Seeking Advice - Active L Trial & My Symptoms

[agreenberg77]

I have been reading through posts here for a little over a week.

Yesterday, on my second visit with Dr Rolando Garcia in Aventura, Fl (I love this guy), they qualified me and gave me the opportunity to be in the Active L (his disc) vs Charite Clinical Trial. There are 7 spots left, and I am luckly enough to be one of those final 7.

I have some serious concerns regarding peoples experiences that I have been reading here, and all advice feedback would be greatly appreciated

My spine, cervical to lumbar is 100% without defect, except for. L4 - L5, which there is only the outline of the disc left and almost nothing else. My MRI shows swelling, etc is the bones above and below this disc.. I believe this from an injury when I was training in MMA some 7 or so years ago.

The pain has been tolerable except or the last 2 years, and since i have stopped fighting, lost about 15 pounds to lighten my frame (from 195 or so to 183) at 5 9, have done yoga 2 times a week, chirporactic including the spinal decompression 2 times per week, acupuncture, massage, rolfing, etc, nothing gives realm improvement. Except, perhaps once a year or so something with tweak in my lumbar and i will feel good for 2 days or so and then the pain will gradually come back. I have a tremendous amount of cracking, clicking, and instability around that area. I getting really annoying radiating pain into my right hip. standing for more than 20 minutes really sucks, especially when i go to sit after. I have to sleep with my feet raised, even sleeping on my side bothers it. I have substantial weakness, and the most difficult thing for me is bending over to the floor, i typically have to put my hands on my thighs to transition. I cant pick anything heavy up off the floor at all.

Dr Garcia and his staff say i am the poster boy for this procedure. i am 32, an athlete, i do weights, yoga, etc 6 days a week, i eat extremely well. people look at me at think i am the picture of health. My pain when sitting for more than 30 min, going from sitting to standing, bending over, typically reaches a 6 daily, some days its much worse ( and i have a very high pain tolerance, two reconstructive shoulder surgerys for pec tears and i never took a pain killer). i no longer do any impact sports (except when i crash teaching motorcycle road racing) it has really limited my desire to do things.

so my question is for people who have had an ADR, is it worth it for someone like me from your experience?
I consider the XLIF fusion which two UFC fighters Nate Quarry and Tito Ortiz had done and were able to compete again, but the two surgeons i have spoken to that do both fusion and ADR have suggested ADR.

I see alot of people here have new symptoms and complications that i have been told are very very unlikely, especially for someone my age and physical situation, but nonetheless, i am a little concerned

any help is much appreciated

Thanks

[billyboy710]

My advice to you would be to ask your doctor how sure he is that just your disc between L4-L5 is the causing your pain. If everything else on your lumbar spine looks normal, which it sounds like it is, you might be a great candidate for ADR. I recently had a Prodisc inserted into L5-S1 on Aug. 12th. I'm doing extremely well other than a bit of sciatic pain going down both legs but that comes with the territory after the nerves get stretched a bit.

Before my surgery, I spoke with an active duty Army Airborne Ranger who had a Charite disc inplanted in his L5-S1. He was in his early thirties, in great shape as it sounds like you are and he could not speak highly enough of his results. He had his surgery in June 2008 and he has been pain free for a year. He went back to active duty and made a parachute jump six weeks after his ADR. My surgeon told me i could go back to work in 8 weeks if all continues on as well as it's been (i'm a police officer).

I too am a big UFC fan and researched Ortiz and Quarry's surgery. That's a great procedure, minimally invasive but you must, I feel, look at long term and question whether or not fusing at those levels would cause problems down the road. That's a question you need to discuss with your surgeon. Good luck to you

[agreenberg77]

Billy,

Man that is some GREAT feedback

it has been very difficult to find trained athletes or extremely active people with a concentrated problem like i have, you had, and the ranger had,

thank you very much. this is a tough road to wrap my mind around, everything i can find out is helpful

and my surgeon believes nearly 100 percent that is the weak link in my back and causing the pain

[Harrison]

Welcome to our community – and sorry for not sending this by private message! When you can, please use the search feature to sift through similar questions. There is now five years of posts containing patients’ topics and conversations which may be helpful to you – specifically on ADR.

I was a “one level” ADR and my spine is doing exceptionally well. That said, it is wise for you to consider the contra-indications – please see the first topic in this forum:

ADR Risks, Complications, Disqualifications

My own personal opinion is that both discs in this trial are very good in terms of durability and longevity for properly selected patients. Please tell us more about your injury, and why you think that is the cause behind your dessicated disc?

Please add a signature when you can too (see the user CP link in upper left?)….thanks.

[rhatzy]

I know a guy who was in my group at Stenum who had L4-5 and L3-4 done with the Maverick disc. He is a weight lifter/body builder/trainer. We had our discs put in January 08 and the last I talked with him, he was back to work training and squatting over 300 pounds with no pain. I had the same two levels done and I am pain free and back to work as an airline captain.

Mark

[agreenberg77]

do you know how long did it take him to get back to the gym?

this is all very assuring for me, i get scheduled for the surgery tomorrow

[Harrison]

This is my opinion, but you are getting some bad advice here: spine surgery is not a “cakewalk.” Please don’t even think about rushing back to the gym! Many patients in this community have been hurt by starting PT or physical activities too soon!

Sorry to add this here:

Rhatzy, I’ve private messaged you several times, but you’ve ignored responding to them. Please email me to set up a time for us to talk this week.

[rhatzy]

First of all, I don't think I'd be squatting 300 pounds, but he was doing this about a year after his surgery. I know he had a hard time for a couple of months in his recovery but everyone is different and it could be worse. There are a lot of success stories and like all procedures, a lot of failures.

Mark

[agreenberg77]

Guess now its real