Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Sherman, TX,
Thanks: 1
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Posted: 09-08-07 09:13am
O.k.
Last post "stuck" So, you have to post
short and sweet on this website, or you
lose your message . . . the sad thing, it
takes me some time to compose my thoughts
(sign of old age, I guess?) If there is a
time limit, it needs to be increased . .
.. if it is a site glitch, it needs to be
addressed.
KAK: Thanks for the updates on your
daughter. The spinal headaches are the
worst . . . think of a level with the air
bubble. Standing and the pressure hits the
highest point! Roz is right, as
delibitating as they are, it should not be
a deterant to others who are thinking of
this type of surgery! Lots of bedrest
with your head lower than your
shoulder/body helps. Good luck to her.
Remember, that even though she is young,
she's been through two surgeries . . . and
though our bodies are wonderful at
responding, it does take time. Bless you
for being with her . . . moms are the
BEST!!!
C
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Carol Lumbar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Sherman, TX,
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Posted: 09-08-07 09:19am
I guess I'm going to be a posting hog
after all . . .
Here was DMB's message:
I sent a hard copy of the MRI report to
LSI, an MRI disk to Bonati. Both
institutes used this information to decide
if I was a candidate for their surgery
techniques . . . and I was cleared. I
didn not have any xray film to send, nor
did they want this. From what I
understand, you can see slippage better on
film? One of my doctors in TX said there
was some instability . . . which everyone
has a degree of . . . no one mentioned
spondy and I didn't know of the term then.
By researching, reading etc. I'm thinking
it is one and the same, but I haven't seen
a doctor other than my pain mgt. and he
has only seen MRI info. Pls. help me
understand, what I'm missing in asking my
pain mgt. doctor. Thanks.
You've been a good source of info. for
us! I think you are my back pain twin!!!
Gotta go, keeping my fingers crossed this
will go through . . .
C
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Carol Lumbar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Sherman, TX,
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Posted: 09-08-07 09:20am
Rich T:
Congratulations on not needing the surgery
. . . now . . . you should cough up some
of those retirement bucks, spluge and buy
yourself a laptop, so you can enjoy your
garden and keep us posted all at the same
time!!!!
C
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Carol Lumbar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 35 Location: Sherman, TX,
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Posted: 09-08-07 09:23am
O.k. this is getting crazy . . . I'd much
rather reply once and be done with it, but
. . .
MJ57
I loved the Clark Gable picture!!!! too
cute!
Don . . . hang in there . . . you're doing
the right thing for yourself under your
circumstances . . . that's all that
counts.
C
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
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Timing Out Posted: 09-08-07 10:57am
Hello Carol,
Yes, I've had the same problem. AND I
have not contacted the Admin. as I said I
would to get this problem resolved. My
apology to all. As a quick "fix", save
your post to MS Word or Notebook before
you try to send a lengthy post.
With my computer issues, I hope you and
others will send an E-mail to the Admin.
land kindly voice your frustrations with
this issue.
Take care.
RichT
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
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? Cause Emergency Spine Surgery Posted: 09-08-07 11:34am
Hello Everyone,
Okay, what causes a situation where you
need to have emergency surgery on your
spine? I just want to get myself informed
so that I understand (at least somewhat)
the risks of delaying surgery.
Have a GREAT Weekend.
RichT
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
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Carol's Not a Quiter!!!!! Posted: 09-08-07 11:39am
Hello Carol,
Carol, you are an important member of
this family, so glad to see you are
continuing to post.
Thanks for hanging in there regarding the
frustration in posting on EHealth. I too
take some time to write a post and then
try and proof it.
RichT
|
Marie B.
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 231 Location: Ohio
Carol Posted: 09-08-07 15:13pm
Hello Carol.
So gald to see at least one post from
you.
With Rich T's computer down and your
difficulties with posting on this website,
and now that Joebob is up, running and
feeling good, I feel I am missing valuable
contacts who were so very informative and
helpful in the past.
