Over the last six years or so, I had the usual back ache and pains after gardening, standing for long periods or when walking long distances – especially in the Lakes, but generally this was short-lived and I never felt that I really suffered with a bad back.

My real problem started at the beginning of 2007 when I was suffering with constant leg pain down my left side. I first noticed this when sitting at my desk at work and when driving, but I was not aware of any injury or accident that started the pain off. The pain went on for approximately four months until one day whilst making the bed I bent down and suddenly felt something ‘snap’ in my back along with a warm sensation and then pure agony. I could not stand up from that point on without it feeling like someone had ripped the back of my leg open.

After several visits with the doctor which involved inflammatories and painkillers, I mentioned this to one of the orthopaedic consultants at work. Eventually, I was given physiotherapy which went on for about two to three months. After this period, things didn’t improve, and eventually the physio sent me to A&E, as he was concerned that I seemed much worse.

This resulted in my having an MRI scan which showed ‘A massive prolapse disc at L4/L5′ (in the words of my consultant) and my being admitted at that point (just eight or nine weeks before I was due to get married) for a decompression operation the next day. After five days in hospital I was discharged and the pain had gone. It was wonderful. My recovery was fairly quick from this, and after four weeks I was able to return to work and eventually ‘walk down the aisle.’

Unfortunately in January 2009 I started to get both leg and back pain again, this was during the day and night, but was exacerbated at night and I was unable to sleep. After two or three months I mentioned this to my consultant who agreed to see me and who then started me on regular inflammatory medication and painkillers. The pain seemed to ease over a few weeks and therefore I didn’t pursue any further investigation.

Unfortunately, by the beginning of May the pain was back with a vengeance. I couldn’t stand for any length of time or sit comfortably. Every time I tried to stand from a sitting position, I felt an electric shock feeling in my leg and a spasm in my back. I had to roll off onto all fours to get myself off the couch, I couldn’t lay on my back because of the intense pain, and I couldn’t lay on either side because of the leg pain. I couldn’t even turn over in bed without excruciating pain in my back. I was unable to sleep because of the pain, and was lucky if I managed three hours a night. I found it difficult to get out of bed, to get dressed, to take my dog for a walk, to cook, clean, drive, socialise and be a proper mother to my son and wife to my husband. I was miserable, but bullied myself every day to go to work no matter how much pain I was in and to try carry on as normal – although it wasn’t normal.

Unfortunately, with a back problem it is something you cannot see, therefore people do not understand how debilitating it is. Every morning I would force myself to get out of bed after only having three hours of sleep, as had been the ‘norm’ for several months, as well as the physical pain to actually get out of bed and get ready every day. It was extremely difficult every morning for me to shower, wash my hair and put my make-up on, and this was done more for self-preservation and a determination to carry on as ‘normal.’ Because of this, and the fact that I went to work every day and did my job, I don’t think some of my colleagues realised how bad the pain was, but somehow I just tried to adapt to doing things in a different way and get through the pain.

I had been struggling for some time, and I again spoke with my consultant who suggested I start the inflammatories and painkillers again, and if it was no better he would consider a further MRI scan. By August I was desperate. My consultant arranged a further MRI scan which showed that the L4/L5 disc had prolapsed again. I was due to go abroad on holiday with my family and my consultant arranged an epidural injection four days before I was to fly. Unfortunately, this injection did not touch my pain at all. When I returned from holiday, the consultant agreed to see me again, and he felt that as I had tried painkillers, inflammatories, epidurals, physiotherapy and had already undergone a decompression, that it may be time to seek an opinion from Mr Krishna at the York Nuffield Hospital with respect to a possble posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). He therefore wrote to the Exceptions Panel of the PCT, but unfortunately this was rejected. He then wrote to Mr Krishna at North Tees Hospital.

In October my husband and I saw Mr Krishna’s Registrar who looked at my scans and suggested that I would be a good candidate for a PLIF. I was so relieved to see someone that might be able to help that I broke down in tears. He explained the procedure, went through my scans and explained what was happening with my back. After examination and questioning of my symptoms etc, Mr Krishna’s registrar offered me surgery. At no time, was I scared to undergo surgery, indeed I felt that anything was worth trying given that I was only 44 and have the rest of life ahead of me.

After my visit with the registrar, Mr Krishna then wrote to me explaining the procedure, telling me that he would personally do the operation. He invited me to a Spinal Support Group Meeting to be held at the end of November at the York Nuffield Hospital.

The meeting is normally held at North Tees Hospital once every three months, but it had been decided to hold it at the York Nuffield. There are many patients in York who just don’t know where to turn. There isn’t a back service at York Hospital and once your GP is telling you that there is nothing they can do other than physio, inflammatory medication and painkillers, many patients would just simply accept that this is all that is available to them.

I was overwhelmed by the amount of support Mr Krishna and his team received from this meeting. There were many patients who travelled to York from Middlesborough to come and tell their stories and give their support to the many York patients who also attended. Many patients had had the surgery and it was extremely encouraging listening to their success stories. It was somehow fantastic that these people who had previously had the same symptoms as me, were now living full and active lives following surgery. There were many patients waiting for surgery like me, and some who had just found information on the internet themselves and decided to come along. To hear other patients talking about their symptoms made you feel that you were not alone, and that there was hope that something could be done.

Mr Krishna is a very warm and caring person, and this shone through when many of his patients greeted him. His patients were very willing to talk to those of us who were thinking about surgery and this was very helpful in getting all the information needed when thinking of embarking on major surgery.

The work of Mr Krishna and his team is wonderful, and without the support of the Spinal Support Group it would be difficult for patients such as myself to have any clue of what to do and where to go to get help.

I was lucky enough to undergo the operation on the 17th December 2009, and I cannot thank Mr Krishna and his team enough. The operation itself lasted approximately four hours and I spent five days in hospital. Mr Krishna visited me every day without fail, and always spent time talking to me about the operation and how I was feeling. Indeed on day one, he held my hand as he walked me down the corridor! Obviously, I had operation pain, but I was amazed that I could already tell that the pre op pain had gone. I could actually lie on my back, and to my rather emotional realisation – I actually felt comfortable in bed.

It has been almost five weeks since my operation and I am doing well. There is still a lot of healing going on, but I have been doing my back strengthening exercises every day and attending physiotherapy. I have been back to see Mr Krishna who informs me that I am doing extremely well – if not maybe overdoing it a little! I am a very positive person and am determined to get well, but I am also mindful that I need to look after myself and allow myself time to heal. I am walking every day, driving and doing everything I used to do in the home with only the limitation of taking things easy in order to heal properly. I am due back to work at the beginning of February, and feel that it is important to take that time to get back to doing all the things I used to do. It will take some time to get over the operation, as obviously things need to settle, but Mr Krishna assures me that after six months I will be running!!

My husband and I are so grateful to Mr Krishna and his team, and also for all the support from the Spinal Support Group. I actually feel I can now look forward to a pain-free future.