Skippy Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Today it was decided that we have tried enough non-surgical approaches and that if I want surgery, now is the time. I ask some questions but the biggie was how much better will my back feel? The answer was NO BETTER. I ask the what the … question and he says that the surgery on the back is more than 80% successful at relieving the pain that is running down my legs. All the time and I think we are working toward a fix for the back and neck but he says that he can’t do anything for that, well mostly nothing. He can fix the leg pain and send me off to a physiatrist. At least that is what I think he called the rehab doctor. Shouldn’t he have told me this back in April??? Just a rant here but man I am getting killed with doctors. I just have no clue which way to go at this point and it is pretty darn frustrating. On the plus side, I did not chit myself today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 (edited) I had a friend with a situation similar to yours and his answer to the dilemma was taking a step back and saying: "I'm starting over". And he did. He went to a totally different hospital and started the entire process over again and the doctors there discovered what the problem was. He's doing just fine today. Point is...when you realize you have driven down a dead end road, flip a b*itch and start over. Edited July 9, 2010 by tazinib1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 I had my spinal fusion to relieve sciatic nerve pain. My back pain from arthritis will always be there, and my surgeon made that very clear. I think there was obviously a communication breakdown between you and your doctor. Time for a second opinion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 I had my spinal fusion to relieve sciatic nerve pain. My back pain from arthritis will always be there, and my surgeon made that very clear. I think there was obviously a communication breakdown between you and your doctor. Time for a second opinion? Pretty much what he said to me today. There is a chance that the bad disks could get better but he makes the stenosis sound like I am stuck with the pain. I am already after a 2nd opinion. I am going to approach just like I am starting all over. I just really hope there is a fix. Even a 50% fix would make me very happy at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 You know, the actual pain in my back isn't that bad. It's my left leg, mostly. It's noticeably weaker than the right leg, and during bad bouts it'll collapse on me. I do have a little arthritic pain in the back, but I can deal with that. The vicious jolts of agony from my left hip/kidney area down to the ankle are what I have to get rid of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 western medicine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Pretty much what he said to me today. There is a chance that the bad disks could get better but he makes the stenosis sound like I am stuck with the pain. I am already after a 2nd opinion. I am going to approach just like I am starting all over. I just really hope there is a fix. Even a 50% fix would make me very happy at this point. You know, the actual pain in my back isn't that bad. It's my left leg, mostly. It's noticeably weaker than the right leg, and during bad bouts it'll collapse on me. I do have a little arthritic pain in the back, but I can deal with that. The vicious jolts of agony from my left hip/kidney area down to the ankle are what I have to get rid of. These are almost like reading about myself two years ago. Stenosis IS fixable and it makes a colossal difference. The leg pain / weakness goes away completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 These are almost like reading about myself two years ago. Stenosis IS fixable and it makes a colossal difference. The leg pain / weakness goes away completely. Yeah, the two discs he wants to work on - one is for herniation and the other for stenosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 Yeah, the two discs he wants to work on - one is for herniation and the other for stenosis. I have four that he wants to do a procedure where he removes part of the spine that puts presure on the nerves. The heriation does not seem to worry him and he says that they often fix themselves. I am so totally at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 i know just how frustrating it can be.....best of luck and hope things get better for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 I have four that he wants to do a procedure where he removes part of the spine that puts presure on the nerves. The heriation does not seem to worry him and he says that they often fix themselves. I am so totally at this point. I would definitely get a second opinion. I haven't heard of discs fixing themselves (not that I'm a neurosurgeon). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 I would definitely get a second opinion. I haven't heard of discs fixing themselves (not that I'm a neurosurgeon). I never heard of it either until he said it to me. Then my wife told me that her back doctor told her the same thing about five years ago. He did say that it takes a lot of time and that you are at a greater risk of future problems to the same disk. Like I said, at this point my head is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 I never heard of it either until he said it to me. Then my wife told me that her back doctor told her the same thing about five years ago. He did say that it takes a lot of time and that you are at a greater risk of future problems to the same disk. Like I said, at this point my head is my doc said something along those lines too but that was because he said my herniation wasn't that bad...but my pain says otherwise...oh and get this.... 1st time I see the doc (specialist) he says that my type of herniation normally responds well to surgery but he would rather try therapy, time and do and epidural to help with the pain for now....well therapy only helped some and the epidural really didn't help at all...so prior to getting my 2nd epidural with him I asked about options if the 2nd epidural didn't work...his response made me shake my head, "I would probably want to do another epidural but from a different angle and hope that works because your type of herniation does NOT respond well to surgery" W..T..F? oh and did i mention this is workers comp? So now that the same doc has said 2 completely different things I don't feel very good about him....call my workers comp processor and ask her about getting a 2nd opinion because of what he said...she said that was not possible unless I wanted to see one on my own and turn it into my own insurance..said for me to get a 2nd opinion from WC that the current doc would have to say he can't do anything more for me and send me for the 2nd opinion...to me that sounds like a bunch of crap...especially since I don't really have the extra cash to just see a doc for a 2nd opinion when WC should be covering it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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