Back surgery. Anyone had it?

[WHSmithIV]

I know Hmac - my sister is a doctor. Most doctors try to do do what is best for their patients. Just as most LEO's care about the populations they serve and try to protect. Most judges are good people also and do try to be fair.

None of these good folks ever hit the news though for what they do. The bad ones hit the news immediately. Surgery really needs to be a last resort though if there are other options that can get the job done. Surgeons are trained and conditioned to fix things by operating. Not all of them seek to know and understand alternative options. That simply a fundamental fact of human nature. I'm a computer engineer and own a computer repair company. If fixing a computer isn't viable or economical , I tell them to buy a new computer and then do my best to save their personal data - In 30 plus years only twice was that not possible. Believe me, I'm not bashing docs or the medical profession whatsoever. UW was asking if anyone had had back surgery. I can understand that question. I didn't have anyone to ask when I needed mine other than the chief neurosurgeon of the Helsinki Neurology Hospital. I had nobody else I even could ask. My sister wasn't a doctor then yet either. I was worried. I had never had an operation of any kind. The most I'd had done in my life as a kid was having 3 broken bones put in casts. (Yeah, I was one of those daredevil kids - as far as I was concerned I was indestructible).

We all know that surgeries happen that shouldn't happen - that's a simple fact. It happens all over the world too - not just here in the US. Nobody is perfect and doctors are people too and do make errors in judgement just like I may diagnose a computer problem incorrectly to start with. The main difference is that they are dealing with a human life and I am dealing with an inanimate piece of technology. When I deal with medical computers, then I am also dealing with human life and correct diagnoses become pretty much paramount. I did the databases for the local hospital recently. I was VERY careful to be able to ensure the data integrity.

This discussion has gone way beyond now what UW was asking about. He simply needs to think twice or thrice and do get another opinion or two is all.

[WHSmithIV]

If he does have to have surgery, then so be it. Get it done while he is young and will heal faster. I told him what it was like when I had the surgery is all.

[Hmac]

I agree, if he needs the surgery then he should have the surgery. How well it will work for him and what he'll go through is simply not predictable based on what he's said so far. Far too many variables. Likewise, the experiences of others who have had "back surgery" are pretty much irrelevant to his situation.

[DogOnTheGround]

Every case is different. The decision as to whether surgery is the right choice depends on a lot of variables, one that is far better left between you and your spine surgeon. Resist the temptation to base your treatment based on anecdotes from a gun forum on the internet.

Having said that, it is true that in many cases it's best to steer away from surgery.

Pretty much what I was going to say. Currently recooperating from a L5/S1 ordeal where it was beat to hell and I was in severe pain. I didn't have an option as my nerve was really bad off. As a result my road back has been slow to go. I'm getting there but still probably have a couple months to go on rehab to get back to full work. Mine was also way worse than the MRI showed at the time when he actually got in there.

If you can avoid it, do so. But if you can't dont. Schedule a visit with the doc and figure out what is best for YOU based on your specific situation.