My Dynesys experience, August 2007, USA

[artfav98229]

I am thrilled to have found this site!

I first noticed some hip/lower back pain while doing yoga in the winter of 03/04. Soon I was getting shooting pain down my legs. My doctor determined I had stenosis at L3/L4 and L4/L5. In September of 04 I had partial bilateral laminectomies at both levels. The recovery was slow, I reached a plateau, and then the pain seemed to get worse. It was not the same pain though, no leg pain, just upper butt, lower back.

An MRI 6-months post surgery revealed deterioration of the L4/L5 facet joints, but my surgeon told me that I needed to be patient, that I was still healing and that the pain may decrease. It's gotten progressively worse.

After seeing numerous providers offering various treatments and trying some different medications, I went back to my surgeon. My lumbar spine is unstable, and he believes it is because of the deteriorated facet joints. There is a significant space between the bones at the L4/L5 facet joints. It looks very white on the MRI.

He is recommending the dynesys to pull the facet joints closer together and limit the movement, while NOT doing a fusion.

Sooo.... It looks like Betsy has had some positive results. Is there anyone else who has any positive feedback on dynesys? Most of what I'm finding published is positive, while most of the what I'm reading from patients is not quite so rosie.

Thanks,
Art Favinger

My history:
C6/C7 fusion 7/98
C5/C6 partial laminectomy 11/99
C5/C6 partial laminectomy 11/01
C5/C6 fusion with partial laminectomies at various levels 5/02
Competed in 36 mile bicycle leg of Ski-to-Sea Race 5/03 & 5/04, did just fine
L3/L4/L5 partial laminectomy 9/04