Re: Went to the dr on thursday

[Guest guest]

,

have you gotten a second opinion. any fusion is a very invasive procedure and

as such has lots of risks, long recovery, problems down the road, etc. however,

it can also work fine, especially if you are just doing 2 levels but i would

definitly seek another opinion and see if you can get by with something less

invasive. how old are? orthopods " love " fusion because it is what they know,

what they have been doing for so long.

i am 63, had lumbar surgery 10 years ago and am now having leg and low back pain

again. i was told i need to have 3/4 of my spine fused--no way am i going to

subject myself to that. but i am looking for a doctor to do a micro-procedure

in my lumbar area to relieve my right leg pain.

Carlene Farmer

in MT

Went to the dr on thursday

and found out that instead of having the originally planned

microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I am

stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know that

it will be a long journy afterwords.

Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the surgery

went? How recovery went? Success rate?

Possibly even share with me what to expect?

Thank you so much for any info.

in Utah

[Guest guest]

At 06:09 PM 3/11/2006, you wrote:

>and found out that instead of having the originally planned

>microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I am

>stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know that

>it will be a long journy afterwords.

>

>Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the surgery

>went? How recovery went? Success rate?

>Possibly even share with me what to expect?

, you may want to subscribe to another group called " just a few

loose screws " that deals with fusion surgery. After you join, look through

the archive posts.

Also, take a look at my own blog (below, in my .sig) dealing with my three

level fusion surgery and the continuing issues surrounding it.

http://thebacklog.blogspot.com/

[Guest guest]

P.S. , i am not saying you should not have the surgery just that i am

suggesting you be fully aware of your options. also, did the doctor look at

your full spine? one of the problems with fusion is that when you stabilize one

are, that can make the levels above become unstable and you then you need future

fusions. when my doctor told me about the 3/4 fusion i asked if he could just

do a lumbar fusion and he said no and showed me the xrays the explained where

the next level of stability was.

so i would encourage you to look at your xrays with your doctor, if you have not

already done that, and get as much information about why he thinks you need to

have the fusion, will it relieve your symptoms??

also, if we know the doctor we are sometimes reluctant to tell them we are going

to get a second and maybe even a third opinion because we do not want to " hurt

their feelings " . if they are good, professional doctors, they expect that we

will want other opinions.

i wish you well....

Carlene Farmer

Went to the dr on thursday

and found out that instead of having the originally planned

microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I am

stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know that

it will be a long journy afterwords.

Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the surgery

went? How recovery went? Success rate?

Possibly even share with me what to expect?

Thank you so much for any info.

in Utah

[Guest guest]

,

i just checked out your blog. thanks for posting it! i did not know i could

get my xrays, mris on disc--thanks for that info. you have many of the same

problems i do with my back. i am standing firm against fusion because it is a

never ending process.

take care....

Carlene Farmer

Re: Went to the dr on thursday

At 06:09 PM 3/11/2006, you wrote:

>and found out that instead of having the originally planned

>microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I am

>stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know that

>it will be a long journy afterwords.

>

>Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the surgery

>went? How recovery went? Success rate?

>Possibly even share with me what to expect?

, you may want to subscribe to another group called " just a few

loose screws " that deals with fusion surgery. After you join, look through

the archive posts.

Also, take a look at my own blog (below, in my .sig) dealing with my three

level fusion surgery and the continuing issues surrounding it.

http://thebacklog.blogspot.com/

[Guest guest]

I am going in for a second oppinion on tuesday morning. My dr did

not push this on me he actually tried to talk me out of it. But

after discussing everything I found out that I will have to have the

surgery no matter what. It just depends on whether I choose it now

or later. I do not wish to spend the rest of my life trying to find

something to ease my pain or go through a zillion procedures that in

the end will only prolong the inevitable and later on things may be

much worse and require much more work to fix. I am 35 years old and

have spent the last 17 months going through excruciating pain. Pain

meds only help to take the edge off. I have had an epidural that

only lasted 2 months plus I have suffered through a very painful

discogram to determine exactly where my pain is coming from. My

quality of life right now sucks. I cannot work, cannot exercise and

can barely walk some days. I can't go to Walmart to pick up my

prescriptions without having to be in a wheelchair. That is not how

I wanna spend the rest of my life. And it will only get worse if

untreated. As is dr believes that I will end up in a wheelchair by

summer. And that is not what I want either. I have a family and a

life that I want to be involved with.

The fussion will take away at least 50% of my pain which will

definately change the quality of my life as I know it now. Surgery

is not the original option I wanted, but in the end it is the best

choice for me. I already have enough health issues to deal with on a

daily basis. I know that the road to recovery is gonna be a long and

hard road after having a fusion done. But considering where I am at

now it can't be much worse.

I will not lie and say that I am not scared to have the surgery. But

I also will not lie and say that I don't feel that it is the best

decision for me. There are people out there who have had successful

fusions and those are the people I am hoping to hear from.

I will know on tuesday exactly what will happen.

in Utah

>

> ,

>

> have you gotten a second opinion. any fusion is a very invasive

procedure and as such has lots of risks, long recovery, problems

down the road, etc. however, it can also work fine, especially if

you are just doing 2 levels but i would definitly seek another

opinion and see if you can get by with something less invasive. how

old are? orthopods " love " fusion because it is what they know, what

they have been doing for so long.

>

> i am 63, had lumbar surgery 10 years ago and am now having leg and

low back pain again. i was told i need to have 3/4 of my spine

fused--no way am i going to subject myself to that. but i am

looking for a doctor to do a micro-procedure in my lumbar area to

relieve my right leg pain.

>

> Carlene Farmer

> in MT

>

> Went to the dr on thursday

>

>

> and found out that instead of having the originally planned

> microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I

am

> stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know

that

> it will be a long journy afterwords.

>

> Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the surgery

> went? How recovery went? Success rate?

> Possibly even share with me what to expect?

>

> Thank you so much for any info.

>

> in Utah

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I will look for that group when I am done here. I read your blog. I

am actually encouraged by the pure fact you did not suffer any other

things till long after your fusion had been done. I am hoping that

the fusion will be a huge sucess for me and that I will not have any

resifual effects from it for years after. But I know that the

possibilities are high that I could. Its a chance I guess I will

have to take.

in Utah

> >and found out that instead of having the originally planned

> >microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I

am

> >stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know

that

> >it will be a long journy afterwords.

> >

> >Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the surgery

> >went? How recovery went? Success rate?

> >Possibly even share with me what to expect?

>

> , you may want to subscribe to another group called " just

a few

> loose screws " that deals with fusion surgery. After you join,

look through

> the archive posts.

>

> Also, take a look at my own blog (below, in my .sig) dealing with

my three

> level fusion surgery and the continuing issues surrounding it.

>

>

>

> http://thebacklog.blogspot.com/

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yes I have looked at my x-rays and MRIs and had everything explained

to me. If I have a fusion at L5/L4 and L4/L3 now I will need

eventually to have L3/L2 done simply becuase it is already showing

the early signs herniation. And yes 2 drs so far have looked at my

entire spine to see whats up. And yes the fusion will relieve a

minimum of 50% of my pain. My dr is the one that is sending me for a

2nd oppinion so I feel confident that everything will work out. This

will actually be a 3rd oppinion. But hey you can never have to many

medical oppinions. As far as knowing the dr, I have only known him

for since August and he is not worried about me finding a new dr cuz

he has already encouraged me to do what I feel is best for me.

in Utah

>

> P.S. , i am not saying you should not have the surgery just

that i am suggesting you be fully aware of your options. also,

did the doctor look at your full spine? one of the problems with

fusion is that when you stabilize one are, that can make the levels

above become unstable and you then you need future fusions. when my

doctor told me about the 3/4 fusion i asked if he could just do a

lumbar fusion and he said no and showed me the xrays the explained

where the next level of stability was.

>

> so i would encourage you to look at your xrays with your doctor,

if you have not already done that, and get as much information about

why he thinks you need to have the fusion, will it relieve your

symptoms??

>

> also, if we know the doctor we are sometimes reluctant to tell

them we are going to get a second and maybe even a third opinion

because we do not want to " hurt their feelings " . if they are good,

professional doctors, they expect that we will want other opinions.

>

> i wish you well....

>

> Carlene Farmer

>

>

> Went to the dr on thursday

>

>

> and found out that instead of having the originally planned

> microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I

am

> stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know

that

> it will be a long journy afterwords.

>

> Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the surgery

> went? How recovery went? Success rate?

> Possibly even share with me what to expect?

>

> Thank you so much for any info.

>

> in Utah

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi My name is Vicki I had fusion done at L5 S1 2 yrs ago. I will

tell you what my Dr. told me He said the first thing out of your

mouth will be " WHAT have I done? " You will feel like you have been

run over, but b4 my surgery I felt that way. About 6wks later I

felt like a new person. I went back to work. I was a courier. I

don't recommend going back to work that soon. For financial reasons

I needed to. 2 yrs later I am hurting again, but they can't find

any reason why.The only explanation is possibly my sacral joint has

shifted and is rubbing against something. Every possible test that

could be done has been done. A pain mgmt Dr. thinks its arthritis

and is treating it as such. I had 3 different opinions b4 I had

surgery. If they all think its best then I would do it. JUST DON " T

RUSH RECOVERY like me. Good luck! I'll keep u in my prayers.

Vicki

-- In spinal problems , " "

<bigred84022@...> wrote:

>

> Yes I have looked at my x-rays and MRIs and had everything

explained

> to me. If I have a fusion at L5/L4 and L4/L3 now I will need

> eventually to have L3/L2 done simply becuase it is already showing

> the early signs herniation. And yes 2 drs so far have looked at my

> entire spine to see whats up. And yes the fusion will relieve a

> minimum of 50% of my pain. My dr is the one that is sending me for

a

> 2nd oppinion so I feel confident that everything will work out.

This

> will actually be a 3rd oppinion. But hey you can never have to

many

> medical oppinions. As far as knowing the dr, I have only known him

> for since August and he is not worried about me finding a new dr

cuz

> he has already encouraged me to do what I feel is best for me.

>

> in Utah

>

>

>

> >

> > P.S. , i am not saying you should not have the surgery just

> that i am suggesting you be fully aware of your options. also,

> did the doctor look at your full spine? one of the problems with

> fusion is that when you stabilize one are, that can make the

levels

> above become unstable and you then you need future fusions. when

my

> doctor told me about the 3/4 fusion i asked if he could just do a

> lumbar fusion and he said no and showed me the xrays the explained

> where the next level of stability was.

> >

> > so i would encourage you to look at your xrays with your doctor,

> if you have not already done that, and get as much information

about

> why he thinks you need to have the fusion, will it relieve your

> symptoms??

> >

> > also, if we know the doctor we are sometimes reluctant to tell

> them we are going to get a second and maybe even a third opinion

> because we do not want to " hurt their feelings " . if they are

good,

> professional doctors, they expect that we will want other opinions.

> >

> > i wish you well....

> >

> > Carlene Farmer

> >

> >

> > Went to the dr on thursday

> >

> >

> > and found out that instead of having the originally planned

> > microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I

> am

> > stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know

> that

> > it will be a long journy afterwords.

> >

> > Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the

surgery

> > went? How recovery went? Success rate?

> > Possibly even share with me what to expect?

> >

> > Thank you so much for any info.

> >

> > in Utah

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi I had a fusion at L4, L5 and S1 at the end of August. I was up and

walking the next day and started hydrotherapy on the 4th day. In general the

whole surgery period was much better than I had anticipated. I went back home

after 7 days. I was not allowed to do any further hydro once leaving the

hospital until after my 6 week consultation with the surgeon. Then I started

hydro at a local hospital. I now go to my gym and do exercise in the pool twice

a week. In general I am much better than I was before, however I am having pain

further up my back and in my neck. This could be because of the extra strain of

holding myself up better of through the fusion. I'm not sure. I went back to

work after two months and apart from changing the time I start and finish work

(I go in early and finish early) I am at work everyday. I also have to travel

just over an hour to get to work. As I say generally things are better. I am

looking to buy some special trainers which are

supposed to help people with leg, back and hip problems - MBT Masai Barefoot

Technology. http://www.backinaction.co.uk/mbt

I hope things go well for you.

<bigred84022@...> wrote:

and found out that instead of having the originally planned

microdiscectomy I have to have a 2 level fussion at L5 and L4. I am

stressed, scared and have no idea really what to expect. I know that

it will be a long journy afterwords.

Can anyone who has been through this share with me how the surgery

went? How recovery went? Success rate?

Possibly even share with me what to expect?

Thank you so much for any info.

in Utah