[Artificial Disc Replacement / Lumbar] Freedom v. Prodisc Study in Charlotte, NC

[smcgypsea]

I had my surgery on Thursday, Dec. 16th, 7am!
Everything went well, I got the Freedom disc in L5-S1. Waking from anaesthesia, my mouth felt like I ate plaster powder, sooooo dry! I had a vivid semi-dream about trying to work but I also knowing I was in the hospital and recovering from surgery. It was very bizarre. They kept me on ice chips through to Friday lunch. that was also miserable through the night. The oxygen and demerol and anti-nausea meds made my mouth feel like the sahara. Demerol made me nauseous immediately after IV push (even with anti-nausea meds), my arm burnt and I really overheated. I was switched to Tramadol, by IM. Upon discharge, I was switched to Lortab and flexeril. I was up and walking all around the unit on Friday, with only some glute and piraformis pain, and of course incision/organ pain.

The pain sensations are very different than the original pain, still from the above areas. I can definitely feel something new in my spine, but most of the central pinching that happened with tiny movements seem to be gone. Every now and again, I feel strange pains, similiar to what I had before surgery, hopefully that is because of inflamation and will go away. Or maybe I can strengthen enought for it to go away...But overall, I have achy-surgery pain.

Getting around has been remarkably easy, the getting up is the only hard part. Once I'm standing, all is good.
Now that I say that, today sitting in this chair is miserable. I need to get up soon, maybe a longer walk today. I'm anxious to get back to stretching and to start a strengthening/weight loss program, to get my life back to being active.

SO, so far so good, a very uneventful recovery. I was expecting a lot more pain, a lot more immobility.
I've been a pretty good patient, also better than expected. Just today getting restless. I taught the dogs to 'paws up' onto the ottoman to put on their collars (invisible fence) so I don't have to bend. Its cute!

Anyway, it is almost a struggle to tell the story, there are no 'events'!

Thanks for all the good energy and all the great info on this site, it has been very helpful! If I can answer any questions, ask away!

Stacy

[KBear]

Stacy,
Sounds like everything went great and you are having an uneventful recovery (that's what we all hope for!) Glad you are doing good. Have a Merry Christmas!
Kathy

[Justin]

Great news, Stacy! It sounds like your recovery is going smooth. You mentioned Demerol--yuck, that stuff made me extremely nauseous after my first spine surgery. I hate being nauseated more than anything.

Good luck and Happy Holidays!

[Cindylou]

Stacy, thanks for the update on your recovery. You are fortunate to have things sailing along as they are so uneventfully. Yay! And good that you are being "the good patient." That part is critical. Hope you also had a wonderful Christmas, even under your circumstances. Cindylou

[NCgreg]

Hi...I read the info on your thread. So glad yo hear a positive result on this studay out of charlotte. I am very interested to hear how you are doing along with more specifics on your surgery. I am a candidate for the Freedom Lumbar disc studyat L5-S1 and on the calendar for April 2011. A little nervous in not knowing which disc I will get.

My surgeon is Dr. Dom Coric. Was he your surgeon?

I hope you are doing well...Thanks!
--Greg

[smcgypsea]

Hi, Greg!
I’m sooo sorry that I haven’t gotten back to you sooner! I really don’t frequent these sites anymore…

So far I’m doing GREAT!!!!!
I’ve had an extremely uneventful recovery, all has gone sooo smoothly. I thank god every day that I was presented with this opportunity for surgery. I went into this surgery knowing that this might not be THE solution, or maybe that the pain would not be relieved 100% right off the bat. So that being said, I am thrilled to say that it was the best decision ever. I did invest in some ‘guided-imagery-healing’ soundtracks for during- and post- surgery listening, to get my mind in the right place. I listened to the tracks daily for about two weeks prior to surgery, but my battery was dead the morning of surgery, so I didn’t get to listen during my stay in the hospital. And then listened for about a week after. I think it was worth the investment ($40+/-).

So the most pain I had was at the incision, rolling over in bed, getting out of bed the next morning, but by afternoon, getting up got easier.

I have had no problems or setbacks thus far. I do have a little sciatic pain, kinda pinching during some movements, but very predictable, and thus avoidable, though I think it may be best to move through the movements slowly to re-acquaint my body with ‘the correct way to move’. At this point I am just gradually doing more and more. Dr Coric says these pains may just be from by body getting adjusted to being back to ‘normal’. The constant drone of pain I had prior to surgery is completely gone.

I would say to approach surgery knowing this may not be “it”, expecting relief, but not counting on it. Back pain and sciatic pain can be generated from more than one source, I have been lucky so far that this has relieved 95% of my issues. Its weird to say, have confidence that it will be your solution, to take full advantage of the mind-body thing, but if you don’t set your heart on it, you may not be as disappointed that it isn’t the perfect answer, nothing for your back ever seems to be 100% perfect...there’s just too many factors.

I’ve read a lot of the stories, working, not working, horror stories, it made me nervous, too. I just knew in the back of my mind, bottom of my heart, had a feeling, that this was the beginning of the answer for me. And it has been.

Hope this helps. Just have confidence.

stacy

[NCgreg]

Thanks so much for posting your update. I am glad to hear you are doing well. I am scheduled for April 12 with Dr. Coric and can't wait to be on the road to recovery...so tired of living with the pain!!!

Thanks again!
--Greg