Surgery Set For Dec. 8th at Cedars Sinai

jfg2009 · #1 11-22-2009, 10:41 AM

This is a quick update. I am participating in the Freedom Disc/Prodisc Study by Axiomed. Dr. Hyun Bae of the L.A. Spine Institute will be performing the ADR and Dr. Willis Wagner of Cedars Sinai will be the Vascular surgeon. I am in the control group and will be receiving the Pro-Disc L. I've never ever had surgery before so I'm anxious, but also based on the messages here and the DVD, I am excited that I might ultimately be out of pain. Any pre-op or post-op advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

terigrx · #2 11-23-2009, 04:07 PM

Best of luck to you!!!

Teri

Harrison · #3 11-23-2009, 08:43 PM

Jfg,

There's actually quite a bit to digest to ready oneself for the big day. How much time have you spent on the forum reading posts? Have you seen this one already, and discussed the issues therein with the doc? I assume you may have addressed most of these issues already:

ADR Risks, Complications, Disqualifications

I am glad you already know who the vascular surgeon is -- did you meet Dr. Wagner? If you will, pls read and respond and when you can.

Thanks!

scduggan · #4 11-30-2009, 04:42 PM

Dear Jfg,
Good luck and best wishes to you. I am also seriously considering the Freedom/Axiomed trial in Texas (I live in a suburb of Nashville,TN). Please keep us posted concerning your progress. I am anxiously awaiting. I know you are excited and nervous....but mostly happy to have a plan.
CD

ans · #5 12-04-2009, 11:12 AM

Best of luck to you! Hmm, maybe I'll visit you as I'm close to Cedar's and wheel you to the Celebrity Wing in the top floor. (Too bad no prison ward!).

Let this be your last surgery ever and a successful one.

ans

Cindee · #6 12-07-2009, 12:02 AM

My 2 level ProDisc L was completed 5 years ago by the Spine institute, Dr Delamarter. It was life changing. I awoke with minimal pain. The next day was worse...only because the spasms were out of control. Once they gave me something to relax my muscles...it was tolerable. Those lasted for 2 days. About one week later I remember having terrible nerve pain, they said it was from the distraction process. The nerve pain went away also after 3-4 days, but that was brutal. Nothing compares to nerve pain.

After 2 weeks post-op...I stopped pain medications. 3 weeks post op I was looking for work, and returned to school. I have not slowed down since.

Good luck to you, and remember there will be down days during your healing...but it will resolve. Just listen to the doctors, take medications as they advise you and be patient. Your new life is right around the corner!

RoyCar · #7 12-06-2010, 01:06 AM

Hello, I had the Pro Disc L installed on the 22nd of November at Cedars Sinai by Dr. Rasouli of the LA Spine Institute. Here's what you might experience based on mine; I showed up two hours before my surgery wearing comfortable clothes carrying only my ID, SSN card, Medical Insurance card and my MRI's (film). I was checked in and waiting until I was escorted to the 8th floor where I did some more waiting. I then followed a nurse to a cold room with a group of people getting surgery too and was told to strip down. Wearing only a hospital gown, I went through a series of interviews, signed some papers and had a surgeon write L5 S1 on my stomach. I had an IV put in by an anesthesiologist and Dr. Rasouli showed up for a brief chat. Next thing I know was waking up in a hospital room being greeted by my wife. I slept most of that day. I wasn’t until 6pm that I decided to get up out of bed and try walking. So after a couple of doses of pain medication (the only time I used them), I nervously attempted to get out of bed. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. With a lot of cautious movements you could completely avoid the pain medication. One of the biggest reasons for me to avoid the pain meds was that I wanted nothing to interfere with regaining of my bowel function. That will be your biggest roadblock to getting released. I had no bowel function for three days. I was starting to get very worried. As far as pain goes, the most painful moment was the removal of the catheter and urinating a couple of times afterwards. Make sure that you have plenty of slack on that tubing.

As of now, the incision barely hurts and the only back pain I have is an occasional ache.

jss · #8 12-06-2010, 06:32 AM

Roy,

Congratulations on the successful surgery. It sounds like you're still doing very well in the early recovery. Only one dose of pain medicine!? I'm impressed.

Here's hoping Jfg has such a successful surgery and recovery.

Good luck, Jeff

kennethhoff · #9 12-06-2010, 09:22 AM

Jfg,

I wish you the best with your surgery too. Like you, I am scheduled in the same clinical trial for a Freedom or Prodisc at the end of Jan 2011. Like you too, I have never had surgery before, so I anxious to hear your story.
One question I do have is: according to the trial, you are not supposed to know which disc you will receive until after the procedure. How did you find out which one you were going to have?

Ken

RoyCar · #10 12-06-2010, 01:11 PM

ken,
You will actually find out the day of surgery. One of the papers you will sign will have the disc you are about to receive written on it. My case worker offered to let me know before hand but I declined. I was just glad to get an ADR being that my insurance would only pay for Fusion.