Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Medical Lake, WA
L2 - L5 Fusion Posted: 08-18-06 03:26am
I had a tri-level fuson done april 2005
and the results of my surgery was that the
fusion didn't take. For the last 8 months
i've been in pain, getting worse everyday.
I am now taking medication again which
was a goal for me to get off of it. I
live live in the spokane, washington area,
and have been trying to find a doctor that
will see me. (i should mention that I had
my sugery n los angeles.) every specialist
here refuse to see me because of the
procedure that I had. I do have a
appointment aug. 30 with a doctor.
(thank goodness.) my question is, if I
don't have another surgery, will my
hardware hold up without a solid fusion?
I'm worried that one day my back will just
fall apart and the screws and rods will
come lose. Is that possible? And is
there anything that I can do to prevent
that.
Thank you
tim
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gjzh
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Oct 2005 Posts: 28 Location: ,
Posted: 08-21-06 19:20pm
Tim,
i am about six months out from surgery and
have not started to fuse yet...I asked the
doctor at that last visit what happens if
I do not fuse and she said I would need
more surgery! :shock:
this has been horrible for me since it was
such a large fusion...L1 to s1. I would
hope that you can find a surgeon to help
you....If you cannot, are you able to go
back to the surgeon that helped you with
this surgery? Most surgeons usually do
not like to operate to fix someone else's
mistakes, but there are many reasons why
we do not fuse...It may not be a
mistake...
Did you use your own bone or cadaver bone?
That makes a difference sometimes
....Did they use bmp?
I would think if you called one of the
academic centers at the u of washington
they might be willing to help you....They
have an excellent team of surgeons
there...
Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Medical Lake, WA
Frustrated Posted: 08-21-06 19:38pm
Thanks for the reply. The past year has
been really frustrating. My surgeon in
calif. Gave me a referral to see a doctor
here in spokane before I moved. He said
he is a well know specialist, and would
see me as soon as I moved. Well, when I
got here I found out that he wouldn't see
me. Didn't want to treat me because of
prior surgery. And at that time I only
wanted to see him for follow up. That was
in aug 2005, just 3 months after my
fusion. Well since then, my back has
gotten worse. I'm now taking just as
much, or more medication than before my
surgery. In fact my back pain is alittle
worse than before. My primary doctor has
been good to me, (taking xrays, lab work,
etc.) anyway, i've tried almost every
doctor in spokane (that has been
recommended) and they just don't want
anything to do with me. I send my records
and films to my surgeon in calif. And he
said that the fusion hasn't taken, and
probable won't, and that I would need
another proceedure done so that my back
would be more stable. So if all else
fails, I can always fly to calif. And
have him do it. This back problem has
been a problem for 16 years now. Just
want to move on with my life and get
better. I take a hand full of pills twice
a day, and i'm tired of it. Anyway,
thanks for listening.
Tim
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gjzh
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Oct 2005 Posts: 28 Location: ,
Posted: 08-21-06 22:36pm
Tim,
this is terrible...I have the
castle/connolly book of top docs...If you
want I can try to find a top doc near you
that might help...Sometimes the academics
will try to help. I just hope I start
to fuse. My doc is a upset that my
insurance did not pay him enough for the
surgery, so I am seeing his partner now.
She told me if I do not fuse I will need
more surgery. I cannot go through this
surgery again. I do not need to tell you
how painful this all is...
Did you have a 360 fusion with the cages
in the front and then rods and screws in
the back? Originally, a doc at hopkins
wanted to do a bone on bone fusion where
they use no hardware...Just grind up the
bone they remove and pack it in for the
fusion. I was afraid of that surgery.
I just am praying I do not have to go
through this again...I do not think I
could handle it at all....
Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Medical Lake, WA
Posted: 08-22-06 08:42am
Yes I had the cages put in. They went in
from the front and then from the rear.
Surgery took almost 9 hours. Had
complications too. Blood pressure
wouldn't go down. Found out that I had a
blood clot go into my lung. So they had
to do a emergency procedure and install a
green filter. Not looking forward to
another surgery. But actually, i'm hoping
that another surgery will decrease the
pain. My doctor says that its no
gauentee.
I do have a apt. With a doctor at the end
of the month. I'm keeping my fingers
crossed that he will take me. First time
in one year that a doctor will even get me
into his office. Best of luck with your
recovery.
