Tired of this pain!

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parman

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Since my last post I have seen my neurosurgeon in Nashville and he told me that I did'nt need a fusion. I needed a micro-discectomy. He said they are 90% effective. So I thought why not go ahead with his recomdations. Better to try that then have another fusion at this time.
Wed. March 17th I had my surgery.It is too early to tell if the surgery did me any good or not. The doctor told my wife, let's keep our fingers cross. I have not started to walk yet but am going to start today and walk some. I don't go back and see the doctor til April 12th.My wife did ask him if the surgery did not help would I have to have a fusion. He said not necessary! Don't know what that means. Will take day by day. Has anyone that has had a micro-discectomy that didn't help have anything else done other than a fusion? Will keep in contact with all.
 
This is my first post on this forum. Hi to all! To begin with I'm having pain in my back that is causing all my normal activities to cease. To go back, I had a laminectomy in 1997 that went well for 5 yrs. Then I started having alot of burning in my feet. My orthapaedic doctor decided to go back in and clean up the area around the disc at L5-S1 in hopes it would clear up my pain. Did not work. After alot of pain meRAB and seeing two other doctors in two years, and having mri's, cat scans, mylegrams, discograms they all agreed that I had to have a level one fusion at L5-S1. A nuerosurgeon performed the operation but had to go back in 7 days later because of one of the screws was in a nerve root. It took 14 mos. to really feel good again. That was in 2004. After the long recovery I did start feeling alot better. I am a very active person and hate to be down.Fast forward to 2009. I started having this pain in the middle of my back. Never had pain there before. Feels like a fist is in my back most of the time. Went to doctor. He ordered a mri. It showed that I had a ruptured disc above the fusion that I had in 2004. The doctor said that when you have a fusion that the disc above has more pressure on it that sooner or later it will give you problems. Well that time has arrived for me.He ordered me to have epidural shots. I've had two that have done nothing for me.
My problem is sitting. I have extreme pain in back and my legs are so weak that I can't walk very much without sitting down or laying down. I do still work on my job but I'm normally on my feet and with some pain meRAB. I make it through the day. My doctor said if the epidurals don't help I would need another fusion. The fusion I had in 2004, he said is ok. No problem with that.I'm posting this wondering if anyone else has had a single level fusion and then few years later had another fusion. How many fusions can one have? If I have this done, when will the one above that fail? I'm 56 yrs. old and don't want to be in pain the rest of my life. Very concerned whether this will disable me for life.I want to get off pain meRAB but it is so hard when you feel so terrible.
 
I had a L3-S1 fusion in February 2010. This was 17 years after my L4-S1 fusion. I'll do anything to improve my pain so I'm open to surgical revisions, and thus far at 6 wk post op it was well worth it!
 
I hope you have the option to stay out for a while, do you have Short Term and/or Long Term Disability at work or perhaps are you on Worker's Comp?
 
Yes I do have both short term and long term disability.
My doctor called me at 7:00 this morning and said he went over my myelogram,ct scan, and x-rays twice and seen nothing abnormal. He said that I had a nerve that was irritated and it would calm down in time. He's keeping me off work at least 2 more weeks. He will call me then. Put me on a medrol dose pack for 1 week. Can't sleep with those.:eek:I hope he's right. I had this same surgery 13 yrs. ago and it was a breeze then. Was back to work in 5 weeks. This time is going to take at least twice that.
 
Its still early, try and relax !!!
You have just probally really irritated your nerve if your MRI has shown no abnormalities !!
 
Parman:

I totally understand. If you don't get relief from the medrol dose pack then perhaps an appointment with a Pain Management physician (if you don't already have one). Two things (1) They will look at your pain and see what medications or pain procedures they may be able to offer. (2) Being in PM will help keep your STD/LTD claim going. If you move toward PM then you can explain to the STD/LTD case manager that you have not sufficiently recovered and thus now need a Pain Management evaluation and treatment.

I recommend starting to research Pain Mgmt practices now (just in case) as it can take a few tries to get a good PM doctor. I have had 2 good PM doctors here. The new one I'm at (been there over a year now) is much more open to communication and said they support me being out on STD and now LTD. I was lucky that even PM doctor #1 was decent. He was not as comprehensive as my new PM doctor and his practice.

If you are not recovered, you have to let the surgeon know "I understand that the tests show nothing but there's clearly an issue. I need you to work with me so that I don't go back to work too early".

Keep in mind that some employers will only hold your job for the FMLA maximum of 12 weeks (in most states the max in 12 weeks. Some states and some employers offer a bit more). I was laid off after my FMLA ran out. But i was going to be laid off anyway due to the office (only one in AZ for my employer) was not in need of a full time person in my position. BUT, all my doctors have thus far been very supportive of my STD/LTD.
 
Went and seen my nuerosurgeon today. Told him about my leg pain and went over my mri from 2 weeks ago. He said my leg pain could be from a bone spur down at L5-S1. My fusion was L5-S1 in 2004. Set me up with mylogram test on friday. Might know by friday afternoon or the following monday.
I've heard of people having there hardware removed after a year or two. But has anyone had there's removed after 6 yrs? It's all speculation at this time. But something is causing my right leg to give out real quick.
 
I am sorry you are having problems again. I am in the same situation so I can't give advise but i do give support.
 
