Introduction

May 22, 2008

I have not really been very involved in this site but I can tell you I like

all the others share your frustration. I have 3 herniated disks in my neck

and 1 in my lower back. I have had a previous surgery on my neck and now have

spinal cord issues..so no more shots or surgery.. just pain and meds..

The hardest part is that my days are short and I can not do the things I

used to..tennis, skiing etc..

My day is pretty well done by 6:00 PM on a good day because the activity

from the day to that point has my pain to the point where the meds don't help..

SO...Know I understand and I hope things work out for you..

wish I could help

Tom

In a message dated 5/21/2008 2:15:13 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time,

wendy.tom@... writes:

Hello

I am a new member-44 year old woman.

I have been looking for a support group as a way to help with what has

become daily chronic pain.

I have been dealing with low back/ radiculopathy since a severe back spasm

summer 2003.

So far no surgery, but that is only due to conservative therapists, physical

medicine doctors, a conservative Osteopath and Neurosurgeon. Let me also say

that I have had Physical Therapy for about 2 years.

However this past year I have had 4 epidurals in L5 and the last one last

week- no help. The sciatic type pain is pretty much every day, worse in the am

and difficult to cope with. Now the Physical Medicine Doctors want me to have

a discogram to confirm if it is indeed a disc causing all the pain.

Unfortunatley there has always been some discrepancy of which is causing the

pain- SI joint, or L5.

So now Im facing the Discogram- yet another painful procedure to which end

Im just not sure where it will lead.

They Physical Medicine Doctor wants to try Prolotherapy in the Discs, but

that still leaves me with daily nerve pain.

It is just kind of a long drawn out, round and round scenario....It is just

kind of a long drawn out, round and round scenario....<WBR>. what to try

next. I have been curious about the radiofrequency treatments. But who knows- I

guess

I welcome any feedback. thanks.

---

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May 23, 2008

Hi ,

Yes that makes perfect sense about your SI Joints! Our bodies do

automatically guard what needs to be to try to avoid further injury.

Every Dr or therapist I've seen says I walk guarded. About the

Neurontin...it is similar in side effects to Lyrica, vombie feeling,

very tired, weight gain, ect. I tried that and Lyrica 3 times and

couldn't take the side effects. I have such horrid nerve pain and

fibromyalgia , which Lyrica is now approved for, that I wanted to try

it again. This time I started taking a low dose, 50mg, each night

right before bed, I did this for aboout 10 days and didn't notice any

side effects, so I added a morning dose too and noticed some

sleppiness but not bad. So now I'm up to 100mg/day and I'm sure my Dr

will double it when I see her tomorrow because the fibro studies were

taking 350 or 450 mg/day. So the key to getting used to any of the

nerve pain/seizure meds is to start at a low dose at night and

gradually build up.Good luck with this!

Hugs,

>

> Hi

> I actually had the SI joint injection done last summer and it was

excrutiating and no pain relief.

> My new PT thinks that its actually the muscles contracting and

guarding around the bad disc which is creating a pulling on the

sacrum which causes it to seem like its rotating.

>

> To me that does make sense. (I have had about 5 Physical

Therapists, everyone has their opininion.)

> In April I let the Physical Medicine Docs do the Prolotherapy on my

Sacrum as they said it was weak and that was why it was rotating.

> Well it only has made it worse, and made the nerve pain worse...

>

> So thats why they want to do the Discogram now.

>

> I will look in the the Lyrica- I have been wanting to avoid meds

(other than pain meds) because from my experience it seems that once

you get on something its really hard to come off. For instance they

put me on Cymbalta in the fall of 07 - they said it would help the

nerve pain. Well it turned me into a zombie- very numb affect- so

yes it sort of helped but it also caused me to gain weight, created

sexual dysfunction, dries you out and causes occasionaly bad

headaches.

>

> It took me about 2 months to get off of that.

>

> One Doctor suggested Neurontin- but I read online that alot of

people were not happy with the side effects.

> So I guess its trial and error.

> Thank you for your suggestions and feedback.

>

May 26, 2008

Sylvia,

Welcome to the group. For those newbees with TKR coming, here is a

book I highly recommend.

" Total Knee Replacement and Recovery "

By Dr. Brugioni MD and Dr. Jeff Falkel Ph.D, PT.

Amazon is around $15 US. Dr. Falkel had both knees done and he is an

orthopedic doctor. So you are getting info from both sides of the

knife so to speak. The book is organize like a workbook and covers

pre-surgery, surgery and post-surgery out to a year in daily then

weekly and monthly intervals.

