Welcome to Spine-health’s Lower Back Pain patient community. You can also read doctor approved Lower Back Pain Articles and watch Lower Back Pain Videos.
Fri, 02/05/2010 - 23:04
Back Problems
Hi Everyone,
I had surgery L5 S1 in Oct,2009 and stayed out of work for 8 weeks. I returned to work as a firefighter and a month latter while on the job hurt my back again with toes and foot going numb on left foot and toes going numb on right foot while I am setting down. I had a MRI and this was the results. L2L3 mild bilateral facet hypertrophy
L3-4 mild bilateral facet arthropathy mild dish protrusion with no stenosis L4-5 mild bilaterial facet arthropathy, desiccation of the disk, shallow left forminal protrusion with mild left neural forminal stenosis L5S1 desication of the disk, disk protrusion with mild bilaterial neural foraminal stenosis. Does anyone have an idea what would be my next course of action as far as surgery or??
I hope you're able to see your Surgeon again soon and get a second opinion if you need to have surgery. I had facet joint problems with my herniated disc and the facet joint injections helped. It's probably necessary for you to take more time off after surgery with a physically demanding job like yours. Keep us posted on your treatment. I haven't had surgery so I can't offer you any way to go with surgery advice. Take care. Charry
Any answers I have is not medical advice only a Doctor can help you with that. Just sharing my personal experience as a fellow Spine Health member only.
Mild lumber DDD. L5-S1 herniated disc and annular tear not seen on 2nd MRI. Off work LTD x 2years. Meds-Oxycontin 40mg x 3/day new med for me Jan.20. lyrica 150/2,Cymbalta 60/day,flexeril 10x3/day,voltarin 75/2/day,serax 30mg for sleep. Infrared Platinum heating pad, ESI's, Facet joint injs, trigger point injs,PT,accupuncture,TENS
works seems entirely too short for such a physical job?
I had the same as you and there's no way that I could have returned to work in that time and mine was a desk job.
Mind you I am extremely unfit and my fusion hasn't really worked well... but still 8 weeks, perhaps you need more time to heal?
As for the MRI i'm not even going to try to interpret that as only your doctor can give you and accurate assessment. I hope it's good news for you.
Kylie
See my Medical history for details.
"Happiness is something you decide ahead of time, it doesn't depend on your surroundings, rather how you arrange your surroundings in your mind and you can already decide to love it before you've seen or experienced it"
I has a disko. and the dr said that he usually let patients go back to a desk job around 4 weeks but firefighter he usually waits for 6 weeks and I stayed out another 2 weeks then a month of light duty. I just wondering now if I should be preparing for a fusion. Thanks for the info.
I think only 8 weeks in enough for you to rest. Somemore, yr job is firefighter. I was agree with what Charry said. Maybe u can get second advice for yr problem. Keep update us yr news.
You defintley need to talk to a surgeon or get a 2nd opinion. Disectomys you can be back at work like in 1-2 months. Fusions different story. I just had mine and I'm going back after 4-6 weeks, I have a desk job. But my doctor said if I did any heavy lifting, he wouldn't clear somebody till like 6 months to a year for the heavy lifting part, and if it was a PLIF even longer. One of the reason I got the ALIF because they don't cut thru your back muscles. He said it takes longer to heal and for heavy lifting jobs like I bet a fire fighter does. Good Luck and get a good doc.
Herniated disk at L5-S1 8 years ago. 2 years ago Laminectomy on L5-S1
) etc.... Now L5-S1 with DDD
Epidurals, phys therapy, Discogram,(< that was not fun
ALIF Fusion w/disectomy and cage done on Feb 5th 2010 on L5-S1
I have degenerative disc with buldge disc and small spurs, stenosis. Bottom line I am unable to sit for over thirty minutes or stand over five minutes. My job is sitting 95%. My doctor has give in me trigger joint injections which help for about two weeks at the most other injections caudral, facet joint injects rizhotomy, i think this would have helped if an additional rhizotomy was done. Next was a discotomy?? for diagnostic and it came out positive and another on the joint. Sorry but I am not familiar with all this medical techonolgy. Bottom line is I think fusion is the next step. They have not discussed this with me. He just said he wanted to avoid surgery.
I do well with the medication of oxycontin 15mg twice a day plus oxycodone 15 mg 4 times a day.Skelexin during the day and diflonec, and tizidine 3 every night in order to sleep.
