Back Surgery

[Snapshot]

I need to get back surgery to replace 2 bad disks in my lower spine. I have been putting this off for the last two years because of the physical nature of my work,and recovery time etc, but I need to get it done as I am in constant pain and discomfort.

Anyway, I am looking for opinions from any fellow hunters or anyone that knows another hunter that has had this operation. And what their down side was. I have talked to non-hunters that have had it done and they took 2-4 months before they could resume full physical activity based on individual circumstance. But just wanted to know what any fellow hunter experienced after their ordeal.

If I do it this summer any hunts that I get drawn for would be a wasted tag, as I may not be fully capable of hunting.

The doctor expects full recovery, but told me to expect approx 3 months of healing and therapy, and I would not be able to load my back during that time.

I am seriously considering on suffering a little longer and wait until after the season is over as I hate missing hunts. I live in constant fear of throwing my back out when hunting alone, and will be buying a personal locator beacon/satellite phone just in case.

Any information would be appreciated!

[Red Rabbit]

There is a Doctor Yung (sp?) in Scottsdale who does a radio frequency surgery on herniated discs. It is not suitable for all disc problems I am told, but you might investigate this as a possible option. A fireman friend had this done a few years ago and he was impresssed. No long recovery period also.

 

 

[TLH]

Brent,

 

It depends on what they will do for you. Will they go and fuse the two disks together? Will they remove the disc's? What are they going to do?

 

I know a couple of people who have had this done and the one's that have a fusion usually get back going a lot faster than the ones who go and do more major things--like disc removal and that type of surgery.

 

 

I can tell you i know two firefighters--one carpenter and one manager that i work with that has had the operation--the firefighters were back up and running a lot faster than the teacher and the Carpenter was actually up faster than the firefighters--why?? Physical condition--the better shape you have your self in the faster you will be up and running.

 

The very best thing you can do for yourself is research the surgeon that will be doing the operation--just like hiring a guide, check the references and look at his surgical record--don't go to the first one your regular Doc. sends you to--period!!

 

One last thing to ask--have you tried other forms of non surgical treatment? Physical Therapy? Pain Specialist? any of that??

 

I will have to have my neck and back fixed one of these days but for now i am trying to build the muscles up and if that doesn't do i have the epidural. I was hit by a guy about two years ago and my neck and lower back has not been the same--right now i have a burning pain in my arm and i don't want to live like this the rest of my life but with the advancement of medicine and surgical procedures i think i will hang in there until i feel comfortable with the surgery.

 

Good luck bud---i hope it works out perfectly for you.

[GameHauler]

I'm right there with ya Brent.

Been suffering with a bulging disc for years now.

It is no fun when it goes out and all you can do is lay there.

Good luck and speedy recovery

[Snapshot]

I have done all of it. Therapy ( my wife works for a therapist) chiropractic, etc. Pain management in my case only helps with the pain and not the cause.

The affected area has two bulging /herniated disks that along with my slight spinal scoliosis, are creating compression on the left side of the spine, the vertabrae are too close together and causing pinching / compression of the nerve cluster. I do not want spinal fusion except for a last resort.

I will be seeing a different specialist/surgeon next month who was reffered to me by a neighbor who had the procedure with good success and had great things to say abouth the surgeon.

 

Red Rabbit - I am researching the radio frequency procedure this morning . Thanks!

 

 

TLH- My wife has the same burning arm syndrome as you from an auto accident (whiplash) hers comes from physical activity and the muscles pulling on the neck joint which in turn pinches the nerve and causes the arm to feel that way.

 

 

[tjhunt2]

I have done all of it. Therapy ( my wife works for a therapist) chiropractic, etc. Pain management in my case only helps with the pain and not the cause.

The affected area has two bulging /herniated disks that along with my slight spinal scoliosis, are creating compression on the left side of the spine, the vertabrae are too close together and causing pinching / compression of the nerve cluster. I do not want spinal fusion except for a last resort.

I will be seeing a different specialist/surgeon next month who was reffered to me by a neighbor who had the procedure with good success and had great things to say abouth the surgeon.

 

Red Rabbit - I am researching the radio frequency procedure this morning . Thanks!

