onyxgates
12-27-2006, 02:58 PM
I have had a positive discogram at l4/l5 and l5/s1. I am being told that my only option is to have the surgery (Fusion at three levels). I don't know if I want the surgery but I know that I don't want to be on the patch (fentenyl) because I am at a six pain scale every hour of every day with it. I tried telling my pain management doctor but he could care less. I don't know what to do...Is it acceptable to be in pain every waking hour? I don't think that is right personally but I don't know as I am relatively newer to all of this (14 months in "pain mgmt" and 8 months before that with my primary).
Doctor says no shots or anything will help. I have tried the RFA, and one round of shots but I feel that they may have given up on the shots too fast). I want to be able to function without pain meds and without going...here's another day of oohing and aahing...and not in a good way
Thanks in advance for your help!!!
Doctor says no shots or anything will help. I have tried the RFA, and one round of shots but I feel that they may have given up on the shots too fast). I want to be able to function without pain meds and without going...here's another day of oohing and aahing...and not in a good way
Thanks in advance for your help!!!
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onyxgates
12-27-2006, 03:20 PM
I am scared of the fusion. Just the chance of death not to mention I am relatively young 34 years young;) If I am getting this now, what do I do when I am 60? I have a two year old as well and I am worried about the recovery.
onyxgates
12-27-2006, 04:15 PM
My doctor is Dr Popp we will utilize Del Nor Hospital. Although I will be getting a second opinion. I am still in the beginning stages. Who is your doctors?
My pain mgmt isn't listening to me but it is also through the same group which is Fox Valley Ortho.
My pain mgmt isn't listening to me but it is also through the same group which is Fox Valley Ortho.
slipperyslope
12-27-2006, 04:20 PM
Have you checked out the spinal boards to ask about success rates for fusions? Just curious as that might help you.
I have heard of several people where the patch hasn't been helpful to them so I am surpised your Dr hasn't offered you either an increase or a different med that controls your pain a little better.
You might benefit from switching to a different pain Doc as you said this guy doesn't really care about you and that's not right so think about finding a new Doc... My freind just had a 2 level fusion in her neck and is doing GREAT. it really is not that bad and you can do it. she is in 90% less pain since her operation and is healing well. Its a very common operation now a days and lots of people have good success rates with cervical fusions, so hopefully you will to....
SS
I have heard of several people where the patch hasn't been helpful to them so I am surpised your Dr hasn't offered you either an increase or a different med that controls your pain a little better.
You might benefit from switching to a different pain Doc as you said this guy doesn't really care about you and that's not right so think about finding a new Doc... My freind just had a 2 level fusion in her neck and is doing GREAT. it really is not that bad and you can do it. she is in 90% less pain since her operation and is healing well. Its a very common operation now a days and lots of people have good success rates with cervical fusions, so hopefully you will to....
SS
Shoreline
12-27-2006, 06:00 PM
Hi Onyx, Any doc that is willing to medicate you to the point that you no longer feel you need to consider fixing a problem that could be fixed isn't doing you any favors. If there is a clear cut mechanical fix, like stabalizing an unstable spine or decrompressing crushed nerves or discs, the longer you put it off, the greater you reduce the odds of success. Pain becomes imprinted into neuro pathways, acute pain turns to chronic and all kinds of changes occur that will ensure a 6 is the best you will ever reach on a pain scale unless you want to spend the next 30 years steadily increasing the amount of meds you take and allowing the meds to rob you of a fullfilling life.
As far as chance of death during fusion surgery, it's highly unlikely. There is no greater risk of death during fusion surgery than any other surgery or anyone that has general anesthesia and simply doesn't wake up. The risk of death from GA is 1:10,000. I don't know anyone that has died on the OR table, but I need more than one hand to count the number of people that have died or killed themselves from the meds nobody seems worried about taking, as long as they provide relief. The meds they are using now have only been used on non terminal patients for 10 years, they have no clue what's going to happen to someone that's spent 30 years in PM, has the tolerance of a Bull elephant and still complains when taking 2000mgs of morphine a day.
Even when surgery fails and they agressively manage pain, they typically shoot for 50% relief, or a 5 on the pain scale. That's on good days, You will still have bad days and you may still have days where pain meds don't touch the pain. You also have to live with the choices you made and if you choose to find a doc that's will prescribe enough dope to put off surgery for a couple years, who do you blame when surgery fails? The surgeon because you choose to allow pain to imprint or the PM doc you begged for more relief so you didn't have to have surgery? The younger, healthier and more motivated you are to get your life back, the better your odds.
