This Morning’s Dr Zoe Williams have opened up on the life-changing impact of undergoing spinal surgery as she returned to the ITV show.
The TV star confirmed earlier this month she was to undergo major spinal surgery after years of suffering with chronic back pain.
The physician, who had been struggling with severe spinal stenosis, which causes the compression of spinal nerves, said that recovering from the surgery had helped her realise how ‘debilitating’ the condition was.
Sitting down with show hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, Dr Zoe said: ‘I’m feeling great. I think you only realise how debilitating chronic pain is when you don’t have it anymore. I feel lighter, I feel wonderful.
‘With the surgery that I had, it was an open surgery, quite a big procedure, but I actually walked out of the hospital the same day.
‘The next day, when I got out of bed, was the first time that I’ve been able to stand fully straight for a long time, which felt great.’
This Morning’s Dr Zoe Williams have opened up on the life-changing impact of undergoing spinal surgery as she returned to the ITV show
The TV star confirmed earlier this month she was to undergo major spinal surgery after years of suffering with chronic back pain
Opening up on the more challenging aspects of her recovery, she added: ‘It’s frustrating as well.
‘I couldn’t do childcare; I was dependent upon my partner for everything. That’s frustrating, and for somebody like me, that was really difficult, not being able to exercise.
‘But, I shifted my mindset, I thought, when do you get the opportunity to sit at home for four weeks off work without anyone demanding anything and people have to do things for you? You don’t have a choice.’
It comes after Dr Zoe revealed she was ‘home and comfortable’ following her back surgery as she opened up to fans.
Taking to Instagram, Zoe posted a photo of her relaxing on the sofa alongside the caption: ‘I’m home and comfortable after my back surgery this afternoon. Will share lots more in the coming days.’
In addition, Zoe had also shared videos of her walking an hour after having the surgery.
As she got up, a creaking sound could be heard, and Zoe quipped: ‘That was just the knees clicking. They do that.’
She later showed off the bandage at the bottom of her spine, and captioned the post: ‘Dressed. No bending, twisting, lifting for six weeks.’
Taking to Instagram, Zoe, 45, shared the good news with her followers on the social media platform
In another video posted to social media, Zoe’s surgeon Mr. Akmal confirmed the operation ‘went really well’.
He added: ‘The nerves were being literally … normally your nerve canal should be really circular but yours was kind of flat – so the nerves were being really compressed.’
Zoe previously confirmed she would be undergoing the surgery as a ‘last resort’ after living in pain due to a condition called spinal stenosis.
She explained: ‘My diagnosis is of severe spinal stenosis and the surgery is called a lumber decompression.
‘The surgeon will be removing overgrown ligaments and bone which are a result of degenerative changes to my spine.
‘These structures, as well as a slightly bulging disc are encroaching on my spinal canal meaning that the nerves inside my spinal column are being compressed.
‘It’s different to sciatica, which in many cases resolves over time. I’ve come to learn that my condition will not resolve as it is due to degenerative change, and will likely get worse with time.
‘Surgery really is a last resort for me having tried just about everything else over the past two and a half years.’
Dr Zoe encouraged her following to keep up with her surgery journey through social media posts, where she planned to detail her ‘preparation and recovery’.
She continued: ‘It hasn’t been an easy journey or an easy decision, but I know that so many people out their face the same dilemmas and that’s why I’m hoping that my sharing will give some insight, and improve your ability to make informed decisions regarding your own back problems.
‘I must caveat out that every person is different. Every spinal problem is different and every type of surgery is different so please do not extrapolate my scenario directly to yours and take everything with a pinch of salt.
‘I’m so lucky and privileged to be able to do this privately and make all the choices that come with that! Let’s keep chatting along the way.’
Dr Zoe encouraged her followers to keep up with her surgery journey through social media posts
In 2024, Dr Zoe revealed the terrifying health scare that left her writing an emergency will from her hospital bed after suffering a ‘year of blips’.
She was rushed to hospital with an abnormal heart rhythm.
Sharing a photo from the hospital to Instagram, she wrote: ‘I got signed off by my cardiologist today… I’m OK. But I wasn’t certain that I would be for a while!
‘It’s been a year of health blips. The most worrying being my heart. But I’m OK.
‘Writing an emergency will from your hospital bed, just in case, is not the one though. But I’m OK.
‘It’s interesting how we can be thankful for these experiences. They can make us see clearly. What matters. What doesn’t. And just how easy it is to take our health for granted.’
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX from 10am.
