Questions I need answers to please

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mznell

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Hello crittermom,

There are a nuraber of people on the board who have been through the surgery that is being recommended for you. The key is to find a top-notch surgeon that you are comfortable with. I went to 8 spinal specialists before making the decision to have a fusion. I, too, was very frightened and put it off as long as possible.

With all the wonderful resources of the internet, it is now much easier to research spinal specialists and to learn all about your particular back "problem" and the procedures that are being recommended for you.

You will want to look for either an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon who has fellowship training in the spine. Some orthopedic doctors operate on the spine as well as knees, hips, etc. You want to find a specialist who only concerns him/herself with isues of the back and spine. These doctors will have taken a traditional training in orthopedic surgery and then pursue an additional one to two years studying the spine. This is the kind of doctor you want to perform your procedure, if you have one.

To calm your fears, fusion is routinely performed. Most doctors today keep you medicated and pretty much pain-free. I had anticipated the worst and was pleasantly surprised that the experience wasn't bad at all. I had one bad day in the hospital when the therapist had me do something that caused pain. The nurse came running and immediately medicated me further. Otherwise I was on something where I pushed a button to control my medication whenever I needed it.

When I came home, I was given a variety of pain medications to take by mouth...and my doctor has asked everytime if I need refills...which I don't any longer.

No one can speak as the "typical" patient, but I can tell you my experience. The recovery pain was much less than the pain I lived with every day prior to surgery. Immediately after surgery I felt none of the pain I had previously. I did have pain from the incision and some new nerve pain from the positions I was in during surgery, but it has been gradually going away, and I feel that I will make a complete recovery. The surgery pain I experienced was kept under control by the oral pain medications which I needed for about 3 months.

I hope you can find a doctor that you feel comfortable with and that you'll be able to have the surgery that will help you to regain your strength and will allow you to live more free of pain.

Feel free to post with questions. I'm sure others will share their experiences with you, too.
 
I think I am fast reaching the point of deciding to go for the surgery. I am so sick of this pain and I want my life back.
 
Need some support or something from people who have had a lower back fusion; L4-S1 is being recommended for me.

I went to my pain management specialist on Friday to have another block done and it was a disaster. Doc was not able to finish the procedure; I was to get 2 injection on each side of my spine and he was only able to do the right side before it became so painful he had to stop. He then told me he felt the injections were not the answer for me and it was time to get with a surgeon.

He gave me a lot of sedation; in fact afterwarRAB he told me he gave me enough to "take down a horse" yet it was so painful for me he had to stop the procedure. He discovered a new problem while he was doing it; I now have a bone spur on my spine and he was right on top of it and that is why it was hurting so bad. I was laying there crying from the pain and I apologized to him about being such a "pain in the butt patient" and he came over and was rubbing my back and told me it was not my fault, my back is so messed up and it was time to move on with something else; surgery.

I am terrified of having back surgery. I was very upset when I left there and cried half the way home. I really don't know where to go from here.

How bad is the pain while in the hospital?? What do they give you for pain control?? What about after you come home from the hospital, what kind of pain control do they give you?? I am really scared and need some answers and support.

Got the MRI report back on my knee and it seems I tore the posterior horn of the meniscus on the backside of my knee and I am going to have to have surgery. My darn back being messed up is the reason I hurt my knee. I see an ortho surgeon this Friday.
 
Yup, that's pretty much where most ofus have gotten to when we've made the surgery decision. There are no guarantees. Some people have not had the pain relief they thought they would, but for most people, the surgery is successful and, while it may not completely eliminate their pain, they have a lot less of it. And some people end up pain-free! I was ready for any improvement at all. I still have pain, but I'm thrilled with the improvement. It was well worth it!

Emily :wave:
 
I am on an anti-depressant but this is such a major upheaval in my life the meRAB just don't seem to be helping. Also I am afraid to tell my pain doctor about the depression; I can't take a chance on loosing my pain meRAB.
 
I am with you and understand what you are going through.
Thisis not an easy decision - to have surgery and most of us went through a tough time making decision. But it's all depenRAB on how bad is your pain, how it limits your daily activities, you know?

For me personally was not other options except wheel chair so I had to go.
Many people have surgeries and go on with their lives very happy.
For some road to recovery more complicated: all depenRAB on severity of surgery, on your body cooperation... YOu may find on this board many posts from people who are still in a lot of pain and recovery doesn't go as well. This does not mean you will be one of them; just remeraber that those who had good results are not on this board, they moved on.

Make sure you are going to see a good Spinal Ortho. Many of us suggest to see couple opinions, this always good for your piece of mind.
And read a lot of information provided on this board to get ready for surgery if you need one.

Best of luck to you!
Moldova
 
I had abterior/posterior fusion at the same level L-4 to S-1 with hardware on March 28 this year. When i was in the hospital they were there within seconRAB of me calling. I had something to push for the meRAB at first. They NEVER left me in pain. And now coming home i am on percoset,neorontin,flexeril,and elavil. If i call for a refill they are on top of it and do it right away. The fusion i had feels great the only thing bothering me is my right leg it is nerve problems from all that moving around they had to do. Even with the neurontin its still hurts and it will take time for it to vanish. If you have any more questions feel free to ask.
 
