thoracic/lumbar laminectomies
 

Hello! I am scheduled for open posterior laminectomies of the T3-4, T5-6, and T9-10 with fusion and instrumentation on 4 Sept and then of the L2-5 sometime in Oct depending how the first procedure goes. I had an ACDF of the C4-7 back in Nov 2011 and had good success with it and a fairly easy recovery. I was told that the upcoming procedures would be much harder because of the amount of muscle being cut, but that this is fairly routine surgery and most people are back to work in 6-8 weeks. I haven't been able to find much information on just what to expect during the recovery (limitations, pain, etc.).

After reading some of the posts here, however, I'm now concerned that I'm rushing the surgery. MRIs revealed extensive number of degenerative discs with some compression of the spinal cord at the levels listed above. I have a fair amount of pain and often feel as though I'm having a heart attack and am short of breath (after a heart cath back in April all concern about heart issues were laid to rest). My concern, however, is increasing numbness and weekness throughout back and legs. Physical therapy made the pain worse. Epidural and facet injections provided limited relief, but only for a few weeks. Although the pain, etc. is livable right now, I'm worried that waiting until I'm truely debilitated could result in permanent nerve damage (which is what happened when I waited too long to have the ACDF and I have permanent tingling down my left arm and hand). The neurosurgeon is one of the best in Central FL and has a reputation for not doing unnecessary surgeries. He cautioned that he could not fix all the problems in the back, but would focus only on the most serious (the areas with stenosis). The pain doctor also said that there was little he could do to help and that anything he did would only be a bandaid and surgery was inevitable. That said, I haven't had many of the tests mentioned throughout many of the posts here.

So, am I rushing the surgery? If I do go through with it, what should I expect as far as what I can/can't do afterwards and for how long? All thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks from a newbie to this forum!

Hi ! I haven't had that particular surgery, but since you have compression of the spiinal cord, it's obvious something needs to be done! And I guess the surgery you're having is about the only thing that CAN be done, although I'm afraid of fusions as the levels above and below the fusion sites tend to fail, leaving you with probable problems later on. It's called the "domino" effect, and usually the doctors don't tell you that. :rolleyes: But you do what you have to do.

You'd better figure on longer healiing times than what they've said. I do NOT see you going back to work in 8 weeks after THAT kind of surgery! :eek: I had 2 open laminectomy/disectomies/foramenotomies and it was 4 months before I could go back PART TIME and 6 months before I could go back full time!! And I didn't have fusion!!! It was the same for each surgery. So plan on a bit longer. You'll need some help when you first get home. The first week is going to be rough. Perhaps your Mom or a neighbor could come in and help. Have some meals cooked ahead of time and freeze them so all you have to do is defrost them and put them in the oven for your family.
Make sure all the laundry is done before surgery too so no one is holllering for clean clothes. LOL Have the grocery shopping done too.

Hopefully others will come in and add to the list of things to do ahead of time, and also add to what you should know about the surgery. God bless and best of luck! Hugs, Lee

Thanks!
 

THANKS, Lee! Prayers and hugs are always welcomed! Fortunately, my Mom and one of my brother's is living with me right now, so I'll have good support from them and others post surgery. It's a huge blessing to have loving support, but I'm also glad to have found this forum. None of my family/friends have had serious back pain/issues and it's a help to hear from others who know what I'm experiencing.

I'm so sorry to hear what a rough time you've had. You truely have been through a lot! I've heard from a couple of others that have gone through this to expect longer recovery times as well, so I guess I'm beginning to resign myself to that. The neurosurgeon did warn me that the surgery is more to prevent any future damage and that it may or may not relieve the pain -- which is why I don't want to wait longer to do it since while not good, the pain is not horrendous right now and I'm worried it will just get worse. But he didn't really discuss the domino effect. Instead he said that he hoped this would buy 5-7 years before having to undergo other surgeries which he believes are inevitable since almost all the discs have at least mild-to-moderate degeneration.

Thanks again! I'll let you know how things go....:)

So glad you have an on site support system. You have a general idea what you are in for. Follow orders to a T and for heavens' sake, don't even think about what might be down the road surgically. You know you have a bumb spine. Take your recovery seriously to prevent further damage and live life as full as you can, one day at a time. Best wishes.

