Nanci--returning from exile

[nanfromsactown]

Hello again ADR community!

I want to reintroduce myself. I've been gone a while and I don't think this thread was in existence last time I was here (or else I've forgotten, a side effect of chronic pain!)

I was injured in 1996 at work. Was finally diagnosed in late 1999 with annular tears at L45 and L5S1, followed by IDET in March 2000. I was better for a few months but gradually, within a year of the IDET, my pain returned. Since then I've been on a roller coaster of treatment modalities, everything from chiropractic (since day one) to botox to pain management to a functional restoration program. During all of this, I've researched ADR (is it TDR now?) have talked to Dr. Zeegers, emailed with Dr. Bertagnoli's team. What has stopped me from getting surgery is that I have an open workers comp claim and I have no money! I finally got authorization to see Dr. Hu at UCSF for a consultation next week. I am so excited I cannot think of any questions to ask! My goal is to find out if I am a candidate (I already know I am in Germany, but am I a candidate in the U.S.?) I'm two level, and also have had prior abdominal surgeries. I don't know if that still precludes people in the US.

Anyway, thats me in a nutshell. Anyone and everyone, feel free to throw questions my way which I can ask the doctor!

[Harrison]

Hi Nan, thanks for checking in again for your "annual" hello! I am sorry you are still suffering! Based on your imaging studies, how has your DDD progressed in the last few years? Most MRI studies will show/explain these changes. When was your last imaging study?

[nanfromsactown]

I believe my last MRI was within the past year. I still have disc height, but now both are bulging as opposed to just one.

I have only progressed to worse! I don't have much of a life and am too young to be this way. The pain in my back is there constantly. I can get rid of my leg pain with epidurals. My MRI does not show any nerve impingement, and while I haven't had recent flexion/extension xrays I believe I still don't have any instability.

Recently I saw a doctor, just a family doctor, for some emergency pain meds, and he made a reasonable observation that I probably need to really think about having something done to preserve my disk height, and don't let them collapse. I hadn't thought of that since mine have held in there for a long time. But I suspect they are shrinking a bit, and I'm so glad I finally got authorization from work comp to see a surgeon. We'll see what she says. My preference would be to have Zeegers do my surgery.

Thanks for asking!