Well we are almost 2 months post op and things are going pretty good. I was able to go back to work about a month after surgery... although I got shipped to Colorado for the forseeable future.
The back has it's days now and again which I am guessing is just part of the healing process. 95% of the time I am pain free but I keep myself out of situations that would cause the pain previously ( reaching for books , twisting for books in the courthouse etc). Sometimes if I sit in certain chairs or positions I can feel some pain down the leg. I am not sure if its phantom pains/my imagination or if it's true pain. It could also be the nerve healing still etc. A lot of things I have read and even the doctor said that depending on the severity/length of the impingement it could take up to a year to 18 months to completely heal.
That being said I have been able to ride an exercise bike for 10-15 minutes a time without any pain afterwards. My doctor says in a couple more weeks I will be able to bump up to 30 mins for 4 -5 days a week. At this point I can start a strengthening program so that I can get back to more activities. He says if people re-herniate it usually happens a majority of the time within the first 3 months. That's why he has been having me take it so slowly.
Other than that everything has gotten back to normal. My sleep , my temperament , my appetite ( which isnt good since I cant exercise much). I have gone completely off meds. I take advil ( the good Canadian stuff) when i feel sore. So all in all I guess my decisions to get the surgery done was a good one for me. I hope anyone who has exhausted any other options but is afraid of surgery will consider it after seeing my results.
|