Surgery Again!??!

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ezracer1

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A little history first: Oct 99 ruptured L4-5 disc. March 00 microlaminectomy/diskectomy. Sep 04 ruptured L4-5 again!! had hemilaminectomy/diskectomy. (In between both back surgeries had ACL reconstuction on both knees 8 mo. apart due to injuries)
Have been dealing with low back pain off and on for years. Family doc finally got tired of me and sent me to PM. It has been 1 year now and after 2 ESI's, 2 facet inj., facet rhizotomy he finally does MRI. MRI shows advanced DDD at L4-5, moderate sized herniated disc, moderate facet spurring, central stenosis, and bilateral neural foraminal stenosis. Needless to stay all of the injections have not worked and the pain pills aren't either. He has referred me to neuro and I have an appt. on Oct 10th. I worry that he will suggest surgery or worse yet, a fusion. With my history and recent MRI, what do you all think. If it comes down to another surgery or fusion should I go for it?
 
So sorry to hear you are having all these problems.
I just had my 3rd. back surgery in June and is still at the healing stage of it.
I would suggest waiting to see what your doctor has to say.
Good luck.

Hurt back Mid May 2006.Picking up 50lbs. dog food wrong. Got better. Then May 29 2006 bent over to help dog in suv Sciatic pain in back down leg. Horrible pain.
L5S1 ruptures.
7/29/06 had Microdiscetomy. Helped but have problems with Sciatica.
Left side left leg, butt and foot Pain and nurabness.
Nurabness in foot and leg worse with walking.
3 Epidural. #2 nurabness gone for 3 days.
Another MRI shows bulge at L4.
#2 Nerve conduction test still shows problems at S1.
Spinal Stenosis.
3/3/07 Foraminotomy/Laminectomy and Lurabar Microdiscetomy
Can tell some better back don't hurt as bad, more pain in foot .
Still having pain in buttock area while sitting.
9/22/2007 Bent over ( bent the correct way)at work and back started back starting aching.
Woke up next day in terrible pain.
Pa said I reinjuried nerve.
Pain and nurabness worse in foot then before.
Shooting pain in the bottom of left foot.
Mri shows scar tissue wrapped around S1.
Gabapentin 600mg does ease the squeezing and burning.
Baclofen 20mg at bedtime.
Selective nerve block 1/18/08
So far doing great on the nerve.
Had 2nd and 3rd selective nerve block.
Although they helped, but only lasted like 2 wks.
May 13,2008 arthritis causing a spur press on a nerve.
3rd back surgery schedule for June 16,2008
Severe Stenosis L4-L5/s/p L4-S1 disectomy/ L5-S-1 Lamintectomy
Lurabar facetectomy L4-L5/ transforaminal posterior
Lurabar interbody fusion L4-S1
PLIF level 2 fusion with instrumentions.
10/3/08 Pa said fushion not complete but looks good.
The pain from walking where the muscle are healing back together and tight. Need PT. The pain in my back feels better now on 800mg mortin a day. She said "Time is on my side." I sure hope so.
 
Thanks for the reply, the waiting is driving me nuts. Still having mixed feelings if the neuro says I need surgery. But, I'm staring to lean that what since PM isn't working. Just had a bilateral nerve block on Thursday, 10-2 and by Saturday the pain was back. It just didn't do anything. Glad to see your recovering. Sure is a long struggle, hang in there!!
 
I have to say that finally after all I have done the Sciatic pain is gone for now. I know the feeling with the waiting. It does drive you nuts. But even thou I still have my days as all the rest do. Waiting is one thing you do a lot of. I have thought many times I wished I never had the fusion. But other keep telling me that it will get better. Don't let it get you down. Easy to say but the people here are so much help. You can wirte out for aggrevations here and we all understand that it a hard road to travel. Only the ones that have gone thru it knows how you feel.
Thanks for the encouragement. Let us know how things goes.
Hugs to thoses that need it.
 
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