Wrs ~

I have not had adr surgery but I have had several levels fused and if I were you I would most definitely have a discogram done even if you think the mri says all. Remember an mri doesn't show everything all the time. You want to make sure with the discogram that your pain is for sure coming from the discs and to be sure it is not discs and your facet joints. If you have problems with your facet joints were you told an adr may not be the right answer?? Be sure, the more tests the better when it comes to surgery. Have you ever been to the adr support board/forum?? If you want the link let me know and I willpost it for you.


Imshirl :)

I totally agree with shirl, the discogram is basically the only way to verify for sure that the disc in question is the base for your pain.

If they do surgery on the questionable disc and it is not the generator of pain, you will be in sorry shape.

I also have had the charite 3 adr done at l5/s1 and my disc pain is fixed but my pain is not fixed. I now have facetogenic pain and need more surgery.

There is not a sure fire fix for back pain.

I just had a discogram.
One of the disks was basically trashed, and I knew it from the mri.
But still, the doctor was able to identify that I am a candidate for an idet, which is minimally invasive. Also it seems that I am having more pain from the less damaged disk above it. The really bad one is l5-si, and doesn't really impinge upon many nerves. So the doctor will repair the one disk, and hit the other at the same time anyway. It seems that the heat application from the procedure stimulates collagen growth. So he hopes that perhaps this other disk will regerate some amount of cushioning.
In any case, I would have thought for sure that I was in invasive surgery based soley upon the mri. Instead the discogram proved that I was able to get by with less invasive treatment.
I have to say though that I had sapsms in my lower back for close to a week after the discogram. So stock up on muscle relaxants and pain meds. Not to scare any one.... But I was slightly taken by surprise by this.
Preparation is everything.

I ended up having two disograms done due to the first doctor not checking both one up from the effected area and one below. The first time I had it done it was the most excruitiating thing I have ever had done. The second time it was a piece of cake because the two disks checked that time were normal. Nothing can prepare you for the pain or the spasms from the diskogram. Good luck!

It was a piece of cake!! I was scared to death! I had my 1st disco two weeks ago on my L4, L5, and Rt hip. I received immediate relief. My rt leg was numb due to the med for a couple of days. But the relief was AMAZING. Now I am facing my second set of injections in a few days. I have an outstanding doctor and his wonderful staff who have guided me all the way. This was majorly due to a SEVERE wreck 11 yrs ago. I couldn't ask for better relief! I had to be off from work 2-3 days. I COULD LIVE AGAIN!!! The disco will last for 6months to 3 years, depending upon how I care for myself, it will be worth it at 52 YOA!

Sorry Crafty52 but I think you may be confused as to the name of your procedure. It sounds as if you had cortisone injections to relieve pain in your lumbar area and right hip. A discogram is a procedure when a nerosurgeon goes into an area of the spine while placing a needle into discs to determine which discs are abnormal. This procedure is very painful and causes spasms when the disc is actually abnormal, but does not hurt when it is normal.

I wish you luck and I actually hope the injections do work for you. If they do you are truly lucky. I wish my injections worked. I ended up having a three level fusion with dynesis system put into my lumbar area. I had that surgery two years ago and have regretted it since.

Hi new to this board but very interested in all the info I have seen here. I also had a discogram last Wed. and yes it was painful ,especially on the disc that was shown on MRI to be bulging and a tear there. BUT the pain was nothing to what I would have starting about 6 hours later and for the last 4 days with it beginning to get back to my just good old NORMAL pain???Ha! Ijust wonder if what started 6hours later was what I was supposed to have felt at the time of the procedure?? I did have increased pain at about 8-9 out of ten but what I felt later was 20 out of 1 to 10?? On the second day of so much pain and having called the ER and my DR offices to make sure this was normal and trying to see what else I could take to get thru this, I googled ,,,delayed pain after discogram to find out what they referred to as onset of pain up to 24 hours was to be concidered a positive result and to make sure you lat all parties envoled of this happening. MY question?? Does the onset and last 4 to 5 days of major pain mean the my disc is what caused this much pain ?? and NO I will not ever have a discogram again and I will be telling anyone that is headed that way TO BE ready!!! it will be bad or It was for me. Xbikerjudy

Can you please clarify if you mean a discogram (like myleogram?). I have 8 herniated discs and they are wanting to perform a discogram. I have had 9 MRI's. Why can't they base surgery on that if after therapy, steroid injections, etc. does not help? I have heard horror stories about discograms and myleograms!!!! If it was a discogram how would this help you if it is a diagnostic procedure? Thanks!

Yes it was s discogram and the pain is really bad ,,sorry to tell you if that is what you have to go thru ,just be prepared. I am 9 monthe out from TRANS 1 surgery for tear in dis at L5 S1 and it was confirmed by the discogram. It dose not help you just make the Dr sure which of the disc are the one causing the pain so the surgery is on the correct disc. Good luck with the test just know it will cause extreme pain . God bless and good luck judy

Thank you for your quick reply. After reading blog after blog from people that have had discograms and myleograms done, I have decided NOT to have one done. So many people have had severe problems caused by these 2 procedures and I don't need any more problems. I do not understand why an MRI and Radiologist's report is not enough to make a decision on what disc is causing the problem?

An MRI is only one diagnostic tool that doctors use to evaluate the condition of your spine it does not always tell them everything they want to know. Melograms are scans that use dye this dye acts as a contrast, and shows additional detail its extremely rare for this procedure to causes problems or pain, and the additional details that it shows could be of valuable assistance to the surgeon.


The same can be said for discograms except that they are often painful this would not be a problem for me if the pain was only temporary however even though doctors say that discograms will not cause any permanent damage patients sometimes report a worsening of there condition this is a legitimate concern for you, and i understand why you don't want a discogram, but if you are trusting a surgeon to perform surgery, and he wants to do a discogram its because he is trying to make the best diagnosis so the procedure he is performing on you has the best chance of reducing your symptoms, and restoring your quality of life.

I am not trying to tell you what to do i can see why you are so concerned its not an easy decision to make i guess you have to weigh up the possible benefits against the the harm that may be done.

Good luck.

Judy, Hi.. I had a discogram about a year ago and it tells the doctors alot.. it tells them if the disc is extruted or if it is a tear how big it is.. In my case we thought that we were dealing with one level per the MRI and when I had this done it clearly showed that I almost had two disc that were almost extruded. It is very painful but just do as they say go home and go to bed and apply the ice/heat and take your meds no matter what.. I hope that all goes well for you.. don't be scared even though it is hard not to.. just remember it is one step closer to being fixed!! Sorry I have to do that I have to find something good to hang onto!! I ended up having a 2 level 360 fusion.. Good Luck and God Bless you!!