Guest guest Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 You are so right. Every female in my family has DDD. I have been able to work the longest--into my mid-forties. My neurosurgeon was ready to cut by the 2nd visit. I said 'no' cuz my sister has had 10 failed back surgeries. Every timr she felt numbness or tingling, she'd head straight to an O.R. My doc hadn't even suggested PT, aquatic therapy, a tens unit, ice, etc. I got those things but HAD to ASK. You Will feel weird sensations. I was advised by a nurse to get surgery if drop foot or loss of bladder or bowel control came upon me. I Switched to an orthopedic spine specialist who said I'm not even a candidate for surgery. I Finally was referred to pain management. I asked and got home PT during cold winter months. The worst drug is Soma; my doc said her pen will not write that Rx. Instead I take Flexerill. Soma is a dirty drug--highly addictive. Flexeril hardly makes me drowsy. I have good and bad days. My sister has bad days and worse days. I'm never pain free, but I payattention to my body, do my PT stretches. If I had the money, I'd invest in a Swim Spa. E > > > EVERYONE ELSE ON HERE....this is a prime example of what we have just been talking about. Surgery leads to more surgery which leads to more surgery. The more years you have left on your life, the more surgery you will have. It's in almost all cases an unstoppable cycle. You can only prevent it by not having surgery in the first place. I can personally and professionally vouch for this! The public needs to be educated about the dangers of spine surgery. There are consequences that we can never take it back. Once it's done, it's done. Then you are stuck trying to decide if you want to further handicap your spine by more surgery, because you are in indescribable pain, you don't know what else to do. There are no other viable options besides surgery or pain medication...which has it's own issues and can be near impossible to get. > > I am 33 years old and have had 6 surgeries over the past 17 years and I'm still in pain. I have had varying degrees of pain, and I'm in better shape now than I've been in a long time, but I battle my back every day. Just getting a good night's sleep evades me. Being able to do the things I love and maintain a job has been elusive. > > We need to stop this cycle! > > > > > --- Babbitt > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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