RichT I do try to push these appointments
closer together, but there is a cadre of
office people to go through. I can't
begin to tell of some of the scenarios
that I have had to deal with. BTW, I too,
have stenosis in the thoracic region and
that's why I am so resistant to fusion. I
don't want them to cause me more trouble
in my thoracic region in the future.
As I have mentioned before, I live in the
cornfields of Ohio, and civilization is an
hour away no matter which direction I
turn.
I still don't know if I am a candidate for
minimal invasive spine surgery and I have
not even brought up the subject of laser
yet.
I would like to just to fax my info to
Bonnati and get at least an honest answer
about my being a candidate.
I'll worry about the money later.
The pain diary that I started as I tried
to see what medicines and dosage would be
helpful, reads like Day one....pain....Day
two...pain....Day three...pain. etc. I
don't think meds are going to work. I've
been doing them already for a year and
just trying different ones is beginning to
look like a waste of money.
When I hear people, like Fran, who said
she is glad she had the surgery done,
makes me think I am just fooling myself to
believe I'm not going to have to face the
surgery. I'm getting that "Please take
away the pain, look."
D.MarieB
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mj57
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Aug 2007 Posts: 22 Location: , USA
Re: Carol Posted: 09-08-07 16:11pm
Marie B.
wrote:
Hello Carol.
So gald to see at least one post from
you.
With Rich T's computer down and your
difficulties with posting on this website,
and now that Joebob is up, running and
feeling good, I feel I am missing valuable
contacts who were so very informative and
helpful in the past.
RichT I do try to push these appointments
closer together, but there is a cadre of
office people to go through. I can't
begin to tell of some of the scenarios
that I have had to deal with. BTW, I too,
have stenosis in the thoracic region and
that's why I am so resistant to fusion. I
don't want them to cause me more trouble
in my thoracic region in the future.
As I have mentioned before, I live in the
cornfields of Ohio, and civilization is an
hour away no matter which direction I
turn.
I still don't know if I am a candidate for
minimal invasive spine surgery and I have
not even brought up the subject of laser
yet.
I would like to just to fax my info to
Bonnati and get at least an honest answer
about my being a candidate.
I'll worry about the money later.
The pain diary that I started as I tried
to see what medicines and dosage would be
helpful, reads like Day one....pain....Day
two...pain....Day three...pain. etc. I
don't think meds are going to work. I've
been doing them already for a year and
just trying different ones is beginning to
look like a waste of money.
When I hear people, like Fran, who said
she is glad she had the surgery done,
makes me think I am just fooling myself to
believe I'm not going to have to face the
surgery. I'm getting that "Please take
away the pain, look."
D.MarieB
Good afternoon Carol, Rich T, and Marie
B.
Carol...that Clark.......such a handsome
man huh???
I'm not sure if I mentioned to you that my
surgery for nerve compression of
C4-5-5-6-6-7 is scheduled for the 6 of
Nov. Dr. Moffatt will be doing the
surgery.
When I had the facet injection, it was
wonderful not to feel pain. It even
helped in my thoracic area which gives me
a great deal of pain also...but I do
understand that problems elsewhere can
cause problems in other areas as strange
as it seems, but the nerves are many
little highways of sensations.
Marie B. You mentioned your thoracic
problem.....do you have neck problems
also? If you have posted that info let me
know where and you won't have to re send
all of the info. I don't see to many
people on here that present with neck
problems , such as mine........so I was
curious if you have combined areas like
me..........neck, thoracic and lower
back.
KAK.......How's our little skater doing??
Glad she could handle the hug...give her
my best.....she's a beautiful young
woman......and such a handsome husband she
has too......you will certainly have
beautiful grandbabies!!
Joebob...it is so good to hear such great
things are happening for you......any news
lately from the Chiro??
Later.........always........mj
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littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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Hi Everyone Posted: 09-08-07 21:32pm
First of all, I just sent an e-mail under
technical problem about the difficulty we
have been having posting and posting with
lengthy posts. I hope something will be
done to correct the problem very quickly.
I had it yesterday trying to post 5
different times and finally just gave up
till now.
