Bulging Disc: Surgery or not?

[Iggy82]

About 2 years ago, I started feeling classical symptoms of sciatica - pain radiating down my right leg, all the way to the knee, mostly on the side of the leg. This happened right after I made about 10 consecutive jumps. A year later after that episode, I had MRI done. It showed that I had 2 bulging/herniated discs and 1 herniated disc. The bulging/herniated discs are at L1-L2 and L2-L3 position. The mildly herniated disc was at L5-S1 position. My leg pain is always there, however, its severity is on and off. It's never extreme, such as inability to get out of bed or not go to work. However, at times it's distressing resulting in inability to exercise at gym or do various physical activities fully.

I am 25 years old and sports has always been a somewhat large part of my life. I have a gym membership for 10 years, I play basketball, tennis, soccer and other sports recreationally. This pain has inhibited some of those activities and I had to cut out many of the exercises that I used to do in the gym (squats, back rows, military press and etc.)

Recently I had 2 epidural injections done, about 3 weeks apart. The first one helped for about 10 days and the 2nd one I had done less than a week ago and the pain has already come back almost fully.

I have seen 2 surgeons and both recommended surgeries after first trying more conservative treatment. I have been prescribed by one surgeon to undergo a PT course for 6 weeks. While I didn't start it yet, it's unlikely to help in my view.
The first surgeon recommended a laminectomy and the 2nd one microdiscectomy.

Is it worth going through one of these surgeries given my age and somewhat nagging pain, should PT fail (as I predict it will)? If so, how successful are these surgeries in terms of pain relief? Will I ever be able to go back to gym again at at least 80% of how I used to? In other words, do the benefits outweigh the costs of recovery, pain and some risk?
Is PT any help in situations like these where the pain is chronic and according to MRI and X-Ray, I have some bone spurs and somewhat degenerated discs?
Thank You for your time and attention,
- Igor

[harryh9]

To who it may help:
I had buldging discs about fifteen years ago, ended up in the hospital on morphine for a week.  Had three epidural injections which helped a little.  Pain was still terrible, suffered in this condition for three months, worse at night when the pills wore off.   Tried sleeping in a recliner, pain greatly improved in less then a week.  I was instructed by my doctor not to have surgery as they have found that the scar tissue can make things much worse in the future.  I walked two miles daily for a year not other PT.  The only bad effect I suffered was drop foot, it is not painfull by causes me to stumble and requires that I concuously lift my foot when walking.  I go to the gym and use the weight machines and do a hundred cruches whch now makes my back feel great, don't bend and lift heavy weights  Many doctors tell back pain sufferers try and find what works for you.  Hope my experience helps someone.

[Mum2ethan]

My 161/2 yr old athletic son has a protrusion at L5 that's causing him to experience excruciating pain. It's been nearly a year and he has tried pt, anti-inflammatories, and nothing seems to help. Now they think its effecting the nerve since his pain is radiating into his legs. He is a college boy d baseball player( soyrhpaw pitcher, and hits as well).  I am a single mom with kaiser who doesn't seem to take this situation as seriously as is necessary. Any guidance would be sincerely appreciated.  He has been through 3 unrelated surgeries in his life and watching him suffer life this is unimaginable.  All he sees is his precious jr year passing by as well as his college baseball scholarship opportunities.   All I want is fir him to be able to sit through an entire school day without coming home in this pain.  
Thank you in advance for your time.
Jodi
Aka concerned mom

[Biggdaddy32]

Howdy, My name is Curtis, and Im suffering from a bulging herniated disk at the L2-L3 area. It began Aug.29. I work the Nightshift, and how this began, was as simple as putting my 5 1/2 month old boy down on a his changing table to change his diaper before heading off to work. I felt my lower back pinch, but felt that pain b4 many times, and just thought of it as another pinch that'll go away. So, i get to work, and through the hours of work, i began feeling this tingle going down one leg, then the other. It got worse thru the night, and by the next day of waking up, i could not get up out of bed. Painful, any movement hurt everywhere. I stayed out of work for almost a week, then returned. I shouldnt have because my legs couldnt hold me up if i had the slightest bend in my knees. I soon found out this was very scary, considering i work for a welding machine shop and handle parts that range from 5lbs to 30000lbs, and having to be preheated to 400-600 degrees b4 welding. So Falling down in a bad spot could have been a life or death situation. I was stubborn, tried to work and tough it out and acted as though it wasnt that big of an issue, but after falling a few times, luckily out of the way of parts, i saw my doc... he highly recommended an MRI. I did so, and sure enough, there was the problem. A Disk bulged at L2-L3. I saw the first Doc, he recommended an ESI right away. In the mean time, I saw another Doc for the second op, and he got into alot more detail of my situation and what he thought i should do. Both said surgery. Both said an ESI would be my first Option, but both said because of the Bulge, Surgery will inevitably be my next stop. I had the ESI today, actually this morning at the Texas Orthopedics Hospital. Once the numbness was gone in the legs, i do notice better movement in my thighs, which was the biggest issue i had, since this ordeal began. Sore, a bit, but then again, its my first day of some relief and we shall see where it goes from here. Doctors do not feel like it will last long for my situation, but again miracles do exist, and you never know. :) Ill come back to update Laters.

