What does 'Pre Testing' for fusion surgery entail?

shg

Brooke,

I'll speak of my experience. I donated 2 units of blood , in fact, I gave my first unit 2 weeks prior to surgery and the second, a week before. No biggy. As for everything else, they gave me an EKG (in some cases they may request a chest x-ray), did a blood test and listened to my chest and that's it. All in all, it toook about 35 minutes and was fairly painless. With respect to the blood donation, that took a total of an hour and I went back to work right after that.

It's easy...don't worry about it.

SHG

camelia

hello tomorrow, brooke sean et al
just woke from deep sleep after epidural.
as posted elsewhere while not totally painless its really more nerve 'wracking' than anything! The injections went into the sciatic nerve at L5S1 & felt similar to an electric shock all the way down to my toes - (big thanks for the best wishes for the procedure)
What was interesting was my physicist (he's not a surgeon but the guy who tries to fix you first without surgery ;- ) had a big smile when I mentioned that the diagnostic inject done 2 weeks ago gave me pain relief in my feet for 8 hours afterwards (usually only 20 minutes) & mentioned the flushing effect that it has & seemed quite optimistic that the epidural might work for me - I forgot to mention the 'band-aid' effect!
Any way - as off 10.30 am I have felt none of the burning in my feet that has been my companion for about 2 months - & have taken no pain killer either
I 've got a pain chart to keep & was told that the response to the injection was variable - but usually only started in 2 or 3 days
Reason I have a surgery date is i wanted to get it sorted this year as been dragging me down for months now - so the surgeon I saw gave me a date as he's so busy & said I could cancel up to 24 hours before
Now going to watch tv & direct cooking of evening meal from the sofa! feeling more cheerful than I have for ages . . .
C

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Spondylolisthesis for over 25 years without pain symptoms
Leg aching started 12/02 & burning feet pain in 7/03 finally diagnosed as pressure on nerves at L5 & S1 on 9/8/03
Scheduled to have 2 Epidurals & Myelogram
Provisional surgery date 11/11/03

__________________
Spondylolisthesis at L5S1 = nerve impingement = pain in legs & feet
Laminectomy April 21, 2004

MarianJ

Hello Camelia,

I am sorry to hear of the pain you must have felt when the injection hit the sciatic nerve. I really now how that felt as I had a similar experience when I had my discogram. They had accidentally hit the nerve and yes the pain was down my whole right leg down through my toes. I screamed and tried to jump off the table. They had to hold me down until I calmed down. Thank God it only lasted a couple of seconds but it scared me more.

What great news that you are indeed getting pain relief..... You must be so grateful to be rid off the burning in your feet. I am very happy for you. Remember to rest and I hope that you directed dinner comes out to your liking. My kids are teenager's and even with my directions it still hard to swallow...lol

Take Care.

Brooke79

Hi Tommorrow

Hehe, yes Australia is a beautiful place. I dont yet know whether or not its a good thing to be as isolated from the rest of the world. When I hear from people who are living in London right now just 'popping over to Paris' for the weekend, I just think WOW! That is amazing. As I was saying to Sean, I would love to travel to the USA and see all the places I only ever see in the movies!
The Blood bank said you dont even have to donate if you dont want to, that there can still be risks associated with donating your own blood. I'll see what the surgeon suggests. It's so expensive.
Hehe, and as for the what you say when you wake up thing. I had a non-spinal related simple day surgery procedure about 4 months ago and when I woke up i obviously had no diea what I was saying but I remember asking the nurse what they found during the procedure. She said 'for gods sake will you stop asking that and be quiet', now I remember feelinging really sad, I have no idea what I was saying so how could I very well control it! I hope I have nice nurses.

Have a good day, Tommorrow

[img]http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif[/img]
Brooke

__________________
October 2003 PLIF for L5S1 Spondy
May 2004 PLIF revision RHBMP2

Brooke79

Hi Sean,

How are you??? How's the recovery going? Still no dramas I hope.
The pre-testing seems fairly straight forward. Thanks for your input. I'm wondering, (and not sure if you'll know) but do they have to take measurements for the instrumentation they are inserting, or does this go off your MR1/Ct scans?