Now, what I am going to do, is post
several times, one right after the other
about my spine problems, how it became
emergency, when it began and some info on
the laser guys in Florida as I did have
contact with them as well and why I didn't
use them.
First off, the question of what makes
spinal surgery an emergency. From what I
know, it is the loss or beginning to loose
bowel and/or bladder control. If that
begins to happen, from what my doc told
me, the damage to the nerves involved
become permenently damaged very quickly
and there is very little time, about 48
hours to relieve the compressed nerves,
before the damage won't reverse.
My doc told me that if any of that begann
to happen, I was to call him immedietly
any time of day or night, any day of the
week. Well, about 9PM the night before my
scheduled surgery, I started loosing
bladder control out of no where. I called
the doc and he said we had time as I was
scheduled for surgery at 8:30Am the next
morning. Had I not been scheduled till
later in the day, he would have moved
patients around to get me in the OR first
thing in the morning.
By the next morning, when I arrived at the
hospital at 7AM, less than 12 hours after
I had noticed the urine dribbling from me,
I had no bladder control at all and was
all but soaking through 3 depends on at
one time in a 30 minute drive to the
hospital.
Upon waking in recovery, I found that I
had full bladder control again and have
never had a problem since.
Will continue in the next post
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littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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It's Me Again, Adding to the Previous Post Posted: 09-08-07 21:45pm
So to continue, my spinal problems first
became apparent the first week in February
2006.
Prior to that, I had had various things
going on since 1978, that may or may not
have been started with an epidural while
in labor with my son, who is 29 now. I
was just shy of a month over 27 when my
son was born and he was my first baby,
though I had had 2 miscarriages prior to
him.
Anyway, my spinal doc can't be sure if
that attempted epidural had anything to do
with the resulting lumbar spinal problems,
but he could still see evidence of the
disaster that occured when an incompetent
resident attempted to do an epidural
before my son was delivered my caesarean
section.
essentially what the fool did was take
that huge needle full of lidocaine to numb
the area and smash it directly into my
vertebrae and hit a nerve. Needless to
say, I screamed like you wouldn't believe
in agony and he pulled the needle out.
that shot my blood pressure sky high and
my son's heart rate dropped dramaticaly.
I wouldn't allow him to try again and was
told there was no one else. ya right
folks in a major teaching hospital in
boston at the time and no other doc to do
one. Sure, the hospital that delivered
more babies than any other at the time.
Then there was a problem with the baby's
heart rate, and it was off to the OR and
general anesthesia.
The vertebrae was severely bruised and I
had spinal pain from that needle for a
little over 2 years. and the bruise from
it went all the way down from where the
needle went in and covered over half my
butt.
My doc thinks that it may have contributed
to the spinal stenosis, but he can't be
sure.
By the time the pain seemed to go a way,
we where trying to have another baby,
which took time and my daughter was born
in 1983. During that pregnancy it seemed
that the same kind of pain came back from
the second trimester on and it never
seemed to go away.
The pain would be worse some months than
others and always worse when I had my
period.
My gyn said it was because I had a tipped
uterus and some months it tipped more than
others and pressed on my spine. I also
developed a fibroid and that supposedly
made it worse. If I had a hysterectomy
that would solve the problem, otherwise it
would be fine after menepause.
Well who was I to think differently and
that the doc was wrong.
Well, didn't have the hysterectomy and
after memepause the pain and discomfort
seemed to be all but gone for years.
Then for some reason, on occasion, I would
feel that discomfort.
see you on the next post
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littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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It's Just Me Again Posted: 09-08-07 21:59pm
OK, so the story continues.
Over the prior 5 years before I had any
acute spinal stenosis symptoms I had some
very vague, ortho type problems that kind
of said, "well girl, the bod is getting
older, you're in your early 50's. what do
you expect."
Little things like, occassionally my right
knee would hurt. Mind said, well you
where warned that you would get osteo in
that knee after breaking it a couple of
times in high school when hit with a line
drive of a soft ball while pitching a
game.
