Spasms, sciatica etc after fusion

[dridobits]

Well last Friday night I had a very long MRI. The surgeon just called me to tell me that indeed the MRI shows a fair amount of swelling in the Sacrum area. I've just started to read about this new problem that seems to have come about as a result of the fusion. At least I didn't get the usual nothing is wrong with you answer that my HMO is famous for. I bet when I get the written report it will say nothing is wrong. I kid you not!

So were going to try injections in the sacroilliac (help sp)? joing via flouroscopy so they go in the right place. He said he thinks they can get me in within the next two weeks. He said it is possible a surgery would be indicated should the injections not help. In the meantime, I've asked my doc for stronger medications. I hate to go back to something stronger but I'm sick of laying around with no relief.

After everything I've been through with my HMO, as sick as it seems, I'm just happy they acknowledged there is a problem. It only took 16 years of fighting to get the fusion, which I still don't regret. Well, that's the latest. If anyone has any info or can direct me to good places re: sacrum fusing that would be great. Thanks, Liz

[Maria]

Thankfully you got an answer. I wonder if this is what my OSS was talking about back when proposing a 3 level global fusion and I didn't want to have it and later when thinking about getting ADR surgery (he poo-pooed that until he started doing them) he said that often patients that have a multi level lumbar fusion and particularly L5S1 and L4 may end up having SI joint problems if they don't already have it to which of course he said that's Ok because we could fuse your sacrum if that happened.

He had already told me that the lumbar discs above the 3 level fusion at some time might need to be fused so it just sounded like way too much potential future surgery for me.

I hope the ESIs will do the trick for the swelling and maybe it's just inflammation and needs the regularity of some ESIs for a while.

If it is sacral fusion you'd be looking at possibly I seems there has been some people either on this forum and/or some others that have had that done with good results. Hope you don't have to have more surgery if at all possible.

[jsewell]

I just had a lumbar continuation fusion of L3 and L4, i am already fused from C4-L4 now. Yes i said C all the way through the thoracic. Anyway my surgeon just did the extension to L4 and opened me up from T7 down. He had to put in an extension rod which is why it started so high.

Anyway my point being i was so inflammed i could barely walk and had steroids by IV in the hospital and epidural nerve blocks 4 days after i got home from the hospital. they did wonders, i went into the surgical center hardly able to put weight on my right leg and it is totally normal now. Only a few twinges here and there.
So i have great hope for you that the injections will work and you will not need further surgery. Good Luck and make sure you let us know how you made out.
judy

[dshobbies]

I understand swelling but don't see how a surgery could/would solve this problem if indeed, swelling is the only thing causing your current pain???? Doesn't surgery or other injury actually cause more swelling?

I know I won't be alive but someday, they'll have a better understanding of the human body.

Dale

[jsewell]

I was wondering the same thing as Dale. How could surgery fix swelling., I am in the same boat right now and my doc has only suggested injections of steroids
judy

[Maria]

He meant inflammation as it's kind of common to hear about SI joint probs after this area being fused or and the recommendation I've read about has been fusing the sacrum. Because the idea is if the SI joint is now bothered by the fusion above then fusing sacrum will stop movement, stop inflammation and calm things down. At least in theory.. not sure how it works. Those that have had that might want to chime in if this is what D's surgeon might be considering re "more surgery." Maybe I'm wrong and that's not what he meant at all but it sounds like a possibility to me.

I would think the first course would be the steroid injections to see if the area could be calmed or the inflammation could be calmed down (inflammation generally can cause swelling of sorts).

[dridobits]

Ok...got a date for my SI injection with ct scan on the 20th of Sept. At 8 am...what fun. I have to go to Oakland Kaiser as where I live they dont do flouroscopy. Wish me luck!

[Maria]

With your SI joint injection and the CT scan. I have not been to that Kaiser in ages (used to have Kaiser long ago when first moved to CA). A friend of mine up north goes to that one regularly and far prefers it to the Southern CA one she was going to here when living down South.

[dshobbies]

I don't know how far Oakland is from where you live but a schlep is a schlep.

Regardless, good luck. It should stop amazing me at the pain that keeps coming because too many are in the same boat but enough already. Hopefully, by the 21st things will be looking up.

Dale

[dridobits]

Honestly, Ive been busy just getting all the info about a sacral block and doing reading on how fusions can cause this sacrum problem. I have so much more to learn before I would do another surgery. I am awaiting the written report still. My conversation was brief with the doc and I will talk more with him after the injection. Ill write more as I learn. I always knew a fusion could affect the discs above and below but was unaware of this specific problem.

I still dont regret the surgery but it aint all over yet. I will tell you that the docs after 15 years are finally giving me the medication Im requesting instead of giving me garbage and that helps.

[Maria]

I go from LA county to SD county to see my PM and for my injections in the past. Since I don't drive the freeway anymore I go by bus when I can manage to sort of drape myself across 2 seats. Thankfully I only go every 3 months tho have been in SD every other month these least 6 months or so.. I'd like to settle down. Am condo hunting.

Re more surgery..guess you'll cross that bridge if and when you get to it. Hoping the injections do give relief and thanks for updating!

[dridobits]

or as my mom used to say, we'll jump off that bridge later!