Lower back pain

Yes I know my doctor and neuro surgeon said the same thing not to stay on anything longer than 6 months and to change to different drugs after that time to reduce risks of dependancy and body becoming ammune was hopeing that I could slowly decrease pain relief over time with physio and hydrotherapy it worked for a little while but is now back worse than ever no painkillers are the answer but the financial costs are high looking at using my super to fund my time off

I completely disagree.  In my three cases, there were no other alternatives.  All three were amazingly successful. 

"Most back surgeries are not successful."  What data do you have to back up that conclusion?

3??? I rest my case!

Rest what case?  Where is the scientific evidence from NIH or other accredited source that your ludicrous statement is correct?  

I was booked for surgery a month after diagnosis but only given a 60% success rate which was my main reason I've been putting it off but my back pain is almost stopping me working so I'm at the cross roads right now

I think your statement speaks for itself when you state you had 3 surgeries on your back and they were "amazingly successful".

You've found a truthful surgeon. The first surgeon I went to told me, "I wouldn't know where to start.".  I should have paid attention. I asked 2 Doctors (Cardiologist and Orthopedic) I trusted for recommendations. I chose a surgeon that came highly recommended by them. Long story short: it didn't work. I am in constant pain.  My. Husband and I use to travel as we are retired but can't do any activities like we use to do.  I have a suggestion.  If you are near a Mayo Clinic visit them. I now go to them for pain management.  Their Neurosurgical Department is tops in the Nation. If you have other options besides surgery they will know what  are available.  Good luck!

It also was inplanted as an outpatient so not a complex surgery. I went home the same day   

Maybe I am lucky...maybe I've just got the #1 neurosurgeon on the planet...who knows?  With me, there were very specific issues that could be identified and repaired.  The bone spur crushing my sciatic nerve root at L4/L5 and the stenosis at L2/L3 were absolutely identifiable and correctable.  Why anyone would not want to be pain-free in those circumstances, I just don't know.  It may be a lot more difficult with "generalized" pain and a lot of surgeons are definitely "cut happy".  It's a very tough decision; you have to do your research and ask all the right questions.  If something smells rotten, move on.

Almost done with my latest recovery (been about 6 weeks, no rehab) with just some residual lower back pain.  Most of it, along with my quads, is from 18 months of inactivity because of the knee replacement and then the LLIF.  Can't wait to get clearance to start exercising again.  Tired of the remaining pain and the enormous amount of weakness from being on the sidelines all this time.

It's fantastic to hear that surgery helped you, my surgeon left me with chronic pain and over the years I'm becoming increasingly immobile and I'm terrified at the thought of surgery again. I'm back to see my new surgeon on Wednesday and he has told me that if he operates I will be left paralysed

OMG!!!  A diagnosis of paralysis instead of pain relief?  I think you may be talking to the wrong surgeons...  Wherever your pain is originating from, you have to find THE expert in that particular specialty.  Have you tried a neuro group associated with your local professional sports teams?  They're usually the heroes in the area.  Give it some thought.  Find someone who can offer you hope...

Caroline , have you discussed a Spinal Cord Stimulator with your Surgeon. What area in the US do you live?

Thanks chiko I will look into this further as I feel like I don't know where to turn,

My lumbar fussion led to a thoracic arachnoid cyst which is compressing my spinal cord and is also affecting my cervical spine now, they told me surgery would paralyse me but if my legs, bowl and bladder become affected then they will have to operate but the outcome will be the same, my left leg is numb and weak and yes the bowl and bladder have started to weaken so I'm starting to panic a bit, this cyst is rare on the spine so I'm finding it difficult to find a surgeon who knows anything about it unless I go to America (I'm in the U.K.) but unfortunately I havnt won the lottery yet 😂

I'm in the uk, my GP mentioned it and said they would fund it if the pain clinic said no and they just said there was nothing more they could do for me, I didn't even get a chance to ask, I have pain in lumbar,thoracic and cervical so I wouldn't know where to start 😊

I don't understand. Did you say no or the Pain Clinic?  They have had amazing results with these Stimulators, particularly with individuals who don't want to be subjected to several unsuccessful surgeries.  The norm seems to be 70%-80% successful rate. (I got that figure from my Neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic). I realize that the U.K. has different benchmarks then we do here in the US. Good luck

Plus, it's a relatively simple procedure to inplanted the device. It's done as an outpatient.  

Sorry, my GP said to ask my pain doc about the stimulator and that his practice would fund it if there was a problem, my pain doc said there was nothing more they can do and I didn't even get a chance to ask about the stimulator but I was frightened as Iv heard a few horror stories but youve made me think a little more about it, thank you 😊

Can I just ask how it would work if you have 3 areas of pain, can 1 unit work all areas or just 1?

Thank you 😊

The Stimulator has leads that are directed to the pain. 

You do a test for 7-10 days where the leads are taped to you to see if it would work for you. (Don't ask me to explain this because I don't understand it) If its decreases your pain (the doctors are looking for a 50-70 percent decrease in pain) the leads are the permanently placed in your body. This is done as an outpatient.   Then it is more or less trial and error to find the proper placement of the leads to decrease your pain. 

To place the Stimulator is a very minor procedure. If it works, it's great (my Neurosurgeon at Mayo says they have about a 70% rate of success) but it it doesn't what do you have to loose?  They are still adjusting mine to find the "sweet spot" .  So far, it has decreased my pain by, approximately, 20%-30%. They are hopeful they can do better. 

Yeah I've tried all that but now even the simple things can put me in bed for the rest of the day I'm just managing to stay at work with all the meds I'm on it's hard to stay focused some sometimes

Hi Chiko, just been to see my neuro this morning after having my annual MRI last week, he done some tests and suggested I go for an EMG, he said we might get results back that we don't really want and then it's what to do with that information once we have it. I told him no matter what the results I don't want surgery but it would be nice to know what's going on just for my own sanity.

He said again that an operation on the cyst isn't a problem for him but could leave me paraplegic, incontinent and in more pain than I am now as they have to remove the rhomboid muscle to access the cyst and that causes problems in itself.

have a good day 😊