Take care and have a good day Sean

[img]http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif[/img]
Brooke

__________________
October 2003 PLIF for L5S1 Spondy
May 2004 PLIF revision RHBMP2

Brooke79

Hi Camelia

You're a brave little one having the epidural, how do you feel about needles in general? I hate them. I'm glad it's given you relief though. Let's hope it lasts a while.
Did you experience the electric feeling pain down the sciatic nerve whilst the needle was still in? That would be the worst as you can't exactly move while its in you. Ouch....
Is that normal? Experiencing that kind of pain?

[img]http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif[/img]
Brooke

__________________
October 2003 PLIF for L5S1 Spondy
May 2004 PLIF revision RHBMP2

isillyme

Hi Brooke
I know what you mean after waking up and not knowing how or what you may feel. My surgery is in 2 weeks and I am like ok do I have everything ready for this or not. I have an appointment with my ORTHO so I will be asking if I need some type of home care (visiting nurse) after I have the surgery. I have already been told that I won't beable to do much for 12 weeks and that will be hard for me. Boredom and I don't mix well. You wouldn't believe what I have gotten done already as far as getting christmas shopping done etc... I am only hoping I am prepared enough.


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canadate for the prodisc surgery. have herniated disc at L4-5 also have tears in L3-4,and
L5-S1. Had the IDET in January 2000 at
L4-5 level. Have nerve blocks under sedation at C5-6 and C6-7 also have swelling in the nerve that supplies down both arms and hands. May have 3 buldging discs in the cervical region as well. due to have the prodisc surgery for the lumbar in October. Have tried everything for lumbar nothing has worked, including significant weight loss.

__________________
I had the prodisc surgery at level L4-5 on October 9,2003. I have L3-4 and L5S1 starting to go bad... but will look into that in the future. Epideral blocks are helping.

Brooke79

Dear Isillyme,

I know exactly what you mean, Brooke + boredom = :frown:, , [img]http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif[/img], [img]http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/tired.gif[/img], [img]http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/dizzy.gif[/img]. All in all I will be going mad wishing I could do something like .
My parents both work real long hours so I will be staying in hospital a little longer in the rehab ward, until i can look after myself, because they just wont have time. This isnt so bad, at least it reduces the chances of something going wrong.
Nah, we're pretty alike, I've started christmas shopping. The last thing I want is to have to battle the crowds in long cues at shopping centers where i probably wont be able to get a park except for 10kms from the shops in the heat. Thats if I can drive by then.

No i definately like to be organised. My parents are paying for the procedure so im paying for everything i need like the reaching aids, the non slip mat for shower, the new shower head, etc...blah blah.

Have a good evening Isillyme,

[img]http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/heart.gif[/img]
Brooke

__________________
October 2003 PLIF for L5S1 Spondy
May 2004 PLIF revision RHBMP2

MarianJ

Hello Brooke,

Good Morning..... Sometimes I think I would love to be isolated from the rest of the world. Here on Long Island the just keep building houses on top of one another.

As for the blood bank, things are run a little differently here. It is the surgeon that requested that I give a blood donation. Of course I would rather use my own blood. But I also had to pay that fee and then they never even used my donation. And I still believe that my donation, then menstruating twice, and surgery played a part in my anemia. If my surgery date had not been moved closer than I would have had more time to rebuild my blood count. But that is just my experience.

I really hope that you do have nice nurses as the stay in the hospital will be more pleasant. I had the choice of three hospitals. I picked the worst one as I did not want hubby and kids to travel further. And I also thought about my trip home from the hospital. I has nurses complain that I was not taking enough meds. I awoke to them pressing the button on the morphine machine. I also suffer from reflux and the meds were tearing my stomach apart. Then I persuaded my neuro to change the med as the acid was unbearable. I was finally able to eat on the third day. When they took me off the pain pump I heard the nurses complaining what a waste of meds. As if they were paying for it. My first walk was all be myself as the nurses did not answer the call button, and I had to go to the bathroom after the catheter was removed. I used my IV stand for support and I was so darn dizzy. My husband will never let me go back their. Sorry to hear that you also had a horrible nurse. We all have our bad days but when working in the medical field they should have a proper bedside manner.

Well, I have another appointment with doc at 10:00, so talk to you later....

shg

Good morning to all.

Brooke,

I wouldn't worry about what you say in recovery, the nurses hear this stuff all the time. Please don't feel sad, it's not worth it. As for the testing, it is pretty straight forward. I was not measured prior to my surgery, the surgeon told me all of that is done in the O.R. Are you having a 360 degree fusion? I can't remember. Secondly, I'm confused, does your healthcare not cover the blood donation? I was completely covered.

