runner's surgery blog, L4/5, 2008

runner · #1 (**permalink**) 04-26-2009, 06:16 AM

Hi Dale.

Actually my PM disagrees with me but he is turning out to be an ok doc so I know I have to have the facet injections and that would be nice if that was an answer. I was thinking back a while ago that I would never burn a nerve as they are unpredictable how they come back.
But that would be the simpler "cure" for my back problems.
Because I have this new leg pain, I think it is from the disc, but I could always be wrong.
It is just my intuition that I am right.
It would be easier if it was cut and dry but it is not.
Yes, I may give you a call tomorrow.
I thought yesterday that I was turning the corner with this leg pain but it came back and i was stuck back on the couch.
Now, I would like to go back to how I felt before the discogram.
Ugh.

runner · #2 (**permalink**) 05-02-2009, 11:54 PM

Well I did the facet thing on Thursday and bottom line it did not work.
My PM doctor does not believe that my facets are causing me pain.
I had four levels tested, which is eight injections.

I did not take any pain pills prior to the test in order to see if the facet injections would work and so when i arrived at the surgery center in the morning, I was in 7-8/10 pain. After the injections, it was a bit worse as I only had the Diprovan to put me in conscious sedation and no pain meds through the IV (so they would not distort the results). Afterwards, we waited a little bit to see if I got any relief with the facet injections and I did not.

Before the injections, I put it out of my mind that I thought they would not work and just gave it up, that maybe they would. Unfortunately, they did not. Before I left the surgery center, I was given Toradol through the IV to help with the pain. I was also given permission to up my Percocet dose by one pill.
That extra 10 mg has really helped me be more comfortable and able to sleep.
I still have that "extra" leg pain which developed post-disco, but that has seemed to calm down a bit today.

I dug out my relax the back, leg thingeroo to prop up my legs and that is really helpful. I was going to return it because I got the wrong thing, but I am glad I didn't because this is perfect for resting in bed and sleeping with. Since i have been unable to sleep on my side, I slept with this last night as I slept on my back and I was comfortable.

Dr. appts this coming week. Will let everyone know what is going to happen.

Ciao,

Kathy · #3 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 04:49 AM

K,
Sorry the injections didn't help you. I guess the news that it is not the facets is good, since that can be an issue after ADR, so there is an upside. But, then you are left not knowing what is going on. Has your dr told you what your next step is? Or told you what he/she thinks the pain could be from? I know it is extremely hard to be in pain and not know what is causing it. I went through almost 3 years of pain, before finding out what was wrong with me, up until that point, I felt like the crazy woman who hurt and no one knew why; not an easy thing to go through. I will be praying for your pain to improve and you to get answers about what is going on.
God Bless,
Kathy

runner · #4 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 06:55 AM

Thanks Kathy,

I would think the disc at L5/S1, that produced pain during the discogram, is the culprit.
I don't know what the next step is because I don't see the doctor until Thursday.
Up until then, I'd just be guessing what is the next step.
I trust the doctors and I am sure they will have a game plan.
I will have my list of questions, of course.
My PM doctor told me he would talk to my surgeon.
I just came from my daughter's final high school musical and was able to sit mostly comfortably with the help of pharmaceutical aides.
The newly acquired, different leg pain seems to be less today.

Runner

treefrog · #5 (**permalink**) 05-03-2009, 05:28 PM

I also had 4 levels tested with facet block, 8 injections, and like you had no effect. Have you looked at your back afterwards? I felt like a Frankenstein monster

, with all these holes on either side of my spine.

I hope your doctor has some good answers for you on Thursday. I think your instincts are good, and that it is the L5/S1 disc that is causing the pain. I hope your surgeon agrees that something needs to be done.

runner · #6 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 07:05 AM

Thanks Cathy,

I think i am at the point where something needs to be done.
I have exhausted all conservative care, now.

I think I'm in denial about how bad my back is. It seems to have gone downhill rapidly. Laying down on my bed with my feet up, seems to be the most comfortable thing to do.

I'm getting those occasional sharp pains on either side but mainly have this deep, achey back pain besides the sciatica and the numbness, which doesn't seem as bad as it was. And the right leg pain which is still here.
I wasn't this bad when i saw my doc about 3 1/2 weeks ago.

I had eight little band-aids along my back but several have fallen off. I think he used small needles to place/inject? the anesthetic into the nerve root. So you had eight little pokes and they didn't work?
Then they focused on your discs?
Just wondering.

treefrog · #7 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 03:00 PM

Well, I had had several ESI's which only gave me very limited relief (a week at most). I was trying acupuncture at the same time. Then my PM decided to try a facet injection, which had similar effects as the ESI's which she thought might have been significant. Hence trying the facet block, but it didn't do anything, nada, zip. That's when I asked for the discogram, I was done with conservative treatment.

I hope you have a good talk with your doctor.