As far as the spinal that is the way to go. You can have a lite

sedative or be awake. I opted for a little sleep. A general hits the

body a lot harder IMO and is harder to recover from on top of the

trauma of the operation. Getting the right combination of pain meds

is also important. Everyone is different so don't be afraid to let

them know if what they give you has a bad side effect or something. I

did not have morphine but most do. Some hospitals have doctors that

only handle the pain management were others have the anesthesiologist

monitor them.

Also to restate the importance of post surgery exercise this is very

important. Get as much strength and stamina as you can. If you are

confined or restricted do what you can. Go to a swimming pool. Ride a

bike (that is what I did because walking was not an option). Even just

lifting you legs one at a time or together and count to ten or twenty

in bed. Don't forget your upper body strength. You will be needing you

arms, back and shoulders post-op. Lastly eat good fresh food (no more

Big Macs).

This effort will help you recover much quicker I promise. I figure

that I was about a week ahead in my recovery because I had worked out.

Good Luck

Don

PS BTW almost any subject is fair game on this forum related to joint

replacement. From sex to shoes 8^). So ask away.

>

> I'm new to the group, so I thought I would start by way of introduction.

> I am 56 and have had bad knees for at least fifteen years. Really it

> seems longer, but my first surgery was in 1995, and so I must go with

> that. That surgery was basically a clean up operation. It helped for a

> short time, the pain came back gradually. I lost a significant amount

> of weight, which postponed the inevitable for a couple of years.

> I've done cortisone injections, Visco Supplementation with some

> results. But the doctor did new X-rays a couple of months ago and said

> I really needed to consider having both knees done. So, I'm in the

> works for getting the first one done.

> I have to get surgical approval from my doctor, attend the knee class,

> and donate blood for myself. While I am working on that, the surgery

> coordinator will be working on a date.

> I'd really like feedback on what to expect before and after the

> surgery. He said I'd get a spinal, so does that mean I'll be awake, or

> is that in addition to general. I have a ton of questions. So, I hope

> you'll be willing to give me some idea of what to expect.

>

May 27, 2008

Thanks for advising the book. I've put in a request for it from my local

library. I'll read it cover to cover.

Sylvia in NC

May 27, 2008

--- AWESOME BOOK!!!

That book taught me alot! That book explainded everything. Chapter

after chapter it taught me exercises my PT did not even know! If you

are having a TKR get that book!

--

In Joint Replacement , " Don " <donavp@...> wrote:

>

> Sylvia,

>

> Welcome to the group. For those newbees with TKR coming, here is a

> book I highly recommend.

>

> " Total Knee Replacement and Recovery "

> By Dr. Brugioni MD and Dr. Jeff Falkel Ph.D, PT.

>

> Amazon is around $15 US. Dr. Falkel had both knees done and he is

an

> orthopedic doctor. So you are getting info from both sides of the

> knife so to speak. The book is organize like a workbook and covers

> pre-surgery, surgery and post-surgery out to a year in daily then

> weekly and monthly intervals.

>

> As far as the spinal that is the way to go. You can have a lite

> sedative or be awake. I opted for a little sleep. A general hits

the

> body a lot harder IMO and is harder to recover from on top of the

> trauma of the operation. Getting the right combination of pain meds

> is also important. Everyone is different so don't be afraid to let

> them know if what they give you has a bad side effect or

something. I

> did not have morphine but most do. Some hospitals have doctors

that

> only handle the pain management were others have the

anesthesiologist

> monitor them.

>

> Also to restate the importance of post surgery exercise this is very

> important. Get as much strength and stamina as you can. If you are

> confined or restricted do what you can. Go to a swimming pool. Ride

a

> bike (that is what I did because walking was not an option). Even

just

> lifting you legs one at a time or together and count to ten or

twenty

> in bed. Don't forget your upper body strength. You will be needing

you

> arms, back and shoulders post-op. Lastly eat good fresh food (no

more

> Big Macs).

>

> This effort will help you recover much quicker I promise. I figure

> that I was about a week ahead in my recovery because I had worked

out.

>

> Good Luck

> Don

>

> PS BTW almost any subject is fair game on this forum related to

joint

> replacement. From sex to shoes 8^). So ask away.

>

> >

> > I'm new to the group, so I thought I would start by way of

introduction.

> > I am 56 and have had bad knees for at least fifteen years. Really

it

> > seems longer, but my first surgery was in 1995, and so I must go

with

> > that. That surgery was basically a clean up operation. It helped

for a

> > short time, the pain came back gradually. I lost a significant

amount

> > of weight, which postponed the inevitable for a couple of years.

