[bwink23]

Originally Posted by brattigans

Hi Bwink23-

Thank you for reaching out. It does sound to be the same type of issues.

It's a pars defect. I've been told 2 fractures, not a 100% on which side? The slippage is 7mm, L5-S1. My L4-L5 is disc degeneration, disc bulge with annular tear. My L-2-L4 is mild disc replacement with annular tear. L5-S1 is Bilateral spondylolyses of L5. moderate disc degeneration with associated endplate change. 7mm anterolisthesis of L5-S1. Uncovered disc causing mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis. The uncovered disc contacts the existing bilateral L5 nerve root, yahda, yahda, yahda.

The pain I have from the following issues is long and painful. My lower back is in severe pain all the time. I have a section of my lower back where, my vertebrae sticks out of my skin, so right below that is the epicenter of the pain. It then radiates out to the sides of my back and into my hips constantly, no relief ever for my back and hips. The hip pain runs down to the sciatica, all the way down my leg. I also have pain in my legs other than the sciatica, my thighs and calves, and some times the front of my shins.

What is your pain like? Do you ever get relief from it? I have a fentanyl patch that I have been wearing for almost a year, and at this point I don't know if it's even working, except for that if I didn't have it, maybe I wouldn't be walking at this point. Do you take any type of medication for your back? Does it work for you? I've had facet injections, epidurals, Radio frequency, traction, and everything else you can think except for physical therapy as no doctor has ever prescribed me it and when I've asked for it they just say based on my activity levels, and muscle strength they though it would be mostly a waste of time with no relief. So at this point, surgery is the only option. I am a business owner, and my businesses have been put on hold, i've missed out on major opportunities and the ability to make better money to care and afford my family of 3, as I am the main bread winner in my family. I have a 4 year old daughter who is way to aware of my pain and I'm sure is sick of her mom lying on the couch all the time. I have always been an athlete. Running 1/2 marathons, spin, cross training, every day, 5-6 days a week, and I finally had to stop everything, not even once a week, 2 months ago.

How can they tell if you have nerve pain? Is it realistic that they are fully able to see that every nerve is not being effected by MRI? I would love to hear about anything you can tell me. Everything from what you can still do and not do, how you deal with the pain, what your plan is, what doctors you've seen, who you liked, and who you didn't. Any horror stories you've heard. What surgeries are the suggesting? What are you not willing to do? What are you wanting to do? 1st choice, second?

Have you ever heard of something called a flexible fusion, spinal mechanical structure for the spine? That may be something that could work for you that is not as restrictive as fusion. I would be interested in researching it a bit more and i really have not noticed that there are really any doctors doing it based on the description I was given on the surgery. Dr. Kropf was this persons doctor and i can't even find anything about it on his website. There is no bone used in the fusion. He would basically build an enforcement on the outside of the vertebrae with for lack of a better word or description, 2 washer-bolt like things(but not a washer, but kind of looks like it) the flexible rod is attached between the vertebraes and placed into the washer-bolt thing. They then thread a material through the screws to enforce the spine. I'm not really able to explain it, but as he did I got a visual. He is an engineer so the concept was a little clearer for him. Are you able to just get the Alif on L5-S1 and then the ALIF on L4-L5? That is what my plan of attack is at this time, unless I hear something better. Now the only hurdle to that is the insurance approving the procedure.

Thank you for your candid info, and I'm sadly coming to that same conclusion on the multi-level disc replacement. That's life! Are you looking at surgeons now? Have you narrowed it down yet? I have seen multiple surgeons, but my considerations are Dr. Dobkin, Newport Beach, CA, Dr. Patrick Johnson, Cedar, and I am waiting on appointments with Dr. Kropf and Dr. Regan Los Angeles.

Dr. Kropf is a referral from an extremely reputable surgeon who has performed all three of my best friend, I've known all my life's father. The Regan is research I've been doing, and a bit of info from a nice man I talked too from this website. He works with back pain sufferers to basically be their advocate while researching doctors and finding the best physician and surgery for the most beneficial outcome. He can facilitate your surgery overseas for a fee, and he will even go over there with you for the surgery to help you stay on track with the recovery. He was very nice to talk too and very knowledgable but would most likely be out of my budget for too much guidance. Something to think about.

Hoping your enjoying your holiday week and if we don't speak previous "happy new year" "To a long, healthy, and prosperous year!"

Brattigans....i suggest you get in contact with a couple docs overseas. Currently, i am uploading my images to Dr. Pablo Clavel in Barcelona, Spain. Patients here have had good outcomes with him, and he uses the M6, which is my disc of choice if he sees i am a candidate for it. I got a recommendations of hybrid fusion/ADR for my 2 lower levels from a doc here in the States who did a fellowship at Texas Back Institute.

I doubt you would be a candidate for the stabilizing rod. With 7mm of slippage, i would think they would realign that first, and flexible rods won't get that done. If you want an ADR on top of the L5 vertebra where your DDD is, they are going to need a good foundation. Spondy's 99% of the time will be recommended a fusion to avoid further slippage, or straighten out the slip and secure the fusion site for a strong fuse. An ADR cannot sit on on unstable vertebra. (That's my story and i'm sticking to it._

Common nerve pain who would just live you describe. Shooting type pains. Tender, nauseating feelings at the base of your spine. i can lightly brush my hand over the back of my spine, and trigger sciatica-like symptoms in my leg. With increased activity like walking for long periods...i tend to have lesser back pain, but it throws it on my left leg to where it just hurts to walk at all. Pretty unnerving stuff, i'm sure you can attest too. I am hyper-sensitive to pain meds, so i take as little of it as i can...i been getting by with the occasional Gabapentin at night for sleeping, and Norco whenever i break down.

All of us would love to avoid back surgery, but if you've made it into this forum, most likely you're going to go for the surgery anyway...so you would only be delaying the inevitable (That is if you want to try having a battery implanted in your back for the rest of your life). All you can do is get as informed as possible, and make the best choices for yourself through your research and live with those choices knowing you did your best. You have a clear-cut mechanical issue and defect in your spine that affects your ENTIRE spine. Regular docs will play off Spondy like is common if you're athletic, but it affects only about 5-6% of the population. When the symptoms kick in, it's absolutely no joke. I've been hobbling around for the last 3-4 years in pain. No amount of physical therapy is gonna straighten your spine again. And your vertebra slippage is more severe than mine.

Seek out the BEST, to up your chances for the best result. You don't want to look back and wish you did more.