September 1, 2009 - 4:28pm
If you were to have your pick of anywhere in the US to gain access to the best neuro-surgeons, where would you turn? I had an L5/S1 fusion exactly a year ago. According to my dr, the fusion went well. According to me, my life is miserable and filled with pain and far too much medicine. I believe that something just isn’t quite right as a result of my surgery. I received a 2nd opinion from another neuro-surgeon, but the dr happened to be in the same building as the 1st dr (one floor above). Conflict of interest? I doubt it, but I want a third review by a dr or board of dr's out of my state (FL).
The area where my screws and rods are cause a 7-8 pain level daily up my spine and radiating laterally across my hip into left leg. My meds take that down to a 5-7 on my best days. If someone were to lightly press on my back where the screws are, it would cause me great pain. I don’t think this is right to feel that way after a year. I understand the healing process can be long and varies from person to person. I have also done a significant amount of research on Hyper Algesia and I tend to lean on the side of not being influenced by H/A.
I am taking 120mg of Avinza daily(ER), 75mg of Nucynta 4 times a day (B/T), 150 mg of Lyrica and Cymbalta. I feel at this point in the healing phase, I should not be anywhere near this level of medicine. I would like to be free and clear from the meds for my body’s sake. I am also a pilot and have been grounded for quite some time due to the meds…. :(
Please feel free to share your experiences, good and not so good. You are welcome to reply to this message for the benefit of the others, or reply via PM.
Thank you very much
Vince
September 3, 2009 - 11:21pm
#2
Best hospital I know
The University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville Virginia
went to a health fair, the University had their Dental students doing the procedures, they had 75 chairs going at 1 time, had 7 teeth extracted, never had no problems, actually most painfree exractions that I VE had performed, but fragments are working out as usual.
believe if I wanted a 3rd opinion it be there
Woodstock
September 4, 2009 - 11:57am
#3
I had mine done at Scripps La
I had mine done at Scripps La Jolla in So. Cal. Had a great NS, was out of the hosp in less than 24hrs after being told and approved for a 5 day stay. I think sometimes expecting to be pain free after such a procedure is the problem. Look at the big picture, I would have been in a wheelchair or dead if I didn't have the surgery. My cord was more than 50% compressed in my c-spine, they were astonished I was even still walking. I had let the pain go so long that there was permanent damage, of course that will never go away lol. I was warned about the extent of damage on the MRI, I would wake up with a halo, possibly parylized, etc. I woke up with nothing but a brace and he then went on about how much worse it was when they actually got in there, etc. I still have pain, I have new pain, I am alive and walking. Like I said, do your homework, you are on the right track but your spinal cord is your lifeline and if it's damaged, I wouldn't expect to ever be brought back to 100% focus on stopping future problems with fixing what can be fixed and treating what can't. Good Luck.
September 4, 2009 - 12:04pm
#4
I must add this
be aware of the possibility that surgery might even make things worse in other ways..in my case the nerves to my left leg are not the same..I have broken my left arm twice this year due to falls because of the leg damage. A fix might become a problem.
September 4, 2009 - 7:51pm
#5
2 Takeaways From This.
A lot of very common sense answers are being shared here.....some which I often overlook. First is that most doctors are not going to tell you that you will be pain free after the surgery.....which, maybe in the back of my mind, like most was hoping to be pain free. Second, I have been warned that after the fusion that other areas close to the procedure may experience more stress to the area and or more pain. Both of these make a lot of sense.
I still feel something is not right, so I have to pursure these additional evaluations. I am also thinking of seeing a orthopedic surgeon for a completely different perspective on the pain from what I beleive is the hardware in my back. Also, I dont think I noted this, but most of the time, this surgery requires 4 incisions to do all the work including putting the rods in. I have 5 incisions because they had trouble getting one side done. That is all they told me and it realy makes me wonder what else may have happened during the surgery. I am also looking into having the hardware removed. I was told after one year that may be an option.
I feel like I am in analysis paralysis in trying to make my next decision......but I will surely not hurry into this. I also need to look at the financial obligations of this when travel is involved and what Aetna will and wont cover. Thank you kindly for the responses to my question....they all help calm my mind and soul.
V
September 4, 2009 - 9:29pm
#6
THE University of Virginia
is a teaching Hospital, it does a lot of its work free, if there s no insurance or if its big time they will delete the co-pay, I know several freinds not able to pay , go an the only burden was transportation, from Florida it should take about 6 hours by car.
WOODSTOCK
September 7, 2009 - 8:22pm
#7
Cedars Sinai in Beverly Hills
Cedars Sinai in Beverly Hills California; if you can get Dr Martin Cooper located in the same town. He is regarded as one of the best in the world, and so is the Hospital.
September 8, 2009 - 11:33am
#8
Dr. Cooper
I will do some online research on Dr. Cooper and see what I come up with. I will also find out if that hopsital is in my Aetna network. I dont mind travelling from FL to CA.....I just want some answers and hopefully, some results.
Thank you,
Vince
I am interested to see what people say. It's hard to recognize a good facility or doctor within a facility - it all seems opaque. I am almost 3 years out from my 2nd surgery & I have been in your kind of pain since 11 months after the surgery, with one 3 month interlude of less pain. I sought a second opinion at another prestigious spine center & the surgeon there agreed with my NS that my fusion healed well. My first fusion healed great and gave me 5 pain free years. But that NS, who did a great fusion with no hardware and donor bone didn't tell the 26 year old me that the fusion would increase the possibilty that the adjacent levels would herniate under the added pressure/ strain of movement. (My problems are in the cervical spine). Anyway, was he a good doctor? Was the NS who did the next two levels with titanium, that the 2nd opinion and my pt think did a good job, but can't explain why I'm in so much pain? I think it's really had to tell. I want answers too. Good luck and take care.
MissP