back problems ??????

[Rick Perry]

any of ya ever had back problems ?

anyway I've just recently talked to a neuro- surgeon and we are planning an ALIF ( anterior lumbar interbody fusion) ............ they are going to fuse two vertibra together in two different places . they will go in from the front .

the disc at L4 is totally gone (bone to bone) and nearly the same at L7.

anyway have any of ya ever had experience with back surgery ? How was the recovery . would you recommend doing it or just living with the pain ????

[Dave Lay]

I am 2 months out of surgery and hunting today.. my neuro also wanted to do the fusion but after some discussion we opted on a lesser surgery where he enlargned the nerve openings to relieve the pressure. I have some pretty bad disc issues as well but will live with some of that. it was the nerve pain in my hip and leg that had me almost cripppled, the MRI showed pretty severe "narrowing" of the nerve passageways  I am doin a lot better after surgery...if I need fusion later we can do that..my incesion is about 3 inches and in the back...+ know several folks who had fusion and are as bad now as they were before surgery. But I am sure there are a lot of success stories. Doc had me off work 6 weeks I could draw a 60lb bow 2 weeks after surgery. I think the fusion has a much longer down time..Good luck.

[saltwatertom]

Get a book called "Pain Free", it will do wonders for you and should be tried before ANY surgery.

   

I works, I have several friends that swear by it. Made a world of differnce for them.

[Hud]

I have had several surgeries, none as serious as yours, but all can have complications.

Get a second opinion. Surgery should not be taken lightly and you obviously have some concerns. One of my good friends, lost his sister during surgery in Seattle, in August of this year. I knew her well, but for some unknown reason they wanted to do a double fusion, with a day in between the operations. She was in the recovery room at the time and never had the second surgery. Good luck and let us know how it works out.

[KSdan]

Have had two back surgeries.  Had to do it again I would be checking out prolotherapy first- nothing weird.  Non-invasive but throughly developed.  Helping many athletes and others.  Dr. Dean Reeves of University of Kansas Med.  Check out his web page- amazing stuff.

[JEFF B]

yup mine is  a pain 24/7 but hey i dont let it get me down. i aint having any surgery on mine hell no sometimes it dont work any how i would rather put up with the pain . just my two cents worth good luck with it  

[xtrema312]

I have had two on my L5/S1 due to a ruptured disk.  Tried everything to get buy without them, but had no option in the end.  I would never do surgery because my back hurt, but when you have severe nerve issues and possible long term nerve damage you have to do something.  Recovery from the first two was about 8 weeks to get going because they wanted to keep more disk stuff from pushing out.  It took most of a year to really get as good as I could get all things considered.   I will tell you the longer you go and weaker you get the harder it is to get going again.  I hear with the fusions they want you up and walking ASAP.  I like that a lot better than bed rest for two months.

I have done ok over the years, but it has not been great.  I never got as good as I was before it all started.  It has been about 12 years now.  The last couple years have been really difficult.  I am bone on bone now.  I do ok moving around and keeping active, but I can't set in a chair with comfort for more than a couple hours a day anymore to do desk work, and that is what I do day in and day out. Travel is not easy at all so no long distant vacations or all day drives.  My back doesn't hurt all that much really.  I guess I am used to it now, but my leg muscles knot up real bad along with other problems when I set to work.  If it was not for the setting to work I would just keep going because when I am off I feel better each day.  I spent all summer in PT and working reduced hours.  They can't really say for sure my problems when setting is my back.  The MRI’s can’t tell and none of the test show anything,  but after two years of trying everything and checking everything we don't have anything else to pin it on.

I had spine injections on Monday.  I go back for follow up on that on 10/5 and my next surgeon appointment is on 10/7.  That gives me one week of bow season before I have to decide what to do.  If the injections help reduce the problems we will know the bad disk area inflammation is what is doing it.  I have not discussed all the ins and outs of a fusion yet with the Dr., but I think I will go with the fusion at this point.   Hunting and fishing all the time while living on disability sounds tempting, but it is not my style to just call it quits yet.

From what I hear recovery time on a fusion is anything from 6-weeks to one year depending on many factors like bone growth, how well you follow instructions, your surgeon’s skill…………...  There are a lot of horror stores on the net and other places, but I caulk that up to people not having anything to do when things go bad other than complain.  I figure the people that turned out good are out living their lives.  I know a guy at church that just had all the rest of his lumbar levels fussed after having two done a year ago all due to severe spine arthritis.  He was still hurting of course, but up and around in 6-weeks.  That gave me some hope right there.  

This is difficult stuff, but the Lord is good and I have no real fear other than missing bow season so one week to go before that kicks off, and I hope I can last through the rut.    

[Kenneth]

I have multiple fractures in my lumbar spine and 3 bulging disks, and have been diagnosed with degenerative disk disease and spinal stenosis (think that's what they call it) and live on meds because I won't let the VA touch me with a knife but after hearing about the fusion I may talk with them about that option.  It is hard for me to get out of bed somedays and just walking or climbing into my stand darn near kills me, but I've talked to a lot of the older vets and they always tell me not to get surgery.  I don't like taking the meds either but right now it's the only thing that allows me to function.