So, when are you coming to NY? You may not want to leave. Just think, you live in a place where many of us would love to go visit...and one day, I will.

My recovery is going pretty well, thank you. I do however, need to step up the walking. I'm afraid I haven't been doing enough...today, I'm going to change that although, it's crazy in my neighborhood right now, I live one block from the UN and the president is in town and I have the Secret Service outside my apartment...that's the only drama as of now in my life. You?

For those of you who have had epidurals, have you all really witnessed that much pain? I've had 7 of them to date including RF Ablasion and I have to say, the doctors were great. In fact, it was the pain specialist who did them all and the only pain I remember is the pain whjen they hit the nerve which they have to to ensure they have the right spot.

shg

Good morning to all.

Brooke,

I wouldn't worry about what you say in recovery, the nurses hear this stuff all the time. Please don't feel sad, it's not worth it. As for the testing, it is pretty straight forward. I was not measured prior to my surgery, the surgeon told me all of that is done in the O.R. Are you having a 360 degree fusion? I can't remember. Secondly, I'm confused, does your healthcare not cover the blood donation? I was completely covered.

So, when are you coming to NY? You may not want to leave. Just think, you live in a place where many of us would love to go visit...and one day, I will.

My recovery is going pretty well, thank you. I do however, need to step up the walking. I'm afraid I haven't been doing enough...today, I'm going to change that although, it's crazy in my neighborhood right now, I live one block from the UN and the president is in town and I have the Secret Service outside my apartment...that's the only drama as of now in my life. You?

For those of you who have had epidurals, have you all really witnessed that much pain? I've had 7 of them to date including RF Ablasion and I have to say, the doctors were great. In fact, it was the pain specialist who did them all and the only pain I remember is the pain whjen they hit the nerve which they have to to ensure they have the right spot.

SHG

camelia

hello all - you're right sean - its a bit like having an injection at the dentists - not too bad - just when they get the needle in the right position - my doctor is really great & just talked me through the whole thing - my biggest worry was my bleed pressure which shot up to 180 - guess i just strss out too much
so you still feel pretty good sean - that's so wonderful to hear - just been listening to the pres. speech at the un actually
sure we'll here from sharon end of this week - she's probly home by now right?
i'm still painfree in the foot department - need to keep a pain diary from tomorrow - if the pain stays away (hoping) will i still need the 2nd one - does anyone know? read somewhere they dont like giving more than 3 a year as thet're basically not good for your body
brooke that was an amazing descrip of spondy i just read - you are such a 'firecracker'!!
best
C

__________________
Spondylolisthesis at L5S1 = nerve impingement = pain in legs & feet
Laminectomy April 21, 2004

camelia

hello all - you're right sean - its a bit like having an injection at the dentists - not too bad - just when they get the needle in the right position - my doctor is really great & just talked me through the whole thing - my biggest worry was my bleed pressure which shot up to 180 - guess i just strss out too much
so you still feel pretty good sean - that's so wonderful to hear - just been listening to the pres. speech at the un actually
sure we'll here from sharon end of this week - she's probly home by now right?
i'm still painfree in the foot department - need to keep a pain diary from tomorrow - if the pain stays away (hoping) will i still need the 2nd one - does anyone know? read somewhere they dont like giving more than 3 a year as thet're basically not good for your body
brooke that was an amazing descrip of spondy i just read - you are such a 'firecracker'!!
best
C

__________________
Spondylolisthesis at L5S1 = nerve impingement = pain in legs & feet
Laminectomy April 21, 2004

shg

Camelia,

A diary is a great idea...I actually use this site as mine. Plus, it gives me "real" insight into what others are going through. I hear you with the BP. When I had my 1st ESI, it was about 7 years ago and I fainted. Funny considering I have no problem in watching operations, etc but when I saw it, I was out cold. Since than though I've been fine.

I do feel pretty good. In fact, I went for a 1/2 mile walk before and when I hit "submit" now, I'm going for another one.

We better hear from Sharon...

My 1st series of ESI's I had 3 in 3 weeks. Than this year I had 2 lus on RF. The way i was told was it masks the pain...the point is to help you get over something but if you still have a problem, you need to resolve that somehow. Just like professional (and non pro) athletes who have cortisone shots, it helps but it's a cruch and a mask...the uinderlying issue's need resolution. Period.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that you will be fine; and I'm sure you will be.

SHG.