I am sorry to read that you have to go through all that again, i know you tried hard enough from your end.
After reading about the cylinder type he wants to do for you, what i could make out of it, sounded like there are higher percentage rates of successful fusions with this method, i really do hope next time will be succesfull.
all the best
Brian

on horses and at times on the approach and going over my brain would be screaming {MOTHER!!!!!*******!!!!!!} I got over, but that dratted 'sinking' feeling stays with you, makes you cautious till the next time. It's something that sticks with you for sure. Like you I like my body.....INTACT thank you!
Do you really TRUST this doc? Sounds like he was honest, but one guy's prognosis is not another guy's and the more 'rounded' the picture, the better or the lower your expecations can be? But, this guy is talking MAJOR bodily invasion and given all in all...what are the odds? Even, win, place, show or also-ran? Trust in a doc, especially a surgeon doesn't require a winning personality. Skill and honesty vis-a-vis in expectations and outcome...realistic, I guess are paramount about now.
You weren't wordy at all! You just put it out there in a far more candid way and with lots more courage than I could admit to doing!
I am Glad David was there to see and provide some very needed 'outside' observations...It takes that at times to help you SEE what you think will need to be done, in whatever way, with a better perspective. Our bodies are 'sneaky' in that we compensate in ever so many little ways....sometimes for good, othertimes not? When I worked with the horses, you really, really had to look, as they couldn't tell you their specifics...David is astute in this.
As for possible autonomic issues, WAIT, see what surgery can do...there are, as you well know, lots and lots and more factors that could be coming into play there. Many not permanent, which I fervently hope. Good things could result-in time.
YOU are one of the most objective and clear thinkers I know, and rite now you are as I was when the doc 'found A LUMP' in my breast...wait till all the tests are done and the 'jury' is in. Do NOT, promise me, waste too much energy on the What IFs....wait till you know which bear you are wrestling with? If ya need a hand to hold there are a heap of folks here to do so...NEW YAWCK Broad HUH? Hey! I'm a Joisey Goil! [That. I understand, is sort of Bronx-speak about Jerzee-ites]
Take your time letting all the 'fudge' to sink in...Get the tests done ASAP so's you can THINK on it in a better 'window' time frame as well. In my view, get them all the heck over with ASAP! I do know what you mean about those tests in the tunnels on the tummy tho...can't breathe for spit! HAD to be designed by men! [present company excluded, naturally!] Heapers of HUGS? - j

I have had spine surgery too. Not like you, I had a discectomy but at 2 levels.

I am just as bad today as I was back then before I had the surgery. My father has had 2 back surgeries and 2 neck surgeries, and we agree on one thing, back pian is generally chronic, to some extent even after surgery.

I don't like being in pain, and often entertain the idea of having another surgery, but I have alot of scar tissue, and this is a concern for the surgeon.

If you have the surgery will it fix you? And for how long? If the answer is "yes" it will fix the problem, and you will not be in pain anymore, than I would embrace it.

If it's not likely to fix the problem or your pain levels will be similar, than I would try the other more conservative approaches first.
I know your a tough girl but just listening to your description of the procedure gave me the "willies"!

It's nice that David was there with you, that's great that you have that support!

Well, this is a bummer.

By coincidence I attended a 10 hr seminar yesterday on chronic pain.(mostly headache and fibro).

One brilliant speaker, was explaining some hypothalamic neurostim experiments and shared with the audience (many doctors in the mixed audience), that TIME is an essential factor to consider. In treating certain intractable HAs, neuro stim was tried in the hypothalamus, and when no effects seemed apparent dropped. However, in Europe they left the electrodes in and over a YEAR, improvement occurred. Now here they are going to try again. They never expected up to a YEAR to be needed at least for this procedure. So he cautioned all in the audience to be paitent with patients...give TIME a chance. His name is Todd D. Rozen MD. If you Google him there are many articles on the net which he used in his portion of the program.
Here is a sample of the content of the lecture I attended...
http://www.achenet.org/articles/84.php
The melatonin information was fascinating! I will be putting that up on the Headache forum here soon.

I am now preparing a very interesting thread on Fibromyalgia, to share what was said yesterday which I found very interesting and helpful. I'll be putting that up here at NT this weekend.

But back to TIME. What concerns me is that you wll have to "fuse" the new
surgery --and what if your assumptions as to fusion failure are not complete....in that there may be other physiological factors involved besides the drugs you took, by accident? This procedure seems very extreme and invasive. I can't see you being flexible at all after it. (you are not flexible now)


I have never had invasive procedures in my back...I am not very flexible due to arthiritis/spurring etc and some spondo... but I live with it. Some days I have pain..others not. I have chronic pain from falls, PN, etc. I manage. I don't expect much now at my age...so just being able to get around, do most things is my goal. I don't use opiates, but I use patches (Salonpas and Lidoderms), some Tylenol on some days, and 600mg Ibuprofen on days I work. My knees are painful, my leg injury and now my lower back/pelvis is acting up some. (my job involves lifting weight and moving around)
I use AlkaSeltzer several times a week as well. I rest alot, some days and now see positive results with my light visor.

