u/Markwhatt

I am currently 9.5 weeks post bilateral MD and Laminectomy. From weeks 4-8 I felt basically 100% back to normal. Aside from a couple small scares I have had zero pain, tightness or issues since the moment I woke up from surgery. I am technically on ‘no bend/lift/twist’ until the end of August.

At the start of week 8 post op I came up to the cottage. I was so weak after doing the 10 hour drive I could barely walk down the stairs to our camp. My legs were shaking and trembling under my own weight and it felt terrible. It took me almost 2 days to rebound back to feeling good and normal again.

Since we got here though I have been doing a ton of walking on the beach, I’ve been playing cornhole (using a grabber stick to pick up the bags), sweeping, vacuuming, swimming, stairs etc etc.

I feel like I have gained a TON of strength in the last week and a half but that being said it’s got me thinking:

How do you know if the things you are doing are beneficial or if you are putting yourself at unnecessary risk for re herniation?

Is it just a matter of being conscious to maintain a neutral spine and not push it too hard?

As much as I understand that my disc is still healing and the “don’t lift anything over 10lbs” rule, I can’t help but feel like doing things like walking in deep sand and moving stuff around has really helped my recovery more than just straight up rest now that my body can handle a lot more than it could 6-8 weeks ago.

Last night I carried a 20lb cornhole board, a cooler and my beer home on the beach from the neighbours. I can definitely feel some soreness in my core today from it, but not in my back and at no point did I feel like my spine or disc were in jeopardy because I was extremely cautious of my posture and form while doing it.

Anyways just curious if anybody has thoughts on this. I know there is no black and white answer but it is something I’ve been thinking a lot about.

I know infection is a risk any time you have an open wound from anything but I am 5.5 weeks post op and noticed some swelling and tenderness 2 days ago that was not present prior to that. I could feel it pressing against the car seat when I got in. I figured by now infection was not even a concern because my staples came out weeks ago and I assumed it had all closed up.

I just left the doctor and he confirmed it was infected and I am now on 10 days of antibiotics. Just curious if this is common or if anybody else has experienced something similar?

I have recovered beautifully. Not in any pain aside from the odd phantom ache here and there. I am now off all of my pain meds for about a week, just taking supplements with no Advil or Tylenol.

I have another 7 days until I have to start back at work which also means a 40-50 minute commute in the mornings and probably 35-40 minute commute home.

I drove for the first time 2 days ago and once this morning for about 15 minutes.. I did not love how it felt.

It wasn’t necessarily painful but I would say it’s probably the only thing I’ve done since surgery that felt like it was doing more harm than good. When I walk a little too far I get a bit of fatigue in my back but even that still feels productive. The car feels counter productive.

I guess having the seat back as far as I can is the best way to do it, so I’m not in a seated 90° position, but has anybody who’s been through similar found anything to make it a bit easier?

I imagine, like getting out of bed 1-2 days post op, this is just something I’m re learning how to do, but I would appreciate any insight you might have.

I have been documenting things here and looking back to see where I was and how far I’ve come in the last 3-4 weeks. Thought I’d take a minute to give another update for myself to look back on and for anybody else who is in the trenches currently. I am 10 days post op with 17 staples still in my back.

From absolute desperation to immediately waking up with no pain, surgery has been way more successful than even I had hoped. After spending a month on my knees on the living room floor with my upper body folded over the couch, sleeping 1-2 hours a night and needing IV Fentanyl just to be able to lay down in the bed for surgery… I am now walking for 15-20 minutes about 3-4x a day and on my feet around the house most of the day between naps.

I can feel a bit of fatigue if I walk too far but every day I have increased the distance a bit to push myself. 2 Days ago I got a little sloppy with my recovery and was using my Dyson vacuum in the living room and moving a side table. Felt my back start to get tired and tight which was a very good reminder that I was only 1 week post op and should stop trying to be a hero. That scared the shit out of me but luckily I rested afterwards and woke up the next morning feeling great.

I have been reading a lot about people who did not have the level of relief I have experienced post op and I wonder if that is because I also got the laminectomy and not just the MD. Either way I know healing is not linear and I am anticipating some sort of flare up or phantom pains at some point. Luckily that hasn’t happened yet though.

