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stormin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Canada
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Ddd/sciatica??
Posted: 01-28-05 23:10pm
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Early october 2004 I started experiencing
incredible pain thru my hip/buttocks area
and down thru my leg and all the way into
a mild tingling in the foot.. X ray and
cat scan showed ddd and I was operated on
nov 23 for herniated disc. Only part of
the disc was removed. Pain after surgery
returned. At some points even worse..
Mostly into my foot. 6 wks after surgery
I had an mri done which showed nothing
conclusive that surgery was required
again.. Dr thought maybe removing the
disc and a fusion "might" solve the
problem. In the meantime.. We've set the
surgery aside and i've been going to a
pain clinic which has been great for the
pain and their chiropractor has been
working with me.. Success has been very
minimal if any and very very slow.. Any
suggestions from anybody is appreciated..
Is this something that will get better in
time?? A year? Or more??? Is what some
tell me..Or second surgery???
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Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 710
Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
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Posted: 01-28-05 23:31pm
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You need to go get fixed.
I seriously do not understand some of the
newer percutaneous procedures that remove
part or all of the disc without any kind
of device being place into the
intervertebral space to maitain proper
space and function of the spine. ( I
guess insurance people tell the doctors
what you need) :)
oh well, what level are you having the
work on? L4/5 and l5/s1 is where charite
can be used here in the us. I do not know
what the canadian medical system says
about any of the artifical discs' but even
fusion can help you. Please do not go
through years of pain and suffering along
with more destruction of the vertabrae due
to lack of cushion in the space.
You can really be helped before it is too
late. Tell the doctors not to mess around
with anymore of the "minor" surgeries and
make the move to fix you. In my own
non-professonial opinion, I would not
allow a chiropractor touch me ever!!!!
Just my opinion of course! I hope you can
get relief and get well soon!
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stormin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Canada
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Posted: 01-31-05 11:14am
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Thank you for your reply... The problem
area is the l5/s1 and i've run into so
many people who have had so many different
opinions...I really would've thought my
mri would've given the doctor the right
answer.. And now i'm really not sure
where to go next.. My chiropractor has
been really good and doing his best to
help.. But like I said progress so far is
minimal if any at all...The next surgery
yes would be to remove the disc and fuse
the other two discs together but that also
wasn't a guarantee that the problem would
be solved and that's from the mouth of the
surgeon. My question is.. Is there not
some way to tell where the pain is
originating from???? Should I maybe be
seeing a neurosurgeon rather than an
orthopedic surgeon??? Or is this
something that eventually will actually
get better on it's own???
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stormin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Canada
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Posted: 01-31-05 11:15am
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Thank you for your reply... The problem
area is the l5/s1 and i've run into so
many people who have had so many different
opinions...I really would've thought my
mri would've given the doctor the right
answer.. And now i'm really not sure
where to go next.. My chiropractor has
been really good and doing his best to
help.. But like I said progress so far is
minimal if any at all...The next surgery
yes would be to remove the disc and fuse
the other two discs together but that also
wasn't a guarantee that the problem would
be solved and that's from the mouth of the
surgeon. My question is.. Is there not
some way to tell where the pain is
originating from???? Should I maybe be
seeing a neurosurgeon rather than an
orthopedic surgeon??? Or is this
something that eventually will actually
get better on it's own???
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stormin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Canada
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Posted: 01-31-05 11:16am
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Thank you for your reply... The problem
area is the l5/s1 and i've run into so
many people who have had so many different
opinions...I really would've thought my
mri would've given the doctor the right
answer.. And now i'm really not sure
where to go next.. My chiropractor has
been really good and doing his best to
help.. But like I said progress so far is
minimal if any at all...The next surgery
yes would be to remove the disc and fuse
the other two discs together but that also
wasn't a guarantee that the problem would
be solved and that's from the mouth of the
surgeon. My question is.. Is there not
some way to tell where the pain is
originating from???? Should I maybe be
seeing a neurosurgeon rather than an
orthopedic surgeon??? Or is this
something that eventually will actually
get better on it's own???
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stormin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Canada
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Posted: 01-31-05 11:16am
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Thank you for your reply... The problem
area is the l5/s1 and i've run into so
many people who have had so many different
opinions...I really would've thought my
mri would've given the doctor the right
answer.. And now i'm really not sure
where to go next.. My chiropractor has
been really good and doing his best to
help.. But like I said progress so far is
minimal if any at all...The next surgery
yes would be to remove the disc and fuse
the other two discs together but that also
wasn't a guarantee that the problem would
be solved and that's from the mouth of the
surgeon. My question is.. Is there not
some way to tell where the pain is
originating from???? Should I maybe be
seeing a neurosurgeon rather than an
orthopedic surgeon??? Or is this
something that eventually will actually
get better on it's own???
