Sitting is dangerous to my health

Maria · #1 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007, 08:09 PM

I know most persons here have had ADR or fusion or are contemplating something of this nature and so have I over the last 8 years (from 3 level global fusion to 2 level ADR to hybrid ADR and fusion) and many if not most of us will get to that point of wondering "am I bad enough?" before diving into the surgical arena once, twice or more times...

My progress w/o more surgery (beyond my 2 previous failed discectomies) has been really pretty awesome over the last year and I was going to report the fact that I even waited 3 hours standing around at a bus station then sat nearly 2 hours on a bus ride and didn't have back probs (did have pain during sitting ~ oh yes!) the next day

BUUUUTTTTT ~ oh no, that is not the freaking case. I bent over in the bathroom this morning and BAM!!!!! The pain nearly floored me. So I lay in bed to relieve some pain. Think I've relieved it a bit, go out to the living room and squat down to watch TV rather than sit when BAMMMMM, have a huge lumbothoracic spasm when trying to stand up and have to hobble back to bed.

Well, this is for sure~ I may be able to actually sit for longer than I used to but I still have the same repercussions. Now will wait and see how long this lasts.

Will post my consultation to podiatrist seperately but today made me realize what surgery is proposed is not going to happen as planned (next Thursday).

dshobbies · #2 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007, 08:18 PM

Maria,

Ouch! I'm sorry to hear that today, your ups and downs is down. When you lie in bed to 'recover' do you lie flat or are you in a zero gravity position? I find flat does not relieve symptoms as fast. Have you tried putting your legs up on pillows?

Relax the Back store sells a set of zero gravity pillows which I love. You can use them on the floor, bed or couch. I use them for other relief too, like having to keep your foot elevated after surgery (another ouch!).

Hope by the time you read this, you're feeling better,
Dale

Maria · #3 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007, 02:15 AM

Hey Dale,
I pretty much always sleep with legs propped or side lying with pillow between legs. My neck seems to do best with lying on back, legs bent and propped and neck supported with cervical roll. Bed has to be very firm.

My back pain is almost all right sided which is different as it's been mostly on the left side and I think that it's resolving or at least bothering me less than earlier today.

Then again, I've not walked a dog today or had anything to do with dogs or any of the usual rigamarole ... even had take out Chinese food brought in like a good laid out back patient~

Maria · #4 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 04:21 PM

This is the part I absolutely hate about having a back problem that I've left further addressed with the exception of pain meds.

The pain is so restrictive and I've got an 88lb lab that wants to go out and play/walk and the mini schnauzer plus the 4 cats that are really quite lovely about my extended bedrest period.

This morning I woke up thinking I should have surgery tho it's been since last February when I was recommended to have the hybrid surgery that I wonder whether or not that's what I would still need.

I also know that I don't think I have the patience for recovery yet esp. if this pain phase gets over soon...

Am I bad enough yet? I still don't know!

dshobbies · #5 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 06:00 PM

Maria,

Your fence gets wider and longer by the minute. I've followed your story and read your posts. Some days you're satisfied with your life and others, you're not. For those of us on the other side of the fence whose lives improved, we made a good decision. For others, they have their regrets.

Here's your dilemna. Though your daily pain meds usually control your pain, allowing you to function 'normally', some days are worse than others. Those days are unpredictible and aside from an increase in your pain, plans must be altered.

Your fear of making the wrong decision... of having less than your anticipated outcome and of a difficult recovery only complicates the process. Also the possibility that as your condition worsens, you may no longer be a good candidate. Different doctors have varied opinions and before long you're hurdling the Great Wall of China.

Unfortunately no one can or should help you make this decision. It's between you and whichever doctor you choose. Only you can cry 'uncle'. You just posted that the best part of my recent post was my no brainer decision. I agree because any spinal surgery is a huge decision. Every single one of us has enough differing circumstances to make the decision to move forward unique - as is every outcome. On another forum I asked the question of those considering their surgeries successful, what limitation were they left with. Only one person replied there were none.

Have you had enough? When you finally say yes, then you'll have your answer. And even then, you'll still have reservations as you already know.

Maria, when a game show contestant is at a crossroads of taking home their winnings or going on for possibly more while risking that which is already secure, no one urging them to go forward will achieve the gain or suffer the loss. They can't place the blame of their decision on anyone other than themselves. So, should you stay with the life saving $100,000 (your current drug treatment) or try for the life altering $1,000,000 (surgery)?

Even when you break down the complex into simplistic terms, it's still fraught with the complex. 'The heaviest burden is a great opportunity'.

Good luck Maria, Dale

mmglobal · #6 (**permalink**) 10-16-2007, 02:24 AM

Maria, a couple of nights ago, as we were driving to the dog beach, Diane asked me about you. I told her how well you were doing and that you were again, too good to do the surgery. As we talked about what that means with so many of the people I deal with, I added that many of us believe that we are in too good of shape to do the surgery, while we accept unbelievable restrictions on our lives. Also, we don't know how much further damage we do because we continue to abuse structures (facets, etc.) because of collapsed disc spaces and inappropriate spinal kinematics. Another factor is that we live, waiting for the sneeze, slip, or jerk of the leash that's going to put us on the floor and out of commission for minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or will have us looking for emergency surgery.

I'm not suggesting that I know the answers to the questions. We all know about Anastasia regrets as she was feeling better than ever before her failed ADR surgery.

You'll know when... I'm not tired of your story... I delight in your tales of dancing and doing things that were thought to be impossible months ago. I shudder when I hear about your setbacks and I suffer with you when I see you in person and you can't sit without wincing.

I wish we had better options. As I've said a thousand times... we have few options and they all suck. We don't know for sure which one sucks less, and the only way to find out is to roll the dice. I still think that for the most part, the stories are good, but I know too many of the patients with ongoing problems to be naive about the decision. Again... you'll know.

I hope to see you soon... the margarita recipe gets better and better.

Mark

Maria · #7 (**permalink**) 10-16-2007, 01:35 PM

edited as necessary

Eddie G · #8 (**permalink**) 10-26-2007, 02:58 PM

I squat as I read your post.

I am still unable to sit so I totally understand how some patients feel. I still have no regrets about my decision to get ADR over fusion. At least I have my range of motion which I would not have with fusion. I may have had even more pain if I had fusion.
My pain generator may be something other than my L4-L5 too. I would have regretted fusion, having pain PLUS limited range of motion.

Hang in there fellow squatters!

Maria · #9 (**permalink**) 10-27-2007, 03:57 PM

Hey there Eddie, keep on squatting~ at least as long as you have to! Hope whatever remaining pain you have will eventually let up!

Just as I recovered from my low back episode the other week, my neck went out. I think it had to do with several things and the Urgent Care doc thinks it is a great big old muscle spasm that is exaccerbating chronic condition/degenerative changes.. whooppee just like my low back!

Shot of Toradol was really wonderful yesterday so I took a nice long walk after making dinner then vacumned the living room on return then thought I'd better chill out as the med was going to wear off and leave me hurtin' for certain.. have to pick up script today/muscle relaxer and hope that helps. Flexion and rotation of head to left is limited and pretty darned uncomfortable.

Let's see how long this lasts... short term sitting is comfy once again tho better if I can lean slouch and lean my neck and head against the back of a chair.