How many times can they do a 're-do'?
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hello everyone, I'm back again!! I have been a visitor here on and off over the last couple of years due to 2 lower back lamis/discectomys/foramenectomys in 2007 and last year a 2 level ACDF.
As you can imagine, I was hoping my troubles were over but the light has gone out at the end of my tunnel :cry: .
In 2007 I had a discectomy/lami at l4-5, however, the surgeon failed to deal with l5-s1 (which also needed attention) and 6 months later I had to go back in for the same to be done to l5-s1. In both of these surgeries the problems were to the right of my spine.
I am now faced with further surgery to l5-s1 on the left of my spine. I have a large disc bulge which is not suitable for anything other than surgery. I also suffer from stenosis, so I guess they will be digging around trying to release my nerves aswell.
I am aware that every time I have surgery the likelihood of further problems etc increases, however, at a fairly young 45 years old I am not prepared to put up with this pain and misery for any longer. I will take my chances.
My question is how many times can they/will they do this type of surgery in the same area? I'm trying to be optimistic about all this and tell myself that this is the last one but I'm sure you can understand how my chin is begining to drop a bit.
Doof
0 likes, 3 replies
Guest
Posted
Sorry to hear things haven't got any better. In answer to your question, it seems that this op will be in a slightly different place this time, but I would have thought that your biggest problem could be from the internal scarring, particularly if they need to cut directy through somewhere that has been cut before. I have had a real problem with this and the nerve damage from the scarring is never going to get any better only possibly worse. I was told that they can't operate to remove the scar tissue as that in itself would probably create more scar tissue!! So ironically for me the pain for the rest of my life is now caused by the scar tissue, not disc, and it is worse than it ever was pre-surgeries!!
But I agree with you that you have to take your chances. This op could be absolutely the best thing for you. I would have thought that it would be more important than ever to make sure that you get good aftercare though. Pain is such a horrible insiduous thing. Are you having the same surgeon as did the previous ops?????
Best wishes
TFU
doof
Posted
Your right about the irony of the scar tissue often being as big an offender as the initial problem itself .......... what's a girl to do??? :roll: I did ask him about the issues with scar tissue and he said that the area he was going to operate on (to the left of the spine) had no scar tissue, so it shouldn't be an issue. However, he is going to have to unzip the 'entry' scar on my back for the 3rd time ..... no more backless dresses for me then (can't remember the last time I wore one but you never know)!!!
My circumstances have changed (not a good year!) and so I'm going to a different hospital, different surgeon this time round. This one is an army surgeon, no messing with him then!
How are you doing nowadays?
Doofie
Guest
Posted
I am okay, or at least what passes for okay these days. It's funny how your markers change isn't it. Three years ago this wouldn't have passed for okay in a million years. I am still having loads of hospital appointments and I am now at 5 hospitals soon to be 6! Although I trot along to every appointment nobody ever says that anything is going to get any better and they are reluctant to say if they think things will get worse. Maybe because they know that I am in the process of suing them. Nevertheless it would be useful to have someone willing to take charge of my overall case and be honest with me. I have recently seen a top, top surgeon through a family connection and that was very interesting because I could talk to him about the first botched surgery and show him the notes and scans etc and he fully backs up my fears and suspicions. That for me was a real breakthrough.
Hopefully I won't need more surgery. They won't operate to remove the internal scar tissue, because it will just create more scar tissue and it's a case of \"better the devil you know\". I do however have two dodgy looking discs, but they aren't bad enough to need surgery yet. I think that they will just \"go\" one day and then I'll be back to the decision of whether or not to have another operation. Right now, I don't think that I could allow that to happen. I have actually had three other operations in the last year, but not on my spine, all arising from the botched op. I have post traumatic stress disorder from the botched surgery and all that followed so it is all quite complicated.
I remember you saying before that you had changed hospitals, I just wondered if you had opted to go back to the original surgeon. Clearly not. These ex-Army surgeons are brilliant. The family friend that I mentioned above is ex-Army. Now head of the country's best NHS trauma unit.
Hopefully it will all go well for your op at the end of the month. There is no reason why it shouldn't and at least you, like me, have the advantage of being well clued up on these things now. You will know if something isn't going as it should. When I look back on my first spinal surgery now I think \"how innocent and ignorant to it all was I\"!!!! Knowledge is power. Without a doubt. And although people like me and you have learned the hard way, we will never forget the lessons learnt and we will be stronger people for it.
Not long to go now until you go in. And I think that in time you should wear a backless dress, even if you wouldn't normally, just to make the point that you are not ashamed of your scars. And nor should you be. They are a part of who you are. A part of what you have lived through. Triumph over adversity.
Good luck to you.
TFU