howdy ya'll

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timeload

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hello i'm new to these boarRAB but not to back pain;)

i had a lamiectomy on my l4/l5 disk in 2000 and blew it out again last year confirmed by a mri. i had a cortisone shot in may of last year, it worked great, but it wore off after 6 months around nov. i got laid off from my work at the end of dec so no medical ins after that, well during that time my back started flaring up extreamly bad could barely walk for 3 weeks and kept getting smaller flare up since then. i'm back to work now and will hopefully be getting another shot soon.

my problem is that the shots are only a short term solution, i do not want to get a fusion, which is what my doctor says i would need, as i don't know of anybody who has had a successful one.

i have pain on my left side going into my grion and down my leg and in my tailbone it hurts to lift my leg up and it feels weaker plus i can't seem to stand in one place for too long.

and the kicker on top of the whole thing is that i'm a truck driver, any suggestions?
 
Hi Timeload, I'd try for a second opinion about the fusion surgery to see if the fusion is really needed, my fusion hasn't gone to well up to now i went from being told i had fybromyalgia for years to doc sending me for MRI which resulted in 3 herniated disc and spinal stenosis with instability, the week after i was in the theater so i didnt have time to even look up what was happening and laying here suffering post-op ive had plenty of time to read up on it, from most of what i read theres higher chance of complications, fusion puts alot of stress on the disc above below it which can lead to more surgery, problems with the hardware sometimes another surgery to remove it and so on. Unless you have instability in your spine i'd see if another surgeon suggests to get the surgery again without fusion, my opinion is a normal surgery is in the $20,000 $30,000 region my fusion was $108,000 maybe theres a reason why theres an increase in this kind of procedure. I am too trying to find someone with success with the fusion there must be people surely i hear of some that has lessened the pain but are not totally pain free, hopefully someone can post you a postitve message on fusion if thats whats needed to help make up your mind.
 
MIA,
Could you try using some punctuation? it would make your post far easier to read and understand. It's difficult to figure out what you are talking about without punctuation...
 
that's what i was thinking to see if i can have something other than a fusion. a fusion will be my very last resort.

is there other options that are available to me after the cortisone shots quit working?
 
welcome to the boarRAB.

The pain that you have going down your leg, in your groin and your tailbone is nerve pain. Your bad disc is probably causing pressure on the nerve. Nevers don't like to be pressured...hence the pain. There are meRAB available that will cut the pain because normal pain meRAB don't touch nerve pain.

The shots aren't designed to permanently take away your issues. 6 months is actually a pretty good length of time to get relief from a shot. I have caudal injections because I am fused from T9-sacrum. I got 9 months of relief from the first one. Had one two weeks ago and the jury is still out on this one, but it is showing signs of working.

As far asw other options. Have you tried accupunctiure? I used it for a year and it did help with the nerve issues I was having. There is also physical therapy-if you have a good therapist. As you probabaly have found out, sitting isn't the best thing for back problems.

I had three levels fused first and I can say that it was a success. It took care of what I had had the surgery for. One thing you need to realise is that people who are successful don't come back here. they are out living their life and having a ball!

good luck!
 
thanks for the replies:)

the cortisone shot was put right into my spine right up through the tailbone. "ouch!" i know that six months was a very good result but i've been told that each time you get one they last a shorter amount of time until they no longer work:(

i live in a small town so finding an accupuncurist(sp?) would be almost impossible.:( and getting the time off from work to see one would be like pulling teeth with a feather. but i would love to try it.

i kinda feel sorry for anybody who has to deal with me right now as this constant pain has left me with a short fuse and not willing to put up with any crap from anybody. all i want is to get out of pain even if it's only for a short time.

has anyone had any real and lasting results from PT? the last time i went all they did was piss me off.
 
Everything else apart from the surgery will be short term, six months with the cortisone shot is good going, did they inject it in the disc? or in the general area of the pain? I had quite a few but just in the area the most i got out of it was 2 days. Theres things ive read about pain management clinics they can do implant devices you can do a trail run on them see if they help before they implant them but not really sure how that works, i'm thinking of asking about that for myself if i'm left with this degree of pain. Ive had pysical Therapy which left me personally worse off, she manipulated my spine one session which left me with nurab heels that was 15 years ago and they are still nurab!! If on a second opinion if all else fails and they say fusion too the one level fusion is supposed to be more successful than multiple levels thats one good thing i thought of that keeps coming up on the medical sites. It all seems to be a garable with back procedures my surgeon told me this procedure i had has had huge success and post-op after ringing them week after week dealing with his assistant who's never told him of my problems finally said ok we will get you in only for them to cancel the next day he wouldn't be there had to wait another week. To be fair she apologised and said "I" thought you'de get better it would go on its own, she must be a secretly qualified surgeon i think, i wasn't warned of the possible nerve effects that do seem quite common mostly it sounRAB like it goes with maybe twinges of it occasionally but my concern was i still have the same pain as before from the wound across my hip bone and down my thigh and cramps that only go when i sit down which i'm not finding alot of people with that type of cramp, found an article on pseudoclaudication last night which goes with the stenosis i have and says its cramps and leg aches that relieves itself by sitting the next bit is depressing if it is says theres a decompressed nerve root that causes it, not what my ears want to hear im going to ask him about it monday when i get scanned. Anyways with all this happening really think if you can get away with the least amount of altering your spine id try it first.
 
LILLY66 has posted a thread if you click on back problems off this page then its on page two has anyone had more than one micro-discectomy. A few people on there have been able to have that done a few times without fusion even when its been reccommended, thought that might be a helpful read for you.
 
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