A tale of woe...

[GlennS]

Oh don't worry, the 944 is all right, I am the one that is broken.

According to MRI scans and X-Rays I've managed to herniate two discs in my lower back (I never do anything in half measures) and at least one of them is pressing on my sciatic nerve. The end result is quite agonising.

The silver lining to all this unpleasantness is that the only car I can drive with any degree of comfort is the 944. The driving position helps but the main joy comes from the seats which prevent any sideways movement on cornering and hence no grinding of vertebrae and stray bits of disc on nerves. God bless whoever ordered my S2 back in 1990 and specified the "Sports Seats"; those massive side bolsters are the doberman's danglies.

What better excuse could I find to swan around in my favourite toy all the time and leave the Golf sulking on the driveway? [8D]

 

[Hairyarse]

Oh not good Glenn, my ex-wife did similar and I know she was in agony so you have my full sympathies - hope you can get it sorted quickly. At least you can enjoy the '44 still []

 

[George Elliott]

Glenn
Sorry to hear you are suffering a bad back, just on the seats - I bought a set of 1988 sports seats for a 996 to replace the rubbish sports seats they are fitted with, all for the reasons you mention.

People will no doubt say they are heavy - its because they were designed to last in an era of MADE IN W.GERMANY. Just need to sort out the mountings now but that cannot be too difficult.

Dobermen / Doberman's ?? great Dogs

Hope the back improves soon

George
944T

 

[Copperman05]

Hope it gets sorted soon Glen, at least we can still meet up at the ace...


Edd

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Sorry to hear about your back Glenn, they are delicate but abused items!

Every cloud etc...

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Group hug!

Sorry, that would probably make it worse.....[&o]

Take it easy, you need to allow a lot of time to heal properly at our age.

 

[MarkK]

Get well soon mate,glad your 44 is keeping u smiling[]

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
Take it easy, you need to allow a lot of time to heal properly at our age.

Everyone who is an old git, please put your hand up. McNulters, I've seen you. And you, Glenn. Anyone else? Smiffy, you should probably have your hand up as well .... that's better. No Edd, you are still young, hand down. Pete, I've seen those photos on the Mustang thread, and you definitely should have your hand up. Anyone else? Come on, I'm waiting ...

>KeepsOwnHandFirmlyByMySide<


Oli.

 

[david924s]

Had a similar problem in January this year two discs at the bottom of my back collapsed and trapped the Femeral nerve, absolute agony with the loss of use of my left leg and continuous nerve pain so unable to even walk without crutches and could not wear long pants or socks as to touch the leg was like being scalded.

Good news is I had private medical cover from work so within four weeks i was booked in for an operation to fit an implant which basically sits between the discs and acts like a suspension unit thus keeping them apart, I would get it sorted as soon as possible as the longer you leave it the more likely you are to have permanent nerve damage, 7 months on and my left leg is still numb from the knee down but at least I can walk without sticks. Also get some good Physio as this can help enormously and helps prevent any further problems.

Good Luck and I hope you get sorted soon!

 

[PSH]

Sorry to hear this Glenn, you have my best wishes for a speedy recovery .. take care

Pete

 

[GlennS]

Thanks to all for the good wishes. []

I suppose a bit of background is in order. I had a discectomy in 2007 and have suffered some abrasion of the sciatic nerve and on-going discomfort ever since, although it has been "tolerable", 4 years on codeine based pain-killers and the final year drug-free. About 2 months ago it went seriously intolerable. Even a vastly uprated cocktail of drugs didn't help much.

I too am fortunate enough to have private medical cover and am currently seeing the same consultant surgeon I did 5 years back. One of the discs that has gone is the same one he operated on previously.

Following the MRI scans and X-rays on Monday I've since had a "right L4/5 foraminal epidural injection" (i.e. he injected something into the nerve root) which has significantly reduced the pain level but leaving the numbness and reduced function in my leg. This is both good and bad. It means we have correctly identified the disc which was causing the acute symptoms but it has also confirmed that it is the same one from back in 2007, which means another discectomy is ruled out as there's not enough disc left to work on. The current hope is that the relief of symptoms via the injection will give time for the disc to "heal itself" which is possible. Otherwise, it will lead to some more major knife work.

