[hezeronek]

Originally Posted by mita0726

Okay, I am new here and learning to navigate around. I have seen so many horror stories regarding fusion and on the Charite disc. The doctor I am seeing is trained in the charite only. I am contemplating fusion, but wanted to know if replacement was better. Out of all of ya'll, what is the success of fusion vs. ADR especially long term. I have moderate L5-S1, L4L5 neural foraminal stenosis, moderate left face arthrosis and left lateral recess stenosis. Also, severe narrowing of the L4-L5-S1 spaces. I am continuously in pain and only on Celebrex which is causing gastrointestinal problems. My activities are severely limited and some days I get so discouraged and break down and cry. I used to be very active and at 41 yoa, I can barely walk or move some days.

Also, I wanted to know with fusion, how is your mobility? I used to play golf and tennis and would love to again someday and wondered if this would cause problems.

L4-L5 laminectomy age 21
Epidural injections 12/08, 1/09, and 2/09 without relief
Physical therapy x 3 months

I'm so sorry you have to be here, but welcome to the forum! Gathering all the information you need to make a lifelong decision about your health is extremely difficult, but you've found a wonderful place to start. I found this forum a while back and everyone here has been great! I've even spoken on the telephone with a few of them regarding their own experiences having surgery and whatnot. After spending close to two years in intolerable pain, and loads of surgical consultations and research, I've finally decided to have a disc replacement done at L5-S1 and will be flying to Germany for it in May. My best advice to you is to consult with as many different surgeons as you can. It's a pain in the butt, but each one has their own unique insights to share. Also, you'll ultimately feel better about the decision you make when you can find a general consensus among all the surgeons you consult. Ask lots of questions!

It seems ADR works well only for a very specific type of patient, so beware of any conditions you may have that are contraindications for ADR. If you find you have one of those conditions, you may be better off with a fusion. Also, keep in mind that there isn't as much long-term information available for ADRs as there are fusions, as it is a newer technology. There is also a plethra of different disc implants out there, some apparently better than others.

As far as celebrex goes, it did the same thing to me! I found that if I took gas-x or protonix with it, my stomach upset wasn't quite so bad. Taking it with food also helped. That said, I eventually came to a point where I wasn't able to tolerate it. I found a decent pain management doc and now I'm on narcotics. I'm not so proud to say it, but it really is the only thing that works for me with this type of pain. I occasionally take a motrin or two if I've exhausted my daily allotment of norco and am still uncomfortable. But all in all, the narcs are so much easier on my stomach, and the pain relief is MUCH better. I'm actually a bit more active since getting on them, though nothing like I was before my back got messed up. I've got to take stool softeners and miralax to counteract the constipation, but that is worth it to me.

Anyhow, best of luck on your journey! Check back often and keep us posted! We are here to help!