All I know at this point is I am going to have to do something, I can't go on like this for much longer. My life consists of 7/24 pain and now with my knee torn up, add that to the mixture. I'm not at all concerned about the surgery on my knee although I have been told a tear to the posterior horn is a bit more dicey to try to fix doing it orthoscopically and sometimes the surgeon has to resort to an open-procedure if they can't get to the area that neeRAB minding.

The quality of my life is extremely poor. I go for weeks and never leave my house, hubby has to do the shopping for us, he does most of the cooking; fixing things like veggie soup, chili, roasts, things that will make several meals for us.

I have been getting very depressed about all this and thinking that I can't go on for much longer. After the disaster on Friday my mom asked me what I was going to do and I told her I would deal with the pain for as long as I can and then do otherwise and when she asked me what I meant by that statement I didn't answer her. Been getting into some really dark places in my mind, it would be so easy, take enough muscle relaxes with the Percocets, run a hot bath and just slip under the water and it will all be over; no more pain, no surgery to have to try to get through, no more, no more. I know that is not the answer but I am so worn out with this pain, there is literally no where I can go to get away from it. I go to bed in pain, wake up in pain, and it is there all through the day.
 
Well I am going for the knee surgery on the 23rd of this month and then I see the ortho surgeon about my back on June 3rd. He is suppose to be good, I am going to research as much as I can about him, want to see what kind of a feel I get for him when I meet him in person. Just like the guy going to do my knee; I got an immediate good feeling about him when he walked in the door. I asked him if he did backs and he smiled and said no, he wasn't into backs and we somewhat discussed my back problems as well. This place is a large ortho/sports medicine complex, ultra modern and I had a good overall feeling about my appointment.

I am just so sick of what this has done to my life; my back problems I mean. The knee shoot, that is a fly on the wall compared to my back problem. I am sick of being homebound, sick of seeing hubby having to do everything. He works hard at his job and then has to come home and work hard, I feel like such a failure as a wife and a woman.

We have cats and the ferrets and the ferrets have their cages and litter boxes in the cages and they are a snap to do, the cats' litter boxes are a bit more and I can't keep leaning over to do them. So much now if it involves leaning over, I have to get down on my hanRAB and knees and this may sound silly but it feels degrading. I can't stand at the sink long enough to peel potatoes so I have to take everything over to the table and sit down and do it. It is very hard for me to stand at the sink and fix a salad; putting everything in; I like everything but hubby's dirty socks tossed into my salad and I will get it started and then have to go sit down and then go back to it and I might have to do this as many as three times before I can get it fixed. Loading the dishwasher is the same, it will take me what I call "hitches" to get it loaded and this is at least 2 oftentimes 3 hitches to get it loaded. Vacuuming is something I can rarely do anymore because it causes such pain in my lower back and down my left leg so it has taken me 4 or even 5 hitches to do the vacuuming and that is just pushing the vacuuming, that is not using any of the extras such as bending over to do the baseboard areas of the carpet.

The only thing that brings the quickest relief to me is to sit down. I have always heard people with back problems can't sit. My older sister swears there is nothing wrong with my back if I can sit as much as I do. In fact, there has been a huge split in my family having to do with all this; she swears there is nothing wrong with me that I am just a druggie.

My sister has 5 grandbabies and hubby and I were very very close to them, one in particular, little ****** that was in our wedding. Because big sister has decided I am just a druggie, she made it known throughout the family and I am no longer able to see the kiRAB. It hurts terribly her thinking that about me but it hurts even more not getting to see the kiRAB.

I have tried and tried to explain to mom, mother no one is going to walk into a doctor's office and demand narcotics, you have to have something MAJOR wrong with you to even be given narcotics, not everyone can just be a patient of a pain management clinic, you have to be referred, there has to be documentation, films, etc that shows without a doubt you have something major wrong with you. Her response was "well I would hope that is how it worked." None the less big sister is still convinced therefore she has made sure I don't get to see the kiRAB, they are not to be around their druggie Aunt ********.

The last time I talked to her, I called her one night, I was hurting really bad and needed someone to talk to. She told me "there is NO ONE that has a worse back than her husband and he works every day, every day *******, he is not sitting on his butt taking pills." Yes he has had back problems, he has had 2 back surgeries and yes he works every day but anyone who can lean over and tie rebar for 10 hours, well all I can say is his back is more healthy than mine. She was screaming at me, you pretend to be in pain and lie to the doctors just so get pills. I couldn't believe it, I was reaching out to her and that is what she told me. It really broke my heart and we haven't spoken since and it has been over a year and of course my mother believes everything ******* tells her. Probably she or I will pass without ever speaking again and this is on her part; I would accept her apology in a heartbeat but I know my big sister. My brother is the same way and he won't talk to me either.

Big sister is living a life of her own hell, her husband is an alcoholic and there is a lot more there that I won't go into but I guess I make a handy whipping post for releasing her pain for all she is going through. I guess it makes her feel superior that she has a dead dog drunk husband and a druggie sister and she can sit on her throne and feel so smug and superior to us inferiors.

