N
NLena
Guest
Hello all my fellow Backfolks,
For those who havent followed my story I am updating a sort of week to month update. I am a 55 year young lady who had a laminectomy L4 and L5 in 07 (unsuccessful) and a year later I am now 7 months out from the 2 level plif L4 L5 S1. Before and even between the surgerys I did everything humanly possible to avoid it...2 series of 12 weeks 3X a week PT, 6 series of epidural injections, a ryzotomy (burning the nerve-cauterization) and a racz catheter, the single most painful experience in my life, and I have had 3 children so that tells you something about that....All mostly worthless as to my constant intractable back and leg pain. I have been on pain medications of mostly norco (a vicodin and tylenol mix) of various strengths for now, going on 3 years...a short course of lyrica (did not agree with me) the last surgery was hopefully going to make meRAB unnecessary...so far...not yet.
So back to the present....Ill start with the good news. I have zero pain in either of my legs, Zero pain in my left heel and no mysterious come and go pains in my toes. BIG YAY. Before the surgery walking was painful, my heel I could not put weight on at all...for this gift of pain free I am grateful. I get up in the morning and feel pain free totally..stiff a bit but actually pain free..this is only not the case when it is raining and cold...I feel like the old lady on the porch saying she can feel a storm coming in her rumatiz. But it is true as can be..if it is raining no morning feel good. I walk a mile nearly every day at a good enough pace.. to be breathy if I have to talk..another improvement. All over, I move more smoothly, I get in and out of my SUV without pain. The little Saturn is another issue as it is much lower and although not painful to get in and out of very uncomfortable and slow for me to do so. Incision looks like a red line but no issues there, and I can recall not too long ago the morning shower and hair routine would have me down on my back following for sometimes a half hour with exhaustion...no more..its just part of my day now.
The update would not be complete without the bad news. I have good days and bad. I have pain in the back area still... after about 3 hours upright I will need meRAB because I hurt. I still cannot sit for over 30 minutes without having to either get up and walk or lay flat, and this frankly limits my life obviously. To pick something up from the ground is still hard but I can do it and I do but very slowly and awkwardly. And the meRAB the meRAB. To sleep I take a valium and a 7.5/350 norco or I will wake after a few hours in pain. So I am down to about 3 a day which is a vast improvement (needing less and less strength norco) but not able to go without. I want to be able to sit upright for at least a few hours to work rather than doing my job basically on a lap top laying down..it makes for more getting up and down to accomplish what would be much easier if I were only steps away from what I need. I struggle with depression over my condition because my grown children live plane rides away which I could never tolerate at least at this time..so in some ways I am back to where I was previous to the fusion...I try very hard to think positive and believe the doctor saying it might take up to 12 months or more to completely fuse and heal...yet I have days where I fear that I am where I am and will not improve...Please make this a wrong thought and sometimes I can believe it..sometimes not. All I can say in conclusion is that I am improved from the surgery but not all the way pain free or med free which was my goal to begin with..I ask the Lord for patience and thank all of you here for your support and interest. I read posts here every day and wish you all the best in your efforts to live a better life
God Bless
Lena:wave:
For those who havent followed my story I am updating a sort of week to month update. I am a 55 year young lady who had a laminectomy L4 and L5 in 07 (unsuccessful) and a year later I am now 7 months out from the 2 level plif L4 L5 S1. Before and even between the surgerys I did everything humanly possible to avoid it...2 series of 12 weeks 3X a week PT, 6 series of epidural injections, a ryzotomy (burning the nerve-cauterization) and a racz catheter, the single most painful experience in my life, and I have had 3 children so that tells you something about that....All mostly worthless as to my constant intractable back and leg pain. I have been on pain medications of mostly norco (a vicodin and tylenol mix) of various strengths for now, going on 3 years...a short course of lyrica (did not agree with me) the last surgery was hopefully going to make meRAB unnecessary...so far...not yet.
So back to the present....Ill start with the good news. I have zero pain in either of my legs, Zero pain in my left heel and no mysterious come and go pains in my toes. BIG YAY. Before the surgery walking was painful, my heel I could not put weight on at all...for this gift of pain free I am grateful. I get up in the morning and feel pain free totally..stiff a bit but actually pain free..this is only not the case when it is raining and cold...I feel like the old lady on the porch saying she can feel a storm coming in her rumatiz. But it is true as can be..if it is raining no morning feel good. I walk a mile nearly every day at a good enough pace.. to be breathy if I have to talk..another improvement. All over, I move more smoothly, I get in and out of my SUV without pain. The little Saturn is another issue as it is much lower and although not painful to get in and out of very uncomfortable and slow for me to do so. Incision looks like a red line but no issues there, and I can recall not too long ago the morning shower and hair routine would have me down on my back following for sometimes a half hour with exhaustion...no more..its just part of my day now.
The update would not be complete without the bad news. I have good days and bad. I have pain in the back area still... after about 3 hours upright I will need meRAB because I hurt. I still cannot sit for over 30 minutes without having to either get up and walk or lay flat, and this frankly limits my life obviously. To pick something up from the ground is still hard but I can do it and I do but very slowly and awkwardly. And the meRAB the meRAB. To sleep I take a valium and a 7.5/350 norco or I will wake after a few hours in pain. So I am down to about 3 a day which is a vast improvement (needing less and less strength norco) but not able to go without. I want to be able to sit upright for at least a few hours to work rather than doing my job basically on a lap top laying down..it makes for more getting up and down to accomplish what would be much easier if I were only steps away from what I need. I struggle with depression over my condition because my grown children live plane rides away which I could never tolerate at least at this time..so in some ways I am back to where I was previous to the fusion...I try very hard to think positive and believe the doctor saying it might take up to 12 months or more to completely fuse and heal...yet I have days where I fear that I am where I am and will not improve...Please make this a wrong thought and sometimes I can believe it..sometimes not. All I can say in conclusion is that I am improved from the surgery but not all the way pain free or med free which was my goal to begin with..I ask the Lord for patience and thank all of you here for your support and interest. I read posts here every day and wish you all the best in your efforts to live a better life
God Bless
Lena:wave:
Like I said- I CAN RELATE ON THE BACK PAIN! Wow at SIX WEEKS! I got an xray at 6 weeks but he didn't say anything, I go in another 3? weeks that will be my 9l/10 week post op visit, I'm 7 weeks now exactly.