> > I've done cortisone injections, Visco Supplementation with some

> > results. But the doctor did new X-rays a couple of months ago and

said

> > I really needed to consider having both knees done. So, I'm in

the

> > works for getting the first one done.

> > I have to get surgical approval from my doctor, attend the knee

class,

> > and donate blood for myself. While I am working on that, the

surgery

> > coordinator will be working on a date.

> > I'd really like feedback on what to expect before and after the

> > surgery. He said I'd get a spinal, so does that mean I'll be

awake, or

> > is that in addition to general. I have a ton of questions. So, I

hope

> > you'll be willing to give me some idea of what to expect.

> >

>

May 27, 2008

I am also your age, nee both my knees done desparately-after my last x-rays

the ortho said he didn't know how I was not in a wheelchair calling me 100%

disabled.Now, I had never thought of donating blood for myself-great idea!

Also never heard of knee classes? Where & how to attend? I have not started the

process of setting things up yet & theses are items I really want to pursue

along with the biggie of finding the RIGHT surgeon with the Right knee for

me.... Guess googling for the doc unless you know of where to find most info

on this? I need to get started for each day is more difficult to even walk

for my knees are locking up in a bent position & seem to be getting more stiff

each hour so soon I won't be able to bend in any direction? Well if you or

anyone can help me with some more info on how to go about getting myself lined

up please let me know. I need some help here -I am just totally confused

which way to begin & fear I won't get good doc or forget something important in

the process.

Thanks so much for any inspirations

Chris-FL

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May 27, 2008

My doctor is the one who conducts the class. It's a requirement before doing

the surgery. The office sets it up and I attend where I will get all the

information I need supposedly on pain management as well as what to expect. I

don't know if all doctors do that, but I think it is a good idea, because I know

I have a ton of questions.

I'm actually going in for a partial knee replacement with possible changing

to total if required once my joint is exposed. I think if there is any chance

that partial will not alleviate my pain, I'd rather have total. I know the

recovery is supposed to be easier, but I don't want to face more surgery down

the road if it can be helped.

Donating blood is not required, but I wanted to improve my odds of not

needing a stranger transfusion. So, I'm going to do this if it's at all

possible.

Good Luck on your search for a good doctor. I have to say, my doctor was my

doctor before, so I can only judge by the surgery he did on my tennis elbow

last year. Not much of a comparison. But, I do have confidence in him and in

the PT staff he works with.

Sylvia in NC

**************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch " Cooking with

Tyler Florence " on AOL Food.

(http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4 & ?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)

May 30, 2008

This book was also recommended to me and I got it through an interlibrary loan,

but now I have ordered it from our local bookstore, as there is stuff in there

that I will want to have access to after my TKR , which should be sometime in

October. I have also started physio to strengthen my legs pre surgery. The PT

said that the leg muscles all tense up to try to protect a damaged joint so you

get muscle pain as well as joint point. She has given me a number of exercises

to stretch these muscles. Last week she did acupuncture on both knees and WOW!!!

The pain in my 'bone on bone' knees is almost gone. Of course it will need to be

done on a somewhat regular basis to keep the pain at bay, but wit the relief it

provides I am very happy to do that until surgery date.

June 24, 2008

Mine didn't have one. I guess I should have asked.

Maybe I should have asked for candy too. (ha, ha)

Burson

Pampered Chef

Independent Consultant

http://www.pamperedchef.biz/carrieb

Re: Introduction

....Wouldn't the ice bucket in the closet have been easier? LOL~

On Tue, Jun 24, 2008 at 3:49 AM, Burson <burson.carrie@ sbcglobal. net> wrote:

I had my band placed on June 5th. The hotel is great. I wanted ice water. There are bottles of water in your room, but they are not cold. Hint. Take an extra plastic bag; I used thick trash bag. Ask at the front desk for a bag of ice. They will get if from one of the bars in the hotel and bring it to your room (no charge... I just tipped). Use one of the trash buckets, line it w/ your bag, put the bottles of water in the bag and pour ice over. You can't have the water the morning of surgery, but you can have it that evening before... sitting by the pool, or while relaxing in your room.

Dr.Aceves made it to my room 4 times during my 2 day stay there (that's 3 times more than you get here in the US). Also, Dr.Campos and Dr. came to my room each time Dr.Aceves did as well as the 3 or 4 extra times the 2 other doctors came on their own.

All in all, I saw my doctors about 10 - 12 times during my 2 day stay, not to mention that they also see you in the hallway while you are walking... and they know your name and they speak to you.

Of course... the nursing staff sees you often as well. Serjio (spelling??? ) is wonderful. He is funny, polite, and kept me laughing. By the way.... if you are there soon... ask him to share his picture of his new baby boy.

Burson

Pampered Chef

Independent Consultant

http://www.pampered chef.biz/ carrieb

June 24, 2008

Nonono... just gum and those frozen things!( and I were in the hospital together and shared a few humorous moments... )On Tue, Jun 24, 2008 at 8:11 PM, Burson <burson.carrie@...> wrote:

Mine didn't have one. I guess I should have asked.

Maybe I should have asked for candy too. (ha, ha)

June 27, 2008

The hotel used to have a small refrigerator in the room. Actually it was in the closet. It was great to have that available.

I had my band placed on June 5th. The hotel is great. I wanted ice water. There are bottles of water in your room, but they are not cold. Hint. Take an extra plastic bag; I used thick trash bag. Ask at the front desk for a bag of ice. They will get if from one of the bars in the hotel and bring it to your room (no charge... I just tipped). Use one of the trash buckets, line it w/ your bag, put the bottles of water in the bag and pour ice over. You can't have the water the morning of surgery, but you can have it that evening before... sitting by the pool, or while relaxing in your room.

Dr.Aceves made it to my room 4 times during my 2 day stay there (that's 3 times more than you get here in the US). Also, Dr.Campos and Dr. came to my room each time Dr.Aceves did as well as the 3 or 4 extra times the 2 other doctors came on their own.

All in all, I saw my doctors about 10 - 12 times during my 2 day stay, not to mention that they also see you in the hallway while you are walking... and they know your name and they speak to you.

Of course... the nursing staff sees you often as well. Serjio (spelling??? ) is wonderful. He is funny, polite, and kept me laughing. By the way.... if you are there soon... ask him to share his picture of his new baby boy.

Burson

Pampered Chef

Independent Consultant

http://www.pampered chef.biz/ carrieb

July 29, 2008

Hullo Janice. Eloquent speech and inspiring words. Keep up the good work with your family and your search for help in the toxic world we live in. And Welcome to Vaccine Central, LOL Glad Day ~ Karla in IL

August 27, 2008

Well, Welcome... I wish it was to a more fun group but I am sure you find

the people attentive to your issues.. I have pain daily like most/all of the

group so I certainly understand..

Growing up in Tallahassee, I also used to ride horses regularly, but for me

it was just for the thrill..

Being on a horse that is in a gallop or jumping a small ravine was great...

I hope your day goes well and am sure you will find the group helpful..

Tom

In a message dated 8/27/2008 10:54:50 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,

randy6789@... writes:

Greetings,

I am Randy from near Atlantic City in Southern New Jersey. In 2004 I

separated from my husband and bought a house with my father whom I

took care of until he died in October of 2006. A year later I moved

into a house I had built just for me. I grow orchids and it is

getting more and more difficult to move the larger specimens around

because of the pain in my neck and my back.

The problem is I used to ride horses and was dumped on my head, butt

and back many times. Even when you are wearing a helmet it only

protects you from the blunt trauma to your head and does nothing for

your neck.

One of my first falls caused me to break my coccyx and have sciatic

for over 20 years until I was treated by an excellent chiropractor.

He gently pushed on my sacrum and since then I have only had acute

episodes instead of chronic, daily sciatic pain. That injury also

caused bulging in the 3 lowest discs. On July 6, 2008 while bending

to pull a TV table forward I herniated one of those discs. Amazing

how easily that can happen!

My neck is an absolute mess from C3 down, although I do get a lot of

pain at the top which they can't see any reason for. Twice I've been

offered surgery to fuse C4/5, 5/6 & 6/7 but I haven't met anyone who

hasn't come out of the surgery in more pain than they were in prior

to the surgery. So I think I may wait, either until surgical results

are better or my life is in jeapordy.

I do get some viscious migraines which start in my neck. The neuro

treating me for the migraines is giving me " trigger point " shots of

lidocaine monthly. Generally about 20 little shots go into my neck

and shoulders alone. About 20 more go around my skull. The first

time he gave me those shots it felt like breaking glass with every

one. He says my muscles have gotten used to staying in a cramped

position caused by the pain which is causing lots of other problems

including the migraines and the nerve pain that goes down each of my

arms. I guess that's why I was walking around with my head cocked to

the side like I was making the " RCA dog face. " My ears weren't quite

right for the picture though. LOL!

That's the very abreviated version of me and where my back & neck

pain come from.

Blessings,

Randy

**************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel

deal here.

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August 27, 2008