Thoracic laminectomy
 

I just had an invasive thoracic laminectomy 30 days ago, on my T-10-T-11 and T-12. Never did I realize what I would experience. I had to stay in hospital due to complications-pneumonia and intestinal blockage. By the time I got home, I needed around the clock care. Please pay attention to what physical therapist tells you, about moving around, log rolling out of bed etc.. I had no choice but to try and go back to work a week after getting home--BIG mistake! It has been almost thirty days now, and i feel as if i had the surgery yesterday. I did feel some relief when i got my staples removed but it still feels like i have a backpack of hardware im lugging around. The pain is most centralized around the incision area. My biggest question.....when will i start to feel SOME relief from the pain??? It also radiates through to the front of my chest which is sensitive to touch. I just wonder when it will start to subside if anyone has had the same procedure as me--thanks for your opinions.
PS if you are on pain medication like myself..make sure to use fiber powder daily..that has helped me from getting another intestinal blockage

Hey LA, how about an update
 

You have had some wicked surgery. I hope you didn't feel rushed back to work. I think you may have been misinformed on the timeline. I'm a tough bird. Even when I was younger and working, there's no way I would have been ready to go back in six weeks. While you need to listen to the surgeon about activities, listen to your body concerning whether you are ready to make a commitment to going back to work. That is very invassive surgery and you having so many levels repaired. How are you doing?

I was very much misinformed about the procedure itself and what all was involved. I defiantly would have planned better knowing what was in store, with the recovery. I have no choice but to work, and feel as every day goes by, I cant do it. I feel like my recovery is being slowed down to pushing myself so hard, but being single, i dont have the support financially. I have a follow up Tuesday, and want to know, is the pain im still feeling normal for what all I had done, and when will the pain start to subside.

I am certain there are surgeons that properly prepare their patients for what happens when you wake up and the recovery time/process. I just haven't met one yet. My first spinal surgery was a bi-level cervical disc/lamie back in the mid 80s. I went in for my first check up one week after discharge, out of meds. When I told the surgeon I was still experiencing considerable pain beyond the incision, he looked agast and said, "what's your problem, I fixed your neck!!!" This was before the internet and good peer support. All I had was the info. he chose to give me. I had to beg for a muscle relaxer. I insisted that he just feel my neck and shoulder as they were all spasmed up. It took me months to recover on tylenol xtra strength. :mad:

I hope your job is semi compatable with your condition. Can you afford to start out part time and ease yourself in? Being a single woman, I understand where you are coming from. We are an idependant breed. Is there someone who can help you a little financially since this will impact your recovery.......maybe a sibling? Many of us have someone we COULD ask but don't want to for various reasons. I have a brother who has never been married and is quite comfortable. We are extremely close. He is comfortable because he is financially tight. I HATE to ask for help. On the other hand, when he found out I had a bad fall on my ten year old rollator whose weight bearing brakes were shot, and broke a few small bones in a foot, he hit the roof and ordered me a new rollator. Medicare would not order me a weight bearing brake model and I can't use the hand brakes.

Are there any accomodations your employer can make to help you on the job? Did you have both surgeries? Take care, Sweetie. Gentle hugz and prayers.

They do like to use the words "I fixed you (or the problem)"

I am convinced they take a course on patient intimidation and take workshops on lines that will shut a patient up. :D I have heard that too many times by too many surgeons. It makes me see blood. The last time I was told that, I waited until the discharge appointment, which was premature, and I told the guy that he may enjoy a good success rate but he was a lousy healer. At that point, I told him I was going to tell everyone on the bridge and beauty shop circuit how he treated patients. Okay, I don't play bridge and have someone come here to cut my hair but he didn't know that. He turned ghostly pale and it was wonderful to give him a dose of HIS medicine.

The nice thing about being a senior is that age has its priviledge. I don't take cr@p off of someone because they have MD behind their name. ;)

Be well and have a blessed day.

Thank you so much for listening--not many understand my position or have an understanding as they have never gone through this. My employer has allowed me to get up anytime i need and take rest periods, but I really shouldn't be working. Unfortunately,, I dont have anyone in my immediate family that can help me, though my sister out of state stated I should move in with her, but would as a last resort, the reason I moved out of new orleans, was because I lost everything in Hurricane Katrina and vowed I would never live there again. Im hoping the pain will subside soon. I can relate about your muscles spasm, that is what mine are doing and knotting up, which causes excruciating pain, So far I havent run into any problems with getting needed medication, as they realize how invasive my surgery was. My surgery was all one shot, and had over 60 staples in all. I also have problems with my lumbar, but i wont be getting anymore back surgery in the future.

Hello lal
 

Hope all turns out well for you. Just make sure you go for that second opinion. I am West coast Fla. Have a great neuro-surgeon. Lessa is right, if you do the surgery, give yourself a long healing time. Much more than what they are telling you. Yes, check out and make sure the verterbre above and below the site are strong enough for the hardware. I wish you all the best in this. None of it is fun, but you can have good results. ginnie:hug:

Thanks to all for the replies and kind words!
 

