This is a discussion on Having my Lumbar Facet Neurotomy tomorrow a.m. within the Diagnostic Tests & Spinal Injections forums, part of the General Spine Discussion Forums category; Good luck with the recovery! I look forward to hear how things go over the next few days! -Dave...
Good luck with the recovery! I look forward to hear how things go over the next few days!
-Dave
Discectomy/Laminotomy, 1999
L4-S1 DDD, 10/06
Stalif Fusion L5-S1, 3/07
Intrepid Fusion L4-L5, 7/08
Increasing pain since solid fusing, 1/09
Bilateral Transforaminal Injections 3/09
Facet Joint Injections (L3-S1) 4/09
RF Ablation (Medial Branch) 5/09
CT Scan, MRI w/ contrast (no new info) 5/09
Latest:
- I wake up with no pain
- Stand/sit for 15 mins., pinching pain begins
- Pain at center, core L4-L5
- Lying down, pulsing/throbbing pain for 2-3 hours
- Taking 6-8 Norcos/day
SCS Implant 8/31/09
Cindylou, I am so sorry that I didn't see this sooner. But it sounds like my prayers weren't needed anyway. The procedure sounds like it's a success, and I will pray that your pain lessens daily.
I'm so glad that they have topped up your pain meds, and that you are more comfortable. Hang in there girl!
Severe compression of spinal cord, flaval ligament, etc. at C4/5 & 5/6.
Herniation and compression, at L3/4 to L5/S1 plus spondylosis at the latter level. Severe allergy to most metals.
Three level surgery in Brazil with Dr. Luiz Pimenta on March 17/2010 using non-metal appliances. L5/S1-PEEK cage, ALIF; L4/5-PEEK cage, XLIF; C5/6-NuVasive NeoDisc. Three separate approaches, two minimally invasive. Currently minor residual back pain, from SI ligament and still overdoing things. Therapy and chiropractic treatments helping immensely. Gone from being almost bedridden to near normal activities including gardening. Life is gooooood!
CL, I'm so happy that you are feeling relief after your lumbar facet rhizotomy!
Justin Averna
Founder & President, Spine Patient Society
www.SpinePatientSociety.org
A 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Nonprofit & Charitable Organization
I'm here to help.
- 1994: Football Injury, Severe Hyperextension
- 1997: Snow Skiing Injury
- 3/7/1997, 17 years old: Laminotomy L4/L5
- 1999 & 2003: Motor Vehicle Accidents (not at fault both times) --> Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
- 11/15/2003, 23 years old: 2-Level ProDiscฎ L4/L5 & L5/L6*, *lumbosacral transitional vertebra --> Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
- 4/2008: 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain
- 5/14/2009, 29 years old: Dynamic Stabilization System L4/L5, Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
Questions? Suggestions? Need help with registering, creating a signature, etc.?
justin (at) spinepatientsociety.org
Disclosure: I have no financial relationships with any surgeons, spine clinics, device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, etc. -- the SPS Board of Directors serve without compensation.
Thank you guys for all the well wishes. I appreciate it so much. I have to say my pain from the RFA is not nearly as debilitating as I anticipated it to be. That is really good news.I got out yesterday for the first time, and probably ran 1 too many errands, because all of a sudden I went uh-oh, I'm starting to hurt pretty bad again. Dropped what I was doing, headed straight home to an ice pack and some break through meds. All in all, I only made 3 stops, but that was plenty it seemed. I am so afraid to get my hopes up too much, so I am just going to take it one day at a time. And will report back that way. Day 2: Pretty darn good.
January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
July 18, 2011
Boy, I could have sworn I entered another post about my RFA procedure a few days ago, but I don't see it.Are we still losing postings? Anyway, I thought I had started another one by saying: "maybe I spoke too soon," but nevertheless here is how things are now: Definitely, the pain kicked back in big time, by Friday evening I would say...so two days after the procedure. It still has not let up yet 6 days since I had the procedure done, but I keep hoping any day now the steroid will kick in.
