Things going very wrong after Dynesys

[LC in UK]

Hi Betsy
Nice to hear from you. So there's at least two of us out there?
No, I don't think I had a bone graft. Not bragging but I do have some nice big staples and some Japanese fibreglass stuff called "walastronide" ?? decorating my spine from the anterior fusion! Anybody got any of that?
As for the screws, I didn't know they used bigger ones but , like you, I read stuff on surgical websites, and they said the new screws are Hydroxyapatite coated so they bond to bone better for more strength.
You're still in recovery really from your Dynesys so I hope things settle down for you. I'm quite active considering what I've had done and I'm really resenting this extreme limitation on my mobility right now.
Let's stay in touch and hopefully recruit a few more to our exclusive club!
Speak soon, best wishes from Lynette

[Alastair]

At one time they fitted longer screws, they say there are 10,000 Dynesys out in Europe, but I haven`t met any, and a VERY limited UK number
Best
Alastair

[fireyangel76]

LC,
I have those coated screws in so I shall keep my fingers crossed and hope the bone grows around them.

Well now we are a group of two! I also wonder where all those others who have had this procedure are?

Nope, I don't have any other wonderful new materials in my back...yet!
I am with you. I started to become active and try to live a somewhat rather normal life about a month ago. That's when it went down hill. I must say I am able to get some relief when I lay down which I could not before surgery..So I suppose that is progress.

I got new xrays today and I go to my surgeon Wed. The screws look good to me but what do I know!

All this time I thought that being a nurse I knew so much about medicine and health. I am coming to understand the hard way that I know nothing about backs. I also am finding that there are too many Doc's that just don't know that much about backs either.

I'm hanging in too. I keep you posted!
Betsy

[LC in UK]

Hi Betsy
Glad you've got the latest Dynesys screws!
But I'm sorry you only get relief when you lay down, that's not so good?
Was it the nursing that gave you a bad back in the first place?
Mine was doing very heavy lifting in the office of all places when I was only 32 with 2 kids at school. Bang, my life changed. A severely prolapsed disc which took the medics a year to diagnose and gave a lot of sceptics around me a field day.......
Never mind, all water under the bridge now.
I understand there's not many people in the US who've had Dynesys fusions.
Wish a few more Brits who've had this procedure would write in, need more feedback.
It's 11.50pm here now in the UK, best get to bed, early visit from the gas engineer tomorrow followed by a long drive to see my orthopaedic consultant and see what they have to say about this deterioration.
But I'll have my daughter with me and we'll make it a day out!!
Hopefully I'll be back online tomorrow evening with some news, so I'm thinking of you and glad to know I have company!
Thanks for writing
Best wishes
Lynette

[fireyangel76]

Hi Lynette,
I hope your day with your daughter was good. Did you get any answers from the orthopaedic surgeon? I will see mine tomorrow. I am going to ask for new tests to find out everything I can about the condition of my back. I think there is more going on than just a disc. I think we will have a disagreement over that. My pain, his ego, I hope I come out victorious!

Nursing is probably what started me down this path of back problems. I have always had a job with heavy lifting. I was in the USAF as an EMT ambulance medic. I worked as a nurses aide when I was 16. Finally got nursing degree and worked for years on a medical/surgical-telemetry floor. These are historically the hardest floors and most people don't stay for 17 years as I did. I had many injuries over the years but never took them too serious. I was always told it is muscle strain and so I never thought much of it. I never thought it could happen to me that I would end up like I am.