Spine AZ:

Thanks for the PM recommendation. I will keep that in mind. The news I got today from the doctor made my day. I was so worried that I re-herniated the disk or herniated another disk. The disk above my (2004) fusion is bulging, so it's probably just a matter of time before that disk ruptures. I'm probably an eggshell ready to crack. I hope not.
My employer is very lenient with me. Talked with my supervisor the other day and he said, get well as soon as you can. I've been at the same employer for 29 yrs. I was off 16 weeks in 2004 for my fusion. I don't know what the FMLA maximum of weeks are in my state; just know that I have never had any problems with time off from my employer.
If in two weeks I am still not ready because of nurabness in right leg then my doctor will not release me at that time. Since after surgery I was fine for 3 weeks and then started having leg pain; anything is possible. Especially with me. How are you doing from your fusion? I will keep in touch.:wave:
 
SpineAZ, good to hear that you are doing pretty good from your fusion. I had my 1st fusion L5-S1 in Jan. of 2004. Hope I don't have to have another one but probably will at some point. I'm like you SpineAZ in that I will do whatever it takes to get rid of pain. I had a choice of doing a fusion here in my hometown or going to Nashville and having this micro-discectomy that I did have. The decision was not that hard to make. If this surgery worked then I wouldn't have to have a fusion.
As you know SpineAZ, there is no guarantees with the results of a surgery. You just have to trust your doctor. What I found to be odd was my orthapaedic doctor in my hometown told me in Dec. that if the epidural shots he scheduled did not work then I would have to have a fusion. But, my nuerosurgeon in Nashville said I did not need a fusion. My nuerosurgeon did my fusion in 2004. Nothing wrong with that fusion. My problem now is two disks up from that fusion. Like I said it is too early to tell if my surgery was a success or not. The biggest problem is my right leg pain. Will keep in touch!
 
I had my microdiscectomy surgery on mar.17th.For the 1st 3 weeks things went well. I followed doctors orders. I walked and didn't bend, twist or lift anything I shouldn't. Then my wife and I went for a walk last sunday. Maybe 30 minutes. Monday, I could hardly move. I was so sore. Tuesday and wednesday were the same. Wed. nite my leg started really bothering me. Same as before surgery. I've tried celebrex, muscle relaxers, lyrica, pain medicine etc...........
Have doctors app. on mon. morning. Don't know what happened. My lower back and right leg are giving me fits. The pain is constant.I was told before surgery that these surgeries are successful 90% of the time. I feel that I have fell into the 10% catagory. Will post after doctor visit.
 
Did he give you information on the myelogram. Be sure to read up on what is involved and be prepared (including a driver).

I have never had a "hardware block" done but I've seen many posts on this and how it's often used to determine of hardware could be the cause of the problem.

I had pain at the sites of the screws but my doctor was not one to jump into hardware removal just in case that's not the problem. Then my L3 vertebrae slipped forward and I had to have it added to my fusion. The good part was that required the removal of my L4-S1 hardware which was 17 years old and bulky. The pain from the hardware may be gone but hard to tell as I have new pain that took it's place is still post-op painful.

I think my hardware pain was due to the size and prominence of the hardware, the new stuff is far more sleek.
 
KiRABcom1st, can you tell me what your situation is. Did you have level-1 fusion and where?What problems now are you having?
 
Actually the area that was fused is doing well. I have a bunch of other spine problems (cervical and SI joint). But I am hoping the LR area may end up repaired well with minimal pain. I just have to watch out for body mechanics and limit bending and lifting from this point forward since my fusion is so high.
 
After seeing the nurse practitioner, I went an had a MRI. Tests showed no abnormalities from surgery. Put me on sterioRAB for a week. Was doing fairly well on sterioRAB. One week after last steriod I went to my mothers for a visit. Did alittle work at her house and also did my exercises that they put me on at the PT office. Saturday morning started having same problems all over again. My lower back pain was excruciating and my right leg felt like it weighed 100 lbs.Been on muscle relaxers, pain medicine and lyrica. My back might be alittle better but my right leg is still the same. About the way it was before surgery. Am going to call doctors office tomorrow.
 
SpineAZ: I've never heard of a hardware block.My doctor has not mentioned it either. I will read up on it.
I'v had 4 myelograms in the past.Had a bad experience in 2003. Had myelogram in afternoon and they said at hospital that it would be alright for me to travel the next day. My wife and I were going 300 miles for our anniversary to the biltmore house in North carolina. When we arrived my headaches began. Got worse the longer I was standing. Laying down I was alright. Turned out I had a spinal leak to the brain. Couldn't even drive home. Had to go back to hospital and have a blood patch. Worse experience of my life.
 
Still don't know what my leg pain is from. Heard from nurse today and doctor says all test (mylegram, ct scan, etc.......) came back with normal post-op changes. Whatever that means. Told me to continue to exercise. I do exercise daily but at night my leg is nurab. Very aggravated! It's been 4 weeks like this. I know I should be patient. When I go back to work I have to walk on concrete for 10 to 12 hrs a day. I'm very concerned that I will be the same way as before. Dragging my leg around after 2 hrs at work. Don't want to go back to work then have to leave work again.:(:
 
kiRABcom1st, my last post was before I read yours. Am so sorry that you are having so much pain. I have known people that have had fusions and had screws come loose and cause alot of pain. Has your doctor ordered another MRI? Being young, hopefully the doctor can fine where your pain is coming from so you can begin recovering.I know a fusion is not the end of the world. I had one at 50 yrs. old. Yes recovery is slow and you will never be the same again but you can and should recover. Good Luck! I will check back with you later.
 
thank you so much! i had a good day today..thank God. i hope you also found relief today. I am struggling with change...from my old life of running maratons, and playing basketball... to just trying to walk.
 
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