Occassionally that pain would come back in
my spine, just to the right of the
vertebrae and occassionally I'd feel like
my right leg seemed to feel heavy and I'd
have a bit of difficulty lifting it up
over a very high threshhold.
I let the arm go until April 2003, when it
got so bad it was time for a trip to the
PCP to find out what was wrong. DX tennis
elbow, common from shoveling snow, but
most common in tennis players. I needed
to see an orthopedic doc and he sent me to
one, but had to wait several weeks to get
the apt.
My primary now wondered if there was more
going on with me ortho wise and wondered
about my spine, because this was not
normal for me and if I wasn't standing
correctly, then I could damage my arms,
especially my right one because I am right
handed.
I thought he was nuts, but darn, he was
right and the ortho for my arm said we
where both nuts. On the other hand the
ortho doc is an incompetinet fool.
Will continue
I'd mention these things to my PCP and of
course he never had the priveledge of
seeing any problem as it was so
infrequent. None of them interferred
with my ability to function and do
anything. I was still walking 4 miles a
day 5 days a week, running around after
kids on sports fields, coaching soccer,
with practices every day and games every
weekend, gardened for 6 hours at a time.
So I never thought anything about it.
Then in the winter of 2002-2003, in
February, we had a big snowstorm that left
3 feet of that real light powdery snow.
Somewhere during the shoveling process and
started having pain in my right arm.
Figured, hey it's a lot of snow, what
would one expect. first big snow storm
and all.
and my back was sore, but so where all my
muscles and everyone elses that where out
there shoveling.
The arm got better, then of course it was
the winter of never ending snow storms.
So the arm got a break and it started to
feel better, then presto, it was hurting
all over again and so was my back.
Neither of which was a normal thing for me
to have after the first few times of
shoveling.
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littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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Just Me Again Posted: 09-08-07 22:10pm
Ok the rest of the post didn't make it
onto the prior one so adding it here.
In april 2003, the arm got so bad it was
time to see the PCP to find out what was
wrong. DX: tennis elbow, common from
shoveling and most common in tennis
players, hence the name tennis elbow.
He was quite suprised to see this in me as
it's not common for me to have this kind
of problem and he wondered what was going
on. Also wondered if there was "a spinal
issue" going on. If I'm not standing
correctly, then I would or could injure my
arm like I did. So he sent me off to an
ortho doc who happened to be the head of
the hand and arm ortho part of a major
hosp and a well renowned hosp in the are.
I thought he was nuts, but little did I
know, my PCP was right. The ortho doc
thought we where both nuts and the arm had
nothing to do with any spine problems and
the idea was crazy.
Well, the truth is they where related and
the ortho doc not only is an fool but an
incompetent doc who did more damage to my
arm than one could believe and resulted in
permenent loss of some function in both of
my arms, needless surgery that made things
worse, incorrect diagnosis and
furthermore, missed a key problem as the
real cause of why I developed the tennis
elbow.
After he messed up my arm so badly and I
had lost most of the use of my right arm
and was loosing function and having pain
in my left from over use, I got another
opinion in Jan. 2004 and was correctly
diagnosed with tennis elbow, not what the
other doc said, "torn flexor pronator
tendon" that need surgery to reattach."
It took me 2 years to regain most of the
use of my right and left arm and a doc
that wanted me to have my spine checked as
well, just to be safe and it was the first
Iheard of the possibility of spinal
problems involved with this from anyone
other than my PCP.
I was planning to make some arrangements
to see the spinal doc in my ortho arm docs
office, but hadn't gotten around to it
when I was hit with the spinal problem
hopefully this all goes through
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littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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the Spinal Problem Makes It Presence Known Posted: 09-08-07 22:31pm
second time trying to post this part.
I never got the chance to make those
arrangments as the spine decided to beat
me to the punch.
The first week in Feb. 2006. I woke up
and had trouble getting out of bed.
I had this terrible pain on the right side
of my butt, just below my waist. It
almost felt like a sore muscle and I
figured it it's really time to replace
that 20 year old mattress with a new one.
