New Pain after fusion

jbcool35 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-13-2011, 07:40 AM

Well thanks for the input guys. I fear L4/L5 is getting worse. That's what the x-rays show anyway. Looks like the nerve is being pinched pretty good now and my level of pain has going up. I really don't want another surgery. The first one I had put the fear of God into me. I also don't want to lose future medical just in case I do need another surgery or need medicine, etc. I wonder if getting the cyst removed would help? I wonder if L5/S1 fused all the way, if it would help? It is partially fused, well maybe like a 1/4 way fused. I'm pretty sure that L4/L5 is giving me some problems now but not sure how bad. I'm waiting for workers comp to authorize a nerve conduction study, still! I'll let you guys know and thanks again for all your input. I hope you are all doing ok.

Maria · #2 (**permalink**) 08-13-2011, 02:10 PM

That's right now I remember you're in CA too so you're under same WC legislation I am. My insurance carrier no longer auth's anything but meds for me now as they keep offering me Medicare Set Aside or to settle benefits. I too don't want to go there yet as cost of surgery will rise and I may need it in the future. L4 is still problematic for me even if L5S1 isn't that much.

My L5S1 area was the most problematic till it autofused. It was really bad. L4 is has been problematic as well tho so far not as much or at least so it seems. I'm sure things could get worse..tho hoping not to go there.

Good luck w/your nerve conduction studies. I have no idea if the cyst can be creating probs tho the nerve impingement if that's what you have I imagine can and/or maybe just the effects of the fusion and other stuff combined.

Hopefully whatever diagnostics you have will help the docs figure out where the pain is coming from. I completely get how you feel re more surgery as that's what my last surgery did for me as well.

Good luck/keep us posted!

jbcool35 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-14-2011, 11:22 PM

Well on a different note, I've decided to try out working again. SSDI said I have some kind of 9 month trial period in case I can't do it. Just gonna try to get on with life. At the rate this country is spending money, SSDI will be gone. I'm scared of that besides I make less in a month than I made in a week before. If my nerve study comes back bad, then oh well. If I need surgery again, oh well. Nothing I can do about it. I haven't worked in 2 years and my pain is getting worse. So I may as well be working. Kinda strange why I have back problems and no one else in my family does? So much for genetics. Well I know mine was work related so never mind. Just thinking that different areas of my back and neck now hurt that didn't before. I wonder if that is caused by the surgery or if I have some kind of inflammatory/degenerative condition? It really bites whatever it is and has really messed up my life! I know all of us on here are messed up and a lot of people way worse than me. For some reason I'm starting to see people that jump, run and play around and it gets me angry that i can't do those things. I'm jealous. Well thanks for all the support guys. Wish me luck with work. Hope you all are doing better.

As far as the workers comp thing goes Mariaa, I don't know. I'm just trying to hold on. They have me at 55% disabled, so I think my lawyer is still on the case cause she feels she will one day get more money. She has been my lawyer since 12/2003 and hasn't missed a beat. I know your case is a lot older and I hope they at least keep giving you your meds. As far as medicare/medicaid goes, they aren't much better from what I hear. Guess it depends if you need the money bad enough then you might have to settle but like you said, I'd wait as long as I can and be sure medicare will cover you.

dshobbies · #4 (**permalink**) 08-15-2011, 05:11 PM

I know that occasionally we recommend seeking legal remedies for a bad surgical experience but the real truth is, there isn't one of us who doesn't want a complete life back instead of a single punitive penny. No amount of money can make our pain go away or make us feel better about not being able to run, jump (out of planes) or do 'normal' things. Unfortunately, it is the only equalizer available to some - however unfair.

Through the last several years, I've read some horrific stories. Choosing our surgeons and surgeries carefully is the only thing we can do for ourselves but even that carries no guarantee.

Spines are complicated and surgery is difficult. Decisions are often based on the better of two evils. BUT, when a doctor does something wrong, the simple result is we suffer. Ignoring our pain or hiding behind incomplete reports - and our choices become even more limited. I have no tolerance for avoidance of responsibility.

jbcool35 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-16-2011, 08:20 AM

I agree. What's even sadder is that when the doctor does something wrong, he or she won't ever own up to it. They will try to make you feel stupid or that you did something wrong.

Sadly I feel medicine is just a business. They are there to make money. Who would want that responsibility unless they were making a boat load of money? Doctors, Big pharma, hospitals, lab work, surgeries all = big bucks!

I know medicine has it's place and many of us would be worse off without it, but like you say, it's hard to know who to trust.