Update
 

As many of you know, I've been struggling recovering from spinal surgery, which was done 13 months ago now. So, here's an update for friends.

The pain has been helped a LOT with acupuncture and feldenkrais. I suggest anyone with chronic pain due to injury and spasm or anything, if you can, see a feldenkrais practitioner. They do a muscle retraining, "brain re-education" which is a very gentle therapy designed to teach the brain how it needs to move you to minimize the pain. For instance, when my back is all stiff when I bend, the practictioner explained that there's no reason for that. The back isn't involved in bending; the hips are. My brain doesn't realize that, and it's using my back. So, lying on a massage table, she rhymically moved my hips, "teaching" my brain that it could do so while my back was relaxed. I sat up and bent. I have pain when twisting. I thought this was pulling on the screws.

Maybe, she says, but the lumbar spine is not supposed to be involved in twisting. Twisting is done mainly from the thoracic spine and the hip, and the rest of the spine rolls like a log roll. So she's teaching my brain to use my thoracic spine to twist, much as she taught my lower back to let go.

She's great.

I'm also seeing an acpuncturist, and it helps also. I am more mobile after each session. It doesn't last, but it stays for a while. And it's better to get bi-monthly acpuncture than take a lot of pain drugs.

That being said, I still have the problem that I am NOT fused, and that the screws are loose in my spine. My pain doctor wanted to give me radiofrequency ablation. (I'm getting the strange feeling that I've already written this. OMIGOD, Have I?)

Anyway, I looked online to find out about this, and found an abstract of a review of the studies. I emailed the address of the writer, and asked him if he'd email the whole article. I wanted to know if this was safe and effective.
The guy PHONED ME and told me no way should I let them do this. I won't go into why, but it's about having had surgery. Turns out he was from the mayo clinc. I told him aboutt he loose screws, and he told me he'd talk to the head of the Spine Division about them.

Then I got a callback in another 5 minutes, telling me I'm scheduled to be seen March 5, that loose screws can cause damage, and someone should be following me more closely.

So, I"m going out there. Like Billye when she went, the trip is the issue. I was able to vacation on reward pionts from charging so much, and get a first class ticket, so I could lie back. But I have no more miles, anda the tickets are a fortune. I'm dreading the preparation for the trip, but I do think it's a good thing to do.

I have an embarrassed sort of feeling about it--that it's not really necessary, I'm going to be fine, why am I making such a big deal?

And you know, somehow I do feel like I'm going to be fine, but I think it's just due diligence that I go there.

That's the update.

Hi LizaJane
 

I understand that feeling you have. I have not had to travel far to see a doctor, but I have forked out my share of $$$, wondering if this was really at all necessary.

I'm sure you are dreading the trip, as we become creatures of habit quickly,especially with our chronic conditions. With that being said, it would be very prudent & necessary for you to speak to a top spinal specialist regarding your back.

You'll need to bring all your creature comforts with you for support ofcoarse!:D

When are you planning on going, or have you not decided as yet?

You know my answer
 

Liza Jane,
You know my answer and I understand so well your hesitation. But I think you need to go. If they tell you it's ok, then you will know in your mind that it is really ok and not keep worrying or looking for more answers, you'll know you will be ok with time. If they tell you it's not ok, then you will have some of the best minds in the world looking at the situation.

Billye

Best wishes.

Also, I would like to second the plug for Feldenkrais. It is amazing what the body can forget to do, and how simple it sometimes is to get portions of it back on track.

I may be able to do some Feldenkrais in ernest now. I got just enough of a taste a couple of years ago to see how effective it could be. And do I ever need it.

rose

Hi Liza, i think the ortho or neuro surgeon that done your back operation should be playing a more active part in all of this, if its above him then he should be reffering you to someone that can deal with it properly, loose screws is very concerning in an area that is so sensitive, i can't understand why that surgeon isn't doing something about it for you, you should not be left like this, its very unprofessional in my book.
Can't they implant a stimulator to accelerate the fusion or something ?
I hope things improve for you soon.

Brian :)

rolling over in bed...
 

I learned at PT that rolling over in bed can twist your back!

The easiest way is to bend the legs, draw the knees up part way, hold
together and roll that way.

This simple thing we do without thinking...should be done correctly.

Amazing!
 

Feldenkrais and Alexander techniques - love them! Reprogramming yourself to do things 'correctly' seems such a simple thing, but when we compensate for one problem, it's amazing the number of new problems we create! Then we have to re-learn whatever is the right way...

As for the Mayo....I will just think super-positive thoughts that this WILL be the final step in your long painful journey. That not only SOME relief will be achieved, but A LOT!

:Bang-Head: It feels soo good when we stop!

Hugs and heaps of hope! - j

Yes, Alexander too!

rose

Yes,
 

I had a couple of Alexander sessions also. I didn't find them as helpful as the Feldenkrais, but that doesn't mean they can't be, for some people. It's just that Feldenkrais is pretty amazing.

My therapist once pointed out that there are people who have the most degenerated spines in the world, who walk around not in pain. People with herniated disks who are not in pain. People will diseases and deformities who don't hurt. She said the brain has a remarkable affinity for finding out how to move to minimize pain, and it's just that some brains get confused, because too much has happened for it to understand the information. So she teaches it lessons.

I'm hoping and my gut is telling me that Mayo will tell me that I will fuse, and that AFTER I fuse, I should have the hardware out, not now. That's my hope.
Also, I'm hoping they know of somebody somewhere doing minimal surgery to do this. Afterall, they replaced a friend's heart valve through a tiny slit, using a laparoscope, maybe somebody out there can remove a screw that way.

My hope. I'm feeling pretty optimistic, as the pain has eased.

Also, Brian, I have a plan: After I'm fused, done with using the bone stimulator on my back, I'm going to experiment with using it on my feet. Wonder if it will help the neuropathy. Also, wondering if a two magnets on the feet, one on the top, one on the bottom, just held on maybe by socks, can simulate the Rebuilder, or bone growth stimulator, and get our nerves more healthy. That's for later.

You are right . . .
 

You have talked about RF ablation before. And I provided some feedback. Looks like you got all the info you need about that crap shoot :)

I'm happy you dismissed the little voice nagging you that you don't really need to go the Mayo. I am sure you will make an informed and healthy decision about what needs to be done.

rafi