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Originally posted by alderdweller:
I've just found out I have a herniated disk and the orthopedic Doc is recommending surgery. Any readers here had back surgery, if so...was it successful? Any recommendations on Docs?
I am very hesitant to have this done, but tired of the pain. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
I injured my back in Aug 2006, two herniated disks at L4-L5 and L5-S1. I went to physical therapy, and tried the decompression therapy at a chiropractor;neither gave any relief. My doctor wanted to do surgery as a last resort, and most doctors do. When there has been no relief after 6 months, surgery is a good option. But I waited 15 months until the pain in my calf, hip, buttock,shin,and foot got to be too much to bare. I had surgery in Nov 2007, a double microdiskectomy and was pain free that day, other than of course the pain from the incision. It's only a 1 to 2 inch scar...leave the hospital the next morning...not driving for 2 weeks...and returning to work in 4-6 weeks depending on the amount of physical activity required. You return to an office job earlier. It was the BEST decision that I could have made; I had to put aside what I had heard from others saying to never have back surgery.
My doctor is Cyrus Ghavam at The Orthopaedic Center in Huntsville on Franklin St., next to Huntsville Hospital. The famous doctor James Andrews in Birmingham said that Dr.Ghavam is the best he knows of anywhere with spinal surgery and care. And I attest to that.