Re: fusion level3-4

April 25, 2006

hi, i am having one level fusion L3 - L4. one doctor said he would use the

bone from inside where he is doing fusion. he said there would be enough

left over bone. the other doctor said that he no longer uses bones from the

body. that he now uses artificial stuff made for this purpose (i forgot the

name). does anyone know anything about this or have any experience with this?

thanks, marsha

April 25, 2006

Hi Marsha

sorry i dont know anything about the artifical stuff but i had two double disc

fusions they used donar bone, which is suppost to be better than useing your own

as far as healing time so i would go with the artificial stuff i think it would

be less painful & have a shorter healing time just my thoughts you have to go

with your own choice

cheryl

BLEECKERST10012@... wrote:

hi, i am having one level fusion L3 - L4. one doctor said he would use the

bone from inside where he is doing fusion. he said there would be enough

left over bone. the other doctor said that he no longer uses bones from the

body. that he now uses artificial stuff made for this purpose (i forgot the

name). does anyone know anything about this or have any experience with this?

thanks, marsha

April 25, 2006

I had a 2 level fusion 11 weeks ago and the Dr said he had several options: 1)

use cadaver bone, 2) use bone from my hip or 3) use artifical bone made out of a

plastic. I did not know which way he was going to go because we were unsure of

how small the spaces in my spine were. He ended up using cadaver bone. I had

previous surgery ( non spine related) where they used bone from my hip and it

was more painful than the actual surgery site.

Good Luck

Debra

BLEECKERST10012@... wrote:

hi, i am having one level fusion L3 - L4. one doctor said he would use the

bone from inside where he is doing fusion. he said there would be enough

left over bone. the other doctor said that he no longer uses bones from the

body. that he now uses artificial stuff made for this purpose (i forgot the

name). does anyone know anything about this or have any experience with this?

thanks, marsha

April 25, 2006

cheryl, where was your fusion - at what level and how long ago and how are

you doing now?

thanks, marsha

April 25, 2006

debra, i never heard that before about not sure which bone to use bec.

unsure of sze of space. (just another question to ask surgeon about) at what

level

was your fusion? how are you feeling now?

marsha

I had a 2 level fusion 11 weeks ago and the Dr said he had several options:

1) use cadaver bone, 2) use bone from my hip or 3) use artifical bone made

out of a plastic. I did not know which way he was going to go because we were

unsure of how small the spaces in my spine were. He ended up using cadaver

bone. I had previous surgery ( non spine related) where they used bone from

my hip and it was more painful than the actual surgery site.

Good Luck

Debra

April 25, 2006

At 02:34 PM 4/25/2006, you wrote:

>hi, i am having one level fusion L3 - L4. one doctor said he would use the

>bone from inside where he is doing fusion. he said there would be enough

>left over bone. the other doctor said that he no longer uses bones from the

>body. that he now uses artificial stuff made for this purpose (i forgot the

>name). does anyone know anything about this or have any experience with

>this?

Marsha, my surgeon did a combo of both when he did my multi-level fusion

eighteen months ago. He used bone material left over from my lamenectomy

done at the same time as well as the powdered material that mixes with

water and is added to bone material.

http://thebacklog.blogspot.com/

April 25, 2006

I am a weird case because my cervical spine was fused genetically in several

places and the discs that weren't fused were so injured and flattened that there

was not much room. We are talking millimeters.

The Dr fused C2-3 and C4-5 so I my cervical spine is completely fused now

except for C1-2. As of today, I am no longer in my hard collar and can wean

myself off my soft collar and begin to drive. My Dr was extrememly conservative

with me though. He said many of his patients are weaned from their collar at 6-8

weeks. My spine is not completely fused but it is well on its way.

I have had some issues of numbness in my left hand but other than that I am

feeling amazing... I do not have any pain at all.

BLEECKERST10012@... wrote:

debra, i never heard that before about not sure which bone to use bec.

unsure of sze of space. (just another question to ask surgeon about) at what

level

was your fusion? how are you feeling now?

marsha

I had a 2 level fusion 11 weeks ago and the Dr said he had several options:

1) use cadaver bone, 2) use bone from my hip or 3) use artifical bone made

out of a plastic. I did not know which way he was going to go because we were

unsure of how small the spaces in my spine were. He ended up using cadaver

bone. I had previous surgery ( non spine related) where they used bone from

my hip and it was more painful than the actual surgery site.

