Hi all, just a question for anyone out there who may know. I have two dessicated discs at L4/5 and L5/S1 and L5/S1 has a moderate sized protrusion. My specialist told me he would prefer me to try core strengthening exercises rather than surgery as surgery may only be 50% successful for me. I'm in a lot of pain and my quality of life is a tad crap cos it's painful to do the easiests of tasks. But 3 days ago I pulled my back leaning over and now the pain has worsened, I have developed complete numbness on the right buttock and down mid thigh(back) and excruciatng sciatica that can be worse than child birth at times. Will I get feeling back in those areas?Does anybody else suffer from this? Has anyone had a level 2 fusion? Help, somebody?

Hi there blah69nz! Let me first say how VERY sorry I am for you. I literally feel your pain! I had my first back surgery age 25 and my sec. age 39 and I am so damaged and my surgeries were exactly where yours would be. The first time I got so bad I could not walk, crawl or move! My doctor did the mri and couldn't see how bad it was until they opened me up! I too lost the feeling in my leg and yet you can still feel that pain there are no words for! I waited around for almost two months getting worse and worse, taking prednisone, pain meds etc. By the time surgery was done my doc. said it was horrible in there and the nerve had been mashed flat by the herniated disc. but it had also crumbled and little pieces were floating around in there..one piece was severing the mashed nerve..needless to say my doc. said w/out surg. I would have ended up paralyzed. I had immediate relief!! Now let me tell ya the pain never completely left and as I said I just had my sec. surgery last year! This time was kinda the same except now I have osteoporosis and degen. disc. disease and other issues which made it even more dangerous. The first one they just cleaned up the mess and let the nerve loose. The sec. one they actually replaced one of the disc with a plastic one almost a year later and I'm sorry to say the pain is still there. Advice? If you know you need surgery like i did........don't stop complaining!!! The Exact same thing happened to my sister and she had three surg. now...still in pain. I know that does not sound good but the pain before the surgery made us want to die and now the pain is just well it's chronic but about 75% better and we CAN deal with it. I would tell you to research and research and then do it some more. Have you considered a sec. opin? You do have that right and there is nothing wrong with it.
Please don't hesitate to ask me anything...... if I can remember or I know I will tell you. My heart truly hurts for you but hang in there and don't give up! I will be praying for you "I promise"
Clarity28

Hi blah69nz
I have not been on here in a long while and I was searching today for things to do with my VP shunt but saw your post. I had a L4/L5-L5/S1 fusion done in Dec of 2006. I was 43 years old at the time. I had blown one of the discs out somehow and the L5/S1 had slipped forward to the point of interfering with my spinal column and the nerves between the two. Have no idea how all that happened! Anyhow, my pain was in my hips, lower back, left buttock, left thigh at the back, but that was it. My ortho was convinced that as the pain did not go all the way to my heel that I did not have a signifigant injury and not one that was bad enough for a two level fusion at my young age. A myleogram proved him totally wrong when the dye that was injected into the disc just came right back out of the disc! I had to go through all kinds of stuff - physical therapy, pain management, nerve blocks, you name it, I tried it, endured it and grinned and bared it but to no avail. That was a wasted and very painful two years! In money, time and pain. So, we did the surgery, two level fusion, on Dec of 2006. My surgeon is one of the ones who does the surgery with a 12 inch incision in the front - from belly button to hip - then does the standard two 6 or 7 inch incisions on either side of the spine with the one inch ones above each of those for "extra tools". I was in the hospital for five days, count em F-I-V-E days! I woke up and told the nurse that they really needed to give that lady in tnext room something as she was screaming at the top of her lungs - she gave me a rather odd look and told me it was me screaming! Anyhow, I had these things on my legs that would inflate and deflate all the time so I would not get blood clots, I had a morphine pump that was set for me to push that lovely magic button every 8, yes EIGHT, minutes for the entire time I was there. I have never been in that much pain in my life. I was practically cut in half for this but not every surgeon uses this approach either so talk to yours about their technique. I had a hard brace that was fitted before I went to the hospital that I brought in with me and had to use that for three months. I also went home with a walker, a shower chair, and lots and lots of help. I did not ever think I would be able to even bend over again after that. Of course, surgery heals and so does the body afterwards. I did so very well for the first 3 months and then, for unknown reasons, I started hurting in the same places again. All the scans said I was okay, my fusion was straight, but could be the hardware. I had 4 rods and 6 screws. One screw was a little off kilter. Finally my surgeon told me there was nothing else he could do for me and let me go. I have been in pain management ever since. I have what is called "failed back syndrome". So, it did not help me at all but there are lots of good stories out there about it too. Guess it depends on your problem and if there are extenuating circumstances behind them. I have DDD also as well as bone spurs all the way from my neck to the bottom of my spine too so maybe that is the problem. Would I recommend the surgery? No. I would say to follow your Dr advice, get a second and a third opinion and then decide if you can live the way you are or not. If not, go for it. I wish you luck and hope it works for you! Sorry this is so long, wanted to cover all the bases for you.

