[Alison]

Hi Everyone:
I have been lurking far too long and would like to become an active member of this excellent community.
My saga began June 17, 2003: I had done my usual leg work out at the gym, came home, sat down and then tried to stand up- yow !! I had severe, acute lancinating radicular pain down my left leg, lateral aspect, hip to ankle. An MRI revealed a synovial cyst at L 4,5 compressing my L5 nerve root. After steroid injections and bursting the cyst under fluoroscopy failed, Nov 17, 2003, I had a L4-5 laminotomy/foraminotomy with cyst removal. I experienced a very small decrease in pain but the pain was not gone. I figured perhaps the nerve root had been severly compressed it would take a while to heal - perhaps "tincture of time" would permit healing and pain relief. Time passed and the pain continued to worsen.
In June 04, a repeat MRI revealed at L4,5 the dratted synovial cyst had re-grown and was compressing the L5 nerve root again. Also I had another larger cyst located midline, impinging on the spinal canal. I felt like I was in "Alien" growing these bizarre cysts - maybe they would hatch and burst out of my body! Again attempts to burst or shrink cysts had no positive results.
For some unknown reason, between my first and upcoming second surgery, my discreet left sided radicar pain "exploded" to encompass both legs. I now had bilateral radicular pain with burning sensations in both thighs and sharp, stabbing pains into thigh, groin and lateral legs.
In August '04, I had an L4,5 laminotomy, with two cysts and all synovium removed. Pain relief again was minor and short lived
(weeks). Flexion/extension x-rays revealed an anterolisthesis L4 on L5 ( 10 mm flexion and 5 mm extension). I had worried that surgery could destabilize my back and it did. I now hear/feel crunching, clunking sounds which I did not have prior to surgeries.
I have since had discography ( positive at three levels L3,4, L4,5 and L5,S1). I had radiofrequency lesioning at L4,5, both pulsed and heated, with no pain relief. The surgeon I had been working with was now recommending two level fusion L4,5,L5, S1 - PLIF.
I was a gymnast all my life including college and have very limber joints. In 1977, sliding down an icy hill, I managed to herniate L5,S1. Due to back pain and finally developing a foot drop, I had a laminectomy at that level. Because of persistent back pain, I started lifting weights in 1979 - that kept my back pain in check. I have lifted weights at least five times weekly until that fateful day in June 2003, the beginning of this cyst saga. I thought I knew how to control or bear chronic pain but I can't control this.
My pain is all leg ( burning, stabbing, aching calves, bizarre senations) .....I have a very small amount of back pain, if any. This pain is quite debilitating - my entire life is on hold and has been for the two years.
I found this forum in February. Since then I have become an ADR Support and a *** groupie; I have consulted with Dr. Bertagnoli, Dr. Kitchel, and have just come back from Phoenix after consulting with Dr. Yeung. All docs concur that L4,5 needs to be stabilized and since L5,S1 looks so funky (from my early surgery) it needs to be fused. Options given to me have been Pro-disc L4,5 with a fusion L5,S1; Dynesys L4,5; or PLIF L4,5 and L5,S1.
I am at the decision stage as I can't keep putting my life off yet I fear making the wrong choice. I know that none of us can know how our choices will play out - will the pain be gone or can we live with the results we get?
Anyhow, I am finally out of the lurker stage. I have appreciated so many of your posts and learned much. I hope I can contribute to the group and perhaps help someone on their path. If anyone has any thoughts to share with me, I am all ears! Take care.

Alison

'77 L5,S1 hemi-laminectomy (good relief but chronic low back pain until weight lifting)
6/03 MRI L4,5 synovial cyst discovery
9/03 Left L4,5 facet joint injection steroid for cyst
9/03 Left L4,5 facet joint injection burst cyst with infiusion of steroids
11/03 L4,5 laminotomy/foraminotomy cyst removal
6/04 MRI L4,5 two synovial cysts discovered
7/04 L4,5 facet joint injection to burst cysts with infusion of steroids
8/04 L4,5 laminotomy/foraminotomy two cyst removal
10/04 flexion/extension xray anterolithesis L4 on L5 (10mm flexion, 5mm extension)
11/04 bilateral L3,4 & L4,5 nerve blocks marcaine ( pain free for three hours!!)
12/04 L4,5 L&R median branch pulsed radiofrequency neuroablation (no pain relief)
1/05 L4,5 L&R median branch neuroablation, heated (no pain relief)
2/05 diskography L3,4;L4,5;L5,S1 all painful, concordant with leg pain