I had trouble moving, couldn't bend or
reach even to pull my undewear up after
using the toilet.
I hobbled downstairs and poured a cup of
coffe and just sat down. After about 20
minutes I was fine for the rest of the
day. this went on for 4 days and then it
was gone.
The following monday the same thing
happened only it was more pain and down my
thigh. I put moist heat on it and it
seemed OK. But on tuesday this had become
full blown, burning nerve pain up and down
my right leg into my foot, couldn't stand
up straight and was in agony.
Called the PCP and of course he's away on
vacation so saw one of his associates
right away. he had spinal xrays done
right there in the office and then told me
that I needed to see a neurosurgeon as
this was nerve involvement from something
in the spine. The quickest appt. he could
get me at that wonderful hosp was 8 weeks.
He told them it was an ASAP appt and he
finally got it down to 6 weeks. I wasn't
waiting that long and told him I was going
to call the ortho place that fixed up my
arms. Took my xrays and went home to
call.
They gave me an appt for Thursday of that
week to see the spinal sports medicine
orthopedic doc as Wed he was in the OR all
day.
The covering doc for my PCP called on WEd
morning to tell me when my appt was for
neurosurgery, 6 weeks and 5 days from that
day and that the radiology reading on my
xrays was normal. Told him where i was
going and he was pleased. My hubby picked
up the copy ofthe radiology reading on his
way home form work to take with us tho the
ortho.
to be continued
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littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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the Spinal Exam And About the Office Posted: 09-08-07 23:02pm
OK, this is crazy, the 3rd time I'm typing
this to post.
First let me describe this sports medicine
orthopedic practice, because this, in my
opinion, is the way all orthopedic
practices should be run and be like.
The office is a one stop shopping for all
orthopedic needs, regardless of how simple
or complicated they are. Docs specialize
in specific areas of orthopedics, but also
work together. there is also a pain
managment doc and an EMG doc that does all
the nerve testing all in one office, which
is huge. They also have specially trained
sports medicine orthopedic PA's that work
with them and are wonderful for support
etc.
Unlike what I've read about LSI not being
handicapped friendly, at least I think I
read it was LSI, this place couldn't be
anymore handicapped friendly if they
tried.
You are asked when you make an apt. if you
will need help getting from the car, need
a wheel chair, etc. If you say yes, then
someone from the office will be downstairs
in the parking lot waiting to assist you.
They have wheelchairs in the lobby, those
doors that you push a button to open and a
huge lobby with chairs etc to sit in.
When you get out of the elevator to the
office itself, if they see you are having
trouble walking, someone is right there to
assist you.
They have their own xray facilities right
there within the office and technitions
that do the xrays and the docs read them
themselves.
The docs own the bulding that the offices
are in and have OR facilities on the first
floor for less complicated and minor
surgeries as well as have all the spinal
epidurals done there as well. They can
get surgery done more quickly this way
with several surgical suites as well as
spinal injections done more quickly.
On the basement floor is an MRI facility
that rents the space. They are not owned
by the docs. They have 5 state of the art
MRI machines and always leave 2 available
for emergencies. The ortho office usses
them for their MRI's but any outside doc
can use them as well.
There is also an PT, OT facility that
rents space there as well and any docs can
send their patients there.
The pain managment doc and the EMG doc all
work together with the ortho docs.
How's that for service and speed in
treatment? Works like a charm.
Hubby and I met with the doc, who only
wanted the xrays not the report to look
at. He looked at them with the 2 other
spinal docs and then came in to examine
me. He tried to be gentle but, believe
me, it didn't work.
Then he told me that my xrays where not
normal and showed spinal stenosis in the
L4, L5, S1 vertebrae. He showed me what
he meant on the xrays and what a normal
one would look like. He told me that I
needed to have an MRI done to determine
the specific type of stenosis, what was
involved and then we would talk treatment.
He starts with conservative measures and
then goes from there.
He arranged for me to have an immediate
MRI downstairs and I was to return to the
office to see him 1 hour after I had the
MRI done.
