Do I even need another surgery?
 

As some of you already know, I had a 360 lumbar fusion with hardware, cages and screws at L5/S1 in May 2008. It didn't fuse and one of the screws is loose in the hardware. I'm guessing that means it's unstable, don't really know. I'm in pain most days, worse than before the surgery which was for spondylolisthesis. The bottoms of my feet feel bruised, burn and tingle, something I got after the surgery. Legs don't really hurt at all but lower back is most painful and it comes and goes depending if I walk too much or do anything too demanding, which could be lying down wrong or sitting back in a chair. I saw in my surgeons notes that I could have a possible nerve stretch injury. This is something he never told me. I am terrified to get another surgery! It was the most painful thing I ever went through. Who's to say this next surgery won't make me worse? I cling to the hope it will make me better but that hope is fading fast. I have only heard of a few people getting better after surgery and most getting worse. If this surgery is necessary to stabilize my spine, then I will get it. If not I say forget it! What do you guys think? I'm pretty clueless.

The best way to decide what direction to take is to understand exactly what's going on and what is causing your pain. Several opinions might be necessary and perhaps even more than that until you're satisfied with your own knowledge.

Only when you are no longer clueless should you make a decision. Ask as many questions as you can absorb.

You also might want to consider using Mark's services because he'll understand things you might now and knows what questions to ask. Spinal issues are a whole education and Mark has not only been there, done that, he's still doing it and has done it for so many others. Worth considering -

Dale

I'll second Dale.

Getting a clear understanding of what exactly you are dealing with (which could be mutliple issues), and your treatment options is the first place to start before you start making any decisions.

You could be experiencing more than a nerve-stretch injury. Often loose/damaged hardware causes soft tissue damage to the surrounding muscles, which would cause the diffuse lower back pain you are having. That would be a different issue from the nerve pain you're experiencing with the burning/tingling of leg and foot.

Most of the literature I've perused in the past on nerve stretch injuries indicates that at greater than one year, the outcomes of surgical intervention are not successful.

Be Well,

Theresa

What exactly did the surgeon say the surgery was for? I'm sorry if you already said that. I agree you could have more than one thing going on. I too have 2 loose screws in my recent neck surgery. So far he is just leaving them in and leaving me in a neck brace to help stabilize .
My lower back has been hurting so badly i can't stand it now. I had surgery on T-2 thru L-2. He said i cracked at L-2 during my surgery in sept and also those screws might be hurting me so he is proposing taking the screws out of the lumbar and doing a kyphoplasty on the vertebral crack.

So i agree with others, get another opinion and make sure you understand exactly what is proposed and how it is supposed to help you.
Let us know too
judy