|
New Member Introductions If you just joined, please introduce yourself here. Please add a signature describing your spinal history (use the "User CP) and ask us how we can help you get started. |
|
Thread Tools |
#11
|
||||
|
||||
Same surgeon :)
Hey Molly,
I was just reading your post, I am so sorry you are going through all of this. It makes my stomach swirl, just thinking about ADR failing or not working. I also have some arthritis in my facet joints; but I have had facet injections, that only made the pain worse for a couple of weeks, then back to normal. I also see Dr. Zigler of TBI, he has yet to operate on me; but from everything I have read, he is one of the best! I also love how down to earth he is, I came to both of my appointments with my 2 year old, my friend (for an extra set of ears) and her toddler. He was so unfazed by this, even interacting with the kids. The first surgeon I saw, was an arrogant a-hole with little ADR experience, that I had never heard of and could not find anything on (and I didn't even have kids on that appointment); not to mention he was all about fusion. Dr. Zigler, agreed that fusion would be a bad option for me and that I would be best suited for ADR. Hopefully, I will be having surgery in the next couple of months. Best of Luck, Kathy |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
KBear:
Lovely little rugasaurus's you have. They are cute and, probably the light of your life. Hang in there and go with God. It sounds like you have a great surgeon lined up and it is in God's hands now (and a great surgeon working under his direction). I also had some facet arthritis before my 4 level ADR. If the surgeons followed the exclusionary criteria to the letter probably most of us would have been excluded. Terry Newton
__________________
1980 ruptured L4-L5 1988 ruptured SI-L5 1990 ruptured C5-C6 1994 ruptured C6-C7 1995 Hemi-Laminectomy C5-C6, C6-C7 Mayo Clinic Bicycle Accident 2004 MRI, EMG, Facet Injections, Epidural Blocks, Lumbar Discogram. Stenum Hospital Surgery November 4, 2006 Prestige Disc C5-C6, C6-C7 Maverick Disc S1-L5, L4-L5 |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
|
#14
|
||||
|
||||
Hi Molly, It sucks feelin crummy I know. I have a Prodisc at L4-L5. When I had the original discogram 3 years ago, it confirmed the degeneration at L4-L5 and an annular tear at L5-S1. The tear in the annulus was supposedly asymptomatic because it didn't react twice, only once during the discogram. The Prodisc was put in 2 years ago and I continued to have the same horrible back pain. After 2 more years of continuous severe pain, physical therapy, deep tissue massage, epidurals, facet joint injections, trigger point injections, medial branch blocks, 300mg of Oxycontin daily, 2400mg Neurontin daily and asking for another discogram for months, I finally had another discogram this week and L5-S1 reacted. I sure hope I didn't get the Prodisc for nothing. The L4-L5 supposedly needed the Prodisc because it was black on the films, but apparantly the L5-S1 needs some work on the annulus too. I am going to talk to the surgeon about my options but I'm sure I will be cut again. If I need a fusion at L5-S1 it won't be the worst thing in the world because that level doesn't rotate all that much anyway.
Just be sure that a fusion is what you need. It would seem such a waste if you were to fuse your Charite only to find your pain generator is another level. Just a thought. The discogram isn't perfect so I would have the other levels checked thoroughly first.
__________________
12/16/03 Work Accident Herniation and DDD at L4-L5 4/1/05 Discectomy Epidurals and facet injections 5/15/06 Discogram confirmed L4-L5 DDD also an asymptomatic L5-S1 tear 10/24/06 L4-L5 Prodisc surgery with Dr. Goldstein CAT scans & X-Rays show ossification Trigger Point Injections, Medial Branch Blocks, Acupuncture, Weekly Deep Tissue Massage 10/27/08 Discogram (positive L5-S1 tear) 11/25/08 L5-S1 fusion with Dr. Goldstein FAILED BACK SYNDROME Liberty Mutual WC Last edited by Eddie_G; 11-01-2008 at 12:03 AM. |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
3 Weeks Post-op
It's now been 3 weeks since my fusion at L5/S1, leaving the Charite disc in place. Dr. Zigler did a fantastic job on the surgery & he thinks this is really going to help. I am keeping an optimistic outlook on this & pray that he's correct. I am so grateful to have found this doctor. He's not only one of the best surgeons, he's also one of the nicest. I highly recommend him to anyone facing back surgery!
