Hey there everyone in Gather-land! I am here at the computer for a little while, and thought I would check in with you all to see how things are in your world.
If you have read my EARLY articles you know that I have been dealing with some serious back problems. February 26th will mark 1 full year of misery for me. I have been to the chiropractor, physical therapy, and have been in the care of a pain management specialist with an orthopedic since October. I have had all the steroid injections they can give me. I had a myelogram and CT done a few weeks back. I went to the spinal surgeon for him to review all of my records to see if he thinks I need to progress on to surgery...which I still am not sure that I want to do. He has ordered another MRI, since the last one I had done was in March 07. I have to go for that on Monday and then see him again on Thursday.
I am on Narcotic pain relievers and have been on Lyrica for a few months for nerve pain. I feel as though I am in a fog most of the time. So far, they know that I have at least 2 bulging discs and Degenerative Disc Disease that is worse than it should be at my age. The biggest problem is that they can not seem to find where the nerves are being compressed. Thus the reason I have to have the new MRI.
I am hoping there is a non-surgical fix to all of this. I have heard so many bad things about the effects of having back surgery. Can anyone shed some light on this subject? How many of you have had back surgery, and what have the results been? I am desperate for information.
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Comments: 54
My parents are now too old for the doctors to recommend that either one have back surgery. And with my Mom's lupus they say it is a definate no. With my Dad's age it is not recommended either. They say that once you have back surgery there is no guarnatee that you will not still have pain and can't even guarantee that it will be less than before. With that if I were you I would go and get a second and even a third opinion before you delved into the place of no turning back.
Good luck to you! Hope something starts feeling better for you soon!
<3
I am trying to research different doctors that are with my insurance carrier to see who I should get the additional opinions from. I am having trouble finding some that seem to be rated any higher than the one that I am currently seeing. The one that I am going to services most of the local sports teams and it is hard to beat the reputation they have because of it. I am still searching though.
William, thank you for stopping in anyway! I hope you have a wonderful day, both of you.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/arthritis/AN00124
If this isn't exactly what you're looking for, do check out the other related topic on the May Clinic site. All my best to you.
Sadie, I am glad that you have found a way to manage your pain. Same for you Sherine. I went to physical therapy for a few months and was hoping that I could get relief from the working of the area, but the longer I went...the worse the pain got. I am basically at a point to where the best position for me to be in for any length of time is lying down.
Oddsbotkens, haha, So...how is your pain level after 3 surgeries???
My problem is that they want to wait until it gets worse in my right arm. With too much activity, it starts freaking out and hurts bad. They're afraid they will do more nerve damage than good at this time. I think it has to do with worrying about getting sued myself, and begging didn't help, ha ha. That, or insurance isn't good enough maybe, I don't know... I'm still dealing with getting used to it, and not being able to work.
Good luck, I wish I could offer you some help. Take care.
LOTS OF HUGS TO YOU FROM MISSOURI!
Hope your pain gets better!
My mom had surgery on a bulging disc at 58 and at the same time had some kind of metal plate put in up near her neck. She is soooooooo much better. I was nervous for her, because like you I had heard that once you get back surgery, you are never the same and it often leads to more. This hasn't been the case with her at all.
Like you, she did everything that she could to avoid it, but nothing really helped. She finally had enough and did the surgery and she is back in business. She did lose a bit of mobility in her neck, she won't be auditioning for the part in the exorcist anytime soon. LOL! But, she is so glad that she did it. She got her life back!
Obviously, I have no idea if they are the same discs and therefore the same surgery that you might have, but I would urge you to really weigh your options. The pain that you are in sounds like no fun and no life:( She is back at it....
You are in my prayers. I know what you are going through due to her experience.
I use yoga and meditation to help find a center, I would make sure all the doctors in concern, all talk to one another to come up with the best plan on our behalf.....
D...........................................
But actually, Lora V. my cuzz whos also on gather.. well actually now it might be like Shrimp Cocktail V. or something.. ANYWAYS.. she has had back surgury to treat her scoliosis like a year ago. Maybe she could give you some info?
IF IT IS BECAUSE I SENT THE LINK TO THIS ARTICLE IN AN EMAIL...I GET DOZENS OF EMAILS EVERYTIME I LOG ON TO GATHER THAT ARE ALL SENT THE SAME WAY. I AM ASKING FOR ADVICE AND INFORMATION FROM MY FELLOW GATHER FRIENDS. CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THIS ARTICLE IS SPAM?????????????????
Now on to the spam issue. I have no idea why it is spam and whoever marked it as spam should be shot in the forehead!
Some people don't like mass mails, especially if they are sent out multiple times a day for every single item you post, but that is not grounds to flag someone. Just because someone doesn't like it, doesn't mean that it's breaking the rules.
I'm sorry this happened to you, but I'm sure when Gather reviews this they'll see that it is not spam and they will lift the flag. No worries!
- J.R.R Tolkien: Fellowship of the Ring.
You may have to learn how to use your medicine to its best advantage for you .
AND...THIS ARTICLE IS NOT SPAM.
This article is from a friend who desperately needs advice from others with similar problems in order to make a decision on how to proceed in the care of a serious and extremely painful physical health condition.
If I were Tess...I'd be doing the exact same thing. Back surgery isn't something to be taken lightly and anyone contemplating the procedure needs as much information as possible before deciding to go under the knife.
My thoughts and prayers are with you Tess.
I had herniated discs at L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 with sciatica down my left leg in 91. I ended up having a laminectomy (back surgery) and I did have a little bit of residual nerve problems but with doing some water therapy, they did disappear. For about 15 years, I had really good luck with my back. I'm not saying that it never hurt but it was SOOOO much better! Then I fell down a flight of stairs and shattered my left ankle and developed RSD (which has to do with nerve pain) and have it in both legs, my right arm and also autonomic neuropathy (which has to do with the functions in your body that work automatically, like digestion, breathing, eyesight, etc..) and have problems with all of those as well. I went through menapause at 38, have osteoporosis of that of a 90 y/o woman. I don't know if the nerve problem I had with my back surgery initially was a precursor to the nerve damage I had when I shattered the same ankle or not but the disease I developed has no cure and it is the MOST painful chronic pain disease there is. If you are feeling nerve pain, you understand what I am talking about. This makes all of your nerves on hyperactive and hyper pain. It is very painful and I have to live on opiates and narcotics for pain relief everyday for any quality of life. If there is a way to get this fixed, I would definitely consider it because living in pain and on medicine for the rest of your life is no way to live... I speak from experience. It sucks!
Thank you to everyone offering their support of this article NOT being SPAM as well.
Vana, your words mean so very much. Thanks!
that is such a nice thought,
I am sorry you too suffer from it, hopefully the doctors can do something, mine can't.
I am so tired of drugs, I refuse to take them as I should, or I'd just sleep life away...
I am sending out my thoughts and prayers to everyone who is suffering with pain of ANY kind. I hope that we all find the relief we are longing for.
I went to have a more recent MRI done yesterday for the surgeon to look at and see if he can tell me what the heck is going on. I sure wish I could read the CD they gave me for my copy. I mean, I can tell that there is some spots that just do not look right, but I have NO idea how bad they are. haha, some of the images look like my spine has turned to mush! haha, I am hoping that is not what he has to tell me when I go back to see him Thursday!
WOO-HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE FLAG HAS BEEN LIFTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM NO LONGER SPAMMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peggy, I are you saying I need to try and get the exercise before the surgery or to make sure that I do it afterwards?