Advice/Thoughts on New Treatments or Docs - Back Problems Message Board

chrisy24 · 12-26-2007, 02:07 AM

Hey all, I'm not really sure where I go from here. I have spinal stenosis and L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs are degenerated and herniated (I've been given a bunch of different terms). I recently went to my neurosurgeon because of post-op pain (lami/discectomy) and he recommended a fusion again, which I'm just not ready for. So, there is pretty much nothing else he can do for me to relieve the pain that is non-surgical. I really don't want to have another surgery, there has to be other options. I just don't know where to go or who to see now.
I've never tried acupuncture, has anyone had good results? I will never go to another chiropractor, they cannot be helping by twisting the spine like that! The epidural injections have not been helpful for me. I have heard a lot of people talk about pain management docs but, I don't know exactly what they do.
I would appreciate any suggestions or things that have been helpful for other people. I'm willing to try anything that might help. I live in northern nj very close to nyc, can anyone recommend a good doctor in the area?
P.S.- I'm so glad I found this board, everyone is really nice and knowledgeable.

carol632 · 12-26-2007, 01:42 PM

Chrisy, I think that you should get a second opinion about whether surgery is your only real option at this point. Stenosis really isn't something that responds well to therapy since there isn't any way to open up room for the nerve other than doing surgery. Just where are these herniations? At what level? Obviously you don't get relief with injections and besides, those are just bandaids, and you are absolutely right to stay away from the chiro's.

I can't blame you for not wanting fusion surgery; most people try hard to avoid it, but there comes a time when the pain gets bad enough that you will elect to have it done. The big thing to consider is how much damage is being done to the nerve as you don't want it to become so damaged that it can't recover even after surgery. Believe me, when the stenosis got so bad as to keep me up nights crying, I was begging for the surgery and you will, too.

I'm really sorry you are dealing with this decision; it's a tough one, for sure and I wish you the best of luck with whatever decision you make.

Carol

SpineAZ · 12-26-2007, 09:32 PM

Pain Management doctors look at how they can control your pain. Thus far my PM doc has provided me medications and got me a TENS unit for me to own and use at home. The PM doc I see also works with complementary alternative medicine (accupunture, yoga, massage therapy, etc). Make sure whoever you see is board certified.

Unfortunatley I know a good knee surgeon in NJ but not a spinal doc. I was lucky that while I lived in Northern NJ I had only knee problems and no back/neck problems.

mznell · 12-26-2007, 10:27 PM

If I lived that close to NYC, I would make an appointment at HSS (Hospital for Special Surgeries) in Manhattan. It is one of the best clinics in the world, and they have every kind of treatment pertaining to the spine -- various docs, pain management, PT, etc. I would suggest you go for a second opinion so at the very least, you have another point of view.

schragie · 12-26-2007, 10:37 PM

Baron Lonner of Scoliosis Associates in Manhattan did my L5/S1 fusion. He is listed in the phone book. He does a lot of extremely complicated surgeries and is an orthopedic surgeon. Might be worth getting a second opinion from a different type of surgeon just to compare them.

HSS is supposed to be the best. Check out the pain management board where I started a thread on Pain Management recommendations. Moldova strongly recommended her pain mgmt doc from HSS.

I am also seeing a doc at Hospital for Joint Diseases who has no bedside manner but helped me with the right combo of meds. It's too early for me to recommend him since I've only seen him once!

Good luck!