Hi all,
I have'nt been around for awhile.. my last post I told you how my surgeon wanted to remove my hardware at 4 mos post-op, since i was having worse pain than before my surgery. well, long story short, he was fired. I am now seeing a nuerosurgeon that had me go in for lidocaine injections at my hardware, this did not help. Then I went in for a CT it showed that I am not fused! and that I have an enormous amount of scar tissue. He said that this could be why I am in so much pain! He also said that he would never go in and remove scar tissue, too risky, and it is a short term fix because the scar tissue would just come back. Also, how many screws do you guys have??? I had a l4-l5 plif and my surgeon only put in 2 screws? my neuro Dr and the PM Dr both asked me why he only put in two screws?? I just looked dumb and said, I dont know?? Why did he? ofcourse they would not speculate if this has anything to do with my pain, or nonfusion. He has me on a external bone growth stimulator, which was something the first surgeon never had me on. I go back in 6weeks to repeat all the testing to see if there is any change.
God Bless to all and have a Happy Thanksgiving, I'm going to miss the big shopping day
Lisa:angel:

Lisa, oh my goodness. Something does not sounds right with this other surgeon they let go. I was really worried about you when you said they might take out the hardware - praise GOD this doctor is gone.

As much as I hate to say it, you might need a lawyer. I am not sue happy but it sounds like the doctor might have been negligent. I would go outside of the practice and get another opinion and for them to first hand have knowledge of the case. You might need proof of everything.

Also scar tissue can cause alot of pain.

Take care and I am lifting you up in prayer.

Hmm, well you are only 4 months into your healing process and it's not unusual to not see any fusing happening this early on. The stimulator is a good thing to add.

Some of us have pain due to "movement" in the spine at a particular area. This could also be part of your problem, if the hardware was not enough. Scar tissue is an awful thing for many, but if your spine needs more stability, maybe going back in for that would be enough reason to do so. Its too early to really know this yet.

I guess you only have ONE rod instead of TWO? Normally.. one screw for each end of a rod. Who knows why he chose that route, and you said he was fired. Meaning you fired him, or his group fired him? If the group fired him, how do you know that he was in fact "fired"? Was it from someone in the doctor group? This is all pertinent information for you to write down and just keep as you go along. If for some reason there is true negligence, then you have journal of things.