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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. |
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#1
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Hello
Hi, just introducing myself. I am 28, diagnosed with DDD L4-L5 and L5-S1. Neurosurgeon can only offer fusion because FDA hasnt approved multilevel TDR or hybrid TDR/fusion. Started searching and found these forums chuck full of information about multilevel TDR. Lucky I can work from home, hating living laying down.
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#2
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Oh I didnt see the new member section, maybe the moderator can move this msg.
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#3
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Moved, no worries. Welcome, Nick. Tell us a bit more about your situation. And where are you located?
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"Harrison" - info (at) adrsupport.org Fell on my ***winter 2003, Canceled fusion April 6 2004 Reborn June 25th, 2004, L5-S1 ADR Charite in Boston Founder & moderator of ADRSupport - 2004 Founder Arthroplasty Patient Foundation a 501(c)(3) - 2006 Creator & producer, Why Am I Still Sick? - 2012 Donate www.arthropatient.org/about/donate |
#4
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Well, it's been almost 8 years since I originally said hi back in 2010 when I
was first diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and herniation at L5-S1 I live in KS. In 2010 I had visited several neuro and orthopedic surgeons in the area. I was only offered 2 level fusion at L4-S1 and L4-L5. These forums were a great find for me. I kept searching and ended up going to Los Angeles to see Dr. Rick Delamarter as I had seen he had done a number of multi-level disc replacements. He recommended and performed a micro-discectomy with the hope that it would get me by for about 10 years. The 2 hour surgery ended up taking 5, and after my surgery he said he wasn't sure how I walked in. It looked like I jumped off the empire state building. The micro-discectomy helped a lot, but was no cure. I travel internationally for work and it always seems to be the return flights that kill me. About 2 years ago my back flared up after a return flight from Europe. It calmed down with an epidural. Late last year the pain became constant again and started to increase. A flare up would take me down for a few days to a week. I called to schedule with Dr. Delamarter but found that he has now retired from active practice. So I needed to do more research and decide on a new physician. I did some research, but I also was dragging my heals. I was functional, and I didn't want to think about having back surgery again. After a flight in March I was down for a week and had an epidural. Then in April my symptoms became unmanageable on a trip to Europe. I ended up visiting an E.R. in Germany for pain management. Since I returned from that trip things have degraded further. I can walk for minutes at a time, but unpredictably can have a pain onset and be taken down. I have only left the house 3 times in the last 4 weeks. Now I am pursuing a hybrid L5-S1 Fusion, L4-L5 ADR with Dr. Huyn Bae (worked with Delamarter) from The Spine Institute. Date unknown, trying to schedule.
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Age: 36 - Back pain since high school - 2009 Diagnosed DDD L4-L5 L5-S1 - 2010 Non-functional floor-bound. - 2010 Advised only option is fusion of L4-L5 L5-S1 (Kansas) - 2010 Traveled for Microdiscectomy by Dr. Rick Delemarter of The Spine Institue Center for Spinal Restoration - 2016 Epidural - 2018 Epidural - April 2018 Landed in ER in germany on business trip - May 2018 Persuing Hybrid L5-S1 Fusion, L4-L5 ADR with Dr. Hyun W. Bae |
#5
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Surgery scheduled. June 18th. 4 long weeks.
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Age: 36 - Back pain since high school - 2009 Diagnosed DDD L4-L5 L5-S1 - 2010 Non-functional floor-bound. - 2010 Advised only option is fusion of L4-L5 L5-S1 (Kansas) - 2010 Traveled for Microdiscectomy by Dr. Rick Delemarter of The Spine Institue Center for Spinal Restoration - 2016 Epidural - 2018 Epidural - April 2018 Landed in ER in germany on business trip - May 2018 Persuing Hybrid L5-S1 Fusion, L4-L5 ADR with Dr. Hyun W. Bae |
#6
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best of luck
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Cyn (the other one!) 2016 MRI for headaches - meningioma discovered Watch and wait on M - subsequent MRI showed cord compression in Cervical spine 2018 - cervical MRI - 4 level cord compression and massive foraminal stenosis present - researching options for a non-fusion solution |
#7
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yeah make sure if u have discogenic pain that your surgeon is removing entire disc as delmarter advertises that he onky removes enough for the disc amd leaves some in thats bad. but that was a few years ago n that was delmarter just saying.
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12/22/04 blew L4-5 and L5-S1 out lifting wrong 4/1/05 back to work thanks to Oxy 11/11/13 hurt back lifting again 6/6/15 last of many MRI L4-5 medium paracentral bulge with juice leaking and mid to left bulge on L5-S1 No invasive procedures except steroid shots that did nothing n hurt wicked bad 9/24/2016 Adr surgery Bertagnoli>1 year doing great |
#8
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Quote:
Thanks for the info. I'm pretty sure that Dr Bae said completely remove the disc, but I'll be sure to put this in my list of things to check.
__________________
Age: 36 - Back pain since high school - 2009 Diagnosed DDD L4-L5 L5-S1 - 2010 Non-functional floor-bound. - 2010 Advised only option is fusion of L4-L5 L5-S1 (Kansas) - 2010 Traveled for Microdiscectomy by Dr. Rick Delemarter of The Spine Institue Center for Spinal Restoration - 2016 Epidural - 2018 Epidural - April 2018 Landed in ER in germany on business trip - May 2018 Persuing Hybrid L5-S1 Fusion, L4-L5 ADR with Dr. Hyun W. Bae |
#9
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__________________
Age: 36 - Back pain since high school - 2009 Diagnosed DDD L4-L5 L5-S1 - 2010 Non-functional floor-bound. - 2010 Advised only option is fusion of L4-L5 L5-S1 (Kansas) - 2010 Traveled for Microdiscectomy by Dr. Rick Delemarter of The Spine Institue Center for Spinal Restoration - 2016 Epidural - 2018 Epidural - April 2018 Landed in ER in germany on business trip - May 2018 Persuing Hybrid L5-S1 Fusion, L4-L5 ADR with Dr. Hyun W. Bae |
#10
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Plans changed heading to california tomorrow.
I had a visit with an orthopedic surgeon locally. He was concerned about waiting to treat the decompression. He wanted to operate on me next week. I don't think Dr. Bae had yet looked at my new MRI because when I contacted his assistant to ask about my progressing symptoms Dr. Bae called me back later that night. He said that it can not wait, it needs to be treated before the 18th of June. I'll start the drive to California tomorrow, sounds like I'll be having 2 surgeries next week.
__________________
Age: 36 - Back pain since high school - 2009 Diagnosed DDD L4-L5 L5-S1 - 2010 Non-functional floor-bound. - 2010 Advised only option is fusion of L4-L5 L5-S1 (Kansas) - 2010 Traveled for Microdiscectomy by Dr. Rick Delemarter of The Spine Institue Center for Spinal Restoration - 2016 Epidural - 2018 Epidural - April 2018 Landed in ER in germany on business trip - May 2018 Persuing Hybrid L5-S1 Fusion, L4-L5 ADR with Dr. Hyun W. Bae |
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