Sorry I haven't checked back in to let you know how things went. I'm a horrible correspondent!

I did get a second opinion which confirmed the first and also discussed "the domino effect" with the surgeon. He said that there are no guarantees, esp with extensive DDD, but he believes I should be able to get 5+ years before I have to have another. I'm not sure that's great, but decided the risk was worth it because the pain and weekness were getting worse.

I had the first surgery on the thoracic spine on 4 Sept and it seems to have gone well. While I woke up in horrible pain right after the surgery (I felt like I'd been hit by a Mac truck), the pain in my arm and neck were immediately gone (although I didn't notice it right away because of the other pain!). The first week was the worst, but I've made steady progress since. The surgeon decided to put the second (lumbar) surgery off until after he could judge my progress at 6 weeks. It's now scheduled for 13 November. The most suprising change was that right after the surgery, the tingling/numbness/burning that I've had in my face and head for 2 1/2 yrs disappeared for about 3 weeks. It started to come back, but has since gotten better again. The neuro said that was a unexpected bonus. I still have the pain in my chest. It seems to be getting better, but then I'm not doing anything strenuous, so I'm waiting to see how it all goes in the long run.

With the progress and delay in scheduling the next surgery, I've been able to go back to work part-time for about 16 hours a week. It's mostly computer work and the office has been very supportive. I'm being careful not to overdo things nonetheless.

I'm a little more concerned about the lumbar surgery because the weekness in my legs is getting worse and I'm concerned the recovery will be harder. Nevertheless, I'm staying positive and remaining grateful for the the wonderful support network I have (including you all!).

I'll be sure to write sooner next time and let you know how the next surgery goes.
Thanks again for all your interest and I hope you are doing well or at least better :grouphug:

First thing to say is that back conditions are very individual and complicated but a number of aspects of your condition seem to be similar to mine. I had a spinal decompression operation (six years ago now) and it stabilised the condition, which is to say that although I still have mobility problems they haven't worsened as they were doing pre-op. The same goes for the neuropathic pain, which doesn't seem to have a generally effective treatment.
My recovery from the operation itself was quite quick and relatively painless but I have seen accounts of some who had a much more difficult time.

Thanks, Colin. I'm sorry you haven't seen real improvement with the decompression, but glad to hear things haven't gotten worse after 6 years. I'm hoping that will be the case with me, too! The increasing weakness in my left leg has started allowing my knee to buckle and I've fallen twice in the last week, with one straining the ligaments/tendons in the knee. They've given me some exercises to help strenghten the supporting leg muscles and I'm hopeful that will help in time, esp after the next surgery. Thanks for the reassuring post. I wish you well!

I am not a senior and to some I am young but I am a very old 37, fixing to be 38. I don't and won't take crap from anyone, never have never will. I will turn a doctor's visit into a boxing lesson quickly lol

Hello spiny
 

Loved your post, and others that say they don't take crap off of any doctor. I am going to be 61 in a few days. I did the same to a neurologist, who demanded I do something without adequate explaination of why. I didn't even bother responding I was so angry, I just flipped my hand up and waved very meaningfully goodbye and walked out. I refuse to be treated in a poor fashion. He also would not acknowledge that a sugery he did, didn't work.
Since then I have discovered great doctors, who actually try to heal! ginnie:hug:

Good for you Spiney !! I was younger when I had my surgeries, and had gotten my "senior guts" yet. LOL If I had the chance now, I'd tell that quack a thing or two! :mad: That bum disabled me -- I don't care what anyone says. He did SOMETHING wrong. How do I know? Cause the 3rd time I saw him, he looked at the latest MRI, and then he couldn't do ENOUGH for me -- said he'd do ANYTHING for me, just NAME it. Hmmm. Should have asked for a whole lot of money!!! :D

Ahhh well, such is life.

Gee, Lee
 

We were both quite a bit younger and less bold when the "slice and dice" boys got a hold of our backs. My serious issues began with my first cage that was put in at the infamous and ever popular L5-S1.............without support. It was the surgery du jour back then and we were all getting cages, some with support, some without. Most of us that had no support lived to regret it. My cage rotated and tilted by three months post op and the surgeon DENIED it happened. There was all sorts of nerve damage.

I am feeling pretty secure about the scs implant although I am told it will be more complicated than ususal. The surgeon does nothing but brain and spinal implants and I trust Pain Man's judgement after 13 years. This is his surgeon of choice. Fingers crossed. ;)