spot on, set up and set down must be perfect, and every rep must be the same whether it’s a double or a set of 12. I do a lot of mobility drills and stretching as well at this age. I’m not stopping doing what I love to do. I’ll have to make adaptations and accommodations but won’t stop. Very often it is when I’m least active that it’s most painful. Man I’m long winded. Sorry.

Feel your pain bro. No surgery for me but yeah, you absolutely have to be honest with yourself and figure out what you can and can't do in the gym. Its good you can still do some of those lifts and I totally agree that proper form goes a long way.

Its much better to go with your routine and sacrifice a small percent or 1/2 reps in order to keep yourself from having major setbacks and more problems.