Day 7 Facing surgery...confused

Throughout this process I have had contact with an orthopaedic surgeon. He is amazing and is a believer in TMS. I brought him onboard my recovery mainly to review my scans and make sure that there was nothing serious going on. While I have a large herniation, from day 1 he has recommended that I NOT have surgery and continue my mind body approach to healing (surgeons in Canada rarely push spinal surgery)

However...yesterday I ended up in the ER because my pain was so bad and I couldn't move my leg (drop foot). Based on my worsening neurological symptoms he said that I am one of the very few who actually needs surgery, in order to save the nerve.

This is all very confusing...if Dr Sarno claims that all abnormalities of the spine are harmless, how could there be any percentage of the population, no matter how small, that actually need surgery?

Looking for some clarity in this situation, if anyone has any thoughts or similar experiences I would love to hear about it.

 

I am no medical practitioner, but I do remember somewhere in the book 'Healing back pain' it said that usually the pain gets worse before it gets better, because you are actually dealing with the unconscious feelings and your brain doesn't like that because it is used to what has been its habit for so long.

Go back to Day #3, and re-read the article by that dude who saw Dr. Sarno. There's a bit in there that the pain itself creates fear which prompts more tension and anxiety and this leads to further constrictuon of the blood vessels in a vicious cycle of pain. You sound like you'r e in some major fear, so the pain is doing exactly what it wants, keeping you focused on everything except the underlying emotions. Why is your body so afraid to tell you what's happening? See that pain as a signal.

In my own case, I started doing the program too and my pain I think has intensified since then. It makes me doubt it sometimes, but then I pause and think and try and remind myself that if its been this way for so long, my body will put up a fight. TRUST YOURSELF. Read the book again. Remember that the pain gets worse before it gets better! He actually sasys this. Actually go read Thankyoudrsarno the website. I hope that helps. And btdubs, doctors will always be doctors. They will always say extreme pain is bad, but dr. sarno knew, that even in the most extreme cases, it was just repressed. Maybe thinking also about the dependancy on this doctor could be not a full acceptance of the TMS diagnosis. We have to fully accept that thats the issue, and thats when we start to get better. But I know, its hard. Pain is very convincing.

 

Hi, momoftwins. I agree with Cookie to hold off on surgery if you can. Give the SEProgram a really good chance to heal you.

It sounds like the doctor in the ER was not the same as the orthopedic surgeon who said you shouldn't get the surgery. I would trust the orthopedic more. The ER doctor has just put doubt in your mind.

Cookie says pain can get worse before it gets better. I believe that. It's how the subconscious works until it's convinced you have discovered the emotional causes of the pain.

 

It sounded to me like she was getting the surgery opinion from the SAME doctor who previously said no, based on worsening symptoms and inability to move her leg. The ER doctor would not have said you are one of the very few who need surgery, I don't think. Maybe the OP can clarify. In any event, I would not want the responsibility of advising someone to reject medical advice in what might be a true emergency -- recall that she cannot move her leg. How are people going to feel if she ends up with a permanent neurological problem?

There are a few doctors here, but the rest of us aren't doctors. In my opinion we should not be diagnosing this poster's problems.

 

One question which Dr. Schubiner uses on one of his excellent videos is: "Do the physicians you consult with believe this is an emergency, or can you safely put off physical, including surgical approaches for a few months?" PARAPHRASED.

So momoftwins, this is what one of the well known practitioners in the TMS field suggests, FWI.

The best approach, in my opinion, is to seek consultation with someone like Dr. Schubiner or another TMS MD practitioner on the list in the Wiki. This is what I would do, if possible, if I was in your shoes. Then you would have some more clarity. I am wishing you the best in this!

 

First off I want to say I am no professional and I do not want to advise you to not have surgery when there could be a potential health concern, but I will tell you my story, which is similar.

I too am in Canada. Ottawa to be exact. I had been suffering with right leg sciatica for about two years. I am 26 years old. I have been down the path of physio, chiro, massage, acupuncture, and lots of drugs - narcotics, nerve blockers, muscle relaxants, and NSAIDs. Nothing was working for me. I finally begged my doctor for an MRI and after a 6 month wait I got my test and discovered 3 pretty bad herniated discs from L3-S1. I had to leave my job, go on EI sickness benefits and now am applying to Long Term Disability. AT 26 years old.

Anyways, after my MRI, I was sent to an orthopaedic surgeon at the hospital in Ottawa where all the spinal doctors are at. The surgeon advised me that I was not in need of surgery and to continue to do physio and he would put me on the list for an epidural injection. This was an EIGHT MONTH wait apparently. During mh waiting time with endless suffering and very little sleep, I woke up one morning with complete drop foot in my right foot with full numbness between two toes. As always asvised by the doctors, if you lose bowel or bladder function or have lots of muscle weakness, go to the ER, which I did that same day. I sat in the ER for 7 hours. I was sent home with a prescription for Dilaudid and told to get a shoe insert. I was blown away. I immediately made an appointment with my surgeon who works out of the same hospital and he sent me for an emergency MRI and scheduled me for surgery that week.

A few days later I had the microdiscectomy done. The surgeon said he removed large amounts of disc fragments but it was a successful surgery and I would have full recovery. I believed him, I felt great and had no pain. I did have complete right leg numbess which I was told was caused by nerve irritation (it went away a few days later).

I had surgery June 3 2016. As of today, I still have complete foot drop and numbess between two toes AND more pain then I had before, but on the left side now. I truly believe the surgery was a complete waste of time and was definately a placebo effect. Ive read in TMS articles that there can be significant muscle weakness. I was conditioning myself daily for this drop foot to happen. Everyday I told myself, the doctors arent taking me seriously and one day Im going to lose control of my foot and then who will be right.

Surgery did not work for me. So my advice is to make sure 100% that surgery is needed and that your condition is not just a manifestation of TMS. If I had the option and if I knew about TMS before my surgery, I never would have had it.

I wish you the very best of luck. I know what you are going though.

From a fellow Canadian!
Bill