E
EnergeticEmily
Guest
Hello,
I'm brand new to the forum.
I guess I'll just give you my entire history and see if anyone can make it through to give me some suggestions. My PLIF surgery for L5-S1 is scheduled for a week and some change. This has all happened very quickly so I'd like to see if anyone else has some knowledge or opinions to pass on. Thank you very much.
I started having problems caused by my back 5 years ago, the day before my 21st birthday. The bones in my left knee started grinding on each other because my body was compensating. I had nerve issues with nurabness in my left foot and a little in the calf, and a lot of pain running down my left leg. It became so painful and tight that I had issues walking when doing things as easy as going to the movie store (when they still existed).
The MRI results:
FINDINGS:
The L5-S1 disc is moderately narrowed with degenerative loss of signal and moderate diffuse bulging of the disc annulus. In addition, there is Grade 1 spondylolisthesis corabining to produce rather severe central and lateral recess stenosis and mild to moderate bilateral foraminal stenosis. The L5 pars appear intact but are elongated and relatively thin. The L5-S1 facet joints have an anomalous sagittal orientation. The remaining lurabar discs are maintained with normal hydration. The conus medullaris appears normal.
IMPRESSION:
Severe central and lateral recess stenosis at L5-S1 secondary to degenerative disc disease, diffuse bulging of the disc annulus, and Grade 1 spondylolisthesis without associated pars defects.
I did physical therapy, which didn't seem to do anything. The Dr. suggested I get an epidural with cortizone to help with pain and let the swelling go down. I got 3 cortizone epidurals, and after those all wore off I was still in pain. I did traction(/decompression?) where I was strapped into a megatron 5000 (or something) and it pulled my ribs up and my hips down to try to suck everything back into place. It took a while to recover from that, and after that I still wasn't 100% but throughout this whole thing I had gotten at least somewhat better. I started doing core work on my own at the gym, and after that I found myself in less and less pain.
After a year or more of trying the above, I was able to function pain-free almost 100% of the time.
Now, 4 years after that, I upgraded my medical insurance because I thought that even though I was symptom free I should get another MRI done because it had been so long.
I saw a neurosurgeon who thought I should just get an x-ray. I did so. Two weeks later I went back for results. In between the two visits I had been sick and in bed for 2 days. When I got up I found myself with a horribly pinched nerve on the right side of my lower back. At the worst the pain was just a step down from being sliced open by a steak knife (and that happened as a freak pumpkin carving accident when I was small, so I know). I also lost stability of the right leg because of that pinch. It took a week or so to completely go away. When I saw the Dr. to review the x-ray I told him about the pinch.
Dr. said: Although the last time I talked with you I said you should definitely not do preventative surgery on this condition, especially at your age and with as healthy as you are- being pain-free and all. Now, I'm going to tell you that you should definitely have a PLIF within 1-2 months. After looking at the x-ray, I see movement which means the area is not stable. I'm concerned about the nerves which control your bladder and bowel getting damaged, and once they're damaged there's no guarantee that surgery will reverse the damage. There's also a possibility that the bones will slip even more and instead of being on top of each other they will fall to be next to each other which is obviously a serious situation.
I scheduled 2nd and 3rd opinions.
Opinion 2: Physiatrist
Said 100% don't have surgery. 6% of the Western world have spondylolisthesis and only 10% of them need surgery. 20% of pro football players have this condition, and so do 20% of the SF professional ballet cast. Surgery can leave you worse off than you are now. Do 6 weeks of intensive physical therapy twice a week and we'll talk then. Don't have surgery based on a flare-up.
Opinion 3: Orthopedic Surgeon
Said 100% have the surgery. Things can only get worse.
I have a 4th and soon 5th opinion scheduled. Please let me know anything I should know.
I'm brand new to the forum.
I guess I'll just give you my entire history and see if anyone can make it through to give me some suggestions. My PLIF surgery for L5-S1 is scheduled for a week and some change. This has all happened very quickly so I'd like to see if anyone else has some knowledge or opinions to pass on. Thank you very much.I started having problems caused by my back 5 years ago, the day before my 21st birthday. The bones in my left knee started grinding on each other because my body was compensating. I had nerve issues with nurabness in my left foot and a little in the calf, and a lot of pain running down my left leg. It became so painful and tight that I had issues walking when doing things as easy as going to the movie store (when they still existed).
The MRI results:
FINDINGS:
The L5-S1 disc is moderately narrowed with degenerative loss of signal and moderate diffuse bulging of the disc annulus. In addition, there is Grade 1 spondylolisthesis corabining to produce rather severe central and lateral recess stenosis and mild to moderate bilateral foraminal stenosis. The L5 pars appear intact but are elongated and relatively thin. The L5-S1 facet joints have an anomalous sagittal orientation. The remaining lurabar discs are maintained with normal hydration. The conus medullaris appears normal.
IMPRESSION:
Severe central and lateral recess stenosis at L5-S1 secondary to degenerative disc disease, diffuse bulging of the disc annulus, and Grade 1 spondylolisthesis without associated pars defects.
I did physical therapy, which didn't seem to do anything. The Dr. suggested I get an epidural with cortizone to help with pain and let the swelling go down. I got 3 cortizone epidurals, and after those all wore off I was still in pain. I did traction(/decompression?) where I was strapped into a megatron 5000 (or something) and it pulled my ribs up and my hips down to try to suck everything back into place. It took a while to recover from that, and after that I still wasn't 100% but throughout this whole thing I had gotten at least somewhat better. I started doing core work on my own at the gym, and after that I found myself in less and less pain.
After a year or more of trying the above, I was able to function pain-free almost 100% of the time.
Now, 4 years after that, I upgraded my medical insurance because I thought that even though I was symptom free I should get another MRI done because it had been so long.
I saw a neurosurgeon who thought I should just get an x-ray. I did so. Two weeks later I went back for results. In between the two visits I had been sick and in bed for 2 days. When I got up I found myself with a horribly pinched nerve on the right side of my lower back. At the worst the pain was just a step down from being sliced open by a steak knife (and that happened as a freak pumpkin carving accident when I was small, so I know). I also lost stability of the right leg because of that pinch. It took a week or so to completely go away. When I saw the Dr. to review the x-ray I told him about the pinch.
Dr. said: Although the last time I talked with you I said you should definitely not do preventative surgery on this condition, especially at your age and with as healthy as you are- being pain-free and all. Now, I'm going to tell you that you should definitely have a PLIF within 1-2 months. After looking at the x-ray, I see movement which means the area is not stable. I'm concerned about the nerves which control your bladder and bowel getting damaged, and once they're damaged there's no guarantee that surgery will reverse the damage. There's also a possibility that the bones will slip even more and instead of being on top of each other they will fall to be next to each other which is obviously a serious situation.
I scheduled 2nd and 3rd opinions.
Opinion 2: Physiatrist
Said 100% don't have surgery. 6% of the Western world have spondylolisthesis and only 10% of them need surgery. 20% of pro football players have this condition, and so do 20% of the SF professional ballet cast. Surgery can leave you worse off than you are now. Do 6 weeks of intensive physical therapy twice a week and we'll talk then. Don't have surgery based on a flare-up.
Opinion 3: Orthopedic Surgeon
Said 100% have the surgery. Things can only get worse.
I have a 4th and soon 5th opinion scheduled. Please let me know anything I should know.