Need info on my condition and what type of surgery I will have
 

Hi Im new to all this so please forgive me if I don't understand it all.

Im a 28 year old female and Im in extreme pain. Pain so bad that Im on Dilautin, Morphine, and when I have a good pain day I take Percocet.

I have L4-L5 and L5-S1 Disc Herniations with prominet left lateral recess (whatever prominet left lateral recess means..) the disc bulge causing severe left neural foraminal stenosis with mass effect on the exiting L5 nerve root.

I have been told that I need surgery for sure by my Military doctor (husband is a SGT in the US ARMY currently deployed to Iraq).

I see the Neuro Surgeon in a few days. Where Im hoping we can set up surgery right away because as soon as we set it up my husband will be on a flight back to the states to help take care of me and our 4 beautiful children. I also am excited about the possibility of being out of extreme pain.

I am curious to opinions of people who would know or who have had a condition similar to mine on what kind of surgery I would have. A minimally invasive surgery doesn't sound like that would fit what I have. Im trying to prepare myself and everyone and to have a heads up would be nice to know. I know eventually it is up to my dr but I am going to beg him for surgery. I can hardly walk. I wear a back brace and use a cane. I sleep 3-4 hours a night. I have had some loss of bladder control. I can no longer drive or do anything. I feel helpless. I have tried cortizone shots, PT, chiropractors, walking (ouch! did this every day for 3 weeks and didnt help at all), massages, and now I just want surgery.. I feel desperate for it!

So does anyone know what kind of surgery would best fit what I have?

I moved this over from the chronic pain forum, I think you'll get more replies here on Spinal.

I have a herniated disc at L5/s1.. Probably a few above it are giving me problems. If I were to opt for surgery, I'm sure it would be fusion time again. I had 4 level cervical fusion. The lumbar would be a longer, slower, possibly more painful recovery. Instead of a collar, a body type brace. Going into summer, that would be hot. I'm looking into spinal cord stim to hold off on the surgery.

Please thank you husband for serving, I hope all goes well for all of you.

Whatever type of surgery your surgeon feels competent doing for your condition! Whatever that is, with loss of bladder control, every day you hesitate you increase your chance for permanent loss/dysfunction.

Thanks so much.. if anyone else has anymore insight I would love to hear it. I have been researching as much as I can online but I read so many different things... people saying to do surgery, and those saying not to. I of course with loss of bladder control want surgery and my regular doc says I need it.

I actually meet with my Neuro Surgeon tomorrow. Im excited. His office told me today when I called to get some information that it is possible after the doctor reviews my MRI and sees me that he will schedule surgery for next week.

Im just wondering what type of surgery it will be. A laminectomy/disectomy?? Thats what some others who have had back surgery told me it would probably be. Im also wondering about recovery time. The Army is sending home my hubby for the surgery and to take care of me... Hopefully soon!

The thing is right now Im in what would seem like the most uncomfortable position on my hardwood floor laying on my back with my knees and legs propped up using a cardboard box with a pillow on top, with my computer sitting on my stomach and another pillow under my head. I also just took a 8mg Dilautin about 20 minutes ago and this is the most comfortable I have felt all day.

No one should ever have to live like this. I feel like I should be ina nursing home. 28 years old and going on 70.. I know its just back surgery but it I HOPE is going to save my life.

Shout out to my husband Sgt Brad Vculek, a bad *** soldier in Iraq right now! Im glad babe you joined this site for suppourt. You are wonderful and I can't wait to see your beautiful face. Be safe .. we love you and are so proud of you.

I had a similar -though not identical - condition, discs etc pressing on the spinal nerve itself. I was given a spinal decompression op. as an emergency four years and a half years ago. The result was partial success: I regained bowel control, the condition stopped getting worse, but there was no improvement in my walking ability, which remains poor, or pain (which remains ever-present though not as bad as yours). It seems that the spinal cord has suffered damage and cannot regenerate/repair itself. Have been given various medicines for pain relief but none worked so now I take nothing.

I realise this is probably not what you would like to hear but it is my real experience. Best wishes for successful treatment and to your husband.

I feel so bad for you having to go through this at a young age with your husband away in Iraq. Stay strong and try to keep positive thoughts that this will be a road bump in your long happy life.

