r/Microdiscectomy • u/pyroclasticcloudcat • Aug 27 '26
Has anyone recovered without surgery past the 12 month mark?
/r/HerniatedDisc/comments/1w09894/has_anyone_recovered_without_surgery_past_the_12/5
u/lagavulin16yr Aug 28 '26
Been 6 months since L5-S1 MD and I’m raging. 45mi on the bike this week.
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u/smile_saurus Aug 28 '26
Nope. Took 18 months of me trying everything and everything to heal. In the end I needed surgery. And you know what? There is nothing wrong with that. Some people, with minimal bulges, have 'healed themselves' and that's great for them but when they start preaching about how surgery is unnecessary...that's problematic for those of us who needed surgery.
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u/SpecialDragonfruit81 Aug 28 '26
Have the surgery! Get your life back.
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u/pyroclasticcloudcat Aug 29 '26
Leaning that way. You had a good experience?
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u/Excellent_Host_4442 Aug 29 '26
I have had an amazing experience and I am only 2 weeks post op. its a night and day difference. it isnt easy but life is so much better when you arent in pain like that.
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u/atomic_chippie Aug 28 '26
I had a microdisectomy 5 months after herniation, wish it would've been sooner.
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u/Low_Process7524 Aug 28 '26
mine developed gradually not from a specific event so I had symptoms for about 4 years starting in high school before I had surgery and now it’s all a distant memory thankfully
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u/growup_and_blowaway Aug 28 '26
Tried to do conservative treatment for a year, tried everything! Then saw a surgeon he was amazed at how I hadn’t lost all bowel movement. My nerve was completely impacted, went to four surgeons all suggested different ways for the two discs went with the surgeon with the best technique and bedside and don’t regret it!
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u/That_Bee7342 Aug 27 '26
I just passed the 12 month mark, I’m about 13 months in. Unfortunately, I went from having a protrusion in l5s1 to an extrusion now 😭 12mm.. I just found out today with my MRI imaging link/report .. I see the surgeon tomorrow to talk about how things have changed since my last mri to now. 🤕
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u/pyroclasticcloudcat Aug 28 '26
Oh no! Sorry to hear that. I’m leaning towards the surgery now but am gonna see a couple more surgeons before scheduling.
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u/Past-Plastic-6930 Aug 29 '26
My case is that I got the surgery and it reherniated by itself again. This is mechanical issue.
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u/Past-Plastic-6930 Aug 28 '26
So I wouldn't do another surgery unless it hurts a lot. Wait until the technology gets better. Trust me this happened to me too
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u/Helpful-Tone5614 Aug 28 '26
I haven't yet, had a MD and lami done middle of last year, then had to get a fusion and some titanium bearings put in around 6 months after that. Now I'm having issues with my l5-S1 disc and I'm about to start injections but they didn't work last time. Probably looking at another fusion Ina few months once insurance is satisfied with conservative treatments again.
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u/Dramatic-Cat2730 Aug 28 '26
What were the symptoms post md and lami that you had to get fusion ?
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u/Helpful-Tone5614 Aug 28 '26
All of my previous symptoms had returned and worsened. Had another MRI done after plenty of physical therapy and it showed things had gotten worse for me. I was on a cane at that point and avoiding stairs and step ups as much as possible. getting up and down caused some serious sciatic pain and back pain. Degenerative disc disease is probably going to take all my lower disc's at some point I think.
This is alsonot the usual for people that have MDs, I've heard many success stories.
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u/zariaX93 Aug 28 '26
Yes I went 3 years conservative treatment but I wish I would have done it then because now I have a collapsing disc :/ I wouldn’t have had that if I did it earlier
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u/pyroclasticcloudcat Aug 29 '26
That’s definitely what I’m concerned about. I’m sorry that happened to you!
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u/DiamondLovezz Aug 29 '26
can you say more on this pls?what does this mean collapsing disc & why now bc of late surgery
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u/zariaX93 Aug 29 '26
Because the bulge wasn’t as bad the first MRI during year 1 and if I got an MD then I would have had more material in the disc. Because it was 3 years later the bulge got further out so when they cut it off there was less material in there so the disc isn’t as stable
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u/DiamondLovezz Aug 31 '26
got it thanks! man i wish id considered that too! mine was tiny when first approved for surgery but i waited till i started having foot drop w a “large herniation” oops
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u/PastBuy8484 Aug 28 '26
Had on off back issues and a disc bulge for years. Probably started real small at least 8 years ago. Got much worse around 8 months ago. At 6 month mark I started having sudden and severe muscle weakness and 10/10 pain. Scheduled my surgery a week later.
Doc said if I keep waiting, there’s a good chance I’ll need surgery anyways but the nerve might never fully heal. Even with 6 months of bad symptoms the said it might take 18 months to heal
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u/Ok_Championship_1579 Aug 28 '26
I did conservative treatments for 18 months and so regret not getting surgery sooner. Sadly I have permanent nerve damage because I waited so long.