Newbie here, with some questions.

Hello all,

Wow, am I glad I found this site! What a plethora of information!

As you can see from my signature, I have been dealing with back pain for a long time. I had a Microdiscectomy on L4-L5 in 2003 which helped my sciatic pain so much but didn’t seem to do much for the back pain.

In the past 5 years my pain level has varied. An average day it is a 3 to 5 depending on what I am doing. Then there are the times that the pain shots up to a 6 to 8 because I have done something to upset my delicate back. This can be something as simple as lifting my toddler into her car seat and twisting just a bit. I am not very active because most everything I do causes me pain. Even just walking more than a few blocks can be too much for me on some days, I just never know.

The past couple of years I have been experiencing times when the pain is much more severe and keeps me from even walking, sitting or even standing. Usually these episodes last a day or two. Almost 5 weeks ago I was pushing the stroller and jogging to catch up with my 2 year old…maybe 30 feet or so. When I stopped and took a few regular steps I realized I was in severe pain and couldn’t walk. This episode was so bad I had to be brought to the hospital by ambulance and the pain lasted 3 weeks. I had a difficult time walking around using a walker even on pain meds. This was the worst it has ever been. I am getting back to my regular level of pain but am now feeling more afraid, not knowing when the next “episode” may occur. It was very frightening being out and about with a toddler and an infant and not being able to walk, let alone lift them or take care of them.

I have always been really afraid of a fusion or disc replacement surgery… but now feel like it may be my only choice. I met with Dr. Zuckerman at St. Mary’s Spine Clinic 3 weeks ago. He said that I was a candidate for a double disc replacement L4-S1. I have seen another Dr. a few years back who said I needed fusion of L3-S1.

I am confused as to what is best and don’t know if Dr. Zuckerman is the Dr. I should go with. He was SO impersonal and didn’t really examine me or ask me questions… just looked at my MRI films and said double disc replacement. I haven’t had a Discogram, but don’t know if that is necessary or not seeing as L4-L5 is the disc I’ve had problems with all along… 15 years and has a protrusion of 8.8 mm, and L5-S1 has a protrusion of 5.3mm.

Has anyone had any really great experiences with Doctors in California? Who would you recommend I get a second opinion from? Why wouldn’t the Doctors I have seen recommend a Discogram? (I ask because it seems a lot of people have had these.)

Which artificial disc seems to be the best for the L4-S1 regions? Why?

I just don’t feel like I know what I am doing. I feel so confused and scared. With two small children to care for I don’t want my back to just go out at any time but I am also afraid of the surgery and the time it will take to recover.

Anyway… that’s me in a nut shell. Thanks for reading… and double thanks for any responses!

Hi Priz, welcome to the community. You've offered a nice summary with a few good questions. Sorry you are here, in this situation, but I hope we can help and support you during your journey.

I have a lot of questions, but I'll chime back in soon...

PS: You are the vocab star for the week, with "plethora" ringing the bell! http://adrsupport.org/groupee_common.../icon_razz.gif

Priz, there are many people here that live in CA that have had ADR in various coastal cities (San Fran and LA). Have you searched through the topics yet? Get familiar with the advanced search too.

If you don't get any answers, we can talk next week. http://adrsupport.org/groupee_common...icon_smile.gif

Harrison,
Thank you so much for your reply.
I have been trying to read as many different posts as I can but I don't get through many as I have a 2 year old, an infant(3m)and a husband to care for (the best I can with my back pain)and I run a buisness out of my home (I manage a storage facility... we live on site so I can't go on disability as we wouldn't have any place to live). I'm currently holding a crying toddler in my arms while typing... trying to concentrate the best I can.

Wow, you do literally have your hands full! I'll ask for some help from our community. Friends, a little love here for our new member?

Thank you...

Hi Priz, welcome to the club no one wants to belong. This is the right place!

I think you are nearing the end if I can tell you that our stories are similar that 3 mos. before surgery I was knock to the ground at an award banquet for my sons' high school. It took all of an hour to get me back in motion and the pain was unbearable. I also was living in the 3-5 range with lots of fatigue.

As far as CA docs, I just don't know why you all just don't come East to Dr. Yue anyway.

Hi JL,

Thank you for your respones. I will check into Dr. Yue. Do you know if he takes Blue Cross insurance?

I was very interested in Dr. Delmarta down in LA... I even have an appointment with him on the 16th... but he is out of network with my insurance... so I'll probably be canceling.

Did you have a good experience with Dr. Yue?

Before your episode at the awards banquet did you have other incidents like that? Is that incident what "encouraged" you to have surgery?

I don't like my daily pain but I have lived with it a long time... but the episodes of intense pain that just come out of the blue scare me.

Thanks for your input!

Hi Priz,
You can search here for other Dr. Yue patients and I am sure all will welcome your inquiry. Preceeding surgery I fell 3 other times and one resulted in a broken collar bone.

I camped in my car in Manhatten waiting to see Dr. Bitan (also excellent and you can watch his surgery (2005)ADR on ORlive.com) and I thought that was my end point, only to drag on three more months and see Dr. Yue. That was my end because I wasn't getting off the exam table.

Give Laura and Dr. Yue a call at 203-737-5662 Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT. They will take good care of you.

I had ADR with Zucherman. He's an extremely busy surgeon. He's been doing ADR on ProDisc since the FDA trials. He is also pushing flexicore. I don't know if that's over, but I believe he waives his fee if you enter the trial.

I personally saw the disc and didn't like its engineering, but that's just me. I'd look at the stats he's aquired first.

He also didn't do any testing on me. He looked at my MRI and said I am eligible for ADR at L5S1. Turns out I never was a candidate. Sure if you want an ADR he's a good surgeon, but you better be damn sure you're a candidate because you have a little one and a husband the last thing you ever want is a revision surgery.

I have been notified by another surgeon that I am a candidate for Fusion now. Nothing makes me more peeved than receiving a $70,000 bill and being harassed to pay up when I never got the surgery I most needed.

It all had to do with not taking my medical condition into my own hands. looking back I would've make as many surgeons as possible look at my MRIs and Xrays, and I would've asked them to test my facet joints and adjacent discs for pain generators.

don't follow the path I did. Do your homework. If you need to go to San Francisco, the I suggest you meet these surgeons too;


UCSF disc replacement


St. Francis Fusion surgery


I'll post more as I come across it. Looks like some docs have left some of the hospitals. I know there was another post for a doctor that worked at pacific medical center. that's one to look into also.