In May 2000 I injured my lumbar spine.MRI showed small herniation at L3L4 and bulging at L4L5 and L2L3...Had micro discectomy Jan 01...returned to work feeling fairly good April 01..I still had pain in lower back but not as severe but my right hip began to bother me...an ride to the hospital in an ambulance took me out of work for good in Sept 01.I have consulted with Ortho and Neuros and been offered fusion by 3 of them and stimulator implant by the Neuro.
Later my pain management doctor did a discogram and it showed a lot more damage than the MRI did....I had 2 discs that were ruptured and could not contain the injected dye.
As far as fusion or stimulator implant.
I've refused ....My research tells me to hold out if I can for ADR....anyway...I did get a Boston Brace which itself was very uncomfortable and at times would put pressure on my spine(deep breaths,sneezing,coughing)And the jolt of pain was tremendous...I wore it for about a year before weaning off of it....It had helped somewhat to stabalize my spine.I reached a point where I no longer wore the brace....I was still in pain but was bearable.
Anyhow...I've been getting by ,being careful and deliberate in my moves but 2 weeks ago I suddenly started to experience severe pain...at first like the muscles were tearing away from my old surgical site and it has been constant agony since....the nerves are firing rapidly sending jolts of pain and spasms.My groin area is jumping twitching like my reflexes are being triggered....pain is in lumbar..SI area hip the whole upper leg...back front side of thigh and I am actually hearing crackling and crunching in my spine as well as feeling it.
My problem is I've relocated to the Port Charlotte Florida area and have not found a spine doc yet.I went to a clinic to see if I could get a referral for a spine specialist and was directed to pain management.....who will not see me until I get contact info from the comp insurance.(they are supposed to cover my back problems for life)but I never was given any of that info....just a prescription card.I am miffed at the doctor for referring my to pm when I specifically asked for a spine surgeon.I can't understand what the doctor is saying and I don't think he understands me....he is foreigner....I wish I could find an English speaking doctor!!!!!
I know I am needing surgery and don't think I can hold out much longer but I really do not want fusion....I need ADR on 2 levels and was hoping by now it would be FDA approved.Doeas anyone know if multilevel is being done yet?Are there any Doctors in the southwest Florida area performing these ADR surgeries?
Sorry this was so long.....getting desperate....Thank you.
Jaydar

Sorry...there is so much I didn't mention everything....I've had Epidurals and trigger point injections which did no good at all...and I have bloated because of the cortisone (how do I get rid of the bloat?)Also have DDD.
The strange thing ,or different thing is..I am not experiencing the electrical shock sensation that runs down the whole leg like I did for 2 years but I do still get a stabbling sensation like an icepick in the bottom of my foot.That has always happened since I was first injured and it comes out of nowhere.I could be in a comfortable position and the wham,,,,icepick in the bottom of the foot.

I didn't have to wear a back brace after my double fusion, but after my redo fusion, my surgeon wanted me to wear one when I went out of the house. I too had a Boston Brace and the first time I wore it for more than 1/2 hour, it hurt me too. I called my surgeon and they told me to just drop in and he would look at it.

Turns out it was not made right and wasn't supporting anything it should have been. If I continued to wear it like that, it would just do more damage than good. He was furisous and call the brace company up right then and there and told them he was sending me over for a new one and they better not charge me. Mind you, this was my second back brace already. The first one the made the day after my surgery was so absurd, even the person who brought it to me the next day knew it was terribly wrong.

I went in to be measured for my third brace and when it came in a few days later, I went in and put it on. Even he knew it wasn't right. He kept going into some back room to work on it and try to make adjustments so it would fit, but after an hour he gave up and said he would have to measure me again and get another one made.

When the 4th one came in and I went in to get it, the second I put it on I knew it was finally right. It felt so good and fit like a glove. Your brace shouldn't hurt you. Have you had your surgeon look at it to make sure it is right? If not, call tomorrow and get it checked right away, you may need another one made too.

Good Luck,
Casey

Thank you for responses....I was reading somewhere on this board that someone just had a 2 level ADR in the Connecticut area...I think trials on multilevel ADR may be underway.I'm trying to scout out a doctor in my area who is participating