[Biggdaddy32]

Howdy, My name is Curtis, and Im suffering from a bulging herniated disk at the L2-L3 area. It began Aug.29. I work the Nightshift, and how this began, was as simple as putting my 5 1/2 month old boy down on a his changing table to change his diaper before heading off to work. I felt my lower back pinch, but felt that pain b4 many times, and just thought of it as another pinch that'll go away. So, i get to work, and through the hours of work, i began feeling this tingle going down one leg, then the other. It got worse thru the night, and by the next day of waking up, i could not get up out of bed. Painful, any movement hurt everywhere. I stayed out of work for almost a week, then returned. I shouldnt have because my legs couldnt hold me up if i had the slightest bend in my knees. I soon found out this was very scary, considering i work for a welding machine shop and handle parts that range from 5lbs to 30000lbs, and having to be preheated to 400-600 degrees b4 welding. So Falling down in a bad spot could have been a life or death situation. I was stubborn, tried to work and tough it out and acted as though it wasnt that big of an issue, but after falling a few times, luckily out of the way of parts, i saw my doc... he highly recommended an MRI. I did so, and sure enough, there was the problem. A Disk bulged at L2-L3. I saw the first Doc, he recommended an ESI right away. In the mean time, I saw another Doc for the second op, and he got into alot more detail of my situation and what he thought i should do. Both said surgery. Both said an ESI would be my first Option, but both said because of the Bulge, Surgery will inevitably be my next stop. I had the ESI today, actually this morning at the Texas Orthopedics Hospital. Once the numbness was gone in the legs, i do notice better movement in my thighs, which was the biggest issue i had, since this ordeal began. Sore, a bit, but then again, its my first day of some relief and we shall see where it goes from here. Doctors do not feel like it will last long for my situation, but again miracles do exist, and you never know. :) Ill come back to update Laters.

[Jazzybean19]

Hi.
I am 33yrs old and hurt my back 5 months ago lifting a vacuum cleaner (I knew house cleaning was bad for your health). Took a week off work and it seemed to be fine.8 weeks ago I started getting pain down the back of my left leg and into my ankle, side of foot numb and 3 end toes, no strength in leg to push off with. Went to see physio, then a CT scan. Have a L5/S1 disc protrusion,with a 5.5mm protrusion. Refuse to take narcotics because my sister got addicted to them after her surgery. I am taking panadeine forte at nights to get me through. During the day I am taking a over the counter pill with codeine in it.
Saw neurosurgeon today and having a nerve sleeve injection next week then a MRI a week later.
Surgeon has recommended surgery but is letting me try the nerve root injection but I don't think he is holding much hope for it.

Sister had microdiscectomy surgery a year to two ago and a fussion. And has had no relief. I also account her problem to being heavily overweight and not really helping herself to get better.

I am only able to lay on my stomach or back. Can not sit more than 5 mins. If I have to stand I sway from foot to foot. Can not stand still. Meals are eaten laying down. I lay my seat down in the car if I have to go anywhere and my husband drives.

So yeah that's me so far. Just waiting to see how the sleeve injection goes but I am looking into surgery and getting my head around everything.

[inseriouspain]

OMG I am a nurse and hurt my back at work 4 months ago....Occupational Health has treated me terrible.  At first, diagnosed me w/Lumbar Strain and gave me pain med, sent me back to work.  The next week, I had to start PT.  I made another appt and told them pain worse (severe low R back pain) and pain now shooting down my legs to my toes (with tingling/numbness).  Told the PA is was worried I may have herniated disc going on w/these symptoms.  He looked me sqare in the face and told me he had no reason to believe I had anything but lumbar sprain.  Kept going to PT as told, which only caused me more pain.  Went back to Occ Health told them nothing getting better, only worse.  Also, told him that I had been severely constipated since back injury, which was not due to narcotics, as I only took them the first 4 days and no more as I did not want to have bowel issues.  He told me to go see my regular MD about that....even though I am an RN and know what MD will say regarding constipation, as I was taught in school what you need to do, and even how to bowel train a patient.  I just absolutely don't have a sensation to have a bowel movement anymore.  Occ Health has continued to ignore my concerns on this.  They did not allow me to have an MRI for 10 weeks, which showed bulging discs at L4-L5 L5-S1.  Occ Health MD told me it was normal for my age (33)!!  He then proceeded to tell me I should get off workman's comp and go see my own MD!!!!!!   It has been a very sad and crooked situation, all the meanwhile dealing w/severe pain, leg tingling, and numbness.  They finally referred me to Ortho MD, who recommended Epidural Steroid Injections, which I am very  much against for several reasons, one being it is a temporary fix for a lifetime issue.  So now I have to go see a spine specialist that is 2 hrs away..... I am scared but hopeful that this will be fixed.  I am very willing to have surgery if it will alleviate the pain and lifetime issues associated.  Has anyone had to deal w/Workmans Comp/Occ Health through their own employer and been treated this way?  It is very upsetting and everyone keeps telling me to get a lawyer.....which is also scary...Suggestions...Comments?!