Good Luck

Debra

April 25, 2006

Hi Marsha

I am not sure but i think my last fusion was i levels l 4-5 it was two years

ago i have DDD so it just keeps going the surgery did help for about a year & a

half but my DR said thats very unusall it is suppost to last a lot longer that

that my DDDis rapid so everything just keeps going i have bone spurs above the

surgery site which i had 1 year after surgery i had an MRI last week so i dont

know if theres more damage yet i also have an irritated nerve that is causeing

pain shooting down my right leg but it isnt from the surgery i would go with the

DR & try not to worry i know thats not easy i am always scared to death before

surgery but it turns out ok like i said my DDD is rapid my dr said its because

i smoke but i dont plan on quitting any time soon i know i should but i am not

ready yet. i hope everything goes well for you i will be thinking of you let me

know if you have any more questions Cheryl

BLEECKERST10012@... wrote:

cheryl, where was your fusion - at what level and how long ago and how are

you doing now?

thanks, marsha

April 26, 2006

Cheryl, I think I have you beat, and I don't even smoke, so don't beat

yourself up too much. I'm only 18 months post-op multi-level lumbar

fusion, and I now have DDD that has advanced enough to cause a bulging disc

at one level and a herniated disc at yet another level, both above the

fusion site. Plus, I have stenosis at those new levels and diskitis as

well as synovitis, an inflammation around the vertebrae.

My surgeon has suggested more surgery. This never seems to end.

http://thebacklog.blogspot.com/

At 10:56 PM 4/25/2006, you wrote:

>Hi Marsha

> I am not sure but i think my last fusion was i levels l 4-5 it was two

> years ago i have DDD so it just keeps going the surgery did help for

> about a year & a half but my DR said thats very unusall it is suppost to

> last a lot longer that that my DDDis rapid so everything just keeps going

> i have bone spurs above the surgery site which i had 1 year after surgery

> i had an MRI last week so i dont know if theres more damage yet i also

> have an irritated nerve that is causeing pain shooting down my right leg

> but it isnt from the surgery i would go with the DR & try not to worry i

> know thats not easy i am always scared to death before surgery but it

> turns out ok like i said my DDD is rapid my dr said its because i smoke

> but i dont plan on quitting any time soon i know i should but i am not

> ready yet. i hope everything goes well for you i will be thinking of you

> let me know if you have any more questions Cheryl

>

>BLEECKERST10012@... wrote:

> cheryl, where was your fusion - at what level and how long ago and how

> are

>you doing now?

>thanks, marsha

April 26, 2006

In a message dated 4/25/2006 8:40:46 PM Eastern Standard Time,

debrar65@... writes:

I have had some issues of numbness in my left hand but other than that I am

feeling amazing... I do not have any pain at all.

outside of being terrified of the surgery itself and of course the pain, i

am very excited and am so ready for the surgery. i want to feel amazing.

April 26, 2006

cheryl, the hardest thing i ever did was quit smoking. but it was the most

freeing experience i've ever had. smoking was the one thing i was never

going to give up. i was willing to give up everything else. but god has a

sense

of humour.

he let me keep all my other character defects, which i was wlllng to give

up but

he gave me a really bad asthma nite and i thought if i die there will be

nobody to raise my kid. i never smoked after that night. that was about 16

years ago maybe. just thought i'd pass that story on.

marsha

April 26, 2006

Hi

I am sorry your haveing so many problems i guess you do have me beat i just

had an MRI last week & i have no new problems just deteration is wosrt i now

need an MRI to rule out M.S. because i have dizzy spells where everything turns

black & my heart beats really hard & fast i feel sick & shakey & weak i need to

lay down till it goes away another thing is that my b/p is not under controll

yet so she had to increase my meds for that i am takeing 600mgs of nerioton 3

times a day which helps with muscle spamas heat flashes emotional roll coaster

pain etc. also oxy 40mgs for pain 5mgs oxy for break through pain b/p/ med &

black chosho for heat flashes thats a lot but i need it to get through the day

i know people take more than that . the last thing is she thinks the stimulation

device would make a big difference too her aunt got one & it changed her life i

really want to try it but i dont know how much my insurence will pay for so i

dont know if i can get it yet. have a

good day Cheryl

<karens@...> wrote: