Update on Lumbar Pain
 

I saw my spine surgeon today for a check on my neck and to get my EMG results for my lumbar spine.
Neck is ok as far as I am concerned. I am STILL in a collar. I can switch to a soft collar, not sure if i will , mine is pretty comfortable anyway.
About my lumbar spine the EMG came out negative. He is still convinced there is nerve irritation somewhere in the lumbar area but just does not want to take me to surgery. I know he wants my neck to be pretty well healed first. He was going to take out some screws in L2,fix a compression fracture and talked about the possibility of bringing the fusion down to L4 (which he does not want to do)

So one more try at ESI's, he does several at a time, which should be next wed.
If they provide no relief , as the last 2 sets did, then we will be going into surgery. I was kind of disappointed as the pain is just not getting any better and the hip pain has been with me since Sept 24th. But i will take his advice and wait.
I am tired of pain and pain meds!!
judy

re waiting
 

Judy,
I know many people have had success w/multiple surgeries or further surgery re continued pain/probs however I do advocate waiting if one is able to (meaning not absolutely necessary to have surgery) esp. in certain situations such as yours where you're still healing at another level.

I guess I find that after all that I went thru with my two surgeries and long haul with chronic pain that I am feeling much better so waiting can sometimes work too. That is not to say I still don't have some probs but nothing at all like it used to be and certainly nothing that really keeps me down these days or off my feet (except my feet w/bilat tendonitis)!

Low level opioid treatment is acceptable to me considering what I went thru for so long. In fact what I like least about it is constipation and need to use laxatives daily. Fortunately I must admit I take no other medication for pain now re spinal stuff so I have definately seen an improvement for myself in the last 5 to 6 years no matter what might show radiologically.

Hopefully you'll improve given some more time or at least do well with your cervical healing so that if and when you go for further lumbar surgery you'll not have cervical stuff that might get flared up or need attention.

Pain is pain and a single goal for all those in pain is to get rid of it. We all are disappointed when we hear our pain will continue or surgery is needed to get rid of the pain or ??? Waiting a single day in pain seems like an eternity.

It also sounds like you're in good hands with a cautious doctor who does not want to rush into surgery. When will this all end? Good question but here's hoping it will end!

Better days are on the horizon - patience is a virtue - yeah right:rolleyes:

Thanks for the replies Dale and Maria.
Yes pain is pain and unfortunately i have been on percocet for 3 years now. I do not take a low does. It takes 20mg to be one dose for me and that only wokrs for 4 hours. Some days depending on what i am doing, I take it just about every 4 hours. I don't worry about constipation, but the tiredness and long term side effects it causes.
I know my research doc had done a study on long term side effects of opiods. I only remember testosterone depletion as one of the side effects. I do replace that hormone. I might remember to ask him tonite (i volunteer at his one night a week patient clinic)

Talk about pain I just came back from the dentist with a sore tooth. It needs to come out and i have pre medicated and need to go to an oral surgeon now to get it pulled.
Another fun day for me!!
judy

Judy, check your PM's. Talk to you soon,

Mark

My tooth is gone , but boy did that hole in my mouth speak when the novocain wore off. but my percocet is taking care of it, i just need to be on a 4 hour schedule again.
I got a copy of the MRI report, although not one of the actual MRI as i cannot make heads or tales out of them.
I do have bilateral facet arthropathy at L4-L5 and L5-S1. That might be why my doc decided to do the injections first before removing some of the screws which may be causing some nerve irritation.
My injections are set for next wed. (june 15th) at 7:30 arrival time for me. Hope they really work this time.

What type of pain does facet arthropathy cause in the area I have mentioned from my MRI????????

judy

I had my injections today. i always have to get a stress dose of steroids (100mg) and of course the steroids in the injection. I am so awake at 11pm. I am usually very sleepy at this time if still awake.
I still have the same pain in my hip area . I know we have to wait 10 days or so to see for sure, I'll be going crazy every day. I will also be awake and trying not to do so much with all this energy!!!
judy

Gee Judy, have you ever thought of origami?:D

That's funny!!!!
My daughter woke up with her elbow all bruised and she can't move it. So we are off to a doctor's this morning too. She hurt it yesterday and never told me , but i couldn't do anything anyway after the ESI's

Thanks for the good laugh , i needed one.
judy

I went for my post lumbar injections appointment today. I am still in a neck brace although that is for my cervical surgery on Jan 7th. At least it is just a soft collar now.
As far as the injections , they did take care of my foot numbness, did not take care of my lower back pain or my horrible right hip/buttocks pain.The shots did take care of some of my muscle weakness in my legs as well. My doc still does not want to do more surgery on me. He said I have had a lot, he does not want me to loose more motion. He cannot pin point a definite area for the pain i am having.
So he prescribed 3 weeks of physical therapy and then i go back to see him. At that point if my hip/butt is still bad he will give me a shot in the office. And who know what else.
I was really hoping he would go to surgery (i know i am nuts, but it cured my horrible thoracic pain) and get rid of this pain. I'm really tired of it and the lower back pain.:(
judy

A Decision Has Been Made
 

My 3 weeks of physical therapy did nothing so far or possibly made things worse. They may have just gotten worse on their own. My weakness in my legs is back, my foot numbness is back. (Maybe the shots helped for a little while) My left leg now gets numb and the hip pain is back in the left side. Of course the lower back pain is still there too.
so at my apt my doctor gave me 3 choices, one to do nothing. Not acceptable to me.
2) to have him just remove the screws at L2
3) have him free up all the rest of the nerves in my lumbar below L2 and extend the fusion to L4 (which he has said at times that he should have done in the first place.

Well i picked plan 3 for a few reasons. One was money, I currently have blue cross and have met all my deductibles. I have a secondary insurance to take over when BC ends, i thought it was Sept 1st. I found out today it is actually Aug 1st. So my money reason is out the window.
The other one is that it is just not getting any better and my legs are getting weaker.
All that said, i still wonder if i made the wrong decision.:confused::confused:

re fusion extension
 

Judy,
If you've continued to have more pain and much greater weakness it would seem that maybe surgery is in order. I don't really know but I think I'd not like feeling like my legs were getting weaker. Even tho I really dislike pain I would be very concerned about the weakness too.

Seems like you've made a well thought out decision and if you want to change your mind a few more times that's also something you "can do" tho I imagine you'd prefer not to go there mentally (spare yourself). Just know it is an option as well.

Great that you've got the coverage insurance wise and even sooner than you expected!

Judy,

You can second guess yourself from today to tomorrow, both before and after whatever surgeries. If you've thought this out, know the ins and outs and made the best possible decision based on that, you've done the best you can.

The weakness in your legs is a big concern, financially you're covered, pain is a powerful motivator and you're simply doing what you have to do.

When is your surgery scheduled?

Dale

It is not scheduled yet, they always get insurance approval first. I know the girl that handles that part called me yesterday to get insurance straightened out.
I had thought i would be covered by 2 insurance companies , but only the new one, so i will be paying some too. thought it was a freebee!!!! Oh well. I needed to try everything first , well my doctor needed me to try everything else a few times before he gave in to surgery. He really did not want to do anymore on me.
Thanks for your replies.
judy