I was in the absolute worst darkest place before surgery. I couldn’t even imagine or remember what being pain free felt like and for 2-3 days after surgery I almost didn’t believe it. I kept waiting for it to come back. If you are in rough shape and have a surgery coming up or are debating if you should get one I promise it works and I would do it again no questions asked.

If anybody has questions about the surgery or recovery etc I’d be happy to answer! I got nothing but time as I’m off work for another week and a half :)

Hey all,

If you take a look at the last post I made in this group I was in a dark dark place 2 days ago. Finally had surgery and the relief that I got is almost hard to describe.

Originally I went in for a 90-120 minute right side Microdiscectomy. Ended up being in surgery for almost 4 hours and received a bilateral MD and Laminectomy. Surgeon said when they got in there it was a lot worse than they thought it would be.

I was so bad that when the OR nurse came to get me I had to walk along side the hospital bed into the operating room and they had to give me IV fentanyl so I could lay down in order for them to begin pre surgery prep. I was unable to lay on my back for more than a minute or so.

I had never had surgery before or been put under so I was terrified. They gave me the sleepy juice and I felt the world closing in around me and next thing I knew I woke up in a big room with 2 nurses and a sore throat with a little bit of a stinging sensation in my back. ZERO leg/nerve pain.

I could not sit in the car on the way to the hospital, my wife had to let me out 4 blocks early and I walked it, but on the way home I was so comfortable. When I walked into my house I could smell again. I guess I didn’t realize that I had been in so much pain I was unable to smell. Food has taste again. I laid in bed yesterday morning and listened to the rain drops falling outside. My senses must have been cooked from being in 11/10 pain for so long.

I am day 2 post op now and although I still need help getting out of bed I have had no nerve pain at all. I’ve had a couple sensations of feeling like there should be some nerve pain but at maybe a 1/10 level for only a moment.

I’m not sure what having a Laminectomy means for my recovery as all of my research pre op had been based around getting a MD but I can tell you that I am in an infinitely better spot than I was 48 hours ago.

If anybody can let me know how also having the Lamenectomy changes things I would appreciate it but for now I am just grateful to be able to lay in bed and nap and feel like a normal person again.

If you are in a bad spot right now with a surgery coming up I promise you it is so so worth it.

Hurt my back April 23rd 2025, back pain for 6 months, better for 2-3 months, insane nerve pain in leg getting progressively worse for the last 2 months.

I have MD surgery in 3 days and I haven’t slept more than an hour a night in 3-4 days. Night time I lay on the couch on my back with my feet up on the wall until I can’t anymore and go back to the bedroom to try and fall asleep. Last 4ish nights I haven’t fallen fully asleep once and maybe getting 2 hours of half sleep a night. I can barely walk now and it’s getting super gnarly.

Last night I took 3 Tylenol 3 with a sleeping pill and a prescription anti inflammatory and it didn’t even make a dent.

I know there are probably worse cases than me on here but my brain is starting to play tricks on me from the pain and lack of sleep. I’ve also noticed trouble regulating my body temp because I’m so tired and in pain that I can’t get warm. My nervous system is cooked.

Just looking for somebody who was in the trenches like this and can relate. The thing is this isn’t my original back pain from my injury. It’s been over a year and the last few weeks have been worse daily.

I’m going to show up for my microdiscectomy on Tuesday in shambles on zero sleep, it’s getting rough out here.

Appreciate your insight 🙏

I’ve never been put under. What is waking up from that like? Were you nauseous? Did you immediately know where you were and why? How bad was the pain in your back? Did it feel like you had been under a long time? Any tips for the car ride home?

I’m probably an 11/10 on the pain scale at night right now so they could light my body on fire while I’m out and it would probably be an improvement. Just looking for some insight! Thanks!

I am scheduled for my MD in 16 days and my pain seems to still be getting worse. I’ve been able to fall asleep and stay asleep lately thanks to Pregabalin and Tylenol 3’s but during the day I am unable to drive and spend most of my time sitting on the floor hunched over the foot of my couch.

What are some pain management techniques that have worked for you that I may not have tried already? The first 1-2 hours of my day is by far the worst. I believe it’s a combo of loosening up after sleep and medication kicking in that gets me going finally but it’s rough before everything relaxes.

Any advice for dealing with the deep pain in my ankle bone or behind my knee?

I feel like medication gives me a 10-25% reduction in pain but literally nothing else even kind of helps.