More Manatee Mayhem - 2017 Edition - Closed (Page 18)

I think I mentioned my ongoing back issues in my profile earlier, but I'm finally going to do something more aggressive about it as I've exhausted all of the more conservative treatment options.  I had an MRI on my lumbar spine last week and  met with my spine surgeon this morning.  We reviewed the results and I've got a bunch of stuff going on from L3 down to S1, but the worst stuff is a herniated disc at L4/L5 and a pretty big bulge at L5/S1, plus some disc degeneration from L3 down and some bone spurs here are there.  This has been going on for 5 years but we've seen additional issues show up since my last MRI back in April 2015.

So at least we know what we're up against.  I've tried all of the conservative treatments:  PT, rest, medication, injections, yoga, etc over the past several years and I've been somewhere between 90% (just some occasional soreness that could be managed) and 10% (like I am now, severe nerve pain).  I went through about two years from fall 2012 to fall 2014 where I had it really well managed and even ran about 700 miles in 2014, but it's been going downhill since.

There are two surgical options and my spine doc spent a long time talking to me today about them:  lumbar decompression, and then lumbar decompression with fusion.  He said I'm about smack in the middle between the two as to what he would recommend, and he could make an intelligent argument for either. 

After careful consideration (I've been researching this stuff for months...) we're going to go with the more conservative "nip and tuck" decompression vs the "rip the spine out" fusion surgery, even though long-term the fusion might provide the best results.  The recovery is considerably easier from the first one, and if it doesn't work we can always do the fusion down the road if I can tolerate (mentally) an additional surgery.  He really went back and forth on what to recommend, and eventually landed on what he would do himself (we have pretty similar age/activity/health profiles).

Doc thinks I should see significant relief from the nerve pain, but I'll still have some of the soreness that presents from the "bone on bone" problems.  Those are much more easily treated conservatively (and tolerated, for that matter, from my perspective).

Surgery is two-level disc decompression.  It's an outpatient surgery (hell, aren't they all now LOL?).  I'll come home the same day with reduced activity for the first month until all the surgery inflammation dies down, the sutures heal, etc.. I'm taking a couple of days off work but it shouldn't be an issue since I work from home.  I think I'll be able to cycle pretty quickly and swim pretty soon, too.  Running will probably depend on how well the surgery goes, but probably like 3 months and a slow build up from there.

Surgery is the 25th.  I'm actually looking forward to it. 

Wow, that's a lot to digest!  Sounds like you have been thinking about and researching it for awhile though.  Hope all goes well and you recover quickly!

I think I mentioned my ongoing back issues in my profile earlier, but I'm finally going to do something more aggressive about it as I've exhausted all of the more conservative treatment options.  I had an MRI on my lumbar spine last week and  met with my spine surgeon this morning.  We reviewed the results and I've got a bunch of stuff going on from L3 down to S1, but the worst stuff is a herniated disc at L4/L5 and a pretty big bulge at L5/S1, plus some disc degeneration from L3 down and some bone spurs here are there.  This has been going on for 5 years but we've seen additional issues show up since my last MRI back in April 2015.

So at least we know what we're up against.  I've tried all of the conservative treatments:  PT, rest, medication, injections, yoga, etc over the past several years and I've been somewhere between 90% (just some occasional soreness that could be managed) and 10% (like I am now, severe nerve pain).  I went through about two years from fall 2012 to fall 2014 where I had it really well managed and even ran about 700 miles in 2014, but it's been going downhill since.

There are two surgical options and my spine doc spent a long time talking to me today about them:  lumbar decompression, and then lumbar decompression with fusion.  He said I'm about smack in the middle between the two as to what he would recommend, and he could make an intelligent argument for either. 

After careful consideration (I've been researching this stuff for months...) we're going to go with the more conservative "nip and tuck" decompression vs the "rip the spine out" fusion surgery, even though long-term the fusion might provide the best results.  The recovery is considerably easier from the first one, and if it doesn't work we can always do the fusion down the road if I can tolerate (mentally) an additional surgery.  He really went back and forth on what to recommend, and eventually landed on what he would do himself (we have pretty similar age/activity/health profiles).

Doc thinks I should see significant relief from the nerve pain, but I'll still have some of the soreness that presents from the "bone on bone" problems.  Those are much more easily treated conservatively (and tolerated, for that matter, from my perspective).

Surgery is two-level disc decompression.  It's an outpatient surgery (hell, aren't they all now LOL?).  I'll come home the same day with reduced activity for the first month until all the surgery inflammation dies down, the sutures heal, etc.. I'm taking a couple of days off work but it shouldn't be an issue since I work from home.  I think I'll be able to cycle pretty quickly and swim pretty soon, too.  Running will probably depend on how well the surgery goes, but probably like 3 months and a slow build up from there.

Surgery is the 25th.  I'm actually looking forward to it. 

In situations coming off injury, it's been getting the total of the workout up to what I'd like it to be and then steadily moving the time spent running over towards entirely running it. It doesn't have to be the same thing every time, or even hold every day. Some a little more, some a little less. 

If you're taking 30' for the workout, that would be about 25' of running, so run intervals of 4-7' are probably fine. Intervals don't all have to be the same duration either. In one of the workouts, could try stretching one of the intervals out to 10' or so. Then keep up about 25' of running. If the bigger interval length seem more daunting, then by all means shorten the day up some. Like 3x7' the first time with 2' between. Or 5', 10', 5' for a single longer one.

In situations coming off injury, it's been getting the total of the workout up to what I'd like it to be and then steadily moving the time spent running over towards entirely running it. It doesn't have to be the same thing every time, or even hold every day. Some a little more, some a little less. 

If you're taking 30' for the workout, that would be about 25' of running, so run intervals of 4-7' are probably fine. Intervals don't all have to be the same duration either. In one of the workouts, could try stretching one of the intervals out to 10' or so. Then keep up about 25' of running. If the bigger interval length seem more daunting, then by all means shorten the day up some. Like 3x7' the first time with 2' between. Or 5', 10', 5' for a single longer one.

An effective way to move away from walk intervals is as you get stronger and are comfortable with the 5:1 interval you should increase your run time and decrease your walk time.  Although with you only needing 1' walks you may want to try increasing the run interval and keeping the walk until you get up to about an 8 or 9 minute run.  At that point the next step is to break your run into larger segments, eg, 20 minutes of running, 2 minutes of walking. This is a transitional step so you don't go from run-walk directly to 60 or more minutes of running. Once you are comfortable with that, you should be able to drop the walk.

There are many ways to skin this cat, this is just one of those ways.

Yes, there is a lot to digest here.  It sounds like you are getting some (mental) relief with having the decision made. We'll be thinking of you!

Yes, there is a lot to digest here.  It sounds like you are getting some (mental) relief with having the decision made. We'll be thinking of you!

Back again, sorry

NAME: Richardsdrr/Darren.

OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA: I'm on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/darren.richards.58), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/richardsdrr/?hl=en) STORY: I'm 40, married to Hannah with two sprogs, Emmylou 8, Finley 6 and Lucy our St Bernard.

CURRENT TRAINING: I've been a bit lacksey daisy lately since attempting the transcontinental race in August. Had a few false starts to getting back to training. I have been flat out at work, which hasn't helped. I'm looking at paring the training right down going forward whilst work remains my biggest limiter. I'm aiming to reduce the days I work per week by May, but we'll see how that pans out. I'm looking at making a real effort to go through a full Trainer Road base/build/speciality plan and, if others are interested, perhaps getting some sort of Trainer Road consistency challenge going to keep me honest. The low volume base plan I've just started only calls for 3 workouts a week and I'm making these my priority. Anything else I do fitness wise will just be filler stuff to "manage" my ever increasing mass, so I may be throwing in some zwift rides, or some 30 minute jogs to burn off some calories.

 2017 RACES/EVENTS: Have nothing planned at the moment. Was toying with the notion of doing a couple of half marathons but am now going to stick to rides for the time being. I have volunteered to help out at Transcon no5, and if i get the chance I'll be looking at riding from Belgium to this years checkpoint 3 of the race, which is in the High Tatras of Slovakia. Along with that, I would like to complete a Super Randonneur, which is a 200km, 300km, 400km and a 600km bike ride in a year. I may throw in a few sportive/gran fondos too. 

GOALS: I really struggle with consistency and often get derailed by life/work. My major problem is the amount of hours I work, but I am working on reducing this. My goal is to get to 154 lb by the end of a Trainer Road base/build/specialty plan. To compete 95% minimum of the workouts prescribed. I would like to get to 280W FTP by then, but that will only happen if I remain consistent.

 WHAT MAKES ME A GOOD  BAD MANATEE: I suck at checking other peoples logs. Inspiring others. Posting something, then realising the day after that I may have caused offence (but didn't mean to). I do read all posts, but am mostly reading them in between runs in work on my phone (Delivery runs, not the other type, I'm a truck driver). I find replying to posts, or even following where a thread is going, difficult on the phone. By the time I get a chance to get a good amount of time/sat by my computer to reply to a post the topic as either moved on or has already been answered. Note to self: must try harder. Does anyone find all the other social interactions, ie. Strava, facebook etc. has diluted the interaction on BT?

Out of interest, who on here is currently actively following a TrainerRoad plan?