Do you regret surgery? Vote

[Cheryl]

For those of you who've had surgery; are you glad you did it or regret it?
Glad
Which type? ADR
Which type Prodisc
At what spine level? l4-s1
How long ago? Feb 2008
What finally convinced you to decide to do it? Constant pain all conservative treatments failed, pain meds didn't work, felt desperate

[Maria]

L5S1 discectomy 1989= glad
L4 percutaneous discectomy 1992= regretted big time for a long time re super failed outcome and lingering symptoms till about 2005

Other surgeries were recommended including 3 level global fusion, 2 level ADR, and hybrid surgery with ADR and fusion. I started to feel better around the time the last surgery was authorized and feared getting set back to anything like the level of pain I dealt with post L4 surgery.

I am glad to date I've had no more back surgery and am doing at least as well as I am spine wise. Daily pain med once/day and injection of Toradol occasionally for neck/back flare ups does wonders for me these days.

[vnf]

I just joined here so I wanted to vote as well.

Since my M6L has to be removed already and barely made 2 years with it,
My obvious vote is yes, I regret it.
$34,000 was a lot of money to spend for the length of time I got out of it.
I personally think the lumbar should be fused but I like that Zeegers uses clamps and not screws. If my cervicals need something, I would get ADR. The cervicals seem to do better when the proper doctor does them. Just my take on it.

[Ringo]

I wonder why you only got 2 years out of your M6L. I wonder what is actually gone wrong with it. Maybe I need to read more of the thread.

You still need to know what your pain generators are. You need to determine if you have nerve pain, muscle pain or mechanical pain. Depending on the surgeon, they typically only care about the nerve pain. If they fix your mechanical or muscle pain in the process... it is only icing on the cake.

Be very careful. I don't regret surgery, having said that, I am disabled and my back is pretty much useless when it comes to physical activity. I take Lyrica for chronic pain in my legs and back. Somehow, I developed a sort of burning aching pain in my legs and back that gets unbarable with activity. The Lyrica helps a lot. But having said that, I get intense MECHANICAL pain in my lower back with increased activity. I have had four lumbar surgeries, 3 of which were fusions. One fusion was a re-do. I have degenerative changes above those areas. My muscles in my lower back are very weak and my right quadraceps is noticably smaller than the left from nerve damage.

So, I don't regret surgery. But in my younger years, I wish I was more respectful of my physical body and its limitations. A quote from my good friend who is a back surgeon, "There is no such thing as sports medicine when it comes to back surgery." You get one shot at taking care of it so take care of it good : ).

I have tried all sorts of therapy. Best therapy is getting in a pool up to your neck in water and walking. Move your body... especially the parts of it that are still working. Swing your arms and march like a soldier. Increase your range of motion as you can tolerate it. This will work your core muscles and circulate the blood. It will improve sleep. It takes a lot of different things to make yourself feel better. And, you very likely might have to re-define what will be your new normal with regards to physical activity. Do I regret surgery, "No." But, do I want another surgery? No fricken way do I want to have another surgery! You can't keep hacking on the same spot in you lower back and think everything will be cool. Even if it is an anterior approach.

Sorry if it sounds like I am ranting. Best to you and good luck with your situation. Avoid surgery at all cost.


QUOTE=Vicki_in_Florida;19092]I just joined here so I wanted to vote as well.

Since my M6L has to be removed already and barely made 2 years with it,
My obvious vote is yes, I regret it.
$34,000 was a lot of money to spend for the length of time I got out of it.
I personally think the lumbar should be fused but I like that Zeegers uses clamps and not screws. If my cervicals need something, I would get ADR. The cervicals seem to do better when the proper doctor does them. Just my take on it.[/quote]