I know it can take awhile, so I'm not losing hope yet. It can take a couple weeks for the steroid to kick in, is my understanding. So I hope and pray that it does. And thank-you for all the well wishes and prayers too. You guys are all the best!
January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
July 18, 2011
Hang in there sweetie. We're rooting for you.
Severe compression of spinal cord, flaval ligament, etc. at C4/5 & 5/6.
Herniation and compression, at L3/4 to L5/S1 plus spondylosis at the latter level. Severe allergy to most metals.
Three level surgery in Brazil with Dr. Luiz Pimenta on March 17/2010 using non-metal appliances. L5/S1-PEEK cage, ALIF; L4/5-PEEK cage, XLIF; C5/6-NuVasive NeoDisc. Three separate approaches, two minimally invasive. Currently minor residual back pain, from SI ligament and still overdoing things
Well, ole' mister doubt has been rearing his ugly head today and I am feeling a pit in my stomach that this radiofrequency ablation procedure is not going to take. It has been 8 days and no relief yet. Just seems like it should have started to work by now. I had a long talk with my pt yesterday and I just broke down. She doesn't think I am communicating clearly enough to pain management how much pain I am in. And she said she thinks I need to take my husband or another good friend in to my next appt. to advocate for me. Then today, I called the pain management clinic, as they were supposed to call me yesterday....one week after the procedure, but they didn't. And while I was talking to a nurse, I broke down again, which is so not like me. She wasn't any comfort. And basically said to just hang in there and wait for it to start to work. I told her that was easy for her to say, because she hadn't been in chronic pain for 8 years. And then I said, why aren't they managing my pain better so I can get on top of physical therapy? I am just very, very discouraged and depressed.
January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
July 18, 2011
CL,
I am so sorry your procedure has not "kicked in" yet and I know you are tired of them telling you to just hang in there. I was so hoping that you would be feeling better by now. Do you have another appt. scheduled soon? Also about the shortness of breath and hot flashses you had - do you think it could be from that patch? Anyway, I will be thinking about you and hope tomorrow brings you a better day.
Linda
L5-S1 shot with small schmorl's node
L4-5 mild bulge with mild facet DJD
L2-3 minimal disc bulge
L5-S1 ADR cancelled 8-14 need to reschedule
Major pain everyday
Such a good idea. I manage to appear "normal" on the outside as I do not want to be treated differently due to my pain. It does however mean that professionals do not see the truth. I write down how the pain feels and how it affects me both physically and psychologically. Doing a diary of how it affects and then sharing with the pain management doc would show how huge this problem is.Originally Posted by Cindylou
Hope that you are feeling better today. x
Alison 46 year old female
2011 Aug PLIF L4/L5 - L5/S1 both adr in situ
2010 May - Discogram on L2/L3 & L3/L4, neither pain generators
2009 May - Failed revision fusion on L5/S1 with Charite ADR in situ
2008 Caudal epidural exacerbated nerve symptoms. Prolapse L2/L3
2007 L5/S1 Facet deterioration
Brilliant 5 years, no pain only minor motor problems and residual nerve damage
2002 March - ADR Charite - L4/5, L5/S1
2000 Disc prolapses L4/5, L5/S1
Sorry you're not getting any relief yet from this facet procedure. Specialists only get a snapshot view of things in a short consultation. It's a good idea to take someone with you as it gives you moral support & helps to reinforce the points you make to the doc on the other side of the desk.
Every spine patient is different but I had a good amount of instantaneous relief when I had mine done eons ago. I was quite sore for a while though. I really hope they work for you but time will tell I guess
Keep on keeping on & take one day at a time. Hope you feel bit brighter tomorrow.
x
1993 Back pain age 29.
1998-2001 DDD at L1/2. 10 admissions for discography/epidurals/facet injections/disc injections/RFA's.
2005 ALIF at L1/2 with BMP & good result: pain free
2007 DDD at L4/5 unresponsive to epidural. Discography: early degeneration, anular tear & bulge. Limited response to core strengthening.
2009 ADR (activ L) L4/5.
2011 Facet injections L4/5 & later on T10-L2.
2011 (October) Epidurogram, epidural, nerve root injections & RFA's T10-L2.
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