Guest guest Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Hi , I had a similar experience. I had a microdiscectomy 2 1/2 years ago and my back and leg pain NEVER got better. I had an MRI 4 months after the surgery and sure enough I had reherniated the same disc. Eventually the disc collapsed while waiting for the insurance company to authorize a fusion and that caused more nerve damage. I had the fusion 11 months ago and my back is finally feeling a bit better but now I have a lot of problems with weakness in my legs. Have you been doing physical therapy? If you have reherniated the disc. What " fix " does your Dr. propose? Another microdiscectomy, disc replacement or fusion? I really hope things turn out OK with your MRI. I had an MRI yesterday as the level above my fusion is narrowing and I have a loose screw in my hardware I hope I don't need anymore surgery either. I've already had 4! Good Luck, Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Hi , I had a similar experience. I had a microdiscectomy 2 1/2 years ago and my back and leg pain NEVER got better. I had an MRI 4 months after the surgery and sure enough I had reherniated the same disc. Eventually the disc collapsed while waiting for the insurance company to authorize a fusion and that caused more nerve damage. I had the fusion 11 months ago and my back is finally feeling a bit better but now I have a lot of problems with weakness in my legs. Have you been doing physical therapy? If you have reherniated the disc. What " fix " does your Dr. propose? Another microdiscectomy, disc replacement or fusion? I really hope things turn out OK with your MRI. I had an MRI yesterday as the level above my fusion is narrowing and I have a loose screw in my hardware I hope I don't need anymore surgery either. I've already had 4! Good Luck, Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Hi Sue, Thank you for sharing your experience with the surgery. After seeing the doctor yesterday I thought I might be the only one who ever had this problem. They said only 5% of their patients ever reherniated the disk. Lucky me! He is recommending the same surgery I just had. Seems to me though, if it reherniated this quickly, something more permanent should be in order. I even asked if it couldn't be another disk causing the problem but they didn't seem to think so. Guess I'm just going to have to wait and see what the MRI shows and decide from there. Thanks for your response. in NC > > Hi , > I had a similar experience. I had a microdiscectomy 2 1/2 years ago and > my back and leg pain NEVER got better. I had an MRI 4 months after the > surgery and sure enough I had reherniated the same disc. Eventually > the disc collapsed while waiting for the insurance company to authorize > a fusion and that caused more nerve damage. I had the fusion 11 months > ago and my back is finally feeling a bit better but now I have a lot of > problems with weakness in my legs. > Have you been doing physical therapy? > If you have reherniated the disc. What " fix " does your Dr. propose? > Another microdiscectomy, disc replacement or fusion? > I really hope things turn out OK with your MRI. > I had an MRI yesterday as the level above my fusion is narrowing and I > have a loose screw in my hardware > I hope I don't need anymore surgery either. I've already had 4! > Good Luck, > Sue > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Hi Sue, Thank you for sharing your experience with the surgery. After seeing the doctor yesterday I thought I might be the only one who ever had this problem. They said only 5% of their patients ever reherniated the disk. Lucky me! He is recommending the same surgery I just had. Seems to me though, if it reherniated this quickly, something more permanent should be in order. I even asked if it couldn't be another disk causing the problem but they didn't seem to think so. Guess I'm just going to have to wait and see what the MRI shows and decide from there. Thanks for your response. in NC > > Hi , > I had a similar experience. I had a microdiscectomy 2 1/2 years ago and > my back and leg pain NEVER got better. I had an MRI 4 months after the > surgery and sure enough I had reherniated the same disc. Eventually > the disc collapsed while waiting for the insurance company to authorize > a fusion and that caused more nerve damage. I had the fusion 11 months > ago and my back is finally feeling a bit better but now I have a lot of > problems with weakness in my legs. > Have you been doing physical therapy? > If you have reherniated the disc. What " fix " does your Dr. propose? > Another microdiscectomy, disc replacement or fusion? > I really hope things turn out OK with your MRI. > I had an MRI yesterday as the level above my fusion is narrowing and I > have a loose screw in my hardware > I hope I don't need anymore surgery either. I've already had 4! > Good Luck, > Sue > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Hi , Welcome to the 1 in a million club for those who reherniate their discs! I also belong the 1 in so many million that get Cauda Equina syndrome (from a disc herniation) and the Screw Loose Society (from my fusion hardware, not my mental status. Although some would argue that point) LOL! How large was your herniation? My first was about 6 mm and second was 5mm. By then I had lost so much of the height between the discs from the jell leaking out and the disc compressing that it created instability and I needed a fusion. Whatever the outcome is of your MRI make sure you get a second opinion. I had three spinal surgeons tell me I needed a fusion before it finally sunk in. Next I need to talk to my Dr. about the loose screw in my hardware and the narrowing in the level above my fusion. Just when I thought I was done, they pull me back in! Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Hi , Welcome to the 1 in a million club for those who reherniate their discs! I also belong the 1 in so many million that get Cauda Equina syndrome (from a disc herniation) and the Screw Loose Society (from my fusion hardware, not my mental status. Although some would argue that point) LOL! How large was your herniation? My first was about 6 mm and second was 5mm. By then I had lost so much of the height between the discs from the jell leaking out and the disc compressing that it created instability and I needed a fusion. Whatever the outcome is of your MRI make sure you get a second opinion. I had three spinal surgeons tell me I needed a fusion before it finally sunk in. Next I need to talk to my Dr. about the loose screw in my hardware and the narrowing in the level above my fusion. Just when I thought I was done, they pull me back in! Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 That's sounds ouchie, Sue. No one has mentioned fusion to me yet. I don't know how large the herniation was; didn't think to ask. The MRI is scheduled for Tuesday. From the questions they asked me today it seems this MRI will be more thorough than any of the previous ones I've had. They are going to use some kind of dye and the MRI will take about an hour. My others were done in no time at all. Maybe I can take a nap while they are zapping me....... cause I sure can't sleep at any regular time..... 3 or 4 hours is about as long as I sleep anymore. Oh well......... I hope you get your problems fixed without too much invasive surgery. No matter how small the incision, the recovery time is no fun. Take care and have a wonderful holiday season. in NC > > Hi , > Welcome to the 1 in a million club for those who reherniate their > discs! I also belong the 1 in so many million that get Cauda Equina > syndrome (from a disc herniation) and the Screw Loose Society (from my > fusion hardware, not my mental status. Although some would argue that > point) LOL! > How large was your herniation? My first was about 6 mm and second was > 5mm. By then I had lost so much of the height between the discs from > the jell leaking out and the disc compressing that it created > instability and I needed a fusion. Whatever the outcome is of your MRI > make sure you get a second opinion. I had three spinal surgeons tell me > I needed a fusion before it finally sunk in. Next I need to talk to my > Dr. about the loose screw in my hardware and the narrowing in the level > above my fusion. Just when I thought I was done, they pull me back in! > Sue > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Sue I had a cervical fusion back 3 or 4 months ago and am so curious how do you know that you have a loose screw? was it on an xray? Oh goodness I wish you luck as I know surgery is a serious thing and I fell about 2 months ago and my neck hasn't been right since so " OH NO! " Shirley SB <subur1@...> wrote: Hi , Welcome to the 1 in a million club for those who reherniate their discs! I also belong the 1 in so many million that get Cauda Equina syndrome (from a disc herniation) and the Screw Loose Society (from my fusion hardware, not my mental status. Although some would argue that point) LOL! How large was your herniation? My first was about 6 mm and second was 5mm. By then I had lost so much of the height between the discs from the jell leaking out and the disc compressing that it created instability and I needed a fusion. Whatever the outcome is of your MRI make sure you get a second opinion. I had three spinal surgeons tell me I needed a fusion before it finally sunk in. Next I need to talk to my Dr. about the loose screw in my hardware and the narrowing in the level above my fusion. Just when I thought I was done, they pull me back in! Sue --------------------------------- Sponsored Link Mortgage rates near 39yr lows. $510,000 Mortgage for $1,698/mo - Calculate new house payment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Sue I had a cervical fusion back 3 or 4 months ago and am so curious how do you know that you have a loose screw? was it on an xray? Oh goodness I wish you luck as I know surgery is a serious thing and I fell about 2 months ago and my neck hasn't been right since so " OH NO! " Shirley SB <subur1@...> wrote: Hi , Welcome to the 1 in a million club for those who reherniate their discs! I also belong the 1 in so many million that get Cauda Equina syndrome (from a disc herniation) and the Screw Loose Society (from my fusion hardware, not my mental status. Although some would argue that point) LOL! How large was your herniation? My first was about 6 mm and second was 5mm. By then I had lost so much of the height between the discs from the jell leaking out and the disc compressing that it created instability and I needed a fusion. Whatever the outcome is of your MRI make sure you get a second opinion. I had three spinal surgeons tell me I needed a fusion before it finally sunk in. Next I need to talk to my Dr. about the loose screw in my hardware and the narrowing in the level above my fusion. Just when I thought I was done, they pull me back in! Sue --------------------------------- Sponsored Link Mortgage rates near 39yr lows. $510,000 Mortgage for $1,698/mo - Calculate new house payment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Hi , I've had a couple of MRI's with contrast (dye) and it's no big deal. It will show what is going on with your nerves and soft tissue so that is a good thing. I would get copies of all your reports. It helps to have it in case you ever need a second opinion or there may be something on there that your Dr. is downplaying or not completely informing you about. Shirley, my Dr. told me a had a loose screw after looking over the CT scan that I had last month. He said there is a black area on the vertebrae at the tip on the screw which means it has backed itself out. It doesn't seem to rubbing on any nerves that I know of although I still have constant back pain that increases with activity. I got my MRI report yesterday and there are a few interesting things on there that I am concerned about but will have to wait until the 27th when I see my Dr. to discuss what exactly is going on and my options. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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