L5-S1 MIS TLIF on 20 year old

[dodgegirl89]

Hello,
I'm 20 years old and awaiting approval for my first spinal surgery. I will be having a MIS TLIF done at the L5-S1 level. I have 2 breaks in my L5 (pars 5 Defect only on a more severe scale). Due to the breaks, my L5 has slipped forward out of position 3mm. I am suffering from severe lower back pain as well as nerve pain down my left leg and numbness in my left foot.
I injured myself at work back in April 2009. I have seen a few different doctors and all they told me was that I had a muscle issue. I was put in physical therapy and my back got worse. Finally after 4 doctors and Xrays, MRIs, and CTs, I was able to find my current pain management doctor. He looked at my most current images and found the breaks. So far, he has put me on Percocet, Flexeril, and Neurontin. He has done 2 ESIs, 1 Sacral Joint Injection and 1 Ligament Injection. So far nothing has given me much pain relief. I was referred over to an orthopedic spine surgeon. My surgeon told me that a fusion would be necessary to repair the damage and hopefully give me some pain relief.
I saw my surgeon back in December and am still waiting for Workers Compensation to approve the surgery.
My pain doctor has referred me back to physical therapy to see if massage and stretching could help with some of the pain. My pain doc is going full force to try and get my surgery approved. He has tried everything he feels necessary to try and keep me off the surgical table but nothing has given me much relief.
Im hoping that the surgery will give me enough pain relief that I will be able to ride my horses again and maybe even start training again.

[Justin]

Hi dodgegirl,

Welcome to the Spine Patient Society! Sorry for my late reply--I must have missed your post a few days ago. Fusion for your pars defect and anterolisthesis should provide much relief, especially since you have pretty much exhausted conservative therapy. Is the light massage and stretching helping you get through these days before surgery?

Good luck with the Workers Compensation approval (they usually drag their feet for awhile regarding approval).

Keep us posted and please let us know if we can help or if you have any questions. I wish you the very best. You'll be back to riding horses before you know it. :thumpup:

[dodgegirl89]

Thank you for the warm welcome. I have just found out that my surgery approval has been suspended. I am not quite sure why yet. I am not able to do much stretching without more pain. I have pain to the touch as well as deep inside the spine I will be getting in contact with a WC attorney to try and get my surgery approved and a date set.

[Justin]

Thank you for the warm welcome. I have just found out that my surgery approval has been suspended. I am not quite sure why yet. I am not able to do much stretching without more pain. I have pain to the touch as well as deep inside the spine I will be getting in contact with a WC attorney to try and get my surgery approved and a date set.

Good luck! The attorney should help speed things up.

[ajj1001]

I have just found out that my surgery approval has been suspended. I am not quite sure why yet.

Hope you get your approval through soon. Do you know how long this might take?

[dodgegirl89]

I am not sure how long the approval will take. Hopefully my attorney will light a fire under their "@ss" and quick. I went to back my truck up this evening and felt a sharp pain that made me cry out. Im not sure what i did and i hope that i didnt do any more damage. hopefully, something just rubbed wrong on my nerves

[Dave]

Good luck on getting approval. Keep pushing forward and do not give up. The WC attorney should definitely help speed the process up for you. Please keep us posted on your outcome.

[dodgegirl89]

The following is a CT image of my L5. It shows the bilateral pars defects viewed from the front with the vertebral body not showing. The pointer is showing one of the breaks. the other break is opposite and slightly smaller.

[Ryan G]

Hope all works out well for you and you get the surgery approved, in the meantime just try to stay strong.

[scduggan]

Hey Dodgegirl,
Welcome to the website. I hope your wait with the WC will be over soon. We will be thinking about you and wishing you the best!
CD