I'm still hurting, but hopefully that's just from the trauma of going through another surgery & will calm down soon. The approach was through 2 incisions in the back where he put the rods & screws on both sides of the disc to secure that level. The incisions seem to be healing, but are still a bit tender. I'm still having to take strong pain pills on top of the oxycontnin, but hopefully it will let up soon & I can back off some of it. Well, my 20 minutes of sitting is up now. I'll update as I progress. Thanks again for all of your support & kind thoughts! - Molly
__________________
--------------------------------------------------- Nov. 24, 2008, L5-S1 Fusion (leaving Charite in), Frisco Jan 25, 2005, L5-S1 ADR Charite in Frisco, TX DDD on L4-5; L5-S1 June 2004, Microdiskectomy/Laminotomy at L5/S1 April 2004, 1st visit to Orthopedic Surgeon Jan 2004, 1st visit to chiropractor Nov 2003, Pain started gradually (no accident or fall) MRI, Epidural Blocks, Facet Injections, Rhizotomy, Lumbar Discogram & Myelogram |
#16
|
||||
|
||||
Molly,
So Dr. Zigler did your Charite' before, and now the fusion at same level, L5-S1? Interesting. I hope this works out well for you. Please keep us posted on your recovery. Good or bad. It helps us all to track these different procedures, especially one as unique as yours. I hope you can still enjoy your holiday with some low pain levels (thanks to drugs!) and have a blessed New Year! Cindy
__________________
CindyLou bicycle accident 6/19/01 2 compression fractures, T12, L1; vertibroplasty @ above levels, 9/15/01 4/06 hip labral tear repair 4/07 Lumbar ProDisc replacement by Dr. B., 3 levels; L3-6 7/2/08 ALIF of L6-S1 7/30/08 Removed bone cement. 8/7/08 Diagnosed with pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, pleurisy, pleural effusion. 3/10/09 right SI Joint Fusion; seeing light at end of tunnel, for first time in 8 years!! |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
From ADR to Fusion
I ran across this thread while looking at the possibility of enrolling in the Active-L trial where the control group would be Charite disc. I consulted a local surgeon who was really negative about Charite in terms of design, subsidence, wear, migration, and early degeneration of facets and adjacent discs.
I came across an interesting article on pubmedcentral.nih.gov. from the European Spine Journal about revision of failed Charites. According to the article, conversion to a fusion is possible both with removal and non-removal of the Charite. Slightly better results were achieved with the removal of the Charite. The full text of the article can be seen at http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...?artid=2226059 I hope this article helps anyone facing a revision of a failed ADR.
__________________
Diagnosed with L4/L5 DDD 1998 after lifting injury. 10 years of failed P.T., Chiropractic, Acupuncture, injections. Turned down for ADR in 2005 by United Healthcare Living on Ultracet and Vicodin ES and only working part-time Disqualified from Active-L trial due to low bone density in spine ALIF 02/10/09 Last edited by trucklt; 12-18-2008 at 08:02 PM. |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
Hi there Molly
Thanks for sharing your story, but sorry youv'e needed to go through all this. I'm sure there will be many watching your progress. I hope your pain reduces and the fusion does the trick and no further intervention is needed at L4/5 in the future. You take care and heal quickly. Best wishes Lynda
__________________
Cervical Activ C, C5/6 & C6/7, Feb 2008 Craniotomy and excision frontal lobe brain tumour, May 2006 Lumbar ProDiscs, L4/5 & L5/S1, Feb 2004 Last edited by berry; 12-18-2008 at 08:12 PM. |
Bookmarks |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
If fusion is done can Charite' be done later? | cavalib | The Big File | 10 | 04-08-2005 02:24 PM |