discogram

[jayne]

yes it is your choice.google cervical fusion and read....or lumbar fusion but understand no other insurance will ever cover this injury you are truly between a rock and a hard place.

[jayc123]

well i just got back from the follow up from discogram with the surgeon and im told the mri findings were confirmed (duh). he told me its been 7 months now and if the pain didnt go away yet it wont so my only option is the fusion through my stomach not my back! he said it works better with less chance of damage.any body have this one done, if so please tell me its better or im out completely. he also said 4 months recovery time, which also sounds fantastic, cant wait. i guess if i dont have surgery i cant reach mmi and will be on permanent restrictions? help, the rock and hard place just crushed me and hopes of this turning out ok. oh and jayne you are right he told me the fusion DOES degenerate the other discs so eventually ill need more work above and below which could be 1 to 10 years who knows. so get better for a little while untill it happens again, if it doesnt screw me up from the start! how can you even start to make a decision?

[jayne]

Jayc you start on your knees with a long talk with God.you do some research....are you a redhead? do you scar easy? have you ever broke a bone? did it heal good?even with the fusion you wont go back to heavy lifting....so while you are healing you better be schooling yourself.research,research,research

[bodybuilder1958]

(03-13-2012 12:21 PM)jayc123 Wrote:  well i just got back from the follow up from discogram with the surgeon and im told the mri findings were confirmed (duh). he told me its been 7 months now and if the pain didnt go away yet it wont so my only option is the fusion through my stomach not my back! he said it works better with less chance of damage.any body have this one done, if so please tell me its better or im out completely. he also said 4 months recovery time, which also sounds fantastic, cant wait. i guess if i dont have surgery i cant reach mmi and will be on permanent restrictions? help, the rock and hard place just crushed me and hopes of this turning out ok. oh and jayne you are right he told me the fusion DOES degenerate the other discs so eventually ill need more work above and below which could be 1 to 10 years who knows. so get better for a little while untill it happens again, if it doesnt screw me up from the start! how can you even start to make a decision?

Some surgeons are doing both approaches stating that it allows for more stability. Anterior approach has a longer recovery time, patients often have a harder time getting around than with the posterior approach. But ideally you need to know what type of fusion your surgeon is talking about doing. Ask what his/her outcomes are, how many fusion failures do they have over a 5 yr period.

This site has some good answers:
http://www.spine-health.com/

[jayc123]

(03-14-2012 07:19 AM)jayne Wrote:  Jayc you start on your knees with a long talk with God.you do some research....are you a redhead? do you scar easy? have you ever broke a bone? did it heal good?even with the fusion you wont go back to heavy lifting....so while you are healing you better be schooling yourself.research,research,research

well this surgeon said after i could play and coach baseball, play my drums,and lift as much as i want and hed sign off on it. i dont believe it for 1 second, he probably wants me to do all that just so i could have more problems to fix.at my job i rip out and install a new bathroom in 1 day everyday by myself, that surgeon has absolutely no idea what kind of physical strength that takes and i dont ever see that happening again without having more major problems. id probably rip that piece of metal out of my spine the first week! oh im blonde/blue and have lots of cool looking scars,(kidding but i do scar well)

---

(03-14-2012 03:36 PM)bodybuilder1958 Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 12:21 PM)jayc123 Wrote:  well i just got back from the follow up from discogram with the surgeon and im told the mri findings were confirmed (duh). he told me its been 7 months now and if the pain didnt go away yet it wont so my only option is the fusion through my stomach not my back! he said it works better with less chance of damage.any body have this one done, if so please tell me its better or im out completely. he also said 4 months recovery time, which also sounds fantastic, cant wait. i guess if i dont have surgery i cant reach mmi and will be on permanent restrictions? help, the rock and hard place just crushed me and hopes of this turning out ok. oh and jayne you are right he told me the fusion DOES degenerate the other discs so eventually ill need more work above and below which could be 1 to 10 years who knows. so get better for a little while untill it happens again, if it doesnt screw me up from the start! how can you even start to make a decision?

Some surgeons are doing both approaches stating that it allows for more stability. Anterior approach has a longer recovery time, patients often have a harder time getting around than with the posterior approach. But ideally you need to know what type of fusion your surgeon is talking about doing. Ask what his/her outcomes are, how many fusion failures do they have over a 5 yr period.

This site has some good answers:
http://www.spine-health.com/

thanks for the website, he is doing the anterior fusion he says its better because it doesnt involve the nerves coming out the back of the spine and its 4 months recovery time, very bad first week they tell me, so i guess ill have a c-section scar, that looks good on guys right?

[jayne]

just what ones are being fused?

[jayc123]

(03-15-2012 06:33 PM)jayne Wrote:  just what ones are being fused?

L4-L5,L5-S1,and he is ignoring the one at T12-L1 stating that only 2% of those injuries cause problems, i said its like a knife in my back and sometimes spreads outward to the sides and he just looked at me like i was lying so after this i still wont have that fixed which is kinda good if these dont work i dont want that one done anyway

[jayne]

you need to PM AQA I believe he had those done he might have more info for you, be prepared to wait for a answer he is attending school and gets his fanny run off so it may be a day or two for him to get back to you.This being a weekend you may get lucky and get an answer right away.

[AQA]

My ears were ringing this evening and I couldn't figure out why. Hey sis, how are you????

Hello all,

Yes I am busy with school and I may have hit the brick wall. I am carrying over thirty pounds in books and laptop and walking to far. The end of this semester will tell the story. Yes it pisses me off to have done so much to face this when I transfered.

JAYC123,

Please excuse me, but this thread is a little to long for me to read thru this evening. From what I gather, you are contimplating lower lumbar fusion. What would you like to know about it???

[jayc123]

(03-17-2012 12:32 AM)AQA Wrote:  My ears were ringing this evening and I couldn't figure out why. Hey sis, how are you????

Hello all,

Yes I am busy with school and I may have hit the brick wall. I am carrying over thirty pounds in books and laptop and walking to far. The end of this semester will tell the story. Yes it pisses me off to have done so much to face this when I transfered.

JAYC123,

Please excuse me, but this thread is a little to long for me to read thru this evening. From what I gather, you are contimplating lower lumbar fusion. What would you like to know about it???

oh yeah anything you can tell me, things you wouldve done different.im having L4-L5,L5-S1 and theres one at t12-l1 they keep ignoring, so any insight would be great thanks