Originally Posted by
delbiker1
I am with you on not wishing that on anybody. It was excruciating pain for months, a number of times. A neurosurgeon did 2 partial discectomy/laminectomy, 1999-2002, and thought I was a very good candidate for the artificial disc. He referred me to a Dr. McAfee at the Spine and Scoliosis center in Towson, MD. He is the orthopedic surgeon that did both the fusion and the disc replacement. There is no way I would have been able to continue cycling like I do if not for those procedures. I know, at least I believe, at some point, I will have to considerably reduce the time and miles, hopefully not totally give it up, preferably a good bit time down the road.
All ruptured discs eventually resorb, but it takes a while. There is also an up-to 20 rate of progressive epidural fibrosis after lumbar laminectomy, which is incurable and can leave a patient in lifelong pain. My leg felt like it was having a ******g baby, but I got through it with transforamenal injections. I still have some medial vastus atrophy and fasculations.