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Reply With Quote+1Originally Posted by Dave
We hope you are recovering well.
This is a discussion on Surgery on January 21st within the Surgical Outcomes forums, part of the Spine Surgery Forums category; Linn, Just checking on how you are doing....
Re: Surgery on January 21st Linn,
Just checking on how you are doing.
Dave
Diagnosed with DDD in Nov, 2007. MRI, EMG
C3/4 C4/5 C5/6 C6/7
Surgery 06.04.08--C5/6 and C6/7 w/Prodisc
C4/5 deterioration progressing quickly
MRI on lumbar shows disc herniation at L5/S1, stenosis at L3/4, L4/5, spondylosis and DDD at L2 through S1 in July, 2009
Nerve Root, Facet Injections and Epidural every 3 months. Ongoing treatment for continued degeneration.
Re: Surgery on January 21st +1
We hope you are recovering well.
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: Laminotomy L4/L5
- 1999 & 2003: Motor Vehicle Accidents (not at fault both times) --> Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
- 11/15/2003: 2-Level ProDisc® L4/L5 & L5/L6*, *lumbosacral transitional vertebra --> Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
- 4/2008: 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain
- 5/14/2009: 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.
Re: Surgery on January 21st Please post again when you are able. We are sending warm fuzzy healing thoughts to 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. Therapy and chiropractic treatments helping immensely. Gone from being almost bedridden to near normal activities including gardening. Life is gooooood!
Re: Surgery on January 21st
Hi,
I almost feel like introducing myself again. The person who woke up after the operation last week was somebody I once knew, but hadn't seen in a long, long time. It truly feels like a miracle
The surgery was a success. I had a tiny bout of panic when the nurses were fiddling with the IV while prepping me for the operation, so they offered to put me to sleep straight away, called in the anesthesiologist, and next thing I knew, I woke up in the recovery room and it was done. I was out for about 3.5 hours, the actual cutting time was 1h50min.
(I have to add, since it just struck me, that I am typing this lying on my back(!!!!), in no pain whatsoever!!!)
After posting here on Thursday night, I was so pumped with adrenaline that I barely slept all night. On Friday morning, my surgeon stopped by and said "you're healthy now, you can go home this afternoon." Since I was still hooked to both IV and catheter, I thought he was joking. Turning over in bed, standing up, and taking my first steps were all team efforts led by the PT, and assisted by darling nurses. I thought it would take a week at least until I would be able to take care of myself. I was given the option to stay until Saturday, and I took it.
The pain was completely gone as soon as I got out of surgery. Every hour that passed on Friday I felt stronger and stronger, and waking up on Saturday morning I got up, walked to the dining room by myself, and had breakfast sitting on a normal chair (first time since October!). I shared a room with three other ladies; a hip-replacement, a knee-patient, and a lady who had a three level fusion. Seeing them deal with post-op nausea and morphine side-effects I was grateful that i'd been on Oxycontin for so long. I took care of all the adverse initial side effects months ago, and apart from a stiff back, and slight pain around the wound I was feeling like a million dollars.
On Saturday I was more than ready to go home, when my mother called to tell me that she and my son had caught a stomach flu. So I ended up staying in the hospital for another long, long night and day.
Since I've come home, recovery is progressing faster and easier than all my wildest hopes and expectations could have predicted. I do my physio exercises 3 times a day, and I've even been out for a short walk. I'm cutting down on the oxycontin (tonight's the first night I'm going to try to be without it altogether), and realizing that my inability to focus and concentrate was probably as much due to the pain as to the medicine. I am tired, and sleep very much, both at night and during the day. From time to time I get a touch of leg pain (or a sensation of where the pain used to be, that scares me more than it hurts), but overall I feel better than I have done in months. I can sit, I can lie down, I can actually sleep without waking up every time I shift positions. My life is returning to me.
I know to expect set-backs, and I know that this unproductive lifestyle will probably drive me crazy within a matter of days, but for now I am enjoying the complete freedom and relaxation of not being in pain. And since I've been awake for a whopping four hours, I think it's time to go back to sleep
Wishing you all the very best, and a day without pain.
2004: First signs of back problems
Sep'09: Developed sciatica
Nov'09: 1st MRI shows herniations on l4-5 and l5-s1
Nov'09: Hospitalization 6 days for pain and loss of abdominal(?) muscle control.
Nov'09-Jan'10: Conservative treatment: TENS, PT, acupuncture
Jan'10: 2nd MRI (pre-op)
Jan'10: partial discectomy, l4-5 and l5-s1. Successful surgery
Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Paracetamol, Voltaren
Re: Surgery on January 21st Congratulations Linn!!!!!
I am so happy for you. Your news is outstanding.
CD
44 year old female
LBP for more than three years
DDD at L4/L5
annular tears and bulge
PT, ESI, chiropractic, massage -unsuccessful
MRI & discography July 2009-positive @ L4/L5
3 denials from UHC
Enrolled in Axiomed Freedom Lumbar Trial
Freedom disc @ L4/L5 by Dr. Zigler on 2/18/10
Re: Surgery on January 21st So glad to hear that you are doing good.
Alison 46 year old female
2012 Doing Rehab
2011 Sept 3rd Op Removal of old instrumentation and PLIF L4/L5 - L5/S1 both adr in situ
2010 May Discogram on L2/L3 & L3/L4
2009 May 2nd Op 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
2002 March 1st Op ADR Charite - L4/5, L5/S1
2000 Disc prolapses L4/5, L5/S1
Re: Surgery on January 21st Linn,
I'm so glad you had such a successful surgery. Before long you will be able to paint those toenails!!!
Take it easy,
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
Re: Surgery on January 21st I am so happy for you. I am now wearing a brace awaiting the day that I could have a similar surgery. I just hope it is as successful as yours. You really did not seem that you had a doubt in your mind. You always were going to do it.
Some day I will be hopefully writing the same message to everyone.
- Scoliosis and multilevel severe degeneration of the intervertebral disks
- Marked multilevel facet arthrosis
- Fusion of the L5 and S1 vertebrae
- Grade 1 spondylolisthesis at L4-L5 and L5 and S1
- Slight antherolisthesis at L3-4
- Multilevel asymmetrical neuroforaminal narrowing
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