Here we go again, more bad news for the surgeon

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joebob254

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I'm looking for thoughts and comments. In 2008, I blew my L2-L3 which resulted in a non-traditional fusion. My neuro, who I have complete faith in, used some sort of flexible metal roRAB and removed about a third of my disk. This was to maintain my flexability. I returned to work at about five months after surgery at a fully duty capacity (police). After about three months of having my previous life back, the pain returned. Not only was the pain back but it was later determined that the L2 vertebra was slipping of the disk (spondolyisthesis). This resulted in a fusion in August of 2009. I have since returned to full duty and was off all pain meRAB but the pain is once again returning.

I have the same burning in my upper back as before the "true fusion" and the pains in the legs are back. They seem to be more of a nusiance right now and have not progressed to the positional dependant throbbing. I have this strange sensation when I lay down and my spine decompresses... I can only describe it as uncomfortable and almost a pulling sensation until it calms down. The low back pain has never gone away.

The thing is that I wear my duty belt (about 25 to 30 lbs) around the area of my surgery. The belt is about 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick. I now find myself wondering if the constant 12 hour pressure of the thickness of the belt caused the vertebra to dislocate. The recurring pain makes me think that it may be happening all over again.. maybe above or below the fusion.

I get to break this to the doc tomorrow. A third surgery probably means my career of 8 years is gone. I feel fourtunate that I still have a job after the second. Does anyone have any thoughts as to what may be going on? There have been no diagnostic tests as of yet for this "new" stuff. I'm just worried.. more for my family's sake than my own.

Thanks everyone...
"joe"
 
joe, I'm sorry for the repeat of problems. But, you are probably dead on about the belt. When I had my fusion done - 3 levels, I was told that I would always have a weight restriction of 25 lbs. as it puts undue pressure on the spine and the fused area.
 
I suffer from constant SI joint pain and pain at L5/S1. I work in a prison and am a small built female. My duty belt weighs, maybe 8-10 lbs and it is a problem. I simply cannot wear all the equipment on my belt. However, I probably have more flexibility in this area than you do. I wish you the best as well as a possible solution.
 
I just had my 3 rd back surgery all IOD related and I am a police officer also. I had the spinal fusion so I could get back to work and I am now having all kinRAB if severe nerve pain since 2 weeks postoperative. Since after my first surgery, I could tell that my rig definetely caused my back to have problems. I had tried to take off as much of the unnecessary equipment as possible. I am a thin female so my rig lays right on my hips. My only advice is to spread out whatever equipment you keep on your rig. I try to balance out my equipment so it is in equal spots around my waist. I keep my gun n mace on rt front, handcuRAB in rear and radio on the left front. I too am hoping to still have my job especially after all I have gone through to get back. I work for a large City and they make everything other difficult as possible. My surgeon has a large office with pain management doctors on staff. My surgeon scheduled me to get a nerve block and the city cancelled it bc I have to go to a pain specialist on their panel. I was leery of the injection to begin with having my own surgeon overseeing the procedure. I really do not want a stranger doing the shot so now I am stuck in pain til I find out what is causing it.
 
Joe,
I have n idea of what is going on, but I wish you the best of luck.
Nana Neil
 
It's great to hear from my fellow sisters in blue out there (you too Ibake, you are definately a kindred spirit),

I definately followed all the wieght restrictions until they were lifted. As soon as I went back to full duty after the first surgery, all equipment was removed from the back of the duty belt. I had my gloves and cuRAB back there. Our department had been authorized to wear suspenders but no one did. I just broke them out and am gonna give a try to redistrubute the weight off of the lower back and hips. The funny thing is that I am more comfortable at work than I am at home. I wear my belt fairly tight at I always thought it had something to do about the constriction. I actually took my fully loaded rig (minus taser) to the doc yesterday and they weighed it. I overestimated the weight, it was 17 lbs. The doc is not convinced it is something new going on and said he believed "it was possible that I may just be in pain longer than some during the healing process". He did order a CT scan to be sure and wanted me to see a different kind of pain management doc to see if he missed anything. I trust him fully or he never would have done a second surgery on me. I expressed my concern over my career and he said "I'm not ready to give up on your career yet" to which I replied "good neither am I". Its just more waiting.