Liza...you need to balance your goals, with careful thought to the highly invasive nature of this new proposed procedure. I personally would measure the TIME and see if you really get worse. You may not. Doctors are very fallible. If you deteriorate significantly with TIME...then you can be prepared for those alternatives.

--Lord knows I have in the past --but it occurred to me that Aussie rather succinctly summed up the situation. If in the end it does not seem you can avoid the surgery (although second/third opinions on that question would not hurt), it's time to concentrate on getting it done correctly this time, with a surgical team you feel comfortable with. It does seem at least on the surface that the deleterious results of not having surgery overmatch the potential deleterioius results of the surgical process. (We all want you movin' and groovin' for the rest of your days.)

I'm glad David was there with you to act as "wingperson" during the visit--sometimes it does take an outside perspective to get handle on the pros and cons, plusses and minuses, of major medical procedures.

And, look at it this way. It's pretty much guaranteed that if you have surgery you'll be inundated with Dove bars by me. (And Melody will bury you in muffins.)

Oh Liza Jane.

I read your post with such interest and such caring. You have been so kind to me and listened when I spoke.

Of course all the others have given you good advice, they know what they are talking about. All I can do is nourish your soul. Send you loving hugs and thoughts and.... what I will suggest is that, because are all stressed out, why not light some beautiful candles, put them around the bathroom, (and if you can get in a tub, get in a tub of hot water and soak), or get in the shower and let the hot water fall over you. Use some lavender soap.

The other day, my girlfriend who is having a horrible marriage and her son is an alcoholic, well she wanted to just end it all. I listened and listened as she was downing a glass of wine. That's how SHE copes with her stress.

I told her "put down the glass of wine, get your candles (she has quite a few), go in and take a hot bath and light the candles and let the glow of the candlelight just soothe you. Breathe in the aroma of the candles.

Close you eyes and let your mind drift off.

She did this and told me it was amazing. Of course she still has the same problems, but now she just goes into that place in her head where she goes "away" for a spell.

Thankfully, you have pain meds which you can take advantage of.

When you come to the right decision (the one that is right FOR YOU), hopefully, you'll share it with us and we can send you much love and hugs .

You are in my heart.

Melody

LizaJane,
I don't have much to add. I'm pretty much of a dumbbell where it comes to any involved surgical things. But I'm sorry that its come to this. Yup, like someone hit you upside the head with a 2x4 (or mallet). I'd been following the posts about the screws loosening and the healing not going well and was wondering what a solution would be. This is the only solution?
Well, my quadriplegic son had a surgical cage placed in his fractured neck within 24 hrs of the accident last Sept. I've seen the x-rays and it looks just like a wire mesh cage, but it helps support his neck (along with the titanium plates & screws) and also allows for bone regrowth. He has some limited ROM in his neck now, but not severe. (I wish it were true for the rest of his body).
LizaJane, I was glad to hear that David was with you to act as a helping hand, but I hope that you'll take a bit of time to mull this over. Decisions like this are incomprehensibly intense & complex. If you do have this done,(rather - when...) I hope that it is with a group or team, rather than place all your trust in just one surgeon. They all have their specialties, and your case is mighty complex. Lotsa things going on. I think you need to gather a surgical team to help you.
I dunno what else to say, except that I'm sorry you are going thru all this.
Climb under that comforter and watch some old Bogart or Carey Grant movies-(the B&W ones- not colorized)- 'zone out' for a while.
I'm thinking of you.

I am so sorrry about this. Just one more opinion,or at least gently
sit down and think it through. That Dr. seems so cruel with his words.
And that's so sad,i hope he gets a big ,old ugly, nasty boil on his but.
Good luck,LJ Sue

I'm really sorry that you are battling on so many different fronts w/ no real respite on any. I'll only echo many of the other members that as long as you are not in an immediate emergency amd can live w/ and manage the pain to tolerable levels then to get whatever tests need to be done in the immediate future and then to decide as Dahlek said on what to do and when. Like Glenntaj and Bob said I think that a skilled surgical team would offer you the best opportunity to have your situation addressed right.

Since I'm still new to the forum I probably missed this from one of your earlier posts but would bone morphogenetic protein be at all helpful to you or did it not work - sorry if I'm retracing old steps. I do hope you will get some lasting relief soon - many good thoughts to you.

Alkymst

Hi, I don't know you but ,your amazing. You remind me of my husband. Two years ago his scaffolding broke, he went down eighteen feet. He broke his back in three places ,among other things. Of course it changed his life forever, but he just goes on. People like you encourage people like me to go on. I'm sorry to here about all of this and I will pray for you.