Hi Diane,

I think that the procedure that your doctor is talking about is the same one that my doctor wanted to perform on me. My doctor called it a "facet rhizotomy (sp)", but he told me that it involved burning the nerves around the facet joints that were causing the pain. My back popped, and started getting better while the ins. comp. and my doctor were fighting about the procedure, so I didn't have to have it. We had determined that my L4-L5 facet joint was definitely the pain generator, which led my doctor to the decision to do that procedure on me. According to him, it is a very uninvasive (sp) procedure.

Sorry I can't give you any hard facts about it. But I will try to answer any questions that I can. Best of luck.

Rob

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the reply and you are right in what it is called. I've done some research and a person I work with had the same thing done about 4 weeks ago. She was having the same initial problems as I did almost 4 years ago and was trying to avoid a fusion surgery which I did have done.

I am considering it but it is not a permanent fix, darn! This just goes on and on!

I will wait as long as I can. I find that massage and hot tub give me at least temp. relief and it is relaxing but I can't keep that regime up and work full time! It's another full time job and very costly after my insurance money is used up!

diane

Hey Diane,

I can understand what you are going through. And I definitely feel for you.

My doctor told me that the procedure would probably be a temporary one. He told me that when the pain came back, he would just go back in and do it again. He said that it usually takes three times to get most of the nerves killed. At least that is what he told me.

It is really expensive to take care of the problems that pop up with our backs. I hope that you are able to find some relief, with the pain and the monetary situation.

Best of luck and a prayer to you,

Rob

HI Rob,

thanks for the reply and supportive comments. I am waiting it out as long as I can stand it. It is discouraging, knowing that it is only a fix, not a cure and who knows when they need to do it again. I have to work and I'm a teacher of young, disabled children so I'm sure my job irritates the whole situation. I also have herniated discs in my neck and that's the NEXT thing on my list..........it goes on and on.... glad to hear you are doing better@

diane

Hiya again Diane,

I hope tonight (for me) finds you being able to get some relief from the pain.

I have already had the surgery done for my neck problems (Oct. '98). So I can relate to that also.

I don't know what I can really tell you to do about the problem you are facing with your back. My back popped one day when I was turning to get a towel after my shower, and it has been feeling better ever since. Nobody even wants to try to explain what happened. I think they are claiming "by the grace of God" type stuff. But I do know that I have been working out at a gym for over a month now. That has been going pretty good, until Monday night. That night was enough to scare the sh** out of me. I was sitting on the bed putting a pillow case on. When I finished, I half turned and tossed the pillow toward the headboard. When I did this, my back sort of locked up. Since then, I have more pain, but not as severe as before. Just enough to be a major nuisance in the back area, and causing heaviness in my legs.

I don't understand how I can swing a golf club with no pain, but just the simple act of tossing a pillow was enough to bother my back. I just hope that my working out will strengthen things enough to keep all this stuff from happening again. I guess that only time will tell what I will be able to do.

I did want to ask you what types of treatment you have sought in trying to get this taken care of. I am sure that you have probably stated this before, but I must have missed it.

I hope that you will find a way to get some relief from the pain. I know that it is no fun to deal with the pain. In my case, the doctors I saw were too busy trying to convince me that the pain was in my head to really check out what was going on. I hope that you are being treated better than that.

Best of luck with everything.

Rob