Re: Fusion Not healing - electro stimulator

[Guest guest]

I had a fusion in April on my back L4/L5. An electro stimulator has been in

place siix months now and comes out at the end of this month. It aided the rapid

healing I had and allowed me to return to the pool without Physical Therapy.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Hi Gretchen,

 

You mentioned your surgery the other day and I was so surprised.  Some in the

group noticed you were quiet on the message board for a few days in April, but

when someone asked if you were ok, you responded right back.  I was amazed to

hear you had been out for a back fusion!  You returned so quickly.  That's

wonderful.

 

Is your stimulator the same kind as Tamara's?  Did it help you with pain/cramps

too?

 

From: gfijig <gfijig@...>

Subject: Re: Fusion Not healing - electro stimulator

Date: Monday, September 28, 2009, 8:40 AM

 

I had a fusion in April on my back L4/L5. An electro stimulator has been in

place siix months now and comes out at the end of this month. It aided the rapid

healing I had and allowed me to return to the pool without Physical Therapy.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Yes, in April I had a fusion. No computer in the hospital for 3 days so I was

offline but found one to use in the PT Rehab Institute, so that's how I

re-appeared. That computer kept me sane from army style Rehab regiment!

As for the stimulator: This particular surgery in April was to clean out bone in

my spine that was squishing nerves, sending really wierd pain into my hips. It

was also to take out the hardware from surgery in 2002 and put new hardware in

at L4/L5. I was not on any pain meds pre-op, just post op for a few days. The

stimulator I have in right now was placed just under the skin, next to the bone,

to help the bone growth and solidify the gel stuff with hardware used to fuse.

I'm guessing it helped with post-op pain, because I still have full bottles of

Percocet and Ultram. I just used ice packs for a week or two.

The fusion in 2002 was from a ruptured disc and bone was taken from my hip to

solidify that fusion with hardware. I had the stimulator implanted under the

skin as well. I had more pain with that fusion because of the hip being scraped,

but still in both, the stimulators come out at 6 months in me, 3 months earlier

than the doc's other patients. Go figure.

I guess my aquatics program strengthens bones too.

Anyway, none of my pain, before or after surgeries radiated into my legs or

feet. The pain was pretty much centrally located, in lower back and hips. So,

yes, I do believe the stimulator helped with pain and promoted a rapid healing.

I've never asked what kind it is - lol, I just assumed the doc knows what he's

doing, but next time I see him I will ask and maybe take a look at it when it is

out. (He took the hardware out from Back Surgery #1, cleaned it all up, sealed

it in an airtight bottle, and presented it to me. It was sooo interesting, not

just 2 screws like I thought, but a whole bunch of shinny little parts (like

that would be in someone's garage or junk drawer) I told him I thought having

the hardware was a great souvenir, he beamed, the nurse just rolled her eyes,

lol

Gretchen

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Gretchen,

 

Thank you for sharing your story.  That's so funny...the part about the

hardware.  Very cute!   And keeping active and doing your pool regime no doubt

did make a difference in your speedy recovery.  That's awesome!

 

With regard to the stimulator, no need to ask your doctor on my behalf.  I was

just curious if it was the same type of device that Tamara is using.  She

provided some info on her device from Medtronic, so I looked it up and it

appears they have many different types of stimulators, including one for bone

growth in a spinal fusion and one for back pain that radiates down the leg and

many others.  Very fascinating stuff. 

 

If anyone else is interested, here's a link to the pain stimulators:

http://www.medtronic.com/our-therapies/neurostimulators-pain-conditions/index.ht\

m

 

And here's a link to the bone growth stimulators:

http://www.medtronic.com/your-health/lumbar-degenerative-disc-disease/surgery/ou\

r-spinal-fusion-product/infuse/index.htm

 

These might not be the exact devices you two ladies have, but it was helpful to

me none-the-less.  I'll talk to my pain doctor about it next month.  Thanks to

you both!