[Artificial Disc Replacement / Lumbar] L4/L5, Active L, 3/17/09, Dr. Rolando Garcia

[KBear]

I am now 8 weeks post op and my improvement is about 50-60% better than pre-surgery. I started physical therapy 2 weeks ago; but haven't been super faithful about doing it at home, due to pain. The nurse practitioner that I saw at my last visit, cut my medication down considerably. I am not hurting so bad that I can't handle it; but enough where doing anything other than laying on the heating pad hurts. I called and made an appointment today to see my regular pain management dr (the nurse practitioner is his assistant) and am going to discuss the pain meds. I'm either going to tell him to up them back to a decent level, where I can actually do the therapy or I will just quit altogether, suffer through my withdrawls, lay on the couch and wait for the pain to stop in a couple of months. Seems like the nurse practitioner is more concerned with me not being on medication, than whether I heal or not. It's really frustrating me. Unfortunately, it is going to be 2 weeks for his first available appointment, or else I have to see the nurse practitioner. They are going to call and get me in earlier if there is a cancellation, so I'm crossing my fingers.

I'm getting a little freaked out that it has been 8 weeks and I'm not tons better. I'm ready to be healed, yesterday... aren't we all though! I'm trying to stay positive; but have been feeling really overwhelmed and depressed lately.

Kathy


30 years old-
1/06- In wreck with 18 wheeler at 25 years old; 6/06- Head on collision on Interstate, both wrecks other drivers fault. Numerous MRI's, PT, chiropractic, acupuncture, TENS therapy, massage therapy, facet injections, epidural injections, Nerve study, Discogram, confirms pain in L4/5, IDET, decompression, Bi-lateral neurotomy L3/4/5, denied by insurance twice, in Active L clinical trial, had surgery March 17, 2009 in Miami, FL- received Active L disc at 29 years old. Pain has decreased from 9-10/10 to 0-3/10.
Mommy to Emma- 7years, Ava- 4.5 years & Expecting Baby #3 April 6, 2011

[Gilbert P]

Hi Kathy

Sorry you are taking a long time to feel great, But you are on the other side and things will improve and you will have your life back.
keep positive thoughts and positive things will happen.
I am looking forward to being on the other side
LoL Gilbert P

[KBear]

The other side of sanity?

[Lynda]

Hi there Kathy

Long time no speak, this forum looks wonderful and I'm sure its the in place for spineys to hang out.

Keep your chin up..50-60% improved is great progress. Eight weeks is still fresh from surgery, although to you it likely seems ages. I felt similar 5 years ago after my two level TDR's, disappointed that I wasn't as far down the progress line as anticipated, like I was behind everyone else in the recovery. I felt even worse at 3 months than I did as 2 but I did go on and improved considerably from 4 months onwards so don't be despondent. I know its frustrating. Also, I believe that after surgery there is a huge release of endorphins and a couple of months later the levels drop and the blues kick in which is maybe why you are feeling down.

Keep working at your exercises, they are so important but I know its difficult if the pain isn't managed. (Black kettle and pot spring to mind as I was the worlds worst for not doing them if I felt fine. Something I regret now and I'm back on intensive exercises regime in an effort to prevent any further degeneration of my lousy spine. I don't see what the big deal is with your nurse practitioner and the meds, doesn't she see you as an individual? Hope you get to see your doc soon and sort something out.

I was lucky enough to get to the SAS meeting a couple of weeks ago and I saw you surgeon, it seems the Activ trial is going very well and having excellent results so far.

You take care

Best wishes

Lynda

[KBear]

Lynda, So good to hear from you. Didn't you have the Fibrin stuff done? Is it working for you? I can't even open the old site anymore, so have no idea how everyone is.
I didn't even think of the endorphin thing, that definitely explains why I am feeling blue. Interesting. I remember my surgeon telling me about all that.
Kathy

[Justin]

Hi Kathy,

Lynda made some very good points. 8 weeks post-op after an ADR surgery is still very early in the recovery process. I didn't really "turn the corner" in my recovery from my 2-level ADR surgery until 4.5 months.

I'm sorry it is feeling like it is taking so long. I've been there twice before. The body and mind "heal" at different rates, and it is easy to feel like it is time to get up and go. However, the key is to listen to your body--a lesson I had to learn was that we all recover differently. Don't be worried that you haven't reached a landmark that someone else has at a certain time post-op or that you still feel like your pain is controlling your life.

Even at 2 years post-op, I still felt like I was recovering from my ADR surgery. I have spoken with many Spine Patients that also felt they were still "recovering" 1-2 years after surgery.

I wish you the very best in your recovery!

[Lynda]

Kathy, it was Linda with an "i" who had the fibrin; I'm in the UK, (which is how I got to the SAS conference) .....with the six children. I've added my signature now which should help.

Lynda

[Liz]

hi kathy,

sorry you are struggling... do have the Activ L w/a keel? If so, maybe you are just having bone pain from it being cut and growing into the keel... this can take 6 months; I had severe bone pain post-op. Is your pain the same as pre-op or different?

give it a good 6 months before you even think anything is wrong... your body went through MAJOR trauma and is still sorting out what the heck happened to it, it probably even still has a lot of inflammation to calm down. Try and get the pain controlled, do some gentle PT/core work if you can (and your surgeon authorized it), maybe walk in a pool to decompress your spine, and i hope things fall into place soon. When you can start massaging the scar tissue on your stomach too (gently) if you haven't already... i didn't do this soon enough and it's been hard to get rid of.

stay positive and best wishes,
Liz

[KBear]

Thank you all for the encouragement, it is so easy to get down and depressed, waiting for healing.
Lynda- I do remember you. I was thinking that the conference was a far travel for the other Linda (she lives 20 miles from me). How are you doing? Am I correct that you were battling some pain issues? Been so long, I don't remember....

Liz- I got the Active L with the small keels, not the large center one. I have heard of scar massaging; but my dr didn't tell me anything about it. Tell me more, like what do I need to do? It is very tough and still somewhat tender (when pressure is applied)

Justin- Thank you, you are so nice, a day before surgery on here encouraging me. I am thinking about you and your family and will be praying for you. What time does your surgery start? What time is that in Central time? I will make sure to stop and pray at that time. I am so glad that you were able to go to Germany and that everything worked out great for you. It is hard for me to imagine being in pain as long as you have. We are the same age and I have been dealing with this since I was 25 and feel like that is an eternity; can't imagine starting at 14. You have definitely perservered and made the best of it. You are going to make an amazing doctor and patients will be lucky to have you. I am sure seeing you go through all this will also make your wife amazing with her patients as well. (is she becoming a MD or CFNP?) God Bless!

I did feel a lot better today and yesterday. Although, I did too much today and am paying for it now. Tomorrow I will be sitting all day, have to work on the company books... we are being audited for sales tax- woohoo! I am the bookeeper, so hubby has no idea how to do any of this stuff. Luckily the auditer has been very understanding and let us push it out a few weeks (got the notice two weeks after surgery). Anyway, tons of work getting all the required stuff together and putting everything in the right format.

[runagain]

Kathy,

You have got to remember this is major surgery and it takes time to heal. It seems like you are doing great.
Wasn't there the s@x question? I know I wasn't doing that at 8 weeks!
Think about what went on during the surgery. They move a lot of things around and then slice into your bone, basically. After surgery, it gave me the hebbee gebees to think about the op.
BTW, most of the people on that other site are doing ok. If you need an update on anyone, PM me.

runagain

Oh yeah. The nurse practioner; try appealing to the appt person that you are in a lot of pain and tell them your pain is uncontrolled and see what they say. I kind of "fired" my PA. I haven't seen her since, just the PM doc.