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  #1  
Old 11-02-2010, 01:08 PM
brokenbrian brokenbrian is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 17
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Hello everyone my name is Brian.

I'm 25 years old and have had 2 herniated discs at L4/L5 and L5/S1 for almost 3 years now. My pain has always been on the left side (mostly in the foot) and I have done just about every non-surgical treatment thats available, untill recently. On 7/19/10 I had a micro discsectomy which did make my foot pain alittle better but a recent MRI show that the herniation is still 5mm.

Im in pain but I can manage for the time being, I'm just afraid of doing more damage to the nerve. Im debating a revision micro D. I just do not want to get fusion and I am not a canidate for ADR and dont think I will be ( as far as insurance covering it) for a few years. Im just trying to get to a spot where I can have somewhat of an active lifestyle without the constant pain, and stop any further damage to my nerves.

If anyone has any pain tips or suggestion for me I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks, Brian
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Herniated discs at L4/L5 and L5/S1. Jan 07.
Months and months of Physical Theropy
Microdiscetomy 7/19/10 - Reherniated
within the first 2 weeks. 25 years old
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  #2  
Old 11-03-2010, 08:26 AM
kennethhoff kennethhoff is offline
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Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 71
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Brian -

I am sorry to hear you are having such pain. I have 13 years experience with chronic back pain, back research, all types of therapies, meds, etc... So I empathize!

Nerve pain can be from a number of things. For example, the disc itself has nerves which are pain generators, facets joints, stenosis, etc ...

I am wondering if you had a discogram before your surgery to see if your pain could be re-produced? Would it be both discs, one disc, no disc but something different, etc ...

If it were me, I would try hard to find the pain source, confirm it, then see what options exist. If surgery, yes, ADR. I would look at all the clinical trials available if I had financial issues (clinicaltrials.gov), or find a center willing to do it and work out a payment plan.

Postponing it until insurance may approve is a tough option. they may never approve or the fight itself will kill you first There are many medications, many for nerve pain if you want to manage it until it becomes a point of life enjoyment and function vs taking your best shot. My personal feeling is once you disc is truly herniated with a annular tear, everything just manages it, but they don't heal, and everything after that is a question of function-ability vs your best fix option. Find the true source of the pain and remove it.

I hope the best for you.

Ken
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  #3  
Old 11-04-2010, 09:36 AM
brokenbrian brokenbrian is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 17
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Well I know for sure the pain is coming for the L5/S1. I actually had very very little pain from the L4/L5, and some decompression on the DRX machine helped that. Its too bad that they wont do a multi level ADR, and it would take me 10 years to save enough to goto germany...probably be too late by then. But has anyone been in a similar situation and just had the worse of the 2 discs replaced?

I guess for now I might have to settle for another microdiscsectomy, and hope this one works. And pray to God that it will at least buy me a few years, or I guess even a few months would be better than the first time around
__________________
Herniated discs at L4/L5 and L5/S1. Jan 07.
Months and months of Physical Theropy
Microdiscetomy 7/19/10 - Reherniated
within the first 2 weeks. 25 years old
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