Laos & Cali- Unfourtunately my injury was not duty related and I work for a smaller department. I am fourtunate that our insurance is outstanding and the department stood by me. I was however the first in the city to use the short term disability benefit and that caused some drama but ultimately worked out. I'm not sure if this board has a private message feature but if it does and you need to talk please feel free (you too Cali). If it doesnt, i have yahoo messenger and can get you my username. I know how it feels to have no one understand in a line of work such as ours. They all seem to respond to visible injury much better, its like if you look fine then you must be fine. The only person in our department that I could tell everything to was our victim advocate and due to unforseen circumstances, she has just resigned.

Ibake- thank you for your support, I have seen many of your posts and hope that you continue to be a source of guidance to all.

I look forward to hearing more from everyone.
 
Hey Joe....Have you found out anything from the doctor? I have developed a seroma behind the incision and I also get this weird feeling when I lay down. My right foot was getting better until a few days ago. Now it's bak to nurab, burning an hypersensitive to the touch. I feel like I'm going insane. I have also developed this strange feeling when I'm resting. It feels as if I hit my funny bone but the feeling occurs in my face/upper body area. My heart also seems to beat harder when this happens. The surgeon looks at me like I'm cookoo. The city dr also informed mr the other day when I was Asking if I could go back to work limited duty(I ask every appt n he says no) that he already sent in the paperwork with the recommendation I never work as a police officer again. I still have a small chance to go back because the hearing isn't until august. Any ideas or diagnosis you have received would be helpful....hope you are doing well...
 
It's been a while since I posted an update on this and I apologize. I've been a little preoccupied. I have since seen my nuero and he wasn't sure what was going on. He was not convinced it was something new and said that I may simply be one of those people who hurt longer. He did however order a new CT scan. I got the report and it did not reveal anything new but I got a call from the neuro's nurse the other day which is odd. She said the nuero advised that I had not fused completely(now 11 months post op):mad: It was unusual to get a call from her, I don't remeraber getting one after a test in the past. She said it was not totally unusual but was kinda evasive. The last xray was at two months and I was informed that fusion had begun and was progressing. I see the neuro next week but now am more nervous than before. If it hasn't fused by now... will it? If it doesn't fuse then what? Am I screwed and out of options?

Laos,
I'm sorry its coming to this. I keep the same thought in the back of my head. Our victim advocate is the only person at work that I tell everything to and she thinks that my career is done but its just a matter of how long I am willing to put up with and hide the pain. If you are anything like me, I never planned on doing anything else and was going to retire from this profession. Now I am faced with the uncertanty of the future. I dont know what your retirement plan is but mine has a provision that if I am no longer able to be a police officer due to medical reasons then I may draw full medical retirement. The only question at this time if it is for life or until the balance of my account is gone since my injury is not duty related. If it was, I know I would get it for life. The only stipulation is that I can never be an officer again. I hope you have something similar. As for your heart beat, it can definately elevate when you are in pain. I remeraber after I got hurt, I went to the primary doc for a second visit and I had run out of pain medicine. I was hurting so bad and when they checked my vitals, my heart rate was around 200bpm. Also, after my first surgery I had alot of the burning above my butt cheeks and the tops of them. Near as I could tell it was nerve pain and surprisingly it went away after my second surgery. As the first surgery failed and my vertebra dislocated, I had a lot of referred pain that went up. I had burning in my upper back between the shoulder blades that got worse with activity. The spine is a funny thing and nerves go everywhere. Don't let them push you aside to get to the next patient. Don't let them get away with the minimun. The work comp doc's are on the city's agenda. From the sounRAB of it, you definately need a new scan to find out whats up. Please keep me posed on how your doing.

Thanks everyone for your continued input on my situation...I really appreciate it.

God Bless and stay safe,
"Joe"
 
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