Newest Update on Recovery from ADR

[Nichole]

As I posted a week ago or so I am having pretty severe pain in my low back on the right side however. My pre-surgical pain was on the left. So I had a MRI done and it was discovered that my facets have moderate to sever swelling causing me my pain. So they scheduled me for a facet injection as well as a SI Join injection. They explained it like this: due to the injury to my disc prior to surgery and the pain generated from that disc I had limited mobility in that part of my spine. Due to that limited mobility there was minimal movement in the facets. Now that I have had ADR and I have full range of motion in that spot my facets are forced to work as normal. Of course after not getting much of a workout for over 2 years they are not very happy. Which is what is creating the GOD AWFUL PAIN. I am telling you guys it's about 100 times worse than my pre-operative pain. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CURE! So I went in Wednesday afternoon for my injections. They told me I would be sedated for the injection, and I wasent. They told me it wouldnt be very painful...........OH MY GOODNESS......felt exactally like a discogram. YIKES. I was bawling in hysterics and refused the 2nd injection. So that leads me to today. I am scheduled with a totally different doctor for the rest of the injections and have been promised sedation. I have no idea why the heck it hurt so badly but oh my goodness. BE AWARE!!!!!!!!!!! They have said that after I have the remaining 2 injections they will most likely go in and cauterize the nerve endings that go into the facets. That will remove the pain. So there is light at the end of the tunnel. I did alot, I mean ALOT of research on ADR and missed this portion of the recovery in all my studies.

So those of you who are considering ADR, I would definately do this all over again however I just wanted to warn you of my experience.

I will keep you all updated as to how the next round of injections go.

[Dale S]

Nichole,
I am having a 3/4 level next week and appreciate the heads up.

On the other hand, I can't believe a doctor who promises sedation and then doesn't provide, much to the discomfort and pain of his patient. Next time, grab that doctor by the "" and tell him if he hurts you, you'll repay him in kind! It may not work exactly as planned but usually gets the message across.

Anyway, I'm happy for you that this new pain is managable and will be taken care of shortly.

Wishing you the best,
Dale

You state that your pain is 100 times worse than your preoperative pain. WHy do you then say that you would do this all over again?

[letteski]

I think the reason Nicole is saying she would do this again is there is a light at the end of the tunnel post-op ever so narrow. Pre-op you are up against a brick wall.

I am sorry you have been having such pain Nicole I�m with Dale do what you can but demand the best you are worth it.

Your pain free time is coming just be patient.

God Bless

[Poncho]

Nichole,

This happened to me too right after the last injury that caused me to become a chronic pain patient. They schedueled me for caudal blocks because of previous discectomy & scar tissue. They told me it wouldn't hurt and when they injected - I about came off the table!!! Then I went into spasm. Needless to say, I was a bit PO'd and scared to death to get this done again.

Definite lesson to learn here.

I do not want to scare anyone out of epidural / steroid injections. If this can prevent you from having spine surgery - definitely go for it. HOWEVER - IF your physician that is going to do this procedure tries to talk you out of sedation - I would take pause and definitely think as to whether or not I want this particular doc doing it. - Just my two cents...

[mmglobal]

Nicole... I look forward to hearing of your successful rhizotomy.... please keep us posted. Sorry about your troubles, but the light at the end of the tunnel must look great now.

Good luck,

Mark

[Alastair]

Hi Nicole,
yes whenever you have ADR it does lift your facet joints and quite often can have this sort of effect. I hope the injections workout okay and that you get out of pain.

At the end of the day it's great that those facet joints are back and working -- -- -- it's just a temporary thing
best,
Alastair

[Harrison]

Nicole, I choose to believe in the hopeful tone of your message! As well, the points brought up by Poncho makes sense to me. Plus, Poncho is always right!

I am curious, how long do you think you have severe DDD at the ADR level? As I recall, it wasn't too many years. I am thinking that the shorter the period where the facets are stressed with DDD, the quicker your recovery time (all else being equal or normal).

Anyway, hang tough. I hope you can get through this w/o too much discomfort. I'll pray it's just a short phase of "bad railroad track" and the light at the end of the tunnel is lifelong peace and wellness!

[luvmysibe]

Hi Nichole,
Sorry to hear of your awful non-sedated experience. Here's to the proper techniques when you go for your next round! My ESI experience was actually far worse than my ADR surgery and recovery. Hopefully, you will be over this hurdle shortly and on to the rest of your recovery.

[bmills]

Pre surgery I had two epidural injections and one injection for facet joints. None of the them were particularly painful, in fact they were really not painful at all, and I was only slightly sedated just to help me not feel too nervous. How doctors pefrom it may be the difference...?

Another note: I had DDD for probably at least 15 years. Received the Kineflex on September 6, 2005 as most of you know. I'm having chronic aching in my low back still. It's seems like the pain is in the same area but somewhwat different kind of pain. It's only been 33 days so I'm assuming it's just going to take time to get pain free. It seems my many years of DDD are not causing me to have increased pain now due to increased movement on the facet joints, then again that could be part of the aching I'm having. I don't know if having a semi-constrained device like the Kineflex could be a benefit to the facet joints but it is possible in my mind...

33 days after having your vertabrae spread and cut on for the keels on the device is not a long time. I can do just about anything except sit for much time. On one or two 20 mg oxy's per day.

My prior MRI showed mild facet degeneration.

Every case is different and it takes a lot of time to heal from something like this - which I keep getting reminded of.

So, Nichole, my opinion and experience is, if done correctly, the injections don't have to be painful.


Brady