Spinal Fusion

Author
Discussion

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Saturday 18th November 2017
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jkh112 said:
Ructions, how are you doing? Not heard from you for a while.
OK. I'm my own worst enemy.

Been taking things easy the last few days, spending too long in the car doesn't help, nor does walking the dog. BUT I was bored yesterday and took the dog out for a short walk, 30 mins or so. Big mistake. He almost pulled my arm out of it's socket going after a cat and then I had problems holding him when we met a Labrador. For some unknown reason he has a serious dislike of Labradors and Retrievers. That really didn't do me any favours. So today I'm sitting watching TV with a hot water bottle on my back. The cold weather isn't really helping matters either. A few days in and around Seville next week should help that.

Still think having the op was the worst decision I ever made. Only time will tell.

How are you getting on? I hope things are still improving at your end.

jkh112

21,893 posts

157 months

Sunday 19th November 2017
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Don’t get too negative on the operation yet, it can take a long time for backs to recover after such an invasive procedure. Take it easy and don’t be too hard on yourself if you take longer to recover than last time.
I am still getting better, mri last week shows the infection is getting smaller and I am cutting down on the painkillers. Still not able to walk very far but generally heading in the right direction. Off to Abu Dhabi later in the week for the Grand Prix then going back to work for a staged return leading up to Christmas.

dreamer75

Original Poster:

1,401 posts

227 months

Monday 20th November 2017
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Ruction the hardest thing in the world is not overdoing it. I'm an all or nothing person myself (probably like you) which sends me into a dark place if things aren't recovering at the rate I want them to. It can take a very long time to recover and things may never be perfect, so be patient and try hard to pace yourself. And try to remember where you were 2 weeks ago and note the improvements - that can help.

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Monday 20th November 2017
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I’m not sure that I’m any better than I was two weeks ago, if I could turn the clock back to 11th of July I wouldn’t have the op. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I am taking a lot more pain killers post op than I ever was pre op. I have pain in both sides now, pre op it was in my right side only. I’m also a lot less mobile than I was before the op. Walking, at times, can be quite difficult now. It now takes two Tramadol to get out of bed, that was rare pre op.

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Sunday 26th November 2017
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Five days in a warm climate has really improved things, feel much better, so much so that I’m hoping to return for Christmas and New Year at least.
Also I’d always believed that a hard mattress was best for a bad back but having spent those five days in an extremely soft bed I think I may need to invest in a new, much softer one.

dreamer75

Original Poster:

1,401 posts

227 months

Monday 27th November 2017
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Exactly the same here, ref mattresses. Mine was firm but I changed it this year for a ViSpring Medium. Apparently the theory is it keeps your spine in a much more natural curve, because your hips and shoulders can sink in a bit (if you're a side sleeper). It has helped !

jkh112

21,893 posts

157 months

Tuesday 28th November 2017
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Timely discussion. I am staying in a hotel at the moment and find the mattress too hard for comfortable side sleeping. It is great to lie on flat on my back but when I try and lie on my side for sleep it is not comfortable as my spine is not aligned.
I think the firm mattress is good for backs theory only applies to being flat on one's back.

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Thursday 30th November 2017
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Just visited the pain management consultant and we are going to try this https://www.spine-health.com/video/idet-interactiv...

Anyone have any previous experiences, good or bad?

Pain is an incredibly expensive hobby.

jkh112

21,893 posts

157 months

Friday 1st December 2017
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I do not have any experience of it and do not know anyone else who does.
If you try it then I hope it helps you, let us know.

dreamer75

Original Poster:

1,401 posts

227 months

Friday 1st December 2017
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I don't, sorry. But I guess I'd want to know what was causing the pain before throwing treatments at it?

