hello,

will · #1 09-26-2008, 05:18 AM

Just a quick introduction, name is Will, 49yrs old and have been in chronic back pain for 9 years. Have been reading posts in this forum and am amazed at the number of people suffering back pain.

have several questions I would like to put to the forum which I will do when i am allowed to.

Dave C · #2 09-26-2008, 08:32 AM

Will,

Welcome to the community. This group just scratches the surface of how many people really are suffering from back and neck problems.

Ask all the questions you want, for there are many knowledgeable members here. They have been a huge help for me.

cathydownunder · #3 09-26-2008, 09:00 PM

Hi Will ..welcome to another aussie, Im presuming you're from Shellharbour NSW? My inlaws used to have a caravan at the beach there and I have many good memories of lazy summer days there.
Sorry to hear of your ongoing pain. Do you know if the disc replacement wasn't successful
or is it possible your pain is now from other levels? Or a combination of both most likely.
Cathy

will · #4 09-30-2008, 04:23 AM

Yes I am in Shellharbour.

My nuerosurgeon tells me that the disc is working as it should, but he tells me that it is the Facet joints that cannot cope with supporting the movement of the new disc. He said that my only options are to have a fusion and or have replacements facet joints fitted.

Question is, has anybody had a fusion after having a disc replaced?, and was it succesfull?.

Has any body had facet joint replacement, I understand that it is earlydays yet for that type of surgery

cathydownunder · #5 10-01-2008, 02:17 AM

Hi again Will
Yes there are a few of us that have had our "new" discs fused in, usually because of what you've said "facet degeneration".
It's a very risky surgery to try to remove a disc replacement and few doctors will even attempt it. The usual suggestion is to leave the disc as is and fuse over it, stopping all movement. Some like me have had a stabilisation system eg: Dynesys placed over the disc which still allows some movement but not much. At the moment the Dynesys has been pulled from funding here in Aus due to some unsatisfactory outcomes so it's not rebateable anymore.
As for the facet replacement surgery,I think it's still a long way off yet. If and when it happens there'll be a lot of us queuing up for it..!!

annapurna · #6 10-01-2008, 06:41 AM

Facet joint replacements are in trial and doing well but they are still the kind of thing that you only do if you have to. If you flip through old history and see the kind of carnage caused during the ADR trials and imagine what could be done during facet joint trials, you see what mean. If things go well, I'd imagine that they'll move out of the realm of the truely desperate within a few years.

Terry · #7 10-01-2008, 03:27 PM

Will:

I am sorry to hear that you are struggling. I agree with the comment made in the last post about new technology. I would give it a little time before I would delve in to having my facet joints replaced. Hang in there and we will try to support you in the process.

Terry Newton

will · #8 10-03-2008, 05:06 AM

Interesting reading about the fusing of new disc's.

I had applied to get on the pain manegemnt course at The Royal North Shore hospital in Sydney, because I read that it gave good outcomes. After fighting with the workers comp insurer for months to get approval I finally got an apointment in two months time, great news I thought, only thing was i got a call from my case manager at workers comp insurer to tell me they are not going to go ahead with it now as they think its too far for me to travel, about 100klms.

Talk about one step forward and two back.

maz · #9 10-04-2008, 06:00 PM

Hi Will, welcome to this site you will find so much knowledge help and support here from the members, I have, and its lovely , it can get very scary in the pain world and as you say there are so many of us sufferers , and we are the tip of the iceberg (if there are any left) Hope you are having a good pain day today
Maz