[Tom B.]

Here's an update for those who are interested.

It's been almost four months since my three-level ADR and almost four weeks without any pain medication. I did go back on gabapentin for a week to ease the withdrawal from the tramadol. So, it's been almost three weeks without any medication whatsoever. Physical therapy is going well.

I followed up with Dr. Gill in Dallas, had a mylegram/CT scan and sent new images to Dr. B. in Germany.

My pain level hardly qualifies as pain - 0 to 1 or 2 on the scale - with occasional ache in the low back. Unfortunately, I still have continuous left leg partial numbness and occasional left leg tightness or ache. There's a little burning sensation in the left ankle with restless-leg symptoms that worsen at night and sometimes keep me awake.

I have a September appointment with a neurosurgeon to try to determine the source of the continuing symptoms. I know nerves take months to heal and was hoping that I just lack patience, but the mylegram shows (as did previous MRIs) a disc protrusion at T12/L1. I think it's likely that this is the source.

Does anyone have thoughts or advice on problems at that higher level?