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New Member Introductions If you just joined, please introduce yourself here. Please add a signature describing your spinal history (use the "User CP) and ask us how we can help you get started.


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  #1  
Old 01-31-2006, 02:37 AM
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I WOULD LIKE TO FIND SUPPORT FROM ANY ONE WHO HAS HAD CHRONIC BACK ISSUES I AM 31 AND HAVE HAD TWO LAMENECTOMIES AT L4L5.I HAVE THRRE KIDS AND I WANT TO ENJOY THEM I AM NOW DISABLED BECAUSE I COULD NO LONGER WORK. MY FIRST SURGERY WAS BAD. THE SECOND SURGEON I HAD HAD TO FIX MISTAKES FROM THE FIRST. I HAVE SEVERE NERVE DAMAGE I HAVE PAIN IN MY LEFT HIP AND LEG AS WELL AS DROP FOOT WICH REALLY HURTS. MY LATEST SURGERY WAS 10-05. IT DID NO GOOD MY DOCTOR WAS TAKEN BACK TODAY WHEN HE SEEN MY RECENT MRI. THERE IS SO MUCH SCAR TISSUE AND DAMAGE HE ASKED ME HOW I EVEN GET OUT OF BED THAT IS THROUGH GOD.MY SECOND SURGERY WAS BECAUSE THE DISCS AGAIN WERE COMPLETLEY HERNIATED. NOW I NEED A FUSION I DONT KNOW HOW LONG I CAN TAKE THIS IF ANY ONE HAS HAD A FUSION PLEASE TELL ME THE RESULTS YOU HAVE HAD. MY LOWER BACK GETS SO BAD THAT THE UPPER BACK SPASMS AND I HAVE KNOTS. THERE ARE TIMES I WILL TRY TO PUT ON A SHIRT AND A SPASM HITS AND MY ARM WILL GET STUCK OVER MY HEAD , AGAIN ANY SUPPORT I CAN GET WOULD BE GREAT THANK YOU
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  #2  
Old 01-31-2006, 12:38 PM
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Tina, I have had one fusion at L3-4 and it helped quite a bit. It removed the knife I had in my back. I was doing well and had gotten off of most of my meds when I had to have lung surgery. That put me down for a couple of months and the weakness that happened because of such non-activity probably sped up the breakdown of the 2 disks below my fusion. I am now scheduled for a 2 level fusion on feb. 22. I have every hope this will help me tho I know I will be restricted for the rest of my life. Istill think I can lead a relatively comfortable one tho.
Leslie PM me if you like for more details.
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  #3  
Old 01-31-2006, 04:48 PM
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tina
have you gone and seen a adr surgeon or any other doctors than the one that you were seeing.31 sounds abit young for a fusion.i would see 3 or 4 surgeons before maken any call.
best wishes
chuck
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  #4  
Old 01-31-2006, 05:06 PM
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Harrison Harrison is offline
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Posted for Juli from another (duplicate, now deleted) post.
________________________________________________

Hello Tina, I had fusion at L5/S1 with ADR at the two levels above it. I am about 4 and a half months out from the surgery. I am very happy with the outcome so far. However, I had no other issues besides bad discs as proven on a discogram. I had never had surgery before. It sounds like you have a bit more involved history, I would highly recommend seeing multiple doctors who are experienced and well regarded to make sure you get the right diagnosis before you have yet another surgery. While I am not in your region of the country, there a quite a few people who have posted here that have researched and found good docs, I know of several in the L.A. area that are very well regarded.

Good luck,

--------------------
Juli
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Fell on my ***winter 2003, Canceled fusion April 6 2004
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  #5  
Old 01-31-2006, 09:30 PM
letteski letteski is offline
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Hi Tina,

Sorry to hear about your misfortune with the doctors you have seen. I had 10 opinions before pulling the trigger.

Has anyone recommended ADR for you or do they feel that do to the scar tissue you would not be a good candidate. Something to look into ADR can work wonders for the right person and for me it was the fix over fusion. Hope you find the answer to your pain and welcome to the group.
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Paulette
ProDisc L5-S1 W/Dr Delamarter Aug 23, 2005
L5-S1 DDD Diagnosis 12/04
T-12 Compression Fracture 10/04
C-7 Spines Process Fracture 5/99
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  #6  
Old 02-01-2006, 03:05 AM
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im not sure what adr is? could someone tell me about it if it is disc repacement my insurance will not cover it thank you for welcoming me
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  #7  
Old 02-01-2006, 05:28 AM
Alastair Alastair is offline
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Yes, it is artificial disk replacement
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ADR Munich 26th July 2002 L5/S1. Aged 82 now
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I now run the UK spine site and can be contacted at

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  #8  
Old 02-01-2006, 04:40 PM
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maybe
you could get into a adr clinical study if all thats stopping you is those bastard insurance company.
just food for thought there is a prodisc v/s activ-l study going to happen soon.
food for thought.
i'm aproaching my back in this fashion before refin'ing the house and going to germany. though im not sure whoms doing out west prehapes texas back or the place in co.
best wishes
and welcome to the family
chuck
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  #9  
Old 02-02-2006, 03:21 PM
hurtjay22 hurtjay22 is offline
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I had an anterior fusion at the L4-5 in October 2005. It's been about 4 months since the surgery and I've been in aqua therapy for the last couple of weeks. I'm doing much better. I have to take narcotic medication a few times a day, but I'm almost pain free while I'm on the meds. I'm happy so far. Before the surgery meds wouldn't help. Now I'm planning on going back to college this summer to get back into the swing of things. I'm definitely satisfied with my progress so far. I had 4 screws, a femoral ring, a bracket, and some new bone protien stuff. I'm fusing well and I think I'm almost fused. I will see my surgeon in 2 weeks for my 4 month check up.
I don't think fusions are that bad anymore since my experience has been good so far. My surgeon, DR. YUE, specializes in disc replacement, but he did a very good job with my fusion.
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-Fell down icey steps Jan. 2004
-First MRI revealed bulged disc L4-L5
-Injections in Arpil 2004
-Second MRI revealed L4-L5 bulged disc and DDD
-Discogram May 2005, confirmed L4-L5 as pain generator
Fusion L4-L5 Oct. 2005
SCS implanted July 2006
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  #10  
Old 02-03-2006, 03:09 PM
Paul Paul is offline
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February 6 I will be 2 weeks out of a 2-level fusion. I had a 360 fusion which is rods and screws in back and cages through the front. No bone graft. He used BMP (the bone protein stuff Jay mentions above) and PEEK cages. At this point I consider myself to be the same as I was before the surgery. To be fair though I was not in as bad of shape as you describe yourself as being. Right now I'm kind off disappointed but shouldn't be as I know I am still fairly early in the recovery stage. I returned to work after 6 weeks. That may have been a couple of weeks too early. Sitting for a long period of time is the issue here.

Did he get into what type of fusion he was suggesting. There are quite a few variations on a theme so to speak. For example, there are 2 incisions on my back that are about 2.5 inches long. Some doctors for the same thing will make a much longer single incision which is old school. Well at least for the 360. I think that it is unavoidable if it is a TLIF or PLIF as everything is done from the back. In my opinion you want to avoid an auto bone graft if possible. I have heard from folks that the harvest site stays painful for quite a while.

Good luck to you.
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