Yvonne Wallace

My name is Yvonne Wallace and I was 45years old when I had my back operation, just over a year ago at the end of 2003. The operation itself was an interbody fusion on two levels on my lower back and was undertaken by Mr Krishna at The Woodlands Hospital at Darlington.

I first saw Mr Krishna some seven years ago with my back problems, which had persisted for a couple of years before that. At that time, after undertaking tests, Mr Krishna advised me to undertake aerobic exercise coupled with core stability exercises to help my back problem. The MRI scan showed degeneration to two of my discs but at that stage he wanted me to undertake the exercise programme to do as much as I could to help myself and strengthen my back. I did exactly as he told me and embraced the exercise. I lost nearly two stone and felt great. I walked, ran, swam, did gym programmes as well as going to aerobics, step and circuit training. By being so active and exercising nearly every day my back problems improved tremendously. This continued for several years until the symptoms came back and over a period to two years I had many incidents of severe back spasms. Each “episode” followed a pattern. Five/seven days of incapacity where I could not get out of bed unaided followed by two/three months of continual pain and frequent visits to Physiotherapists and Osteopaths. Just before I was referred back to Mr Krishna the “episodes” ran into one another and I was not recovering from one before another would start. I am sure this must sound familiar to a great many people who suffer back problems.

Throughout my back problem, apart from the weeks when I was unable to get out of bed, I continued to work full-time. I own two companies and travel to all parts of the UK, mainly driving. Just before the referral to Mr Krishna I was unable to drive for more than 20mins without pain, was unable to exercise and was in constant pain. My quality of life was diminishing rapidly.

I went to see Mr Krishna and the usual MRI scan and X-rays followed. There was now much more degeneration to the discs and plates. After consultations it was decided that I had done all I could to help myself and surgery was the only definitive solution to my problems. A date for surgery was set and I can honestly say I was not apprehensive about the surgery at all – I saw it a second chance to have a normal life again and resume the exercise I had come to enjoy so much. 

Since the operation I have never looked back. I was in hospital for 4 days. Had the following week off work and went back to work two weeks after surgery. I was back swimming four weeks after surgery, in the gym two weeks after that, took on a personal trainer to teach me to box eight weeks after surgery and I felt great. There is nothing I cannot do that I did before the operation. The only class I do not attend now is step as I feel it would put a strain on my lower back when there is no need to do so. At the moment I am power walking six days a week, three miles a day. I do this with a friend and find that this really helps in much the same was as the personal trainer.

I cannot thank Mr Krishna and his team enough for their expertise.