It hurts me so much that the three of are getting older; I am 51, brother is 54, and big sister is 56, we aren't kiRAB ridding stickhorses anymore, time is running out and it shouldn't be this way and it tears my heart out that it is. Big sister has already had one mild heart attack and brother has had open heart surgery, I feel time is slipping away from us and I don't want to see things end this way.

I have tried repeatedly to talk to them both with no success. Either of them could call me any hour of the night and I would be there just as quick as I could get there for them, I just wish they felt the same way about me. I wish to God there was some way I could make them realize how real all this is that I am not a druggie and I am in very real pain. Big sister totally dismisses everything I have told my mother; results of my MRIs, X-rays, myelogram I had, all the testing I have undergone, she swears I have the ability to make the tests and films look the way I need them to look just so I can get the drugs. With this kind of talent, wouldn't I be a millionaire doing something with that kind of ability??

Sorry for such a long post. I have had a very bad morning, woke up in terrible pain after only 4 hours of sleep.
 
(((((CRITTER))))), I am so sorry you are going thru this. Please know that I am praying for you.
 
While I don't have any back surgery experience, I sympathise with you and hope for the best for you. The people i've spoken to generally concur that while back surgery is obviously scary, with advances in technology it is not as dangerous as before (all relative of course, and also depending on the surgery you choose to do). Good luck!
 
Crittermom, can you go back to whoever prescribed the antidepressant for you and tell them it's no longer working well enough? Maybe they can adjust it for you.

If you've reached this point, you're probably ready for surgery. I don't regret mine for a second. I still have pain everyday, but it's not the same pain as before surgery. That pain was uncontrollable with meRAB, and I was quickly heading for a wheelchair. The pain I have now is more easily controlled, or at least helped, with meRAB, and I'm not looking at a wheelchair in the foreseeable future.

I won't repeat the excellent advice others have already given. I just want to tell you that many of us here have been through it and will do our best to help you if you decide to go ahead with the surgery. This is a very supportive and encouraging group of back buddies here! Whatever questions you have, ask away. No question is too big or too little, and we won't sugarcoat or lie to you. If we don't know, we'll say so. If we do know and it's an answer you won't like, we'll still tell you and hold your hand through cyberspace.

Hang in there! You have a gem of a husband, and he's worth getting better for!

Emily
 
hi crittermom,
you have received from great input from some knowlegeable people that I totally agree with.I had a 3 level fusion in jan 07,and while the recovery is extremely slow the outcome was more than I could have asked for.Please please make sure you get a surgeon that has the best credentials. I researched long and hard before deciding on my surgeon( he is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in spine surgery and sports medicine).I know its a scary decision. thought you might benefit from someone who has had great success. I am here if you have anymore questions.
spud
 
Thanx DietPepper. I would give just about anything to have the love and support of my family.
 
Hi, I am so sorry you are suffering the wrath of back pain and will require a fusion. Moldova's advice is right on the money.

However, please tell your doctor that you are becoming depressed about the pain and get on some medicine to help. It is amazing what an antidepressent can do to your overall mental health. I fought this for a long time and now I could not imagine not being on one.

Also, if you hit the back bottom it will take you to the back problems board and you will find a thread pinned at the top of the page called: Post surgical tips. It is jammed packed with information to help prepare you prior to surgery and some of the tips you might find helpful now.

I strongly recommend the grabber even before surgery.

Good luck and keep posting we are here for you.
 
Crittermom . . . I send you loving hugs as well. I will send positive thoughts to try and help heal your big sister's way of thinking. I do indeed get the feeling that she is transferring her troubles and making you sort of a whipping post. I admire your strength to still love her and want to reach out to her after what she is doing.

As for your brother, it is a known fact that men after they have heart attacks or heart surgeries tend to change in personality. Please forgive him for his coldness.

As for why I came in here. I have had sciatica for going on 20 years now (I am also 51 and going through peri-menopause). It was originally a Worker Compensation injury (I fell on some urine while doing janitorial work in a bathroom and landing directly on my tail bone). The last few years, whenever I try to do house work such as cleaning bath tubs or the bottom parts of toilets, or pushing a vacuum around (I also wear a house dust mask because of allergies), the pain will get bad and it will feel like the air is being taken out of the room. I have to stop after about five or ten minutes and go rest for a half an hour before I can continue on.

The doctors around here all think it is in my head (both the pain and the breathing). I do have low grade asthma but not on any regular medications and usually only need to use the rescue inhaler once or twice a year (even with the mask problem, just taking it off I can catch my breath).

I had thought taking multi-vitamins would give me pain relief and energy but that did not seem to be the case. Seems I just over-loaded my system with iron and now am off of them.

I, too, cannot expect my husband to help out and cannot afford to hire someone to do it. Wondering if anyone knew of different ways of doing this stuff that would not make a 15 minute job into a three or four hour ordeal?

Thanks!

Lindaru :)
 
Crittermom,
You really have a lot going on in your life. Your post makes me so sad for you. I hope your brother and sister will soon see the light regarding your injury and pain. Good luck and keep us posted about your surgery.

Deb
 
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