After surgery

I had a diskectomy 25 days ago. Around day 16, after being a perfect patient, without thinking, I bent and lifted a lamp. I had immediate pain.  They opted to wait until my 30 day checkup to do x-rays and an assessment. Is there anything special I should be asking them in addition? Also, they did the surgery due to electrical type pains in my calves that remain. They said that may happen for another four months or so. Do you agree or have different advice?  Thank you!

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

By XRays I assume you mean MRIs also. If not, this may be something to consider in addition to plain back films to make sure everything looks ok especially if you have new symptoms or worsening pain.  As for the residual calf pain, it's normal to still have some degree of pain post-op.  Sometimes it takes weeks to several months for resolution of neurological symptoms and sometimes, there is no complete recovery depending on how extensive the nerve damage was, how long the disc pushed up against the nerves and what happened in the surgery.  I would give it a few weeks to see how you do.  If of course you become worse then let your surgeon know ASAP.  But if it's gradually getting better (slow as it may be), you're probably on the right track. Good luck.

[nurse12hr]

It took me at least 4 months after my discectomy to feel 90% back to normal.  The electrical type pains happened for quite some time.  
How's this for stupid?  4 days post op, my car got stuck in the mud on the back road to my house.  No cell phone, hubby away on business.  I wasn't supposed to even be driving, but I was going crazy in the house.  I PUSHED the car out of the mud.  

No permanent harm done, but I had to have another MRI b/c of the increase in pain.

[mississauga]

Was this a microdiskectomy? I'm supposed to have one soon and only booked six weeks off work do I need more?