HEY There,
i hope you dont take this personally, as it is not intended to be. i do however,have some questions for you about some of the opinions i have read that youve written regarding IDET, nucleoplasty,etc...
i have personally had IDET this past april, and although i am personally not feeling the effects i had first hoped for , i am still well within the boundaries of successful healing and am very optimistic. i thought alot before writing you as i figured you may be offended by this, but i really have to ask where you are getting your facts about IDET as you consistently state it "doesnt work except for the lucky few". are you simply gauging your beliefs based on the testimonials youve read here? actually, nationally speaking, IDET has very good statistics based on national polls, and criteria that are relevant when deducing whether a specific surgery, modality is beneficial or not. it is also a "less evasive" procedure( as it does not even qualify as surgery) less evasive meaning "less cutting" and is actually very reccommendable when assessing back pain and options for healing. i actually went to the doctor i was seen by based on a reccommendation from a friend that had the same problems i had, and ended up having a full recovery. i say full, by definition, completly healed 100%. now tell me someone that had a fusion that has that story!! anyway, i by no means am a doctor, or even reccommending this procedure as i am not qualified to do so. But keep in mind, i , like you, like many here on these boards look to this website as a means of learning, relation,relating, and at times helping. Some people are very impressionable and some dont even have insurance and use sites such as these to act as a diagnosis, prior to selecting a type of procedure. While you may not intend to do so, every time people read your info. regarding the ineptness of IDET, they may infact take that to heart and never even consider trying it?! it is of course, a less involved procedure. most insurance companies dont provide coverage for it as it does not have the history that fusions, and the like enjoy. but have you ever really LOOKED AT THAT HISTORY!! I would have to say, always try the lesser. dont you agree. again, i am not trying to offend, hope you dont take it that way. god bless, bshire :angel:

bshire, I don't take offense at all by your question and wish that we could post sites here and will say that if I did not believe what I'm saying with all my being I would not post it, not that I may night be wrong but this is what I believe.
When I fell and injured my back 6 yrs ago I never believed that I wouldn't be okay again, when it first happened I didn't know about sites like this and others like it so I was just blindly doing what the drs told me.
I did months of chiro and PT and then Idet was suggested then I began research on line and my ins denied it, I'm not real good with the terminolgy of all this but I can tell you it has to do with how high the temp is of the inst. they use to heat the tear in the disc it often does more damage, of course as I said there is often the few that it does work for, if they're wasn't then ins. would never approve it.
As for nucleoplasty if the disc has a tear and which it usually does and they suck the nucleous out it isn't going to do any good because of the tear they are not going to get good suction, so for the ones with tears it's not going to work for the ones without chances are it will.
Just like with everything you will find evidence to suport which ever side the dr wants to represent, I'm only speaking from personal experience and word of mouth these past yrs I have spoken with a lot of drs and spine patients and not just here and this is what I have gathered.
I don't doubt for a min. that these work for some the same as with fusions you have not heard me say anything about fusions as it is not something I know anything about.
I don't post on threads about fusions unless it is to offer support, I agree people read these boards looking for help and that is why I post what I do because I feel what I have to say is my truth as I know it and I for one don't wish anyone harm and don't blame anyone for trying any means of getting better if they believe in it and will support them but if someone ask a question here then I think they need to be ready to hear both sides story.
Months ago I asked about the SCS and most advised against it but I had to try for myself but I was grateful people were honest with me about there experiences with it.
If I can help anyone with my limited experience then it makes my journey worthwhile.
I hope this helps answer your question.
Linda

hey linda,
what is SCS?? i have seen you post before and mention it? just wondering. as for info about a particular procedure being good/bad i totally agree with you. they can spin it anyway they want. i consider myself (as well) pretty fairly educated about the back adn spine and conditions and ways to try to improve. unfortunately, currently, like you, i too am still a wounded warrior despartely trying to get back to that lifesstyle we ALL TOOK SO MUCH FOR GRANTED OVER THE YEARS!! i would be interested always to see the bad side of something as much as i would the good, but have to believe, that heating up something to try to fix it first, far outweighs cutting it out all together!! worst case scenario, it doesnt work, therefore, the disc is going to come out one day anyway. changing the anatomical structure is a mute point if it doesnt work, as they would perform a discetomy later on. this is the general thinking as far as worse case scenarios. keeping in mind, as i defend this procedure, i am actually considerably worse after having it than i was before i went in. thats a kick in the butt, huh? but , i believe i was going in for a long rehab when i had it done, so am not as frustrated as some perhaps that dont see the results they want instantly. the guy that referred me, he told me after ward, he didnt even have to wear the brace as he wasnt really in that much pain after. lucky him. just hoping that i am one of the ones to see the results. strengthening, and PT especially are important for this post procedurely speaking. anyway, i hope to hear you are doing better as time goes on. :angel: :cool: bshire

bshire, First I'd like to say I'm sorry to hear your worse now then before and and I do agree though that it is better however to try anything non surgical before letting them cut you open one you have surgery or fusion there is no going back.
One of my problems is that so many people are mislead to believe that Idet is the miracle procedure that will make life what it was before the pain and unfortuantly for many that just isn't true as you said there is those that it does work for, I didn't opt for the Idet after research and ins. denial I didn't see it was for me but after many more years down the road and so much more pain like a fool I fell for the nucloeplasty, I had actually believed the tears had healed and well long story and wild, foolish dreams.
However I have problems through out my spine none of which are operable, the SCS(spinal cord stimulator) was implanted for the pain of the permanant damage I have to the S1 nerve that causes me a lot of pain in my lower back both buttoccks, hips both legs all the way down in to both feet and toes.Now since I had to have it removed and there is no hope of the nerve recovering the drs are trying to find medication to help keep the pain under control as uch as possible and treating nerve pain is not easy.
I hope that things work out for you and that you find your way back to the life you once had, I would not wish thhis life on anyone.I'm not able to do PT or even aqua thearpy any longer.
Good luck.
Linda

hey again,
man that is dog poo-poo!! i am so sorry to hear this and will pray for you tonight. Linda (my name is brian) the only thing i can say about that is that i firmly believe that you cant quit, i mean quit by saying no PT, and no aqua thpy. unless you literally cant walk(and even then, ive seen people go to the clinic that cant walk) and there in the pool. i know there is a myriad of reasons, no car, no one to drive, what have you, but god dont quit. your body needs the stimulation to give it a fighting chance. i am in so much pain that even going for 20min. walks end painfully. i cant stand still for more than a couple minutes and i cant sit at all!!! ONLY LAY OR WALK. but guess what, funk that man.. i am going to heal. so ARE YOU!! you have to train your mind to believe, and ask God everyday. he wont fail you if you believe , believe. just like the story when hes in the water walking on the water toward the boat, and he tells peter to get out, and peter starts walking on the water too.!! but then he looks down, ( i.e. starts to doubt) and he sinks. Jesus tells us these parables to shed us light on topics. that one means to not doubt. wavering faith is like a wave being tossed back and forth about the ocean tide. i love you and know you can do it. (from a christian perspective of course) you can, you can you can you can you can you can you can you can!!!!!!! :angel: :cool: bshire