L
lmoore1980
Guest
Hi everyone!
I'm a 28 year old female. I started having lower back issues at 25 when my disc slipped at the L5,S1, I remeraber just getting out of bed one day, and wham..I was hurting. I had a microdiscectomy to remove the portion of disc that was pushing on the nerve, only to have an emergency revision done 6 months later when the disc slipped again, sending me to the ER with loss of bowel and bladder function (I hurt myself again tying my shoe at PT of all places). I also underwent gastric bypass surgery after the 2nd back surgery to help lose the weight that was, well I feel, majorly contributing to this whole mess. After losing 110 lbs, I started feeling (and look) great, aside from some nerve pain flare ups here and there.
I just had a baby in July. It seems the weight of the pregnancy has yet again caused my injury to repeat itself, leaving me in terrible, unable to function, pick up my baby, never can remeraber it being this bed ever, pain! Since the birth, I havent been able to sit, walk, or stand for more than 20 minutes. I went to pain management to end up on a regimend of Avinza 60mg 1x/day, 300 mg Lyrica a day, and selective nerve root injections. I'm getting by at this time but it seems I am failing this therapy, the pain improved enough for me to get some sleep, but my overall quality of life hasnt improved, and the pain doc had recommended I see a neurosurgeon...well I saw 3. My recent MRI is showing I dont have a lot of disc left, and all 3 surgeon's have stated a fusion in the area would be worth considering. All 3 doctor's are really hating to do the surgery becuase I am so young, but the pros outweigh the cons at the this point, and given my current state, I have decided to go through it, with hope that I will be able to carry my baby and have some fun.
In reading most of the posts, I am seeing a lot of different surgery terminology. Is there anyone out there who had a certain kind of fusion that just basically worked? Also, I have read all the literature regarding what my surgeon is basically going to do, and as far as I understand it, I am to have a piece of bone taken from my hip, to be placed in the space where whats left of the disc will be removed, and then the area will be secured using roRAB and screws. I have the feeling this is your standard fusion. The doc says I will be down for a while. I have to be off of work for at least 6 weeks, but I work at home on a computer all day, so I am hoping to just work from bed while lying down after a reasonble time post-op (hoping not more that 3 weeks). My surgeon said I wont be able to be sitting in front of a computer for more than 10-15 minutes for the first 6 weeks. So I have been practicing my job in bed lying down, and it does take practice for me to type on my belly. I'd like some opinions to see if anybody has tried something like this and if my idea of returning to work this way is remotely realistic. I also am looking forward to hear some success stories for moral support, as I am confident I will be telling my success story. (Young woman has fusion at 28 and wins a marathon! LOL) I tend to focus on the negative and I'm hearing a lot of people with more complications from the surgery than what they originally went in with. I know this isn't everybody, but some fear calming would be pretty awesome right now. Thanks for reading my story. Have a good one :angel:
I'm a 28 year old female. I started having lower back issues at 25 when my disc slipped at the L5,S1, I remeraber just getting out of bed one day, and wham..I was hurting. I had a microdiscectomy to remove the portion of disc that was pushing on the nerve, only to have an emergency revision done 6 months later when the disc slipped again, sending me to the ER with loss of bowel and bladder function (I hurt myself again tying my shoe at PT of all places). I also underwent gastric bypass surgery after the 2nd back surgery to help lose the weight that was, well I feel, majorly contributing to this whole mess. After losing 110 lbs, I started feeling (and look) great, aside from some nerve pain flare ups here and there.
I just had a baby in July. It seems the weight of the pregnancy has yet again caused my injury to repeat itself, leaving me in terrible, unable to function, pick up my baby, never can remeraber it being this bed ever, pain! Since the birth, I havent been able to sit, walk, or stand for more than 20 minutes. I went to pain management to end up on a regimend of Avinza 60mg 1x/day, 300 mg Lyrica a day, and selective nerve root injections. I'm getting by at this time but it seems I am failing this therapy, the pain improved enough for me to get some sleep, but my overall quality of life hasnt improved, and the pain doc had recommended I see a neurosurgeon...well I saw 3. My recent MRI is showing I dont have a lot of disc left, and all 3 surgeon's have stated a fusion in the area would be worth considering. All 3 doctor's are really hating to do the surgery becuase I am so young, but the pros outweigh the cons at the this point, and given my current state, I have decided to go through it, with hope that I will be able to carry my baby and have some fun.
In reading most of the posts, I am seeing a lot of different surgery terminology. Is there anyone out there who had a certain kind of fusion that just basically worked? Also, I have read all the literature regarding what my surgeon is basically going to do, and as far as I understand it, I am to have a piece of bone taken from my hip, to be placed in the space where whats left of the disc will be removed, and then the area will be secured using roRAB and screws. I have the feeling this is your standard fusion. The doc says I will be down for a while. I have to be off of work for at least 6 weeks, but I work at home on a computer all day, so I am hoping to just work from bed while lying down after a reasonble time post-op (hoping not more that 3 weeks). My surgeon said I wont be able to be sitting in front of a computer for more than 10-15 minutes for the first 6 weeks. So I have been practicing my job in bed lying down, and it does take practice for me to type on my belly. I'd like some opinions to see if anybody has tried something like this and if my idea of returning to work this way is remotely realistic. I also am looking forward to hear some success stories for moral support, as I am confident I will be telling my success story. (Young woman has fusion at 28 and wins a marathon! LOL) I tend to focus on the negative and I'm hearing a lot of people with more complications from the surgery than what they originally went in with. I know this isn't everybody, but some fear calming would be pretty awesome right now. Thanks for reading my story. Have a good one :angel: