[Artificial Disc Replacement / Lumbar] XLTDR Success!

[Billy]

One week post op and nothing bad to report. Feeling great!

Can't even tell the device is in there.

[MER]

Billy,
Great news! Best wishes for your recovery. I looked at the video for the Freedom Disc. It looks pretty impressive (6 degrees of motion). It's amazing what can be done these days. Was your doctor Dr. Ildemaro Volcan, Augusta, GA?

Regards,

Mark

[Billy]

Dr Bundy is my Dr with Volcan assisting him.

[Billy]

It's been a little over 2 weeks since my XLTDR surgery (16 days). So far I'm pleased and relieved. I had so much stress going into this not knowing how the outcome would be.

It seems all the original pain has been eliminated. Today I helped cook and do dishes, which use to kill my back. After I finished I was feeling a tad bit of a pinch in the original area where my disk was collapsed and after I sat down in my favorite spot, the recliner, I was having spasms on each side of my spine where the disk is installed (L4/L5). It settled down really quick. I've noticed this tightness a lot since surgery. It happens when I first sit in my recliner, bed, or lay on the sofa after a while of standing/walking. Hopefully it will decrease over time.

I'm really amazed how fast I healed and little pain I had for what I thought was going to be such a dramatic surgery.

[trkdoc714]

Billy,

That's tremendous news on your progress. Try to keep in mind that you're still healing. No matter how good you feel, try to keep your activities to the levels outlined by your surgeon and his team. Quite a few patients start over exerting themselves once they start feeling better and suffer setbacks.

I hope you continue to heal well,

Bob

[spine journey]

Billy, congratulations on your recovery to date. It sounds like your doing great! As Bob mentioned, follow your docs orders and take it easy. It's so wonderful to feel the relief from the pre op pain, but take it easy! Hope you continue to heal well!

SJ

[ouch2]

Hi Billy, checking in to see how you are doing now. Seems that you are having a fantastic recovery. I am now just over 3 weeks post op. I am definitely having alot of the tightness, spasms, like you were posting about. How are things going with that now?

Karen

[Billy]

Hi Ouch,

Yesterday made 5 weeks. I don't know what to make of this tightness. It feels more like nerve pain or spasms from the nerves like prior to surgery but it's probably just tight ligaments or I hope so. I exercise by putting my hands out in front of me and doing leg squats. That really stretches those ligaments and feels easier on my back than bending over doing toe touches. I did some of those types of squats on my first week holding onto a door knob for support but only one or two at a time.

Sometimes I feel a lot of discomfort around the disk area after I have been standing around like grilling, or even reclining back in the recliner. Relaxing on my back on the floor will usually ease that discomfort.

To me my second week was worse than my first. I felt lots of heat on my side and iced every night. I probably had inflammation although it was not noticeable to my eye. I'm still as numb as I was on week one but I have gotten use to it and it's not as bothersome.

I have a constant dull ache all across my lumbar area. I'm hoping after I return back to work and get more active things will calm down.

My tail bone aches from time to time and I think that's from the disk space being stretched/restored.

It's still to soon to see the total benefits.

After suffering with that collapsed disk off and on since 2008 and getting offered this treatment my back eased up the month prior to surgery. I was so reluctant to move forward and have surgery. I went ahead and had it done because I knew if I didn't do it I'd be suffering with the same symptoms again and again.

[Billy]

It's been 2 1/2 months since I had my artificial disk implant. I was doing so well. After surgery I was walking everyday with very minimal pain and was doing stretches by the end of the first week, was walking around the mall by week 2 and could not ask for anything better.

Week 6 I went in for my follow up and was ready to return to work. My Dr said give it about 2 more weeks and I did. During that time I cut the grass with the riding mower (4 acres) and was doing fairly laborious work around the yard. We had such nice weather.

Long story short...I went back to work where I drove 400-500 miles every day, getting out doing light maintenance work out of my service van and by the middle of day 4 I was done.

I went back to the Dr and he gave me more time off. I started physical therapy last week where I was given an assessment and stimulation. Yesterday I told them I was ready to do some real therapy because what they were giving me was baby stuff compared to what I'm expected to do at work.

I'm having really bad spasms in my back, cramps on both hips , and during surgery they tore my right shoulder (rotator cuff) which they are addressing during PT.

I'm fairly tough and don't give up easy and thought the worst was over but I seem to be deteriorating. I'm thinking maybe they injected me up with cortazone like stuff during surgery and it's wearing off right at the same time I got very active.
I'll just keep working at it and hope it gets better, all I can do...But I'm stressed because I'm worried about my livelihood.

[ajj1001]

Goodness you are doing a huge amount that will stress your back post op, not surprised its complaining and letting you know about it. What does the Doctor say about your rehab? Hope things settle down soon.