Hi Miss Holly, I'm Donna also a new member and live in Mesa, Az. I have had failed back surgery and the dr,s told me I would have to learn to live with the pain. I went on the internet and found spinal cord stimulator implant for people who where out of options for there back pain. I has it implanteed 8mos ago and it has worked great for me. Where in Az are you located? Not very many people understand how crippling back pain can be. Hope you feel better. Donna

























QUOTE=MissHollyInAz;565900]Hi blah69nz
I have not been on here in a long while and I was searching today for things to do with my VP shunt but saw your post. I had a L4/L5-L5/S1 fusion done in Dec of 2006. I was 43 years old at the time. I had blown one of the discs out somehow and the L5/S1 had slipped forward to the point of interfering with my spinal column and the nerves between the two. Have no idea how all that happened! Anyhow, my pain was in my hips, lower back, left buttock, left thigh at the back, but that was it. My ortho was convinced that as the pain did not go all the way to my heel that I did not have a signifigant injury and not one that was bad enough for a two level fusion at my young age. A myleogram proved him totally wrong when the dye that was injected into the disc just came right back out of the disc! I had to go through all kinds of stuff - physical therapy, pain management, nerve blocks, you name it, I tried it, endured it and grinned and bared it but to no avail. That was a wasted and very painful two years! In money, time and pain. So, we did the surgery, two level fusion, on Dec of 2006. My surgeon is one of the ones who does the surgery with a 12 inch incision in the front - from belly button to hip - then does the standard two 6 or 7 inch incisions on either side of the spine with the one inch ones above each of those for "extra tools". I was in the hospital for five days, count em F-I-V-E days! I woke up and told the nurse that they really needed to give that lady in tnext room something as she was screaming at the top of her lungs - she gave me a rather odd look and told me it was me screaming! Anyhow, I had these things on my legs that would inflate and deflate all the time so I would not get blood clots, I had a morphine pump that was set for me to push that lovely magic button every 8, yes EIGHT, minutes for the entire time I was there. I have never been in that much pain in my life. I was practically cut in half for this but not every surgeon uses this approach either so talk to yours about their technique. I had a hard brace that was fitted before I went to the hospital that I brought in with me and had to use that for three months. I also went home with a walker, a shower chair, and lots and lots of help. I did not ever think I would be able to even bend over again after that. Of course, surgery heals and so does the body afterwards. I did so very well for the first 3 months and then, for unknown reasons, I started hurting in the same places again. All the scans said I was okay, my fusion was straight, but could be the hardware. I had 4 rods and 6 screws. One screw was a little off kilter. Finally my surgeon told me there was nothing else he could do for me and let me go. I have been in pain management ever since. I have what is called "failed back syndrome". So, it did not help me at all but there are lots of good stories out there about it too. Guess it depends on your problem and if there are extenuating circumstances behind them. I have DDD also as well as bone spurs all the way from my neck to the bottom of my spine too so maybe that is the problem. Would I recommend the surgery? No. I would say to follow your Dr advice, get a second and a third opinion and then decide if you can live the way you are or not. If not, go for it. I wish you luck and hope it works for you! Sorry this is so long, wanted to cover all the bases for you.[/QUOTE]