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stormin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Canada
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Posted: 01-31-05 11:23am
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Thank you for your reply... The problem
area is the l5/s1 and i've run into so
many people who have had so many different
opinions...I really would've thought my
mri would've given the doctor the right
answer.. And now i'm really not sure
where to go next.. My chiropractor has
been really good and doing his best to
help.. But like I said progress so far is
minimal if any at all...The next surgery
yes would be to remove the disc and fuse
the other two discs together but that also
wasn't a guarantee that the problem would
be solved and that's from the mouth of the
surgeon. My question is.. Is there not
some way to tell where the pain is
originating from???? Should I maybe be
seeing a neurosurgeon rather than an
orthopedic surgeon??? Or is this
something that eventually will actually
get better on it's own???
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Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 710
Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
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Posted: 01-31-05 15:22pm
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Yes there is a way to tell if the pain is
being generated by the disc. The test is
called a discogram. It is a very painful
but an extremly good test to see if the
pain is disc pain or something else.
I have had 2 of them because prior to
having nucleoplasty I had to have this
test due to non-conclusive mri results.
Then they did the nucleoplasty and that
was horrible for me! It has helped many
people but it was not the answer for me.
Regardless of that I had to go through
another discogram 4 months after the
nucleoplasty to see if the pain was still
being generated by l5/s1 or a different
disc.
Once they had the results of the 2nd
discogram I was put into a holding pattern
for the charite. I had to wait for the
fda to approve it and then I could proceed
to my insurance and try to get approval
for the surgery. It took more then a
month of talks with the insurance company
to get them to approve this "new" surgery.
I truly believe that because I am 32
years old, this is the best type of
surgery and I dont believe I will have
more surgeries to other disc spaces due to
lack of mobility in the l5/s1 space. I
cannot control the future and I have no
idea what will happen the next time I get
behind the wheel or the next time I am
performing a job at work.
I also do not believe that a neurosurgeon
will do any more for you then an
orthopedic surgeon that has specialized in
the spine. They are both very qualified
in the mechanical function of the spine
and imo the orthopedic may actually be a
better choice for this particular problem,
this isnt spinal cord type of stuff and so
I would stay with an orthopedic surgeon.
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stormin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Canada
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New Surgery?
Posted: 02-07-05 12:54pm
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I'm sorry.. You lost me somewhere..
Which is the new surgery you are talking
about? You mentioned "charite"? Or did I
miss something in your response??? And
can you give me an idea of what is
involved in a discogram? I'm seeing my
surgeon in two weeks.. I'm had minimal
progress so far and not sure what he's
going to suggest for the next step.
Once again.. Thanks for your response
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Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 710
Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
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Posted: 02-07-05 14:10pm
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Durring the discogram you are going to
either be laid on your side or on your
belly.
They will slightly sedate you and I mean
slightly. You have to be fully aware for
the doctor while this test is being
performed.
The doctor is going to insert several
needles into your back. He/she may do two
or three levels to see if you are
experienceing pain in only one or more
discs.
They will then inject a contrasting die
into your disc to apply pressure to the
disc and mimic the pain you are
experiencing on a normal basis or to
cofirm that you do not have disc pain but
some other pain.
After the test is complete, and if it is
confirmed that you do have disc pain. You
will be sent to ct scan to see if your
discs are leaking the die.
It is an extremely painful test but with
good anesthesia practice, you will not
remember much of it.
Charite is an artificial lumbar disc, you
may be faced with surgery if these tests
are conclusive. I would recommend having
the disc over fusion if you are given the
choice.
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stormin
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Canada
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Posted: 02-08-05 14:45pm
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Ok thanks .. That helps.. I have already
had an mri and they did inject a die i'm
not sure if that is similar or will show
something similar to what you mentioned..
I am seeing my surgeon again next week and
will forward the information I have
learned from you and see what he has to
say about it.
Thanks and I will respond again next week
with more info.
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Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 710
Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
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Posted: 02-08-05 21:22pm
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That is simply a mri with contrast but a
discogram is something totally different.
It is torture but it is the very best
method of determining pain in the
intervertebral space or not.
I would really appreciate it if you keep
us informed and let us know how your disco
goes.
Brian
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