Nice service and the doc sure seemed to
know what he was talking about.
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littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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Results of Mri And I'm Trying to Shorten the Posts. Posted: 09-08-07 23:12pm
Back to the doc and he goes over the MRI
pics with me and he has a huge book of MRI
pics of every kind of spinal problem in
them to compare to mine so we can see
exactly what he is talking about.
The diagnosis is Lateral recess stenosis
of the L4.L5.S1 vertebrae and he couldn't
see anything else on the MRI of any
problem. He told us that didn't mean that
in the future there wouldn't be, just that
at this time, this was the only thing
going on. nothing else.
So he showed us what a normal MRI of the
spine would look like compared to mine.
The showed us pics of different types of
spinal stenosis, and none of the matched
my MRI pics. Then he showed the pic of
lateral recess stenosis and that was a
perfect match.
What he wanted to do was have me try the
spinal injections and had the pain doc
come in to meet with us. He explained all
about them, what the risks are, and I told
him about my disaster in labor. He told
me no way does that happen with him and no
excuse that it ever hapened to me. He
actually apologized to me for it
happeneing and he wasn't the one who did
it.
He uses sedation and it's done downstairs
in the surgical suites. I'm out cold and
won't feel a thing, he uses floroscope to
be sure it's going into the right place
and hopefully it will help. nothing
promised but got nothing to lose by
trying.
Following Monday I have the first epidural
injection. and it was great for 48 hours
and then the pain returns. get 2 more and
the second did nothing, the 3rd made
everything worse.
In the mean time I was dying in pain.
took over an hour to get out of bed with
the help of my hubby as I'm screaming in
pain. Pain meds wouldn't help as I'm so
sensitive to them that all they would do
is put me to sleep and I needed them to
just be able to get out of bed. I
couldn't be left alone while taking them
as I get so dizzy and unsteady on my feet
that someone has tohold me up to move, so
I suffered in this agony from Feb till I
had surgery in June.
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littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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Decision For Surgery Posted: 09-08-07 23:30pm
OK, after the 3rd injection and it made
things worse, I was ready for suicide as I
couldn't live like this with the pain.
The doc started me on neurontin to see if
it would help the nerve pain and he told
me the choice now was either live like
this or surgery.
The one who told the doc, "no way in hell
is anyone putting a knife to my back" is
now ready for surgery.
The neurontin did help quite a bit. Hard
to get used to and a very slow increase
for me but it helped.
I met with the doc to discuss surgery.
With me was hubby, and my best friend who
is a nurse.
he told us all the info, spent almost 2
hours telling us everything and answering
all the questions.
I was not a happy camper, let me tell you.
He said not to local, no to endoscopic,
but it was minimally invasive. I one inch
incision and only a partial laminotomy.
He told us the facts about surgery. he
could make no promises about anything, but
he will decompres the nerves and that will
stop the horrible pain I was having. The
muscle pain would not be cured with
surgery, it was from atrophy and lack of
use. That should subside with physical
therapy, but how much of it will come back
only time will tell. He told us the risks
and held nothing back. I would return to
most of what I did before all this, but
would have some limitations in terms of
length of time I was able to do things
etc. and it would be 10 weeks of PT
starting 3 weeks after surgery and
exercises for the rest of my life.
The he dropped, what hubby and friend
called, "the bomb". The cause of my
developing the tennis elbow was the spinal
stenosis and the supposed pain from a
tipped uterus that I had had for so many
years was also the spinal stenosis. the
pain local was not correct for a tipped
uterus. and the heaviness and knee pain
that I felt occassionally was not
arthritis but rather spinal stenosis as
well and the damn ortho doc that screwed
up my arm should have known that right
from the beginning.
Then he dropped an ever bigger bomb.