My father was born in Lambeth. My mother's mother was from Cornwall. My best friend here is from London. Her parents have got their imigration papers and have sold their house in Scottland. They will be here Aug 4th. My tea supplier is gone! The american tea is like pi-- water! My madien name was Davies. I guess you know a few people there with that name! I was born in Canada. It took me over a year to get my Canadian passport. I have been in the US since 1966 and still have my canadian citizenship. Now that I have my passport I do plan on going to England in the next few years. My father lived at Sizergh castle during the war and I plan to visit their. Have you heard of Sizergh castle?
Betsy

[LC in UK]

Hi Betsy
Good luck tomorrow! I feel better now I've seen my consultant and I hope you will when you've seen yours. Maybe you won't have to fight?!
I'm going to have a spinal probe done soon (little tiny camera into the spine) so they can have a good look at everything. Apparently from looking at the pictures the Dynesys appears to be strong, it's the wear and tear on the level above that may be responsible for my problems plus scarring of the nerve roots. Well - all will become clear after the probe. Just have to be patient and wait a few weeks..........
I'm not surprised you've got so much back trouble with all the heavy work you did in the nursing profession. What a reward for giving so much care to others over the years. I know back trouble is very common with nurses.
Shame.
Interesting to hear of your family background, yes, Davies is a common name here, especially in Wales. My mother comes from Cornwall, Newlyn in fact, right down in the far west.
I've seen Sizergh castle on the web, very beautiful. In the Lake District. You will be very impressed with this part of our country, it's breathtaking!
Good luck tomorrow, will wait to hear from you.....Regards, Lynette

[fireyangel76]

Hi Lynette.
Well I went to my ortho yesterday. It went well. He said we may turn this in to a fusion but we will do many tests first to see if there is something else going on. He is also sending me to a rhuematologist to check for spondylopathy(sp). My rhuematoid factor was slightly elevated and my knees and shoulders feel like they are going to freeze up and cause me pain also. The good news is my screws look great!
I had been feeling like one leg was shorter than the other and sure enough my left is shorter than the right. Only 1 cm but i noticed it.
He told me to wear my lovely brace, but not too long at a time because it will cause pain if you wear it too long. I must say I wore it today while on the treadmill and it decreased my pain by half. Lets hope I don't pay too dearly for it later. I also didn't notice the one leg shorter while I was wearing it. That makes my think the problem is in my spine or pelvis. I often have pain radiating to my pelvis.
By the way did you ever experience "restless Legs" after your surgery. At night and especially if I lay on my back with a pillow under my knees I have an overwhelming urge to move. I have to get up and it keeps me awake untill I take something to knock me out. I think I saw it can happen after back surgery.
I hope you a hanging in there.

Betsy

[nigel]

Hi. I have beem reading about your dynesys and as a result am quite concerned. I am due to have the op on the 12th nov. My problem is that I had a disc out a few years ago thru a slipped disc from tennis. Now another disc is degenerating and that apparently is excreting a chemical which inflames the bone. He intends to remove that disc and fuse and then use dynesys on the disc above to try to prevent more damage to that. Sorry to dribble on but I am wprried about the op the pain after and everything. Can anyone here help me with this worry. Many regards Nigel

[mmglobal]

Nigel, read about DSS here: Dynamic Soft Stabilization

There are several huge advantages of DSS over Dynesys. Location of pedicle screws for DSS is much less likely to result in broken screws... one of the more common complications with Dynesys. Also, the modular design allows combination soft stabilization / fusion procedures. So, the same system could be used for your fusion and soft stabilization. If things go bad for the top level, converting to a fusion would be removing only the soft stabilization module and replacing with fusion module. Same screws... same system. Also the control of motion with DSS is different. I should have more info after NASS next week.

Mark

[nigel]

thanks for your reply. My problem is I live in UK and nobody has mentioned DSS. I am running out of time as my op is not too far away and I am having 2nd thoughts. I have heard it is extremely painful post op. I have not been to work since January and am eager to go back but if I don't have op I wont get back, but I am very worried about it all.

[mmglobal]

It's pretty new... I don't know where it's available. Bertagnoli is doing them, but that implies getting to Germany and self-paying for the surgery. I don't know the costs involved.... I'll find out and let you know if you are interested.

Mark

[LC in UK]

Hi Nigel
As the originator of this thread I can tell you that Dynesys is not responsible for my current problems.
I was told today by a neurosurgeon I need a 3 level cervical op and that is the reason I can't walk properly.
So get lots of advice but I just thought Id explain to you what has happened with me.
Good luck and keep in touch,
Lynette