Before Your ADR did anyone have...

Mariaa · #1 01-28-2005, 08:56 AM

Pretty good pain control?
The reason I ask is because with the mind numbing medications I'm on (low dose Methadone and middling dose of Neurontin) plus ESIs, my pain is relatively gone for day to day activity.

Grant it, my day to day activity consists of housekeeping, laundry, walks with the dog, some light running around on the beach to "fetch" the ball (yes, I'm trained) and such things.

My sitting is very limited tho with the lumbar ESI much improved for short durations...

I know that if I were to not be on the medication I'd be in a serious world of hurt altho this is probably the best pain control I've had in years and I'm wondering if I've just adapted so much to the meds that my brain has me fooled into thinking I finally feel good or if something that was more disrupted has been less bothersome in the last few years ~

L3 that is to be specific since 1rst discogram was concordant for pain and 2nd wasn't ...

L4 and partic. L5S1 are still very nasty as non ESI days would be noticably more bothersome..

Has anyone else been here before they had ADR surgery?? I suffered for years, 20 plus with back pain and the last 10 were severe so I'm just hoping ADR could restore my life without the drugs and allow not only my back to work well painfree, but my mind to be restored once again~ (I want to return to work as a Nurse Practitioner ..I'm so tired of being on this end of the exam room table) thanks for any input...

Alastair · #2 01-28-2005, 09:36 AM

Hi Mariaa,
I had quite amazing pain control with morphine and all sorts when I first got into my spine problems.

As time went on, the pain got greater than the medication and so I got into the situation of sticks and wheelchairs, eventually it came to the point where everything was unbearable and life was unbearable.

It was a big jump of faith to go and have ADR as there was no one who had had it previously to me either my country or elsewhere, there was no one to talk to or discussed the situation with. It was only spoken about as if it was science-fiction. How fortunate the members of this board are

Time will come when everything is too painful, and surgery becomes the only option. I send my thoughts and prayers and sympathy to you
Best,
Alastair

Mariaa · #3 01-28-2005, 11:41 AM

Thanks Alastair,
What is surprising to me is it seems like that time has come and gone altho I'm into the end of my 3rd week with my most recent Lumbar epidural. I guess it was just a very very good one~

cervie queen · #4 01-28-2005, 03:40 PM

Mariaa: Besides drugs, lately I've taken to wearing a corset-type brace for my back. I find it helps me get through the day and I also used it to sleep in. It's a little bulky so it doesn't fit under my clothes, so vanity being a woman, I don't wear it when I go out.

Dano · #5 01-28-2005, 04:42 PM

Marria, About six weeks prior to my double, Dr Gart did
four transforamil nerve blocks and one epidural. The epidural was a tad above L4-L5 the blocks bilat L4L5&L5S1 is combined with vicodin ex, ultram, nurontin, soma when needed and zoloft + an ice belt Lots of ice and rest through the day got me to surgery. Bray had no problem with these. Of course I had to go off NSID's and all vitamins and they herbals. I think the heavy blast of pred that Gart gave me and ice was the trick. But they wanted me to use vicodin only when necessary and as you know they will want you off the heavy stuff prior to surgery. I also found when it had a date it was easier to handle the pain because I knew I had a goal and I could get there. Hope this helps, Dano

Dano · #6 01-28-2005, 04:44 PM

Marria, I forgot my Interferential stim. Works great help tons. Dano

Poncho · #7 01-28-2005, 05:35 PM

Hi Maria,

I had pretty good pain control prior to surgery with oral medications. I opted not to have anymore epidurals for like atleast a year prior to surgery because they did not do anything for me really. However, I don't think the time line between an epidural and having ADR needs to be this far apart. (God help me if I decide to start a family and need an epidural - because they just don't work on me.)

I totally understand what you are saying about getting back to work. I mean both of us were use to being on the giving end of the health care system - then, seemingly forever on the receiving end!!! However, I think this has made me a better person because of it.

It appears that your discogram is inconclusive regarding if you will need a 2 level ADR vs a 3 level ADR? If I am understanding correctly. Will you be having another discogram soon? I hope that they can get everything figured out for you so that you can get back to living life again.

Dano · #8 01-28-2005, 10:52 PM

Poncho, The Epidural that you have in childbirth is much different. It uses an heavy anesthetic agent higher up and if placed properly it will work. The Epidurals that are used in back pain control are a different animal. Different meds (prednisone, a non steroiadl anti inflamatory) and a little lidocaine (very light and tempoary) ect. Epidual stands of the epidural space under the epidual layer in the central nervous system, which the spinal cord is a member of. The problem is a lot of the time the prenisone does not get to where the swelling is. Take care, Dano