Because, at this point in time, my surgery
was not an emergency but what ins. calls
elective, he required a second opinion
before I went ahead with surgery. He
wanted no doupts in my mind or hubby's or
friend's that I wanted him to do the
surgery and the way he did it. He also
would not give me names of docs for a
second opinion as that then interferes
with the second opinion process. When I
had had another opinion, please call him
and if I want him to do the surgery, they
will get me on the schedule ASAP. If the
following occurs, then call ASAP, as that
changes the picture and I need to have
surgery right away and he told me about
the bowel, bladder issues.
He gave me the MRIs to go with me for the
other opinion/opinions and we where on our
way.
Oh before we left, I did ask him about
laser surgery, Bonati, LSI etc.
He really couldn't provide much
information, even though he would like
to.
The info is kept secret except for their
web sites. It angered him as whe would
like to know more info about it. If they
really have a new and better way of doing
spinal surgery and they don't let it get
peer reviewed and provide the details to
other docs, to him it was a crime and
violated the hypocratic oath that
specifically says "do no harm", because,by
not providing this kind of info to other
docs they are potentially doing harm to
patients. he also told me that he and his
2 associates had had a couple of patients
that had had laser at both places and
several years after they had to redo some
of the surgery and do more. he could not
say that either place was at fault or not.
He didn't have records and the places
wouldn't provide the info. He also
couldn't tell if this was a reoccurance of
the original problems, wasn't done
correctly, or just newly developed
problems.
He also told us that he had tried several
times to communicate directly with the
docs at LSI and Bonati to find out more
info and they would never talk with him or
provide detailed info, just told him to
read their websites.
That bothered us a great deal, that other
docs would be treated this way.
Anyway, he was honest and did not dismiss
them or think they where not good places,
just gave us the honest info that he
could. So it was off for another
opinion.
|
littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
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the Other Opinions Posted: 09-08-07 23:45pm
Holy crap, what a chore that was and our
heads where spinning faster than a little
kids spinning top. To make matters worse
the DX where never the same as the
original and none of them where the same
with each other.
Pick the prestigious hospital in Boston
that exists and I was there for a another
opinion, and did a couple outside of the
boston area and I did send info to Bonati
and LSI.
Other opinion DX
1. No spinal stenosis, but a herniated
disc and 3 bulging discs. would want to do
a 3 level fusion ASAP. from a
neurosurgeon.
2. herniated disc and bulging disc. need
open microdisectomy right away.
again from a neurosurgeon.
3. very mild central canal stenosis.
would do more injections and wait till it
got worse, bad enough that you need a
wheelchair
4. nothing with the spine. you have a
serioius circulation problem that needs
ASAP treatment. from a apinal ortho doc
5. Bonati and LSI, both said the same
thing. facet joints, stenosis in the
L4.L5.S1, arthritis mild, and some bulging
discs that need work. will require 2-3
surgeries.
My ins will not pay for anything at either
place and the full charge of 30 grand was
more than I could afford or borrow and we
had no place to stay other than what they
provide on a list to rent or pay for.
I was very concerned about any kind of
complications as well and how much extra
time we could end up staying.
I didn't like what my doctor had to say as
to how he was treated as a professional,
and I kept hearing that old "if it sounds
to good to be true, it probably is."
Now mind you, when I went for all these
other opinions I was seen in person except
for bonati and LSI. I looked like I was
recovering from a stroke. I could barely
walk now, dragged my right leg as it
wouldn't bend at the knee any longer and
one of them was telling me to wait till I
was in a wheelchair and the stenosis was
worse.
So called my original spinal doc and first
told him about the circulation bit. The
doc said I barely had a pedal pulse in my
right foot, but my friend checked it when
the doc was done, and told him he was
crazy the pulse was normal and identical
to the left foot.
But now he said I had to have cirulation
tests done to be safe first, but he didn't
believe there was a problem with it all.
Of course those tests came back negative
and I made arrangements to meet wit the
doc to go over all these results.
