? About Treatment and Advice Please

[Guest guest]

Hi there

I have been a lurker for a bit and have enjoyed reading the posts that I have

seen. I have a question now about a treatment that the PM doc wants to try with

me.

Little history.

Herniated disc L4/L5 L5/S1 diagnosed 4 years ago. Herniation between L5/S1

became much worse last year and I had a discectomy for this. I had relief for

about 3 weeks after surgery then the pain and numbness, tingling etc became as

bad as before surgery. They did a follow up MRI at that time that showed some

stenosis still between L4/L5. The neurosurgeon who had done the surgery

seemed stumped as to what was causing my pain. I found him to be far less than

attentive and went back to my family physician thank goodness. She then sent me

to a physiatirist who put me on Neurotin and then to a neurologist who did an

EMG that only showed post up changes.

The neuro then suggested I be seen again by a neuro surgeon. I was fed up and

then found a Pain Management Clinic that I have been seen at.

They scheduled an ESI. I had one session and became much worse pain wise and

had to be seen in the clinic. They then stopped the ESI's and put me on higher

doses of medication. The pain did subside but I have been really drugged out in

the mornings and have had nausea and vomiti9ng at times.

WE have worked on the meds and have gotten them to the point that I dont feel

like I am hung over in the morning but the vomiting is still an issue. Now I

dont sleep over 2 hours at a time getting up 3-4 times nightly.

I saw the doc today and they did prescribe Somata for the sleeping thing. Now

he wants to do a Medial Branch Block of the facet joints in the herniated areas.

If this gives me relief he wants to do a Medial Branch Neurotomy which he states

can give me pain relief for 6-12 months. This sounds wonderful but I am very

skeptical as I feel like I have been poked and prodded to death and dont want to

do something that will only cause me more pain and not give me relief.

If any of you have had experience with this I would sincerely appreciate your

input.

Current Meds are Methadone, Lortabs, Neurontin, Xanaflex, Lexapro, and Elavil

(slowly weaning off)

Thanks ina dvance

Kim

[Guest guest]

Kim,

I was curious as to what a Medial Branch Neurotomy was. I have had fusion of S1

to L3 and 2 cspine fusions. I have never heard of it and I too suffer from pain

in legs and sometimes my arms.

I wish I had an answer for you but I don't.

Dawninmontana

Kim wrote:

Now he wants to do a Medial Branch Block of the facet joints

in the herniated areas. If this gives me relief he wants to

do a Medial Branch Neurotomy which he states can give me pain

relief for 6-12 months. This sounds wonderful but I am very

skeptical as I feel like I have been poked and prodded to

death and dont want to do something that will only cause me

more pain and not give me relief.

If any of you have had experience with this I would sincerely

appreciate your input.

[Guest guest]

Kim, I've been where you are now these " DOCTORS " are going to send you in

circles for years. My advice is go see a psychatrist, this is what I did, it

help me accept where I am at and everything I do is up to me. I have to take oxy

80 3x a day but thats ok because i function every time a doctor put their hands

on me I was out of commision for 3 weeks. Its not their fault they just don't

have answers to alot of back pain problems. I had guilt, and every thing there

is out there to make my condition worst. That is why I got help from the

shrink. My opinion is do not let another doctor stick another needlein you.

GOOD LUCK I hope everything works out for you

[Guest guest]

Kim Leach wrote:

> Now he wants to do a Medial Branch Block of the facet joints in the herniated

areas. If this gives me relief he wants to do a Medial Branch Neurotomy which

he states can give me pain relief for 6-12 months. This sounds wonderful but I

am very skeptical as I feel like I have been poked and prodded to death and dont

want to do something that will only cause me more pain and not give me relief.

I'm one of the people who has had very successful neurotomies done. They have

given me wonderful relief. I just wish the doc could do them all over my

unco-operative body!!

The doc has to do a block first to see if you are a candidate for having the

neurotomies done. If the block gives you noticeable relief, then the

neurotomies will likely be successful.

I am going to be getting my middle back done next, but first I want to finish

paying for the last neurotomy. I don't want the debt hanging over me and the

doc's office takes months to send out bills.

--

Lyndi