Greetings
 

Hey everyone,

I figured it was time I get on here instead of surfing around reading your posts without being able to ask questions. It seems there are a number of you that have a whole lot in common with me....

I was a year round athlete, active in all sports until (The Incident) I was doing squats with a fairly heavy weight, and made the mistake of looking down. My back popped, I went down, and the weights came down with me. Next day was at the hospital barely able to walk (waterbeds are not a good idea the same day you injure your back, but this was long, long ago) MRI showed herniated L4-5, L5-S1. Had a couple of epidurals, but they didn't touch the sciatica. Two months later, with no quality of life at all, I had my first discectomy at age 20.
Recovered great, 6 months later I was back in the gym working out again, although I did give up on squats. Two years later I was playing in a flag football league with my roommates and got hit in the back by a 300# guy who apparently didn't like me (The incident Part II) The next day I couldn't move. After about a month of intense pain, I made an appointment to see the surgeon again. Another MRI, another L4-5, L5-S1 blowout. He referred me to his partner, who was apparently the back guy in their practice. Hmmm? why didn't he do the first one? Guess the other doc wanted to try it out and see if he like it too.
Recovered from that surgery with no problems to speak of and was good up until '95. Guy ran a stop sign and broadsided me going about 35 mph (The Incident Part III) That is where my cervical problems came from. Had a couple of shots, not pleasant, and it calmed down, other than numbness and tingling in my arms and a constantly stiff neck.
Good to go after that until '07 (The Incident Part IV) Bent over lifting a case out of my truck, and POP, down I go...again. Same terrible back and leg pain as when I first hurt it. Same routine, only this time it moved up my spine and I blew out L3-4, with annulus tear on L4-5. Now after all I'd been through before, the last thing I wanted was to get cut on again. Did PT, injections, meds, PT, TENS, traction, pretty much everything we could think of to do. In '09 I couldn't take it anymore and had the discectomy on L3-4. Since '07, I had lbp, that constant burning, nagging sciatica all the way into my foot. This time though, I had it into my left quad as well due to the L3-4 disc. The only thing the surgery did for me was get rid of the quad pain, everything else has got worse since '07. Some days better than others, but not one good day since.
They've tried everything except bleeding me with leeches, which I would do right now if it would help. Been to two neuro's in the last year, both say two level fusion at L5-S1, L4-5, is the only thing that will fix me. I was almost to the point of believing them until I found this site, and man am I glad I did! I've sent the info sheet into Ritter-Lang, and am going to contact Bierstadt and Zeegers as well for their opinions.
My last MRI showed 1mm of disc space left at L5-S1, 2mm @L4-5. Not quite sure what some of the other stuff means on the MRI, but it says I have a 3mm facet joint spur on the S1 nerve. Bone spurs also at L4-5, and L3-4, both with scarring and DDD. I guess the upside is that L1-L3 show the discs are within normal limits! Yaaa!
I'm at the end of my rope with my back, my quality of life is :censor:. Everything I do other than lay on the bed, makes it worse. Currently on Hydro and Lyrica and TENS unit.
Sorry to make this so long, but "The story you have heard is true, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent" Oh ya, I turn 47 next week.

Griff,

What a miserable story. Seven years is a LONG time to live like you have. Hopefully you'll get same surgical prescription back from all three surgeons saying that you're a great candidate for ADR. I hope you hear back from them soon.

On this site we've seen lumbar patients recover to varying degrees of activity. Some return to 100% of what they were doing before, but most have their quality of life restored. As you've probably noticed, there is a lot of lumbar experience on this board.

Good luck, Jeff

looks like u need 3 levels done plus a lot of stennois,

Hey Griff,

Welcome to the forum, sorry for the reason you had to seek it out.

I think the one thing you are doing very right is to get other opinions. That's huge. I would suggest you also consult with a Dr. Clavel. I made the incorrect assumption that Dr. R-L represented Dr. Clavel but I'm sure Dr. Clavel is more independent and has his own clinic in Spain.

There is definitely a theme on this forum of healthy, physically fit and active people having "incident's", as you put it, throughout their lives that now contribute to their spinal situations.

have any of u adr guys know of anyone that had adr plus wide lamectomys, to get rid of the stennois , or dose the adr plus lamectomys cause the spine to be ustable

Sorry to hear but glad you found us. I agree with contacting Bierstedt, Clavel, and Zeegers. My L4/L5 was about 2.5mm, now it's 10mm! Feel free to ask me anything about my experience.

Thanks for the response, looks like you and I have the same level of problems. I just had my updated MRI. And X-ray's today to send over. My first question would be, how do you feel now? I don't have over the top expectations of feeling 18 again, but am hopeful that this constant sciatica, hip and leg pain are gone. What made yoU decide to go with Bierstedt over the other surgeons? I was seriously considering Ritter-Lang last year after talking to someone that had a two level lumbar performed by him. After reading through a number of posts I think I'm glad I didn't go through with it. I've been looking at Clavel pretty hard, one reason is the results I see on here from him, and the second would be the possibility of Blue Cross World reimbursing me at least a portion of the cost. How bad was the pain the first couple of months after surgery? I've read that some people didn't think it was too bad, to the other extreme of almost unbearable pain? Sorry for jumping all over on the questions, I just want to know what I'm getting into. Due to my insurance I have two appointments set up next month with neuro's. The first told me a two level fusion is the only chance I have, the other is the required second opinion, which I have a feeling will be the same as the first opinion. Thanks again.

I feel that I am doing pretty well at the 9 month mark. My chronic pain is gone. I still get some tightness in my left calf and my entire left is still weaker than my right. I am still hopeful that it is still nerve and soft tissue healing and remodeling that is needed. I should clarify, the weakness is not apparent until pushed to the limit. It does not show in walking, everyday activities, and even certain exercises. I started cycling again(bike on trainer, not road yet) about 3 weeks ago. My first ride I felt the weakness in left leg immediately, more on the upstroke. I know do not feel noticeable difference until about 15 minutes. I have been riding 30 to 40 minutes, averaging around 150 watts, 17 to 18 mph. I do not notice the leg difference in 2 leg Pilates exercises but can notice in some 1 leg exercises. I think I am making progress and have to remember I am only 9 months post-op. My chronic hip shift is pretty much gone. My Si joint still goes out once in while, but duration between correction keeps lengthening, up to 2 to 3 weeks. When I have discomfort it is now usually in my thoracic and cervical. I do have some issues there but hoping to solve w/out surgery for now. I have been working on regaining thoracic mobility and my Pilates instructor feel that some of my issues are just from fatigue of muscles that I have not used in long time. Usually i feel sore at night and am ok in morning w/out taking anything. I take an NSAID about once a month if needed, I hate taking medications.

I choose Dr. Bierstedt because of his reputation, experience, rehab program, and my comfort level with him. It was a hard choice between Dr. Bierstedt and Dr. Clavel, the rehab at Medicos was a big factor in my final decision.

Let me know if you would like to talk to me about my experience.

Todd, did you have that calf pain preop or is it new pain?

I had calf pain before surgery but it was different. It was higher and felt more like someone was squeezing my leg with 2 hands wrapped around it. The new discomfort is more of a tightness, like sore muscle and is typically lower. It is not constant, it comes and goes. Sometimes after sitting long periods or more strenuous workouts, but not always, it is not entirely consistent with anything.