Since I am not an optimist, I am running around getting things done whilst I am still able. That includes getting the Porsche MOTd on Friday before I get operated on and told I am not allowed to drive. The MOT isn't due until January.

 

[zcacogp]

That doesn't sound good Glenn, sorry to hear it. I hope things recover for you. Seeing the same guy as you saw 5 years ago has to be good.


Oli.

 

[GlennS]

I suppose it does help. At the first (recent) consultation he remarked that he hadn't seen me for some time and asked how things had been since.

When he got the scans back and stuck them up on his viewing board he said "Oh my, you always do like to make things awkward, don't you. Last time we had to do a transverse incision because you'd prolapsed both sides and this time you've manage to herniate two separate discs". I think he finds it "interesting".

I'd rather it was "boring" and "simple" than "interesting" and "awkward". [8D]

 

[MarkK]

I'm old,my shoulders are knackered,seeing consultant again this month,my hand is up[&o]

 

[JamesO]

You have my sympathy, Siatica is horrible. Oldish (39) discectomy on L5 in 2008 I think, hard to remember with the drugs!

 

[craiginuk]

ORIGINAL: GlennS

I'd rather it was "boring" and "simple" than "interesting" and "awkward". [8D]

Surely not another S2 vs Turbo debate! []

Hope you're on the mend Glenn..

 

[ronald smith]

Sorry to hear about disc problem Glenn- hope your man can sort it out as painlessly as
possible.
Yes Oli hands up to being probably one of the oldest gits on site-but at least i get a bus pass
if 944 plays up-not that it ever has-now keeping fingers crossed as a couple of decent runs in it
coming up.
Cheers
Ron

 

[Peter_Bull]

Hi Glenn

Sorry to hear about your pain. What I can say is be very careful who you choose to operate on you and research their history / quals etc on the internet thoroughly.

As a very old hat (now very old at 61) of spinal operations I have seen many consultants in the 22 years since my spinal problems started when I broke L5 vertebrae in two in 1990.

I have had discectomy's, discography's and cortisone injections with mixed results.

Next month I will be going in for my 3rd spinal fusion of L3/L4 to try and reduce the pain levels and give me the ability to walk some distance at least. This will be the 19th operation on my spine. I already have S1/L5/L4 fused. My back should have zip on it they have been in that many times!

The advances over the last 20 years in spinal surgery is remarkable and for someone as young as you (39?) I expect they will manage to sort you out in the end.

The last word of warning is that once you have invasive surgery you could be on a long path of further trouble like me.

 

[GlennS]

Wise advice indeed, Peter, and one of the reasons why I resisted suggestions of an L4/L5 fusion following the discectomy 5 years ago; preferring to avoid major surgery whilst the discomfort level was "bearable". With your suggestion of 39 you are being most kind; I'll currently admit to 45.

 

[Chrishazle]

When I saw the specialist (at the Horder Clinic, a specialist orthopaedic clinic in East Sussex) after my second MRI scan a couple of years ago, he said that they did not like fusing vertebrae as it tended to just move the problem without solving anything. He aslo was not keen on doing a disc replacement as it's such a major operation. What he suggested was "stabilisation" - putting slightly flexible scaffolding across the offending L5S1 area (where I have a partially collapsed etc disc). I decided that, as I'd lived with the discomfort for years, the sharp knife was a less palatable option so did nothing. I subsequently heard about a thing called an X Block - a metal spacer thing to hold the 2 offending vertebrae apart so the disc can regrow and heal - but a neighbour had that done (privately, I don't think it was available on NHS at the time) and I believe it was not a great success, he was back in hospital within about 6 months for 3 1/2 hours in theatre!

What really annoys me is that years ago I found an osteopath using American techniques - deep tissue massage, flexion extension table with heat and manipulation, then osteopathic stuff - that was working. Unfortunately he had to stop practising, and I've not been able to find anyone using the same techniques, and others I have tried have not worked.