Round 2!
Posted , 3 users are following.
So in January 2016 i had my microdisectomy. All went well. Due to the severity that my root nerve was crushed, i was told it would be a year before i know how i will be. After 6 months i began to get pain again. This has slowly gotten worse and in jan my GP agreed we should have an MRI scan as ive gone from taking co-dydramol once or twice a week to twice a day!
The scan showed (As far as i can remember off the top of my head!)
L5/S1 has a tear (the one they operated on!).
A fragment of disc is floating around.
L4/L5 is bulging towards the spinal cord and the disc above is bulging outwards.
The Radiaology department/consultant has recommended i now have a contrast MRI. I have never had one before and they didnt do one last time so why now? How does it help? Typically i recieved the letter for the MRI yesterday and its on my birthday next week!
0 likes, 5 replies
jessica_78456 james82082
Posted
Sounds like you might need spinal fusion, iam having that in 3 weeks due to similar problems. There going to completely remove the knackered flat disc that is. Serving no purpose and put a cage round , there going shave the one crushing my siatic nerve and fuse me from l4/l5 one level I believe if anything else needs done once in there they'll do that to . Once there a serious weakness with backs and after one operation it's hard to get back to yr full fit self . As I believe that weakness is always there.
james82082 jessica_78456
Posted
thanks for your reply. I just cant believe im having to go through it again. Its a nightmare as after my op, 6 months later we had to move and i was as careful as i could. Now we have moved we need to do an extension on the new place! Im just hoping all the hard work i can get done for coffee and biscuits with friends!
james82082
Posted
Guest james82082
Posted
Hi James
an MRI with contrast is only relevant after an operation. It shows the tissue that is receiving blood supply so can distinguish scar tissue after the op from other tissue.
re the fusion, recovery from that takes several months so don't plan anything strenuous for a while.
i have had a dynamic stabilisation which is half a fusion. You get the screws and rods but the rods are slightly flexible and you keep the disc. If the disc still has some height to it and some fluid enclosed then this is also a possibility for you. Recovery still takes ages but you keep more mobility than fusion and studies do show a reduction in something called adjacent segment degeneration. That is basically where the next disc up or down gets problems due to compensating for the fused segment not being able to move. The most common system is called Dynesys but there are newer ones that show signs of being better. Mine is ShapeSave but I think it's a bit niche. Same idea though. If you feel you want options, ask your surgeon if you are candidate for Dynamic Stabilisation. They may say no as it's not as well understood as fusion. Fusion has been used for about 60 years. Dynamic stabilisation has been around for about 20.
i am not advocating it as such. I am not a doctor and I am not here making a miracle recovery 18 days on - who knows where I will be in a year - but on paper it makes sense that it should work and my neurosurgeon who has done 60+ off them says they usually work well or very well. Probably at least worth asking the question.
hth
Ps happy birthday
Guest
Posted
you can google it. Hth