ESIs
I wanted to add that back when I was recommended to have a 3 level global fusion in 2000 at first I thought "ok" then after being on spine forum for a while and I had not even tried pain medication and was reading about other people that had multilevel fusions or multiple fusions and they were still taking pain medication (opioid) and in pretty bad shape I rethought things.
Fortunately my PCP also felt I should go back to PM (pain management) as I hadn't been since '93 and had an ESI in the office not guided by fluroscopy that was just horribly painful. I thought "forget this s**t."
So when I went to the PM appt. in 2001 I was still considering having a 3rd back surgery tho was thinking more along the lines of ADR in Europe.
Well long story short 10 years of ESIs helped me quite a bit and 'round about 2006 the last time I was authorized to have more back surgery and a 2 level ADR at that I had just decided I actually get enough pain relief with low dose opioid pain medication that I didn't want to have more surgery at this time.
ESIs were a big part of what helped me I think tho I did have some really good doctors giving them and always done under fluroscopy in an out patient surgery center. There are differing approaches that can make a difference on how well they may work and one might have to address a different level to find some benefit. Fortunately as I said I had very good doctors performing my ESIs.
I don't know what my life would have been like had the ADR surgery and honestly I may have missed out on really improving my quality of life and I may have made the right decision which is how I feel "for me."
More surgery is always a possibility for me. Not that I want it to be tho I still have flare ups with L4 altho they are few and far between compared to what I used to endure post my failed 2nd back surgery in '92.
I believe that surgeons can provide us with information based on their findings thru physical exam and thru fairly extensive testing to try to figure out what is the true pain generator (or are the true pain generators) however no one can guarantee me what the outcome of surgery will be so I take a surgical recommendation very very seriously.
Spine surgery is not as predictable as many other types of surgery so I do encourage anyone that is not in an emergent position to have surgery to get a few opinions and try the conservative and less invasive treatments out there first.
Spine surgery is a very big deal. If you don't think so do go to several spine forums (I can PM you some that I've been part of over a number of years) and see what people are writing about.
And do research your own findings and condition and write your questions down for your consultations. The more you know the more you can at least ask about. Hopefully you'll meet a very decent spine surgeon who'll take the time to answer your questions and not blow you off with the "I'm the doctor attitude" we know that already.
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