Re: Back Surgery - Have some questions

[Guest guest]

Miriam, My heart goes out to you. I have never had back problems, (other than minor aches)....It's good that you are comfortable with this surgeon though...and I would definitely ask him (even if you have to call him after an appt.) He MUST know that this is a huge deal for you, and I think he is the best person to ask. Also, if you are able to talk to someone else who has had the same procedure...I'm praying for you....and I really hope this goes smoothly and makes a big differencein your quality of life/pain relief. Take care. mpalevsky_bunnylover <mpalevsky@...> wrote: I have been having back pain that has been getting more and more severe. I had an x-ray, therapy, an MRI and saw the neurosurgeon today. He said the L4-L5 disc is herniated, but that isn't my

biggest problem. He said the joint that holds the disc has gone bad. He said the joint is spread apart and it can no longer support the disk. He said that to fix this, he has to operate through the back, replace the disk and use rods and screws to stabalize the spine. He said I would be hospitalized for 2-3 days and would start therapy immediately after this.I always think of my questions AFTER I leave a dr's office. I was hoping some of you might be able to answer from your experience. This dr did my cervical fusion about 5 years ago, and that was done through the front of my neck. He said this would be done abdominally if only the disc were bad, but needs to be done through my back instead. I do trust him.Have any of you ever had this surgery? Does it have a specific name that I could look up on the internet? Is there a name for this problem other

than a herniated disc, when the joint is bad? Are there other surgical options? I am currently scheduled for the surgery on Dec 13th.Thanks,Miriam

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[Guest guest]

Miriam, I have had 2 cervical fusions. The first one failed. I have bulging discs at l4-5 and s1, but with all my other health issues i just bide my time. Do you need donor bone. Will you use your own bone graph? My dad had the same surgery years ago at about 60 yrs. old or so and never ended up with the rods due to a complication during surgery. He is now 77 and has had some instability, but he is extremely overweight. as you know with any implant and auto-immune illness; things are more complicated. Did you go for a second opinion?NKM <nkm2362@...> wrote: Miriam, My heart goes out to you. I have never had back problems, (other than minor aches)....It's good that you are comfortable with this surgeon though...and I would definitely ask him (even if you have to call him

after an appt.) He MUST know that this is a huge deal for you, and I think he is the best person to ask. Also, if you are able to talk to someone else who has had the same procedure...I'm praying for you....and I really hope this goes smoothly and makes a big differencein your quality of life/pain relief. Take care. mpalevsky_bunnylover <mpalevsky@...> wrote: I have been having back pain that has been getting more and more severe. I had an x-ray, therapy, an MRI and saw the neurosurgeon today. He said the L4-L5 disc is herniated, but that isn't my biggest problem. He said the joint that holds the disc has gone bad. He said the joint is spread apart and it can no longer support the disk. He said that to fix this, he has to operate through the back,

replace the disk and use rods and screws to stabalize the spine. He said I would be hospitalized for 2-3 days and would start therapy immediately after this.I always think of my questions AFTER I leave a dr's office. I was hoping some of you might be able to answer from your experience. This dr did my cervical fusion about 5 years ago, and that was done through the front of my neck. He said this would be done abdominally if only the disc were bad, but needs to be done through my back instead. I do trust him.Have any of you ever had this surgery? Does it have a specific name that I could look up on the internet? Is there a name for this problem other than a herniated disc, when the joint is bad? Are there other surgical options? I am currently scheduled for the surgery on Dec 13th.Thanks,Miriam Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.

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[Guest guest]

Thank you so much , I really appreciate your kind words. I

have a list of questions to ask him, and I am going to call tomorrow

to do it. I just know that I can't stand the pain anymore. I have

pain everywhere from the RA, but I can't sit, stnad or lay down

comfortably at this point and I just want to get it over with!

Miriam

> I have been having back pain that has been getting more and more

> severe. I had an x-ray, therapy, an MRI and saw the neurosurgeon

> today. He said the L4-L5 disc is herniated, but that isn't my

> biggest problem. He said the joint that holds the disc has gone

> bad. He said the joint is spread apart and it can no longer

support

> the disk. He said that to fix this, he has to operate through the

> back, replace the disk and use rods and screws to stabalize the

> spine. He said I would be hospitalized for 2-3 days and would

start

> therapy immediately after this.

>

> I always think of my questions AFTER I leave a dr's office. I was

> hoping some of you might be able to answer from your experience.

>

> This dr did my cervical fusion about 5 years ago, and that was

done

> through the front of my neck. He said this would be done

> abdominally if only the disc were bad, but needs to be done

through

> my back instead. I do trust him.

>

> Have any of you ever had this surgery? Does it have a specific

name

> that I could look up on the internet? Is there a name for this

> problem other than a herniated disc, when the joint is bad? Are

> there other surgical options? I am currently scheduled for the

> surgery on Dec 13th.

>

> Thanks,

> Miriam

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I had a very sucessful cervical fusion from this same dr. and I know

that he used donor bone. This dr believes that the surgery itself

is hard enough to recover from without the bone graph being taken

from the hip. He said he has to do the rods for stability because

the disk alone wont fix the problem. He said the joint (I assume he

means the facet joint) is so spread apart from degeneration, that

there is no stability. I am only 39, and 130 pounds. So my issue

isn't weight or age. I have to assume the early degeneration is due

to the RA, and the neurosurgeon says that is very likely.

I have considered a second opinion, but this guy has been

specializing in nuerosurgery for 38 years and he was recommended to

me originally. I don't know any other dr. to go to and don't have

any reason to trust someone else. On the other hand, this is pretty

major and a second opinion is probably not a bd idea.

Thanks,

Miriam

> I have been having back pain that has been getting more and more

> severe. I had an x-ray, therapy, an MRI and saw the neurosurgeon

> today. He said the L4-L5 disc is herniated, but that isn't my

> biggest problem. He said the joint that holds the disc has gone

> bad. He said the joint is spread apart and it can no longer

support

> the disk. He said that to fix this, he has to operate through the

> back, replace the disk and use rods and screws to stabalize the

> spine. He said I would be hospitalized for 2-3 days and would

start

> therapy immediately after this.

>

> I always think of my questions AFTER I leave a dr's office. I was

> hoping some of you might be able to answer from your experience.

>

> This dr did my cervical fusion about 5 years ago, and that was

done

> through the front of my neck. He said this would be done

> abdominally if only the disc were bad, but needs to be done

through

> my back instead. I do trust him.

>

> Have any of you ever had this surgery? Does it have a specific

name

> that I could look up on the internet? Is there a name for this

> problem other than a herniated disc, when the joint is bad? Are

> there other surgical options? I am currently scheduled for the

> surgery on Dec 13th.

>

> Thanks,

> Miriam

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

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