Pre ADR Questions

[OCTony]

Hello all,
I am new to this post and very exited to have some real people to talk too. Doctors seem to all have summary opinions. I am 35 years old and have been diagnosed with DDD at L5-S1. I had a microdiscectomy 2 years ago and much of my back pain has subsided. What I have been dealing with for the last two years is bouts of numbness, pins and needles and pain in my left calf and foot. There is a core area that is always numb, but with any activity the symptoms spread in area and increase in intensity. My left calf has also suffered significant atrophy over the years.
I have had an MRI, Discogram and a Mylogram. None of which show definite proof of the cause but "probably". One doctor recommended a fusion, but I declined. Doctor Delemarter in Santa Monica has recommended a ADR. A doctor in Texas says he can do the Maverick. My question is, since most posts and articles address back pain, does anyone know the prognosis of ADR for numbness and weakness in the calf and foot that is not accompanied by severe back pain?

Thanks for your help,
-Tony

[wbaker68]

I can tell you I had both, severe leg pain with numbness and weakness as well as horrible back pain. Both releived from surgery.

Good luck and keep researching away.

Bill

[Harrison]

Tony, I had similar symptoms as you (pain that was not in the 6-10 range). I have zero pain now.

'Happy to chat more about it with you live or by email.

[TXTony]

OCTony,
Welcome to the board. You've come to the right place to get good ADR info and the ability to find out the experiences of others who are or have been up the same creek as you.

As to your question: my understanding from my ADR over 2 years ago was that ADR was not indicated for radicular pain/numbness. That may have been because of the clinical trials, which required carefully selected patient that fit a set of inclusion/exclusion rules so that the results had validity. A lot of water has passed under the bridge in the last two years and, since Charitee is now approved, it is possible that surgeons will now use ADR for that purpose.

BTW: Having been the only Tony on here for a while, I've changed my name to avoid member confusion between the two of us.

Best regards,
TXTony

[mmglobal]

Tony, it all depends on the source of the nerve irritation. Some causes will be resolved by the surgery, others will not.

BTW, I live near Magnolia and Garfield in Fountain Valley... are we neighbors.

Find my phone number on the *** website linked below.

Mark