wendybr Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 hi, i posted on here for the first time last week asking for advice following a mri scan for my husband, we got lots of helpful replies thank you last night we ended up back in a and e as the pain was so bad again, it is always worst at night as he cant lay down it now seems possible thats he has a prolapsed disc although nothing confirmed yet until the scan is reported on, he has had some stong medicine in hospital and is back home now asleep does anyone have any experience of a prolapsed disc, is it the same as a slipped disc,herniated disc any pain relief tips? thanks very much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedypete0 Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 hi over the past 30 odd years i have had 2 ops for prolapsed dics [3] it was known as slipped disc was the first person in brittain [apparently] to have a decommpression op on my spine first one 30 odd years ago last one 2 years ago last time it went i could not get off the floor for 3month before they opperated now back at work no back problem in the last episode was on tramadol & morphine for the pain[ but wasnt very effective ] with declafenic tablets & amitrypaline but i suppose it depends on each person`s pain tolerance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendybr Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 thanks for the reply, i really hope he doesnt have to wait 3 months for the op. he can hardly walk during the day and nights are even worse. he is on tramadol gabapentin and naproxen which are having little or no effect. he was given morphine inj last night and his legs still feel drunk today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willman Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My wife had a prolapsed disc - her symptoms were a little confusing. She couldn't walk more than 30 yards at a time, but she could sit for hours,in some discomfort,but long enough and comfortable enough to work,drive ,go to the cinema. Her disc was compared to a soft mint(sweet) with a hard crunchy outside but the soft middle was popping out,this was pressing on her spinal nerves. My wife suffered for almost a year before even getting to see a spinal specialist, we were almost ready to pay privately(6k).In the process however she was referred to physios etc to help her,she even went to a reiki practitioner,privately(which amazingly helped) I was at A&E myself two weeks ago in similar pain,however it turned out to be trapped nerve abucket load of tramadol,diazepam helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendybr Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 my husband has an out patient appointment with the consultand at the end of the month to find the results of the mri and hopefully then we will know what the plan of action is to be. we started to look at going private but decided to wait till after app at end of month first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carosio Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 A friend of mine at the age of 86 had it done in Thornbury (£6k), she was out in a couple of days; too painful to wait months for the NHS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendybr Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 hello its a few days since i posted on here and thanks for all replies. the upto date info is now that his back pain has eased due to the morphine (they said it should help with back pain for few days) but his legs are worse.could it be that as his back now does not hurt so much he is laying flat and trapping nerves in legs so making leg pain so bad. with the back pain he could not lay flat for more than a few mins which was why mri was stopped part way through he now has little flexion in left foot and both feet feel fully numb. app with consultant not till next week and we can see him getting new symptons every day. wonder what the waiting time for opperation is after consultant appointment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiglet Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 He really does need to go back to his GP for advice about the new symptoms; if they think it's medically necessary they will make him an urgent appointment or send him to A&E, if they don't then at least your mind will be at rest until the Monday appointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatshmeat Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 hello its a few days since i posted on here and thanks for all replies. the upto date info is now that his back pain has eased due to the morphine (they said it should help with back pain for few days) but his legs are worse.could it be that as his back now does not hurt so much he is laying flat and trapping nerves in legs so making leg pain so bad. with the back pain he could not lay flat for more than a few mins which was why mri was stopped part way through he now has little flexion in left foot and both feet feel fully numb. app with consultant not till next week and we can see him getting new symptons every day. wonder what the waiting time for opperation is after consultant appointment pain and numbness in leggs and buttock area (possibly cant hold his waste in) is really bad, as a root nerve is being pressed against, I would go to a&e pronto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert_Baehr Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Ultimately the decision about the treatment will rest with your husband. If he's considering surgery, then once the neurosurgeon has examined him and seen the MRI he will, no doubt, detail the options and the probability of success (or otherwise) My sister ruptured a disc and she elected to have surgery. She had 4 or 5 lots of surgery over a period of nearly 10 years. She now has a couple of titanium replacement vertebrae, synthetic discs and no problems. During that 10 year period there were plenty of problems, she spent a lot of time in hospital and - at one time - there was a very real risk she would never walk again. I too ruptured a disk and was offered surgery. I didn't like the odds (in my case:60% chance we'll make it better, 30% chance it'll be the same and 10% chance it will end up worse. 'Make it worse' could mean 'you get a nice shiny new wheelchair'.) Those odds were unacceptable to me. I rejected surgery, spent 3 months recovering (the pain was bad initially, but it did reduce - and became intermittent.) I have a 'lifting limit' (no more than 5 Kg. - I observed that ban for the first 3 months but subsequently found I could lift considerably more - if I'm very careful how I lift things.) I was told to expect (worst case) one or two instances a year when I would be in severe pain and be confined to bed for a week or two. There were 3 during the first 3 years, about one every 2 years for the next 6 years or so and (unfortunately) there have been a few more during the last 2 years. I do have painkiller medication - it stops the pain, but I don't get on with it. The last check-up I had (last year) suggested that my body is trying to repair the disc and doing a pretty good job of it, too. When I rejected surgery I accepted the probability that I would - from time to time - be laid up in bed in fairly severe pain. My sister elected to have surgery and (although she's now 'repaired') I reckon I spent less time trying to stay very still and practising swearwords than she did. As Twiglet said, if your husband has new symptoms contact a doctor. The problems are caused by the disc/the vertebrae/the leaked contents of the disc rubbing on nerves. If the symptoms change, those nerves could be facing a risk of severe and irreparable damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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