June 13 scheduled about a endoscopic RF

[zfontana]

Post RF one week out. Had a RF at the level of the L4 – L5 facets at the pro-disc level. This was endoscopic procedure, pretty painful for last week. I have noticed some improvement when laying down and sleeping at night. Still have pain when walking or bending. Lease for now by sleeping will be better, and that big deal to me. Sometime in the future, I will have to get the pro-disc fused into place since taking it out will be impossible. Seems most people that have it removed don't have a real good outcome. Since my L5 – S-1 is fused, maybe fusing the L4 – L5 in place posteriorly might have a better chance having a complete fusion in a year. As we all know fusing a pro-disc and placed posterior has a poor success rate. The reason why this success rate is so low, is probably because the pro-disc hypermobility. My facet joints were moderate at L4 – L5 and I can't see living with this kind of pain without giving it a try at the fusion. I still think I have a good chance and pain reduction from the posterior fusion. From my point of view since my L5 – S-1 is fused and the inferior end plate of the pro-disc is not mobile just need to get the superior end plate fused and not moving. Well I'll have to put my faith in the Lord, I realize in this day and age most people don't believe in a God. Seems to me that the New World order, as I called Satanists are winning over our society of the world's. Lately I'm not too worried about too much due to the fall of humanity and the way people treat each other. I've been a medical professional for 17 years and as I develop DDD I noticed people turned their back to me when I need help the most. I always thought the medical field was a place of compassion but all it is is a place for people to make a living. Us chronic pain patients I looked down to in the medical field and people just think where a bunch of pill heads and complainers. It's amazing to me the arrogance of these orthopedic and neurosurgeons. Just because they make lots of money they think they're part of the elites of the world. But they're wrong and they are not at the top of the pyramid. Not now but in the future at some point people will get ill or get old and they will be treated the way I was by these physicians nurses and medical staff. So what comes around goes around it always has and always will. At some point we all lose our dignity due to the disrespect of the younger generation and by people that supposedly have wealth. It's too bad for myself, I sit in my house day in and day out. When I could be out performing my career as a cardiac sonographer which I did so well.

[mmglobal]

zFontana, thanks for the update. I hope the soreness you feel now is just from the procedure and that it will fade in the days/weeks to come.

BTW, a client of mine with a 3-level ProDisc 7.5 years ago also had an ablation. This was his 2nd round of them. The first was successful, but improvement faded after more than a year. His recovery from the ablations was trivial... his were not performed endoscopically. As he has already seen that the results are temporary, hence the 2nd round.

I hope that your improvement will be permanent. As I understand it, the reason to do it surgically instead of just with a needle procedure is because they can remove a secton of the nerve instead of just 'slicing' it. With that approach, they should not grow back.

Please keep us posted. Especially in just a few days... I really hope that your pain is just from the procedure now!!!

All the best,

Mark

[karreymetris]

What does it mean for something to be fused? Is that how these spine problems are corrected?

[zfontana]

I'm two months postop from my facet endoscopic RF. As of a week or so ago my pain has been reduced by 20%. With the endoscopic RF it's a better procedure because they can visualize the tissue when nerves. Also because they can visualize the facets they ablate more tissues and nerves. My Dr. told me that if it works the pain reduction will last longer than the wire RF procedure. My surgeon told me he ablated to tissue and nerves always down to the bone and that it takes some time for those nerves to die off. Apparently my nerves finally are starting to die off. I still have pain but it's controllable at this point. Like I said above I'm about 20% better. I been house bound for one year post my hybrid surgery. So this little relief has made me able to walk a little further, drive a little longer and I even smiled a little more. My surgeon also told me if the endoscopic procedure goes well that I could have pain re-adduction up to two years. Of course the endoscopic is a good procedure with little risk. Also with the endoscopic RF the Dr. can visualize the nerves and tissues below the facet joints and you can ablate more tissue and nerves of course due to the visualization of the structure. And the other good thing with RF there is very little complications with the procedure because they don't enter in your spinal column. I would highly recommend anybody who's post artificial disc replacement with painful facet joints postop. I hope in the next month or so I get even a little bit more better. My Dr. also told me with the endoscopic RF that I can get up to two years or maybe even five years. It's definitely better than the wire RF procedure. I will keep you posted in a month from now at what my condition is. Thank you for listening and I hope you all have found that surgery have reduced your painful symptoms. Mark thanks for talking to me over the phone it helped to talk to somebody who understands. I will mail your check this week, sorry it took so long. Font

[jsewell]

zfontana,
I am glad to hear you are having success with your procedure. I hope as your doctor said it gets better and better for you as time goes on.
judy

[zfontana]

Originally Posted by jsewell

zfontana,
I am glad to hear you are having success with your procedure. I hope as your doctor said it gets better and better for you as time goes on.
judy

Thanks, for know it has made me better. Wish i would have just fused it. before surgery i was starting to change my mind but cant turn back time. im glad for now im feeling better! How are you doing?

[zfontana]

Going to get my prodisc fused do to facet issues and bad disc placement.