Hello I am a new member here and I have some questions.
I am a 32 year old guy that has a bad low back. I injured it in 1999 and have had the following done:
chiropratic care,xrays,2 mris(1999,2003),physical therapy(3times),IDET procedure.
I basically have a wasted lower back. I am a tall thin guy and all of my jobs have been labor oriented and I guess that it took its toll on my back. The mris show that my discs are bad. All of my pain is low back. From time to time my back will go completley out to where I cannot move. I find one spot where I can breath then I stay there until I can get to a bed. Mris show degenerating discs at L levels. Bulging and tears too.
Right now I am seeing what is supposed to be one of the best spine centers on the west coast. The doc there said that he is concerned with the rate of degen going on. He says that my choices are double level fusion or pain management doc. He wants to do a discogram next week. From what I gather its a test to see if the discs are the pain generators? and also its a test to see if the uppermost disc can handle the abuse if a fusion is done, since its taking the job of the fused disc?
I need help/info/advice as to get a fusion or not?
artificial disc replacement candidate?

Hi Shmiggley,

A discogram, according to my neurosurgeon, is done to determine where the pain is originating from, which disk. I had one done about 2-1/2 months ago. I didn't find it too terribly bad, but you have to remember with all of this stuff that everyone is different!

Also per him, I had L5 (lowest disk on back) was not there, next one up had tears and almost no fluid, and the next one up was about the same. (They couldn't find a good one to compare against!) The fusion was done to stabilize the upper disks. However it does cause more wear and tear on the upper disks, which may cause some problems down the road.

Personally, for myself only, I have gotten great relief. I am only two months out of surgery and feel so much better already.

You should get a 2nd opinion no matter what your Dr. determines. There are some people that this works for, and unfortunately, some that it does not work so well for. Do a search on the internet on fusion to get more information. Nobody can determine whether you should or not but you. It's a pretty serious step.

Hope you feel better. Keep posting. I'm sure you'll be getting more responses soon!


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47 Years Old - Female
15 Years of Pain (I waited too long!)
L5-S1 fusion 3/27/03
L4 Disk - torn, ruptured
L3 Disk - torn, ruptured

I wish I knew more about fusions to help ya. Sorry to hear your pain. I am quite young myself and I have a bad back from football. All I know is that fusion patients are generally happy about their results because they are in so much pain, it does however make you lose flexiblity and put stress on the other discs around it. ADR for all I know are limited to several levels and are only done outside of the US. However there are research groups doing experimental trials with prodiscs etc. If you search this site for ADR, artifical disc replacement, prodisc, charlite, etc you will find many useful posts to give you a better understanding of what you are getting yourself into. Also there are a bunch of knowledgeable people on this site who I am sure will get around to asnwering your question when they get a chance. I'm sorry to see you are in such pain, I know how it feels. Good luck and I hope I offered you some service.
-Coby

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Chronic back pain for 6 years
Epidurals, PT, occasional relief
Hurt back severely during college football
Ruptured L5 S1 and nerve damage
Hemilaminectomy/Discectomy on 2-20-03
Pain is getting better every week
Residual numbness and pain in foot, butt, calf
Rehabing at new PT and getting better
Still have numbness and occasional pain in leg

Hi Shmiggley, I don't know much about these procedures either but wanted to welcome you here!!
I have problems with my low back too but drs say there's nothing anyone can do for me. They say surgery isn't an option for me, so I just take meds and move on taking each day as it comes.
Good luck with your decision as to what course of action to take, keep intouch with us and let us know how you're doing! If there's anything we can do for you, just let us know! Take care!!

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your friend, out2lunch

well to update. I went and had the discogram done and they found out that I have two more bad discs. L1/2 and the L2/3. So now I have 5 bad discs. The doc said that fusion is out the question cause of the degeneration going on.
My only option the doc gave me is to see a pain management guy. So now I feel screwed and bummed.
I looked into Artificial Disc replacment and I wont be able to get that cause I have 5 bad discs. I am so friggin sick of all this. I cannot believe that this is my life.

Shmiggley,God my heart goes out to you I fell at work 7/13/99 and hurt my back and have been fighting Wc & private Ins for over 4 yrs now and have been living on pain meds for all this time and now something has broke lose back there and I am in almost your shape,I am getting very little if any relief, you see even w/the severity of my injury they all keep saying work-work all you can ,and I did even when I had to over medicate to do it and came home to complete pain & tears I wish I would have listened to my body,I waited tables for a living,like you I have never known anything but manual labor,I started working as a car hop the day after I turned 11(does that tell you how old I am)I have worked hard all my life and to just up and quit I didn't know how,well my back has told me how!! I gave up til I came here and got hooked up w/this great bunch of people,I don't have the knowledge the others have about procedures and surgeries as I don't have the memory for it I take notes about them and lose them. The point is don't give up ever, I've done that for 4 yrs now and have decieded to take a stand and fight for myself.Please don't stop looking for help as I said there will be others along that can help w/advice I can give you moral support and I give you all that I've got to give. Keep your Spirit up and stay in here w/this great bunch of people they will help.Will keep you in my prayers.
Linda

Hi Shmig...I'm so sorry to hear such a sad update! Yet, know how you feel! Sometimes we can't give up the fight in finding someone out there that can help and sometimes we just have to face that we've checked every avenue.
I want you to sit and write down each and every test/procedure you've had done and what types of drs you've seen. Take this to your family dr and let him/her know that you're only in your 30's and aren't ready to give up on the idea of a life without pain! You want him/her to help you to exhaust every avenue there is and if he won't, you'll find one that will! If he's reluctant to help, ask him how he'd feel if this was him or one of his family members? Would he be able to sit back and do/say nothing to help them? Somehow I doubt it!
I pray that this works for you!! I was recently given this pep talk and am taking it to my family dr on Tuesday!! WISH ME LUCK LOL!!
Just know that you're in our thoughts and prayers! I know this will sound lame but it's so true....THINGS CAN BE MUCH WORSE!! After 5yrs I've come to realize that half the battle in surviving day to day, is our mind set. I have to concentrate on the small things in life that I still have or can do and know how much worse things could be for me and my family. I'm not saying it's an easy battle, but it's not one I'm willing to give in to just yet! I'm concentrating on my hubby and kids, and on getting through one day at a time! As I've been told there's nothing that can be done, and I haven't yet figured out an avenue yet unexplored! Hopefully Tues. something will come to light! Take care and keep us posted!!

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your friend, out2lunch

Hi Shmiggley,I,ll go ahead and give you my two cents,first of all,it,s always a tough blow to our minds,when we are told news such as what you recieved.It is very depressing and all sorts of negative thoughts fill the mind.The only way to change these feelings is to stay on the positive side of things,no matter how tough it gets.You are lucky to have the option of going to a Pain Mgmnt. facility.There are many things they can do to help you and to ease your pain.I have held off from similar surgery like you are looking at,for 10 years,opting instead,after going through about 10 other procedure,to be on Opiate therapy.It enables me to work,go places,play with my little girls,and have a decent quality of life.That is all we can hope for in the world we live in.I know 3 or 4 people that had the surgery,and only 1 of them felt better after it.I will not be cut on if I can help it.That is MY decision.I don,t give a damn what people say cause I take pain meds,that,s my business and my families.Go see the Pain Mgmnt. Dr.s and see what they can do to help,Shmig,it,s worth a try.Good-Luck,Jack Beanstalk