One by one we went over them with my doc
and his famous book. he showed us what
MRI pics would look like for each thing
that these other docs said was wrong and
nothing matched my MRI, including what
Bonati and LSI said.
it was OK doc, lets get this done cause I
want to start living again. That was on a
friday and my surgery was scheduled for
the following Tuesday, June 13th, 2006
|
littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 339 Location: ,
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Will Finish Tomorrow Going to Lose Power In a Storm Posted: 09-08-07 23:47pm
Ok will post the surgery and after
tomorrow, my power is going to go in a
thunderstorm anyminute. it's flickering
now. hope this goies through before.
Fran
|
littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
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I'm Back to Finish, Storm Over And Power Back Posted: 09-09-07 01:54am
As I said before, my surgery essentially
ended up an emergency because of the loss
of bladder control.
Surgery was a success per the real
definition of spinal surgery success. I
do have my life back but as the doc said
with some limitations and I keep having
set backs that are not uncommon for spinal
surgery.
Surgery was done under general anesthesia
and took about 2 1/2 hours.
I had what was called a partial laminotomy
of the L4,L5,S1 and a procedure that my
doc is teaching along the east coast
called an "outside in". Where he removes
a bit of the lamina and then reaches in
and does the shaving of the lateral recess
of the vertebrae, where the nerves where
being compressed. If he can release the
nerves with full movement and no problems
that is all that he does and there is no
further bone removal done. It works in
about 90% of the cases he does.
my incisision is exactly 1 inch and I had
one suture on the outside.
What I didn't know about was how much
bruising I would have after the surgery
from those damn horse things they put you
on to arch your spine for surgery.
Anyway, I was bruised just below my
breasts, and just above my waist in the
front and my entire butt was black a blue
for over a week. I also didn't know about
the swelling in the butt. Even my
underwear didn't fit and my daughter had
to buy me a bunch 1 size larger than
normal to wear for about a month.
In recovery, the first thing I noticed was
all the pain gone in my leg, I could feel
it again and at first thought I was
paralyzed because i couldn't feel the
pain. The doc thought that was funny and
laughed at me cause he told me in 15 years
he'd never had that happen.
So my next words where great, I'm going
home tonight. We then argued that I was
staying till the morning and I told him no
way, home in my own bed tonight thank you.
I did agree to follow the requirements to
go home.
Bach in a room, I felt great, just tired
and loopy from the pain meds in my IV.
They kept checking the incision and with
no nausea I could have water, then the
blessed coffee. Then I could eat some
solid food. I kept saying I wanted to go
home, and the doc came in and said "shut
up all ready, prove to me you are capable
of going home first."
In came the PT and I was sitting up at the
edge of the bed. Oops, dizzy a little.
Then, like gravity working I had to go to
the bathroom and I was in tears about it.
I had to go and was holding my bladder, no
urine pouring out on it's own. So she
helped me to the bathrrom and I sat there
for what seemed an hour going, and no
pain, no help needed. first time in
months.
Next I had to stand up and slowly walk up
and down the hall. So out I went and I'm
looking at my right leg and realizing that
it works again. OMG, the leg bent at the
knee and I walked like a normal person
again, not like I had a stroke. so slowly,
up and down the hall I went and they
couldn't get me to stop. It was llike I
was a kid again and it was "look at me
mommy, I can walk all by myself." Then it
was the PT stairs. Up and down I went,
like I never had a problem.
So PT says, what did they need me for, she
passed the test an hour ago, she can go
home and called the doc. He didn't
believe it and came up to see for himself.
I'm still walking up and down the hall,
up and down the stairs and wouldn't stop.
Doc couldn't believe his eyes. He'd never
had anyone ready to go home so quickly.
Just looked at him and said "I told you
so, I'm going home tonight".
So arrived at hospital at 7AM and was
discharged at 6Pm the same night.
Not saying I didn't have any pain from the
surgery, but compared to before surgery,
the pain was nothing, a piece of cake. I
did use some percocet but only for a
couple of days.
Restrictions, where no bending, turning,
twisting, stooping for 3 weeks, lots of
short walking in the house for the first
24-36 hours and then at least 15 minutes
of walking every 3-4 hours on very flat
surface outside every day.
And was told by the doc. "enjoy the
beginning of your new life without all the
massive pain.