My worse problem is even though the pain is a level i am comfortable with my spasms are horrible and there is not one day I do not have them. The pain starts on my L5 and then the spasms are across my buttock and rotates to my hip and just several areas on the buttock. I use lido derm pads and it help but then it rotates from one side to the other.
I have seen doctors since 2004 and it only become worse. I have gone thru decompression, 2 years of chiropracter and physical therapy. I do my exercises to strengthen my core area and strectches. I am sick of all this. I praise God that my paid does not radiate down my legs or feet.
any advice has anyone gone thru this. My doctor is not an orthopedic and not a surgeon. I have seen surgeon and he looked ad my MRI and immediate suggested a discectomy to remove any particles placing pressure on my nerve. The to pain doctors suggest the next thing is fusion.???
enough.....
bebe you would have to talk to a Ortho or a neuro, bout your case is the best bet. I can tell what you wrote you did what I did, did every possible non surgical thing you can to prevent surgery. I waited 6 years then got a laminectomy, that didn't work, 2 years later now, I got a fusion. Its when you say you've had enough, you finally say lets talk fusion or other.
Herniated disk at L5-S1 8 years ago. 2 years ago Laminectomy on L5-S1
) etc.... Now L5-S1 with DDD
Epidurals, phys therapy, Discogram,(< that was not fun
ALIF Fusion w/disectomy and cage done on Feb 5th 2010 on L5-S1
Thank you for responding. How are you doing with the fusion? Are you better.
Caudral, Rhizotomy Facet joints 6 areas, discogram and SI injection on the L5 S1. I don't feel pain on the disc area anymore just the spasms.
Everyone mentions how bad the discograms were are you awake. I have asked them to put me out thru all procedures.
Well I am still at work better go and check back.
enough.....
Bebe
I'm healing alright from the fusion, I'm at the 9 day mark from the fusion, and way too early to say if its a success or not. I feel better but I'll know more in 3-6 months.
We'll thats the thing with Discograms they want to know if your in pain, so they have to keep you awake, they sedate you, but they have to know it. But at least once its done you don't have to get it done again.
Good luck
Herniated disk at L5-S1 8 years ago. 2 years ago Laminectomy on L5-S1
) etc.... Now L5-S1 with DDD
Epidurals, phys therapy, Discogram,(< that was not fun
ALIF Fusion w/disectomy and cage done on Feb 5th 2010 on L5-S1
I would find a good nuero. surgeon. Good luck
thank you.
enough.....
I remember when I woke up he poked around and asked if it hurt and of course one area did and the other i didnt and i heard he comment yes this confirms what the my Physiatric dr had said i'm suppose to see him back until next week to discuss his next recommendation.
What about the steroid injections the nuro surgeon said to me was not to bother most of the times they do not work and it only weakens the bones?
enough.....
Epidurals can help with the pain, but I agree with the assessment of what the neurosurgeon said, its like a band aid, eventually it will start hurting again. Also there are some insurance companies that want you to get them done before they will let you do surgery.
Herniated disk at L5-S1 8 years ago. 2 years ago Laminectomy on L5-S1
) etc.... Now L5-S1 with DDD
Epidurals, phys therapy, Discogram,(< that was not fun
ALIF Fusion w/disectomy and cage done on Feb 5th 2010 on L5-S1
Thanks...I noticed the pain/anesthesiologist was not real happy when he went over the procedure being done and I mentioned I did not want the steriods/cortisone because the neuro I had seen had made that comment. He said this only happens if you have too many. Well needless to say maybe that is what is helping. After the one week of pain from the procedure not during I noticed my disc L5 was no longer hurting i could sit but it directly registered with my muscle like yes you are still under pain you just don' t know this.
I don't if I mentioned the spasm were so bad and it looks like my doctor has picked patients at another location so i don't get to see him often. I had asked for a prescription for therapy to work on massage or what ever they do to break the spasm but he kept over looking. Short story I went to the mall they had a reflexologist and I had an hour of accupresure. Of course this won't be paid by my insurance since I didnt get a prescrption or was this from a registered person. But my spasm have totally calmn down.
My you have a an awesome day blessed by God to provide continued healing or all healing.
I must work
enough.....
What I actually think about steroids are it is better to first consult with the doctor and then go for it, as far as I know it got banned and it is not at all good for your body.
Go and consult some other doctors that will better advice you.
Thanks
EDITED