Seems like a blink since I sat down to write my one year update post but here we are. 2 years out of spine surgery! More specifically a l5/s1 microdiscectomy.
For those who might not know my past, this is a procedure to go in and remove a piece of disc material that has herniated and is pressing on the nerve root, commonly the sciatic nerve which causes “sciatica”. I struggled with the most crippling pain I've ever felt, numbness, weakness, in both my legs, left worse than right and had a pretty bad herniation pressing on both my left and right nerve roots and pushing into my spinal cord.
I’d love to have been at a point a year ago where I could say I as feeling better and better but sadly I’m not as good as I hoped to be. This isn't related to my surgery but another condition I’ve had for 13 years. I’ve had chronic pain in my right arm, its normal for me now so I don't talk much about it but recovering from my back surgery I was getting a heck of a lot more active, I was doing pilates classes twice a week and at home and my back was getting super strong and I felt fab. But the more active I got the more the pain in my arm increased, now its to the point I can’t carry on with pilates or strengthening exercises and this has obviously had a knock on effect on my back recovery. I’ve lost the strength I gained, my core gets weaker every day and it fucking sucks! I was the healthiest I’d ever been when exercising, I’d lost most of the weight I gained while vegetating waiting for surgery and I was happy. Now I’m a wobbly unfit and aching potato again. I try and do a bit of pilates when I can but can manage 5 mins before the pain becomes so intense in my arm I can’t move. I’d actually say the pain in my arms is worse than my legs ever were. And I’ve had this for 13 years. 13 years of doctors telling me its all in my head and I’m too young to have something wrong with me. But finally I got a doctor to listen after an MRI earlier in the year showed issues with 3 discs in my neck. I have an appointment with a surgeon in January, funnily enough the same surgeon who sliced my back open!
I think I’m going to talk about my arm issue more in another post because theres so much history and so many symptoms that It would turn this from a 2 year update to a splurge about my arm and that aint what this is about is it now!
So despite my lack of exercise my back is still ok, it aches a bit if I overdo it and I can get the odd niggle of nerve pain, well its not really pain more like a twinge if I do too much or move too fast. I think its my body’s way of telling me to calm down cause its usually when I'm up to something stupid like trying to carry something heavy or falling over!
My whole back in general feels tight and knotty, I should really be going for regular massages but it gets expensive!
I’m currently doing a lot of diy, I'm converting a van into a camper van on my own, my awesome dad is helping when he can! But I’m trying to do as much as I can alone, kind of feels like something I want to do to be proud of, and that just because I've had back surgery doesn't mean I can’t do anything. Plus I’m feeling like I need to get the years back I lost out on being a carefree twentysomething. I missed out on so much. I hate that I had to cancel my masters degree for surgery, I kick myself now thinking I’d have a masters in forensic anthropology right now if my back didn't get in my way. Instead I work in a food store. That really gets me down! I know I can re apply and go again but I don't think I’m over the grief that I never got to go in the first place, so for me its not right right now.
One other little symptom I do get even now, it just happened which reminded me! Is that I have a patch of skin on my lower leg that goes tingly and numb! Doesn't effect me at all other than it feels weird but I find it strange I still get that even now!
So overall I’m doing ok. I’m not where I wanted to be fitness wise, but soon as my arm is sorted I’ll get there. I’ve got a lot to look forward to, and have been doing so much since surgery I’m feeling alive and hopeful again.
Just keeping my fingers crossed for my arm to get fixed soon! Hopefully the next step is an accurate diagnosis!
If you wanna read more about my back and surgery then I have a post you can find here about my symptoms and journey to diagnosis and surgery in my one year update.
Thanks for reading!
Vikky
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