I had a ACDF on my C5, C6, C7 exactly 6 weeks ago. I can tell you about recovery (and my aunt had her lower back done (3 level fusions) 12 weeks ago. I'm 40 years old, she is 62. We both agree that the first 2 weeks are the worst. That is the minimum time you will need your husband there to help you. I wasn't even washing my own hair until about week 4. You will need to stock up on things and plan ahead (lots of premade freezer meals, I made lots of soups and cassaroles and froze them for after surgery). But you will get better. I'm just starting to get my normal strength back at week 6. I still get tired easily, and sore when I over do it, but I do feel better now.

I was where you were at. Taking very high doses of narcotics to stay out of pain waiting for doctor's, tests, and surgery date. Then I had to wean myself off all the narcotics. Do yourself a favor, try not to get up too high on the narcs before surgery, it's harder afterwards with rebound pain coming down.

I wish you all the best, and hope you are out of pain soon.... oh yeah... ice packs and heating pads will be your best friend!!! start trying them now!
Take care & God bless....
Cathie

It doesn't sound like you'll have a choice on the surgery....
 

I am 5 mos post op from multi-level cervical fusion, and my friend is 4 mos post op on a lumbar fusion. My friend had incisions on both the front and back and required two surgeries in the same week to complete the work, compared to my one surgery. She recovered okay from the back surgery but had complications as did I. One thing we both had in common were falls during recovery either due to pain, pain meds or just plain fatigue. Her complications from the falls were so severe that she has been out of work for 4 months; for me, I'm left with knee injuries
Also, the surgery corrects the medical issues but when they say be realistic about your expectations on the pain, that's true. It's a very long, long road to getting the pain under control. At 5 mos out, I'm still in daily pain. I wish you luck.

Hi there. We have a LOT in common....I am 25 with spinal stenosis, DDD, torn and bulging disks in lumbar and cervical spine. Surgeons have told me I need a FUSION and a LAMINECTOMY on my spine however, I cannot find a surgeon that will operate due to my age and the large risks associated with it. I also have three children under the age of three...there are no words to describe how incredibly hard it is to take care of young children when you can hardly take care of yourself.

I have taken a turn for the worse over the past year but before then I was working in orthopedics and one thing I will tell you is that MANY of my patients did NOT get relief from surgery. Many of them regret getting it and had to have 2 or 3 fusions before relief was finally felt. Spinal surgery is very delicate and may not be a complete fix for you. Just make sure you weigh all of your odds before deciding firmly on something...you cant change your mind once its been done.

You cant understand what its like to be so young and feel like your life is over until you have been in those shoes...and I am walking in them with you right now. If you need an ear im here. :hug:

I stepped in a hole. Crushed sciatic nerver. had op back surgery had put rods
july 30 2009. pain for over a year ever none med. then feb 9 2011 had scs put in. it not working real well. now i will op to fix the lead. this workcomp and takes for ever to get cleared. i'm and vet from vietnam. tell your better half best of luck prayers with him
ron h

spine trouble
 

I am sorry for your pain and I do understand it. From the sound of it you do need surgery. Get that second opinion, and look up any words on your records that you do not understand on the PC. Lots of information on each word and what it means in relationship to what is said in your records can be found. I had C6-7 fail, and then 10 months ago a big surgery to correct all that was not done the first time by the particular surgeon I had. I had C-3-7 done. This was worth it to do, even though my surgery was really painful. I had curved my whole neck, and the vertebre were folding over on them selves, like the dear old ladies who get real hunched over. I wanted the surgery because of the pain and it worked for me. I wish you all the best and that you will get results with your physicians. Don't give you you have lots of living yet to do. Your kids do need you and I believe there is hope that you can get your life back. ginnie