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Monday 4th December 2017
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dreamer75 said:
I don't, sorry. But I guess I'd want to know what was causing the pain before throwing treatments at it?
Consultant says that the fusion looks fine and the pain I am getting appears to be nerve related.
Tbh I’m really not sure about this. I get the same feeling now that I did when I had problems with my Volvo. They just want to try different things until one of them works. At least with Volvo I got a courtesy car. Unfortunately I just have the one spine and need to be present while all repairs are carried out.

dreamer75

Original Poster:

1,401 posts

227 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
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I know how you feel! Allegedly my residual pain is caused by facet issues (I'm missing a facet on one side, so I'm not sure about that diagnosis!) I think a lot of medicine at this stage is a process of elimination sadly. When I'm working with the physio it seems to be the same.

So if that surgery is about injecting a disc, which disc do they say is causing the issue? Given you're fused... What does the updated MRI show - does it show a disc problem?

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Wednesday 6th December 2017
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I’m not sure if I have already mentioned it, but the latest MRI has shown a problem with my lower spine. Where a normal spine is slightly curved, mine is very straight, though if I’m honest I’m not quite sure how this affects things. Discs appear normal, or at least as expected and I think we’ve got to the stage where we are just trying things in the hope that one of them will work, I’m not sure if there is a medical term for that.
The latest consultant has told me that I will never fully recover from this, so it looks like my hill walking, mountain biking and maybe even Golf days may be behind me.

Anyway enough about me, how is everyone else progressing? I noticed JKH112 posting in the early hours which is never a good sign.

jkh112

21,893 posts

157 months

Thursday 7th December 2017
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Posted in early hours UK time, but I was in Dubai after watching the F1 in Abu Dhabi, so don't feel too sorry for me!
I am back at work now and feeling the strain so trying to take it easy.
Antibiotics for another week then an MRI in January to see if the infection has reappeared.

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Thursday 7th December 2017
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jkh112 said:
Posted in early hours UK time, but I was in Dubai after watching the F1 in Abu Dhabi, so don't feel too sorry for me!
I am back at work now and feeling the strain so trying to take it easy.
Antibiotics for another week then an MRI in January to see if the infection has reappeared.
Hard to feel sorry for anyone on holidays in Dubai, hope you enjoyed it. Glad to hear that you have returned to work, take it easy.

jkh112

21,893 posts

157 months

Thursday 7th December 2017
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Yes back to work on a staged return leading up to Christmas then hopefully full time in the New Year. I have done four days so far and the first three ended up being full time as there is so much to catch up on.
Pain levels have dropped significantly but still cannot stand for too long and find walking any distance causes numbness in my right leg which is a bit worrying so soon after a decompression. Still early days though.

MrGRT

295 posts

162 months

Sunday 10th December 2017
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Ructions said:
I’m not sure if I have already mentioned it, but the latest MRI has shown a problem with my lower spine. Where a normal spine is slightly curved, mine is very straight, though if I’m honest I’m not quite sure how this affects things. Discs appear normal, or at least as expected and I think we’ve got to the stage where we are just trying things in the hope that one of them will work, I’m not sure if there is a medical term for that.
The latest consultant has told me that I will never fully recover from this, so it looks like my hill walking, mountain biking and maybe even Golf days may be behind me.

Anyway enough about me, how is everyone else progressing? I noticed JKH112 posting in the early hours which is never a good sign.
Very similar to me, also got a straight spine rather than curved. Also got unexplained pain after being fused and also have got through different different doctors, physios, treatments, etc. I'll keep an eye on this thread, if you find a solution it might work for me.

BTW, in my case, I think I mentioned it before but the latest MRI shows no issues that the surgeons can treat, only some irritation and fibrosis. So I was referred to pain management, so, no solution for me but management frown

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Saturday 16th December 2017
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Ructions said:
Just visited the pain management consultant and we are going to try this https://www.spine-health.com/video/idet-interactiv...

Anyone have any previous experiences, good or bad?

Pain is an incredibly expensive hobby.
All done, quick and virtually painless. Let’s just hope I get some relief.

jkh112

21,893 posts

157 months

Saturday 16th December 2017
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Keep us updated on how effective it is for you.

Ructions

4,705 posts

120 months

Saturday 16th December 2017
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jkh112 said:
Keep us updated on how effective it is for you.
I will. I’ve been told to expect a little bit of discomfort over the next few days, like a moderate sunburn. But so far, so good.