cortizone .vs. spinal fusion

  • Thread starter Thread starter jwills58
  • Start date Start date
J

jwills58

Guest
I hope all goes well for you. My dad and grandmother both had injections. Dad started throwing up so violently it caused his disc to slip further out had surgery short time later. Grandmother had the same along with headaches for about a week. Plus they must have hit a nerve because her back was actually worse after the shot. She now has suffered everyday for the last 8 years with no relief.
My dad has since had 2 spinal fusions and is better most of the time but still has issues and the Dr. says he may need 1 more surgery. He has degenerative disc syndrome. My Dr. says it can be inheridited. I am not looking for to the next steps on which I am about to have to undergo.
I wish you all the best in what you have to do. I have a 3 year old and a 19 month old and my wife has felt the burden of having to do more with them as well. Thank you for sharing your story with me.
 
Oh my, we are both in tricky situations having young children.
What do your Dr.'s think about your family's reaction to the injections?
I do not have a surgery date yet. I need two additional tests to give him some more info before operating. Apparently, and he was the first Dr. to mention this after viewing my MRI, I also have an L4-L5 disc issue. It has an annular tear, bulge, and degenerative disc disease. I may need a fusion at that level as well. Degenerative disc disease can totally be a genetic thing. My grandmother (already got it fixed though), mom, and little sister have it. They will also eventually need surgery, once it gets bad enough.
Keep me posted!
 
Every person in my family who has had a cortizone shot has become violently ill. So I am leary of that, but I have not heard anything good about spinal fusion either. Any suggestions?
 
I had an injection, and although it didn't make me violently ill, it did increase my pain for several days and it gave me a horrible headache for 24 hours. It also didn't help with my pain AT ALL, so I have an appointment with a surgeon Dec 2nd to plan my fusion.
 
I have frienRAB who have had great success with cortisone injections, but they never did squat for me. Are you at the point that the only other option is fusion? I have had two fusions, 30 years apart, and don't regret either one, but surgery should, obviously, always be the last resort. Most people who have fusion surgery have at least a reduction in pain. Most doctors will say that there are no guarantees, and that complete elimination of pain is unlikely, but taking that into consideration, most fusion surgeries are considered successful. There's about a 3-5% failure rate. But again, it should be a last resort. It's a big surgery with a long recovery time, often compared in complexity and recovery to open heart surgery.

I wish you the best as you continue investigating your options.

Emily
 
Well I go on Tuesday for my first injection. My Dr. says it is a risk we have to try. He also said in ten months between mri's I had more change in my disc than he would like to have seen. If I don't get some relief within 14 days after the shot he is going to schedule surgery. He doesn't think a second shot would help if the first one doesn't.
Keep me posted as well.
 
Well i had my injection no results. I get a Discectomy on monday Dec. 22. Megss how is everything going for you?
 
I was told that if the shot didn't work the only other step is for surgery. I am only 30 years old. I have to bulging discs, arthritis, and bone spurs. S1 through L4 an several others above that are starting to bulge as well. Thank you for your comments.
 
I feel your pain! I am only 27! I have a 14 month old daughter and I have a very hard time taking care of her by myself, plus I have become a burden to my husband and family. I have spondylolisthesis, which means that I have a fracture in my L5 pars, and it is causing my L5 vertebrae to slip out of place. Surgery is the only thing that will fix me, the injection would hopefully just be some pain relief. My surgeon had a cancelation for tomorrow, and they offered the appointment to me. I am glad that I don't have to wait until Dec 2nd, but so terrified that I feel nauseas! I know that after tomorrow I will have a surgery date.
What type of illness did your family merabers experience? How long did it last? If the illness only lasts a short time, then it would still be worth it in my opinion to do it so you can attempt to avoid surgery.
 
Hi! Sorry you didn't get any pain relief. And I'm sorry you will be having surgery right before Christmas. I hope it goes well for you.
My doctor changed his mind and is having me do another injection. I see him again Jan 13th and then we will most likely be scheduling a 2 level fusion.
 
Surgery went well I am back up walking and doing some of my normal things. I am not able to lift yet but the nurabness and tingling has pretty much disappeared.I feel awesome so far.
 
Back
Top