Hello Squirrel...
Don't know if you've been on the boards. I have actually not been but decided to start taking more of a look for support.
It's just about 3 months for the two fo us post-IDET. How have you been feeling????
I hope and pray that you are feeling great and that's why you haven't been posting. You're just too budy feeling GOOD! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Well, I am not so great. I don't think IDET did much for me. In fact, I stopped PT after two months since it was only aggravating my leg pain. After stopping i have actuallly been feeling better than before (I mean still better than post-IDET) but have to still take a mix of vicodin and ibuprofen 4x daily to be able to function. My husband and I are moving to Charlottesville, VA and I have just made an appt with a new doc down there who is doing disc replacement studies so maybe that will be something although I woudl rather not go surgery route at all if I can help it. We'll see.

Anyways, hope you are great!! Happy spring/summer.....

Hey Carrington....

Whaaa's uuup? http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif I am so sorry to hear about IDET not going well for you. Telzey was the same. What helped her out were the McKenzie exercises. Might I suggest you check them out? They look really good for IDETers...

Another thing, did PT ever let you get into water therapy? Please say yes...because land PT only aggravated my IDET site, while water therapy "broke the ice" so-to-speak. Being in the water enabled me to exercise the rest of my body without the aggravation of gravity tearing into my surgery site. Plus the bonus of just floating was heaven. After several months of 2 times water therapy and 1 time land, I switched to 1 time water and 2 times land. Then got a membership at the Y and continued my own program while doing land therapy twice a week...bla bla bla. Was this the same schedule you had? We (my therapist and I) found the slow, controlled and closely-monitored exercises brought out my optimum abilities. Others may work differently. You need someone to be your land AND water therapist in order to effectively regain your composure (ahem). http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

The IDET is a very misunderstood surgery. You need to make sure whomever is going to be treating you (whether a doctor, surgeon, therapist, etc.) -- that they are very knowledgeable with the IDET procedure. Ask them how many other IDET patients they have had.

Do you still use ice? I still do on a daily basis. When I 'know' I'm going to flare up...or going to need the ice. Even on hot days, I find an ice pack helps alleviate pain (and cools me off to boot!).

Please be very careful in your move. Try wearing that awful back brace while packing...etc. YOu KNOW you are gonna do something, so make sure you wear that big huge string around your waist http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif (hehe) Bending? No Sireee!

Take care of yourself....and think of yourself first. I know this sounds very selfish...but I think you need to hear that at this time. If you cannot function, then everything you are working so hard for will fail. Keep yourself healthy first, and all will just go as planned.

Be well.



------------------
successtory
Oct 2000: Repetitive Stress Injury-Inverted Hernia
Feb 2001: MRI. Shows only slight bulge at L4-L5
Dec 2001: Discogram/CT scan shows Inverted Hernia at L5-S1. L4-L5 & L5-S1 ruptured in all 4 quadrants. Unable to walk.
Feb 2002: IDET, Nucleoplasty, Intra-Discal Injections
Sept 2002: Rated in the top 10% for successful patients. Retraining for new career.

hey Carrington

Ya, haven't been here in a while. Things aren't going that well for me at all. I amstill alot worse than i was before IDET. I just started PT and just got out of my brace here and there. I'm just hoping that this gets better, but I really have my doubts. Doc says i still need to give this at least 6 months. The pain is still really bad. Sitting and standing for me is still really bad. I have been told the degenerate disc disease is what is causing this severe pain. Also the stenosis at l5-s1 is really bad. I think this is going to be ongoing for manyu years. I'm not for fusion surgery at all. Well let me rephrase.....NO SURGERY at all. I'm really scared of that. Only 33 years old and have 2 small children ages 2 and 5. Don't wont them to remember there childhood as mommy being incapable of anything at all.

Anyway, I'm just going to deal for now. Doc doesn't want to even discuss any more treatment until maybe a year down the road. Still tring to be optimistic.

Well good luck to you and hope your relocation goes well for you.

Just DON'T LIFT ANYTHING.

Talk to you soon

Hi Squirrel,

I was just reading your post, and you mention being a mother of 2. My question is, how on Earth did are you managing two children post IDET? My doc has mentioned the IDET to me, I have 2 little ones (2-1/2 and 16mos) and I am really too afraid of messing the IDET up by, basically, being a mommy. Esp my youngest wants to be held alot when we're around other people.

Hope you're feeling better! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/love1.gif

Karen

------------------
9/22/00 24 hour labor, baby posterior, left tailbone killing me
12/00 MRI - PCP said nothing amiss - but, had to begin taking vicodin
2/8/02 - 2nd baby born after long, painful pregnance as weight gain
2000-11/02 various PT + pain meds
11/02 Referred to Neuro
3/03 NEW MRI - shows slight bulge L3-L4,slight DDD Neuro Refers to PM for ESI
3/03 PM Doc orders ESI
3/21,4/1,4/8 - ESI's no help
5/9 - Discogram - shows Tear L4 w/ significant leak onto nerves, DDD
Doc sched NEW discogram 'cuz performing doc oversedated, False Negative
New Consult w/ Dept Head Cleveland Clinic 7/8

mokita,
To be perfectly honest, I had a lot of support from my husband and our family. My neighbors have been really great in helping out.If you decide to get IDET you will need the help for a few weeks. I was happy that I decided in late Febuary, expecially in New York the weather was horrible and I really had no choice to stay in. The best advice is make sure you have help with your children and to really take it easy. I have my kids to come to me and give me hugs and kisses. They kind of understood that mommy couldn't pick then up etc... My children are older then yours. Also, I'm am really lucky that my husband is really great with handling the kids. He gives baths and can pretty much do anything. Well, I hope things work out with you.


What is wrong with your back?

Squirrel

Hi Squirrel & thnx for reply!

My hubby is also good, but I do most baths nowadays. He did when I was preg w/ Erin as I was having back problems then and didn't need the bending!

I have tear in L4, significant leak onto L5 nerve as my Pain Mgmt doc read the discogram rpt. The MRI only showed a 3mm bulge in L4 and 'appears to compress the right L5 nerve root.'Also, there is straightening of the lordosis. I was told that is my back is as straight as an arrow. Not good I guess.

I had the Discogram bcuz the injections didn't work as they thought they would, so my pm doc suspected a tear. He's right.

I am glad I know what it is. Just sick of dealing with it after 2-1/2 yrs.

I go to see another doc 7/8 to read the rpts, see if he wants to repeat discogram (1st one came up negative - but, I felt that I was way to zapped by anesthesia - and my pm doc agreed, he was surprised @ doc's findings as there is such a big leak, I guess) and also, if I'm a candidate for IDET. I plan to go in with as much info as possible to get the best recommendation. I am experiencing numbness in my foot and it travels, and that's what really has me concerned as to long term problems.

There's my book... sorry so long!

Karen