[bayoulongbowman]

ouch...hope ya heal WELL...marco

[nate c]

Coworker's spouse had that specific procedure earlier this summer.  He was off his feet for several weeks.  Recovery time took longer than expected.

Your mileage may vary, (everyone is different).

I would absolutely echo the other comments above: Get a second, or even third opinion.

Good luck,

Nate

[Afraid a snake]

Have not had surgery yet.Although it is not to far away.I have been suffering with 1 ruptured disc,2 bulging disc,and 2 cyst for several years.I have tried about everything to avoid surgery(17 epidurals in the past,chiropractors,physical therapy,vax-d treatments).Maybe after hunting season I can get enough courage to have surgery,I have always said as long as I can walk I am not having surgery.Well, I am almost to that point so for me surgery it getting close.

[turkey65]

I'm having surgery Oct 5th,one ruptured disc two degerated together lower three. Will have pins and rods a piece of hip bone installed. I'll get to hunt opening day Oct 3rd and thats it for the early season, with luck may get out late season after Christmas.Have had excellant comments about surgeon doing operation and recovery,can't live this way and enjoy our sport, my best wishes and thoughts to others going through the same or similar problem.

[brushcreek]

I have had back problems for years.Advice is not one size fits all for backs.My problem is L-1 L2,and degereration of my lower lumbar area.I was advised my a surgeon not to have surgery.I've had nerve blocks and epidurals,but what helped the most was a procedure called a IDET.Good luck and follow all of the dr's. rehab instructions.

[Rick Perry]

thanks all !!!!!    


 I'm starting to have second thoughts so I needed some experienced opinions ........... I just have a general mistrust of doctors .......I always wonder if you really need surgery or if they have a payment due on their "vacation home"......... 8^( .. LOL

[xtrema312]

SSurgeons cut.  that is what they get paid to do so I can’t blame you for wondering.  If you have one that just wasn’t to get cutting maybe it would be better to ask around and get a second or third opinion.  That might be the right thing to do, but you want to be sure so you can go into it with confidence that you have made the best choice.  

I have been fortunate to have one who was very conservative, but now retired.  My new one is also in no hurry to cut.  The best thing is to ask around.  I have talked to several GP’s, physical therapists, nurses, and a good friend who is an anesthesiologist; he works with all the cutters in the area.  They all recommend my new Dr. as their top choice.  I had some scope work done on my knee last year.  I asked all around about my orthopedic surgeon for that.  He was the top recommended Dr. anywhere around for knees and shoulders.  I figure I will try out a knee and then if that goes well I will have a doc for when my bow shooting finally wares out my shoulder.  He was very good and a great guy all around.  We had a long talk about my back.   I asked him if he had to do what I need done where would he go if he could go anywhere in the country to get it done. He gave me my new back surgeons name with a very high recommendation.  It has been 100% unanimous from the people on the inside.  So now I feel I have the best to do what I need done.  That is very reassuring, but I am still not too hot on the idea.

This back stuff is a long difficult ordeal with a lot of hard days and difficult decisions.  Hang in there you are not alone.

[suttoman]

I have not had time to read any of the other replies but you are absolutely nuts if you let them cut you and operate.  I have met many people over the years and they have all been made worse by surgery.

I had a bad accident when I was 16 and ruptured a disk in my back, injured the vertabrae and other problems.  By 26 I was in constant agony and lived on anti-inflam's and pain killers.  They killed the lining on my stomach and gave me other problems.  I was told then (after many tests) - by a surgeon and osteopath - that by 45 I would be in a wheelchair.

Over twenty years ago somebody put me onto rebounding.  That is where you buy a small mini-tramp and bounce up and down on it.  There are other exercises to do on it but too hard to explain here.  Just stand very upright with a good posture - holding the abdominal muscles in tension - and bounce up and down for 10 -20 minutes a day.

It works by increased gravity working on the muscles that are held in tension.  We pull about 1 1/2 - 2 g's when rebounding. The increased g forces strengthen the muscles, even though they are not flexing.  Do research if you don't believe me - it is a proven scientific fact (by taking it in the opposite direction - with no gravity in space astronauts start to lose muscle mass because there is nothing resisting their muscles).

Do yourself a favour - tell the surgeons where to go.  Buy a good quality rebounder (NOT a cheap Taiwanese one) and use it daily.  It saved my life.

I have used it regularly for over twenty years and have never had a twinge of pain.  I have a back like an ox and I do free weights and other crazy things. I am 52 years old now and never thought that I could live such a pain free healthy life.

Seventy percent of the support for you upper-body should be done by the abdominal muscles.  Most people have floppy abdominals which are not doing their job - therefore it all falls on the poor old back.  Chuck in a bad back like you and I have and it is no wonder one finds oneself in agony.

P/M me if you need to know more!

Sutto