Freedom vs Prodisc!?
 

Hello guys writing you of course to have your opinion advice and or suggestions … Here I go I got hurt exactly 10 months ago … Bend to pick up something from the floor and felt that something moved on my lower back pain was absolutely terrible and went from right buttock lower back until foot (right side) and pain hasn’t left since...

Before of the date of injury I fell down many times on the ice on a ski trip but was ok and then started to work out lift weights, run, dance being very active etc 2-3 months before injury and remember I was super sore from working out the date I got hurt … I have tried physical therapy 3 times and I have also had 3 epidural shots plus a nerve block shot that instead of bringing me relief made my pain worse …

I had an MRI showing a disc bulge at L5 S1 and some of the disk material touching the nerve … Time has gone by and my pain has increased and my condition is the same and or worse … I’m not able to sit longer than 5 minutes and also I’m not able to walk for more than 5-10 minutes at the most … I’m not able to drive far distances at all and because of my condition I’m not longer working:( right now I am basically standing the whole day (even when I eat) and at night it is hard to find a position that won’t give me pain:(

I have been taking Amrix which made me kind of crazy and now I’m taking Hydrocone which is still making me kind of crazy but I guess it is reliving my pain some more… All these medicines for pain make me hyper and then knock me out although sometimes the pain is so bad that I wake up in the middle of the night and I have been not able to sleep for many nights already having sometimes weird nightmares and hallucinations at night so it actually scares me going to sleep with these drugs because they are definitely affecting my nervous system :(

I’m very thankful when I do get to sleep some but most of the time when I wake up I am dizzy feeling like here but not here then I take a shower and finally feel awaken and a bit more normal … I have seen already 7 doctors getting different opinions so at least I know now that I need surgery after all of that but I am still not sure about the type of surgery though … I have been told that I need a Microdiscectomy by 2 different doctors, I have also been told that I need a fusion and or ADR by a 3rd doctor and a 4th doctor told me I need Anterior Fusion …

As you can see I am confused no wonder why right!? I guess I thought doctors will tell me and made me feel confident and clear about my diagnosis but since this hasn’t happened I’m glad I found you on line … I have no insurance to make my story more fun and or interesting and I also don’t have family in the country and I am currently unemployed …

One of the doctors I saw is starting the free trial between the Freedom Disc and the Prodisc here in GA and told me I might qualify as a candidate as I do not have insurance and I only have one level affected L5 S1 or my other choice will be fusion which would be $30,000 out of pocket and or more if it is anterior so I wonder if anyone out there have been part of the clinical trial between Freedom Disc vs Prodisc? And or if anyone out there have got the Freedom Disc or Prodisc? And or if anyone know anything about the Freedom Disc or Prodisc? I know the Freedom Disc is the most recent disc? Any successful or unsuccessful stories out there? Anyone has had an Anterior Fusion?

Please describe and or share your story and or experience about any of these questions asked …

Thanks so much for reading….
Best regards
Friendly
:)
Arabella.

!
 

Hi,

Yes, it is a very confusing choice when dealing with your back. First, I believe microdiscectomy most likely will help but will just prolong the inevitable. Plus they will remove bone and muscle and other tissue that will no doubt cause scar tissue and other fun problems. Fusion at that level is probably the only level that I would even consider having a fusion. Now, which disc is better? Who knows. they most likely all are pretty good. Just depends on which doctor you go to. I think the various options you are getting is because that is all that particular doctor knows and does.

I have had two microdiscectomies done, one at L4-5 and the other at L3-4. L4-5 was done in 1996 and made me pain free for 11 years. Then I blew out L3-4 and had a microdiscectomy and that made it worse. Furthermore, L4-5 had deteriorated much more causing the facets at that level to also deteriorate. I also had a lot of scar tissue at that level. My only option was ADR at two levels. I went to Germany and had two Mavericks put in. My recovery was hell for at least 6 months. I am now back at work flying as captain for American Airlines. I too was on percocet and it was a bear to get off. Took about a month and it was miserable.

So, research, research, research. And then when you get totally confused, make a decision. What helped me the most was talking with people on the phone who went thru it. It was the most helpful.

Mark

Reply
 

The more I research the various discs, the more I believe that they all are good. I think that our spine is not really sensitive to different types of discs and really just needs "something" to fill in the space and have proper movement. I chose the prodisc myself because there were so many existing success stories with it and the fact that it was the preferred disc of choice by dr bertagnoli.

I have a Prodisc L that is now 5 yrs old but I would LOVE to know who is doing the trials in Ga with the Freedom & the Prodisc ? Now they maybe doing ONLY lumbar trials but I could at least check as I need Cervical. Please if you would pass on who is doing the trials it may help someone else too - thanks Jill

This has nothing to do with your question, but it's interesting that you talked about nightmares. I have nightmares every night because my pain is invading my subcontious.

For example, I have had nightmares (after watching the discovery channel, lol) that I was bitten by a snake in the arm. The pain eventually wakes me up and I realize that the pain in my arm is from my discs, but it was shaping my dreams. It is horrible. Everynight a new nightmare. I know it is coming but there is nothing I can do to make it better because there is nothing that I can do about the pain.

My latest dream last night dealt with chest pain from my thoracic area. I dreamt that I had been shot in the chest and was dying. As I was about to die I woke up to the horrendous chest pain that I was feeling in my nightmare. It is so miserable.

The only time I have had nightmares is when I took amytriptyline (sp?) for pain. It used to be used as an antidepressant way back when or even still...I'm not sure.

My PM doctor was experimenting with different meds to try and control my pain...five herniated discs needing ADR/fusion or a combination. I tried the drug above for almost a week, and woke up every night with stories just like yours.

Is there any chance that a drug is causing the bad dreams instead of the pain? Just an idea ;)

surgery in GA
 

Arabella,

So you live in Georgia? Have you met with Dr. Erik L. Westerlund? He was my surgeon for a 2 level lumbar ProDisc ADR. He participated in the ProDisc clinical trials when they first came out. In the last year he moved from southern CA to GA. I really liked him and I would recommend a consult with him.

see http://www.sfhga.com/index.asp?pageId=855