Your greatest chance of moving on with your life is to consult with several surgeons, do some real research and make an informed decsion. Ask lots of questions, why does doc A want to go in from the back and use pedicle screws and rods and bone from your own hip, why does doc B want to go in through the front , completely remove the dosc and use cages and bio morphic protein mixed with crushed bone? There are dozens of variables in fusing, Internal or external Bone growth stim or none at all, enzymes to promote bone growth, The type of brace or no brace at all, even hardware selection and the aproach whether it's posterior or anterior all have an effect on the outcome. There is no concensus on the best way to do a fusion and which hardware works best. However if the concensus is you need to have surgery all other factors are just variables.
If the bottom line is you need surgery, the longer you put it off the greater the chance of failure. It makes post op pain management harder when you go into surgery taking more meds than the surgeon has ever prescribed. It makes rebuilding the strength and muscle you loose while masking pain harder and loosing any weight you gain while trying to avoid pain tougher to loose. The option of pain management will always be there, the window for any chance of succesful surgery will slowly close.
Good luck, Dave
As far as chance of death during fusion surgery, it's highly unlikely. There is no greater risk of death during fusion surgery than any other surgery or anyone that has general anesthesia and simply doesn't wake up. The risk of death from GA is 1:10,000. I don't know anyone that has died on the OR table, but I need more than one hand to count the number of people that have died or killed themselves from the meds nobody seems worried about taking, as long as they provide relief. The meds they are using now have only been used on non terminal patients for 10 years, they have no clue what's going to happen to someone that's spent 30 years in PM, has the tolerance of a Bull elephant and still complains when taking 2000mgs of morphine a day.
Even when surgery fails and they agressively manage pain, they typically shoot for 50% relief, or a 5 on the pain scale. That's on good days, You will still have bad days and you may still have days where pain meds don't touch the pain. You also have to live with the choices you made and if you choose to find a doc that's will prescribe enough dope to put off surgery for a couple years, who do you blame when surgery fails? The surgeon because you choose to allow pain to imprint or the PM doc you begged for more relief so you didn't have to have surgery? The younger, healthier and more motivated you are to get your life back, the better your odds.
Your greatest chance of moving on with your life is to consult with several surgeons, do some real research and make an informed decsion. Ask lots of questions, why does doc A want to go in from the back and use pedicle screws and rods and bone from your own hip, why does doc B want to go in through the front , completely remove the dosc and use cages and bio morphic protein mixed with crushed bone? There are dozens of variables in fusing, Internal or external Bone growth stim or none at all, enzymes to promote bone growth, The type of brace or no brace at all, even hardware selection and the aproach whether it's posterior or anterior all have an effect on the outcome. There is no concensus on the best way to do a fusion and which hardware works best. However if the concensus is you need to have surgery all other factors are just variables.
If the bottom line is you need surgery, the longer you put it off the greater the chance of failure. It makes post op pain management harder when you go into surgery taking more meds than the surgeon has ever prescribed. It makes rebuilding the strength and muscle you loose while masking pain harder and loosing any weight you gain while trying to avoid pain tougher to loose. The option of pain management will always be there, the window for any chance of succesful surgery will slowly close.
Good luck, Dave
Fabrashamx
12-27-2006, 07:53 PM
Hi Again Onyx,
I had a fusion over a decade ago, and it was successful, but the delay in diagnosis left me with pain and nerve damage, and now I have bulging discs above and below the fusion site which is not uncommon. If they are telling you that you need the surgery, then I would say you have to go for it, try not to worry about the actual surgery part, they do these all the time and they really arent any more or less risky than any other surgery under general anesthesia. Who is managing your pain at this point? If its a regular PM doc, you may want to ask the neurosurgeon who would do your surgery to prescribe for you instead, they are very knowledgable about pain management and arent afraid to use stronger medications. I'm so sorry, your pain sounds just awful, I answered your other post, But if I had known you were this bad I might have answered differently, best of luck to you, hang in there, we're all pulling for you!
Hugs, Fabby
I had a fusion over a decade ago, and it was successful, but the delay in diagnosis left me with pain and nerve damage, and now I have bulging discs above and below the fusion site which is not uncommon. If they are telling you that you need the surgery, then I would say you have to go for it, try not to worry about the actual surgery part, they do these all the time and they really arent any more or less risky than any other surgery under general anesthesia. Who is managing your pain at this point? If its a regular PM doc, you may want to ask the neurosurgeon who would do your surgery to prescribe for you instead, they are very knowledgable about pain management and arent afraid to use stronger medications. I'm so sorry, your pain sounds just awful, I answered your other post, But if I had known you were this bad I might have answered differently, best of luck to you, hang in there, we're all pulling for you!
Hugs, Fabby
yvette777
12-28-2006, 08:05 AM
I completely relate I am 36 and I am scared to death of fusion. Mostly because for so many years doctors have been avoiding it in my case, telling me I am to young. Now I have a new apt with a new surgeon tommorrow, and once again afraid this is what he's gonna say. Its scary, you hear so many bad horror storys. I know there are alot of good ones to. The people in this post put up a good fighting point. Hell, I guess I should try it. I understand.