I need some advice please.....

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cheryl1972

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After falling on the ice over a month ago and years of backpain, I'm finally deciding I cannot live with the pain anymore. I went to a "spine specialist" and an MRI shows degenerative disc disease at L4/L5. I've had a good 10 years of hurting, falls, car accidents, ect that I'm sure have made it worse. I had one steroid injection in my back a week ago. I had maybe 3 days of relief and am now in just as much if not more pain I was in before. I've had the symptoms a lot of other have had (weight gain (which I cannot afford), night sweats, fever, depression (which I cannot afford), irritability, sleeplessness, etc. Is this really worth it? Not only that, we're trying to "get pregnant" and I know you shouldn't be pregnant while doing the steroid injections. I'm starting to wonder if my health or a baby is more important. Any advice to anyone else who is going thru this or has been thru this?

Thanks so much,
Cheryl
 
Hi again MM,

What exactly is fusion? I keep seeing it everywhere in the posts but am not sure what it is.

Did you find relief with your situation?

Thanks so much for crossing your fingers for me! Everything helps!

Cheryl
 
Did you try any PT prior to the steroid injection?

What are your symptoms? Do you have pain in your back, or in your legs?
 
Has your doctor mentioned what the next step would be beyond the steroid injections?
 
Hi Cheryl. My problem was at the same level as yours. My disc was not bulging at all there, but very badly torn and it went undetected for over 3 years as the MRI's showed it as a healthy disc at full height still. The tear was on the inside and probably why the MRI didnt catch it. Plus I have had a bulging disc at the lower level l5/s1 since age 18, and they ALL thought that was the disc causing me all the problem.

Anyway I am fused at the l4/l5 level now. You asked what is "fusion". Fusion basically means to "join together". In the case of the spine, fusion means to make two facets become one. So they remove the disc space between two bony segments, and put various materials in place to join the two segments and make them become one. This can be accomplished in a few different ways, but most often they put something into the disc space (where they remove part are all of a bad disc), then to secure the spine, they put one metal rod on each side of the spine and affix them to the bony segment above and below that disc space by using screws and screw it into the bone segments. Over time, the body does it job by building bone into the disc space and it then becomes one bone when it is solidly fused.

I hope I didnt confuse you on that. But that is an easy way to describe it.

PT may do you a world of good. It will make you healthier and strengthen your core muscles to better support your spine, and getting in shape more will also help to reduce your pain level and help to control inflammation.

Surgery should not be offered in less your health is at risk, and/or all other conservative treatments have failed to help and your pain level drastically alters your life.

I think you are doing the right thing right now by waiting to get pregnant. You have to get your health in control before thinking of bringing a baby into your world. The healthiest you is the best scenario for having and raising children.

Keep us posted on how the PT is going for you.
 
Cheryl,

I can definately understand where you are coming from as we too have been contemplating TTC but with my back issues it's made it a difficult 'choice' so to speak. I know after meeting with my OBGYN, she is willing to work with my pain management doctor, however, had recommended that any procedures such as injections and radio frequency ablataion be completed prior to getting pregnant as they all use some form of xray.

My problems all started out with a fall on the ice as well...4 back surgeries later and I can't say I feel much better than prior to surgery.

I am almost a year out from my two level fusion and continue to have pain, however, I did have a successful facet steriod injection at the level above my fusion and just recently completed radio frequency ablation to burn the nerves at that level and am actually feeling a little better which is promising.

I would highly recommend that you give another injection a try as well as therapy and possibly inquire about the RFA if you are getting relief from the injections even for a short period of time - basically it burns the nerves around the area that is causing you pain and can last up to 6 months or longer.

Best of luck to you!
 
I am sorry, honey, for all this. I would definately consult your DR before you get pregnant. Since steroiRAB have tendency to stay in your body a while they were injected - I would find out when exactly you can go for it. SteroiRAB is not something you want to play while pregnant.
I know my daugher was on Vytorin for high cholesterol, she needed to be off them for 4 month to try to get pregnant.
Your DR is right: DDD is a normal condition for people over 25 and comes with territory:)
This is not a reason for a surgery for sure, but if something more involved - than I am sure he can send you for more tests.
PT is a great thing for some people and never can hurt, makes our muscles stronger means it will support the spine better and you will need this more than most of us since you are planning to cary a baby.
Shots were very painful for me too: i did not sleep for about a week at least after each of them.
And you are right about sweats and chills (steroiRAB can do it to you) and the pain... I had 9 of them (don't know why did I trust my ex-PM DR but i did) during 3 years. Not one of them worked, but I heard some people do get some relieve from pain immideately. And even though it's only temp, we all could use temp pain relieve...:)

Good luck to u!
 
Hi Cheryl! I am sorry you are suffering so much. Sometimes it takes 2 injections to see if they are going to work for you. If you have a second shot and it does not work, I would call your doctor and let them know. If two injections do not work, I would not consider a 3rd. My spin is why inject that body with steroiRAB if it isn't helping?

What is your doctor saying about you spine problems? Are they bringing up surgery with you?

Just remeraber that if you conceive and you have back pain chances are that the back problems are going to get worse carrying the extra weight of the pregnancy. Personally, I think you have to evaluate how bad the back pain is, whether you can deal with it and more pain before chosing your next step.

Good luck with your decision!!
 
Marlosmom -

No the steroid injection was the first step.

I have pain in my L4/L5 region.

Cheryl
 
Hi 123dietdrpepper, thanks for your reply.

My doctor says he wants to try PT next. Back surgery he says isn't effective most of the time.

We're holding off on the baby thing for now, as we both need to take care of our health first.

Cheryl
 
Hi Cheryl,

Justoneofus did a great job explaining fusion. It is a type of surgery that is often used for specific spinal deformities or "problems." It should be the last step one considers with any back problem.

If I were you I would start asking around about physical therapists that specialize in spinal issues. Try to find a clinic that only deals with spinal issues, if you can. I think a series of sessions with a PT who really has experience working on the spine could do you a world of good.

Let us know what is working for you.

xx MM;)
 
Moldova,

Thanks so much for your input! I will definitely take everything into consideration. I'm sorry shots did not help you. I hope you found something that did.

Cheryl
 
JustOneOfUS,

Thanks SO much for your explanation on the fusion. It makes sense to me.
 
GracefulOne -

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate the insight, as it seems you're going thru what I am.

I just know when I got the first injection, I signed several forms stating that I was not pregnant.

I didn't know the OB/GYN would work with the pain management doctor with this situation. I will have to talk with her about it to see what can be done.

I think I am going to try another steroid injection to see how that one works for me.

Thanks for your input!
Cheryl
 
MarlosMom,

I will do my research on PT's for sure. I hope this works. Thanks so much for your input.

Cheryl
 
Hi Cheryl,

I just had a fusion at L4-5. I think the insurance companies make you start out with the steroid injections. In the off chance that they work, it is tons cheaper than having surgery.

I have 2 frienRAB who both have had wonderful relief from the injections; both have only had 2.

I was not so lucky. I had relief for about a week the first time and basically nothing the second and third time..

Hopefully the 2nd one will do the trick for you. I'll keep my fingers crossed!!

xx MM ;)
 
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