Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?
 

Does anybody know anything about this? And is just a year after back fusion too early to consider this?

I have not heard of this. But I am 3 years from my triple spinal fusion, with not much success at all. The fusion it self worked as far as the bone growing llike it should, but I live with debiltating pain daily. I will google it.

Does your surgeon give you a reason? Like adhesions maybe from scar tissue may affect your nerves ...etc.... did he say you fused? Do u have hardware shifting ...etc....?

You need some opinions from OTHER surgeons (ones who didn't do your surgery) and see what they have to say. Granted, surgeons don't like to operate on people who have had another doctor do their surgery, but they can give opinions.

I would not jump into another surgery without having at least 2 to 3 other opinions. You don't even know what's wrong. Sometimes at a year after fusion, you have JUST fused. Do you know if you are fused yet? Did you NOT fuse? You need to find out why -- perhaps osteoporisis?

Whatever the reason, you need other opinions as to what needs to be done. I wish you the very best. God bless and take care. Hugs, Lee

My surgeon also told me it can take up to five years to see full clinical results, whatever that means.

I have that diagnosis - Failed Back (Surgery) Syndrome.

I am a 48 year old female and have had 9 major surgeries since 6th grade and 100s of surgical procedures since. My guess is that a patient who does not respond to back surgery gets this distinction - Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.

It does not mean you need anymore surgery, in fact most doctors won't do more surgery if you have this diagnosis depending on the specific circumstances of each person's situation of course.

Due to the type of surgery they did for severe scoliosis when I was in 6th grade back in the 1970s - the surgery created a situation where my back would eventually fail so to speak - because the Harrington Rod procedure back then (which is what I initially had) - was a new procedure and no one knew the horrific side effects or long lasting effects of what would happen to a growing child who had this kind of surgery at age 12.

Anyway, Failed Back Surgery Syndrome is a catch all phrase - when doctors don't know what happened, why the surgery did not work or do what it was supposed to do etc....this is my opinion.

No one ever told me I had Failed Back Surgery Syndrome but it is in all my medical notes and is used as part of my diagnosis for insurance purposes.

It is a Phrase - that does not mean your surgery failed and you need another surgery. I am not a doctor and your specific circumstances may warrant further surgeries - not because you have this diagnosis.

K

Just another comment. Unfortunately, most doctors who give a diagnosis or "Failed Back Syndrome" don't really know what ELSE to call it. OR they don't really know what it wrong -- they aren't willing to do a lot of testing to find out. (not all doc's are like that)

But "Failed Back Syndrome" isn't really a diagnosis because it doesn't diagnose anything. It's just a bandaid type diagnosis. It just covers anything and all that might be wrong with you, but yet doesn't diagnose ANYTHING. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately all too many doctors use this as a "diagnosis." Insurance companies should DENY this as a diagnosis to force the doctors to look into what is REALLY wrong. :mad:

Just my opinion.

second opinions
 

Leesa, i was reading your post about surgeons not wanting to operate after another surgeon. I was wondering why you thought that was? I had two lumbar surgeries last year and now i need a third. I saught out an opinion from a different surgeon and she told me she would not do surgery on me. i have a reherniation and Im a RN. She suggested a pain management Dr. for "drug therapy". I feel with the work I do it would be a huge risk to me to work with a herniated disc and I dont want to become dependent on narcotics. I am a single mom and I have to be able to care for my children. There is also a family history of opiod dependence.

Djay, as leesa said i would DEFINITELY get atleast a couple of other opinions before coming to an answer. Different doctors can possibly see something another didn't catch. Along with you just now being a year post, you could JUST now be fused. Has your Dr. said whether everything was looked good?or anything he saw with the fusion? I assume you have had recent x-rays, mri's. etc. But most definitely i would get atleast 2 other opinions.

Rachel the conclusion as to why drs dont prefer to touch another drs patient is bc each dr is different and there technique and what they may have done doesnt necessarily coincide with what the other dr. did....It's not impossible to change to a different dr. its just a lil more difficult.....im sure leesa can fill you in more as well.....this is merely what i have come to find as i work in the medical field as well!