 

 

TLH- My wife has the same burning arm syndrome as you from an auto accident (whiplash) hers comes from physical activity and the muscles pulling on the neck joint which in turn pinches the nerve and causes the arm to feel that way.

 

Snapshot, I feel your pain believe me. I suffered for many years with a herniated disc in my lower neck and had the same symptoms as TLH and your wife discribed. I finally, about 8 years ago, had Barrows Nerological Institute fuse my 6 & 7th vertabrae together, installed a titanium plate/screws, and told me to never play sports or run again. Getting to old for sports but I do run occasionally while hunting and usually hurt later that night. I waited till after pig season and was out of work for 4 months, shooting the bow in 6months, and didn't miss archery elk in Nov. I couldn't carry any load for about a year.

My Father has 4 fused in his back and was out for a year of hunting but he was about 70 when he had it done. He's 79 now and the days and hours are limited on a hunt.

TLH is right about the physical condition of your body and recovery time. I would say the biggerst thing to do is reserch your surgeons records. You are the one who has to live with the results.

Good luck to you, TLH, and your wife.

 

TJ

 

[Snapshot]

I'm right there with ya Brent.

Been suffering with a bulging disc for years now.

It is no fun when it goes out and all you can do is lay there.

Good luck and speedy recovery

 

I can relate. My last episode, I was fortunate enough that I had my Cell phone on my belt, I had to call my wife who brought my Dad to help lift me off the ground and carry me inside the house.

 

[firstcoueswas80]

I'm right there with ya Brent.

Been suffering with a bulging disc for years now.

It is no fun when it goes out and all you can do is lay there.

Good luck and speedy recovery

 

I can relate. My last episode, I was fortunate enough that I had my Cell phone on my belt, I had to call my wife who brought my Dad to help lift me off the ground and carry me inside the house.

 

 

Had a similar experience with my shoulder. Had it pop out while at my uncles house... Had to call him on my cell phone so he could come pop it back in place! OUCH!

[Snapshot]

I'm right there with ya Brent.

Been suffering with a bulging disc for years now.

It is no fun when it goes out and all you can do is lay there.

Good luck and speedy recovery

 

I can relate. My last episode, I was fortunate enough that I had my Cell phone on my belt, I had to call my wife who brought my Dad to help lift me off the ground and carry me inside the house.

 

 

Had a similar experience with my shoulder. Had it pop out while at my uncles house... Had to call him on my cell phone so he could come pop it back in place! OUCH!

 

Was it dislocated? I have seen someone do that before and it didn't look like any fun!

 

[firstcoueswas80]

Yep, and it sure wasnt fun. It hurt like heck!

[.270]

one o' my best pals had his fixed last winter. he said when he woke up from surgery he was so much better than before that he couldn't believe it. he's up to walking a couple miles a day and getting around quite well now. he's working quite a bit and doing fine. his only advise was that if you need back surgery, get it done. said it made such a difference he couldn't believe it and everyday he's better. Lark.

[fatfootdoc]

there are several types of spinal surgery that you can have, if the disks are bulging, herniated or pinched, they do what is called a laminectomy to decompress it . THis is by far better than a fusion, you cant do any heavy lifting for several weeks but usually are asymptomatic as soon as you wake up. Now if you have spinal changes such as arthritis and degenerative disk disease, scoliosis etc, they do fusions. Bone regardless of where it is at takes 6 weeks to heal. The titanium plates that they use now adays are awesome and last forever. However, there is always a chance that you can loosen your fixation(screws) or plate with heavy physical activity ie, hunting , running , weight lifting etc. They can also rod your back now as well, 2 rods along your spine, for serious injuries. Basically it all depends on how bad the back is and what the root of the problem is, the less they do the quicker you get better. You have gotten good advice, research your doc, get a 2nd opinion, 3 if they dont agree. My wife had a cervical decompression and c1 laminectomy at Barrows for a congenital problem, the surgeon was awesome, the after care in st joes kind of sucked. I would however go to Barrows in a heartbeat for any type of spinal or neurosurgery. Good luck. adam

[flagstaff]

I need to get back surgery to replace 2 bad disks in my lower spine. I have been putting this off for the last two years because of the physical nature of my work,and recovery time etc, but I need to get it done as I am in constant pain and discomfort.

Anyway, I am looking for opinions from any fellow hunters or anyone that knows another hunter that has had this operation. And what their down side was. I have talked to non-hunters that have had it done and they took 2-4 months before they could resume full physical activity based on individual circumstance. But just wanted to know what any fellow hunter experienced after their ordeal.

If I do it this summer any hunts that I get drawn for would be a wasted tag, as I may not be fully capable of hunting.

The doctor expects full recovery, but told me to expect approx 3 months of healing and therapy, and I would not be able to load my back during that time.

I am seriously considering on suffering a little longer and wait until after the season is over as I hate missing hunts. I live in constant fear of throwing my back out when hunting alone, and will be buying a personal locator beacon/satellite phone just in case.

Any information would be appreciated!

I blew out a disc in my lower back back in 2000. The pain for the next year and a half was bad - I can take pain but it was bad and never wasn't there. It got the point I couldn't sit, the pain from turning over in bed when sleeping would wake me up, the pain in my right leg was incredible, driving was painful, always short with family members because I was in such pain all the time, I lost weight, ect. In 2001, I had the disc removed. The doc said it was the worse he had ever seen (and he had been doing it for a while). As soon as I woke up from anesteshia, the pain was gone. I was out of the hospital the next day (I hate those places). I was back to work 2 weeks later. My back isn't as good as it was before I injured it, but far better than those years after the injury. I still feel it sometimes, but the doc said the disc is kinda like a pillow between two bones, and without that pillow, I have bone on bone, so it isn't gonna be like before. But I can walk for miles (my hunting backpack weighs about 20 pounds with all the optics and gear I pack), work out everyday, can quad and 4 wheel with the best of them, and have helped packed out 2 deer and 2 elk and helped a couple people move since then. One bull elk (he was a 6X6) last year was all by myself a mile from the truck up a steep hill. Bottom line, try to avoid surgery, try physical therapy and their exercises first, but if it gets bad, I mean bad, get it done. And if you get it done, it ain't the end of the world. You can still hunt and do just about everything you did before - just be careful and know your limits. That was my experience anyway. Hope this helps. Good luck.

[azhuntnut]

I am in the same boat as well, plus both disc above and below are giving me problems. I almost broke down a while back and did the Spinal Decompression therapy, but it was hard to pay the almost $4500.00 cost to do so. So I did my own research on the subject and decided to purchase an Inversion Chair. Within a four days of using it, my pain started to subside. You only have to use it once or twice a day for a couple minutes, or longer if you feel like it. I also added a memory foam pad to my bed that has also helped me sleep better. I was taking over 120 mg of Ibuprofen a day before I got these item. Plus my kidneys were starting to give me problems. I can still hike a fair amount again, but not the good ole days of 10 miles or more a day.

My brother recently did the Spinal Decompression and said he no longer has any pain in his back, but I don't know the severity of his injury. I hope this helps, David

 

 

 

http://ocspinaldecompression.com/DRX9000.htm

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate....amp;item=327507

[AzTrapper]

I need to get back surgery to replace 2 bad disks in my lower spine. I have been putting this off for the last two years because of the physical nature of my work,and recovery time etc, but I need to get it done as I am in constant pain and discomfort.

Anyway, I am looking for opinions from any fellow hunters or anyone that knows another hunter that has had this operation. And what their down side was. I have talked to non-hunters that have had it done and they took 2-4 months before they could resume full physical activity based on individual circumstance. But just wanted to know what any fellow hunter experienced after their ordeal.

If I do it this summer any hunts that I get drawn for would be a wasted tag, as I may not be fully capable of hunting.

The doctor expects full recovery, but told me to expect approx 3 months of healing and therapy, and I would not be able to load my back during that time.

I am seriously considering on suffering a little longer and wait until after the season is over as I hate missing hunts. I live in constant fear of throwing my back out when hunting alone, and will be buying a personal locator beacon/satellite phone just in case.

Any information would be appreciated!

 

Depends on what they do, I had a fusion done and then this last Dec. I had a spinal stem implant to control pain, Are they going to replace the disks or fuse them?