Your surgery
 

Dr. will probably do a combination of things, decompress the nerve as you are having disc problems and something is pressing on your nerve root, likely resulting in your loss of bladder control at times, meaning it is severe. Any inflammation or irritation will increase those symptoms. It is sometimes hard to figure out the WHY the disc is leaking in the first place or bulging out of place into nerve space. Sometimes they remove part of the bone at the back to allow nerves more room and sometimes they remove part of disc that is bulging out. If there is actual BONE instability resulting in movement that has caused the disc problems then you are likely candidate for fusion where they do all of the above AND then insert rods and screws and bone substitute so that you grow one solid bone down there so nothing is moving at all and so nerves can't be pressed or compromised again.
Results often depend on your pre-op shape and compliance post op. it is important to get good ab strength pre-op as these get deconditoned during recovery and your back can get overly stressed. Wakling post op is good, but not too much too soon. Ice now and ice after surgery, no heat- to keep inflammation down. if you have a fusion, you can't take antiinflammatories b/c they mess up fusions.
If you have loss of bladder control, pain now before surgery, i would suggest ice and anti-inflammatories and stretching hamstrings and hip flexors. In addition, a muscle relaxer, even valium will help with the bladder and relax your system. Something agitated it and caused inflammation so nerves are even more mad and swollen.
After surgery, there is some time for EVERYTHING to recover. Depending on what you have done- if no fusion, recovery is a lot LESS as you are not trying to grow bone. Fusion is painful recovery wise as nerves ar all messed with and there is like recovery nerve pain - often stabbing while nerves regroup and wake back up. They are probably very inflammed after being pressed on for x amount of time. Sometimes a steroid will be given if your pain is super bad after surgery, i had 3 rounds in IV form and 1 round at home due to the severity of recovery nerve pain.
I now deal with left footed numbness which I dont consider pain and I am 5 weeks out of surgery. I have bladder spasms every so often but I was born with this and avoided surgery for 10 years once bladder started so whatever gains I make i will be happy with considering i was at one point wetting my pants daily.
Anyway, the other important thing is is limit all kinds of stress after surgery, esp. a fusion. My first fusion failed, screws broke at bottom level and I coudl have fused around broken ones but due to extreme stress at work this never happened. Suddenly, i was in extreme pain and wetting my pants agan. I could NOT WAIT to get this most recent surgery done.
I am out of pain and really hoping this is it.
I would invest in a grabber so you don't bend and make sure you have help with the kids.
If it is an outpatient surgery, your recovery will be a lot easier. Maybe a small brace for 10 days - mine is huge and Ihave to wear for 3 months. EW.
Best of luck. Relief is on the way!

I feel for both of you. My OA on my knees seems so little compared to what you two are suffering from. At least I'm almost 61 y/o (almost, a few weeks), I can't even imagine being in that much pain and raising 3 young children.
How do you two manage?

My husband, age 53, has spinal stenosis for the past 20 years. He's in pain, is starting to have a hard time controlling his bowels and urinating sometimes. We have no insurance, I don't qualify for social security disability, my husband may, which would help with medical issues he has. The doctors didn't want to do surgery on him years ago because he was young and would have to go back in every 6 years or so to remove scar tissue. He did serially hurt his lower back and had surgery when he was 21 from a motorcycle accident. His lower back is con caved. But he keeps doing physical work, can't keep him still. He hates taking medication saying it makes him feel lol ie. He'll take half of hydrocodone 10 mg maybe once or twice a day. He's going to end up in a wheelchair I know within 5 years if he keeps this up. I have OA of the knees and was taking 6-8 hydrocodone 10/325 a day plus the same amount of Tramadol 50 mg for pain break through and can barely walk.we make a great couple. Lol
How do people manage to live day to day.with this pain?

My heart goes out to you two and others who suffer like we do.
Bless you both.

Hello janesaiz
 

I do understand, as I have been in your shoes. I have had two cervical fusions. Last was 22 months ago, C3-7. This did give relief, but no where near 100%. I didn't really have a choice in this surgery when it came right down to it. I sought out mulitpal surgeons and got opinions. I had the very best of care with the surgeon I received. I can only tell you that for me, the surgery was worth it. Make sure the verterbre above and below the proposed sugery site that they are STRONG. Any hardware you have installed will put alot of stess on those verterbre. This has happened to me. C1-2 shows stress and so does T1-2-3-. I am not going to do any more surgery if I can help it. The last was hard enough. I do wish you all the best in what ever decision you make. It is very difficult I know, and so is the pain from cervical and spine issues. Take care....ginnie

Dear Cappy
 

No insurance is a big issue. AS I had the same problems. Due to this factor my first cervical fusion, was done to relieve immediate symptoms, but the doctor did not address the problems still remaining in my spine. Later post here tells about it. Make sure you find a compassionate doctor willing to treat. Sometimes there are agencies that can help too. It took me four years to qualify for SS and SSDI. It was a long horrible process as I am sure you know about. I hope a solution can be found to help. I do understand what you are going though. My folks left a trust, the Gov. would grant no benefits until it was gone. It was meant to pay my taxes on this home. Now I am going to loose my home. This is so unfair to do to people who work all their lives, to be reduced to a state of poverty and fear. My prayers are with you both. ginnie:hug: