I need some advise from you guys, I was recently in a major car accident (9 months ago) and am still suffering with a back injury.
I been to several doctors tried all the conventional methods to help the injuries which are two bulging dics and degeneration of another.
All of this causes unexpected pains, numbness and lose of strengh in my legs.
It has been recommended that I undergo surgery from two different doctors to help resolve it.
Thanks
Doug
Well Doug I have had four back surgeries and had to medically retire because of the outcome of the very first one.:grumpy:
My back problem was because of an accident at work and then IMO incompetent doctors.:grumpy:
I used to have a great, great, deal of arch in my low back and would *curl* or *roll* a brand new and very well made; as well as being made from very thick quality cowhide leather belt in two weeks or less.
I had an occasional back ache like every one else does from time to time and was in pretty good general health most of the time.
The first surgery was done by a neurosurgeon and an orthopedic specialist.
The neurosurgeon pretty well did his job but the orthopedic doc removed a very great deal of the arch in my back by not bending the rods to match my back before surgery.
Now I can wear a belt and keep it nice for a long time with very little rolling. But by *Not* putting the existing arch back into my back he caused me to be out of balance with my previous self which causes an extreme amount of pressure on my SI and Hip Joint's, which in turn causes me a great deal of pain.
Thankfully the pain can be and is managed with some heavy duty pain meds.
It is much better than it was even a year ago because of my increased activity at our health club where we work out three times a week.
Since around the first of last August I have lost 60 pounds and gained quite a bit of strength and stamina but I still have a long, long, way to go!!!!
My last three surgeries have been performed by my neurologist that was recommended by a lady at the worker's compensation insurance office that took issue with the way my company was treating me and told me what I could do legally and the steps to do them in.
I sorta knew I could pick my own surgeon and not use the company doctors but until she told me who to see and what to do to see him I was in the dark about the legal matters.
Dr. Gaede has been a blessing and has even restored a bit of the arch in my back by tweaking the spinal vertebrae and seeing that I got the proper care and didn't do too much way too soon.
The company doctors had me back to work six months after my first surgery and I need at least a year too heal fully.
The thing is that surgery can indeed work with the proper care and exercise but you really have to be dedicated to the exercise!!!!
One of my big problems was that I got other medical problems and couldn't exercise like I needed too so consequently I lost the ability to do many things with the most important being able to walk and walk a long, long, way in the course of a day.
And except for around the house I need a walker to go any distance at all.
My dear wife Barbie and I have gone to one of our local nature areas that has nice trails when it hasn't rained and walked in the woods a couple of times the last couple of weeks.
It was wonderful to be able to visit the woods once again as we used too live in the outdoors when I was still able to get around without the walker.
We also did a little fishing last spring and are hoping to again this year when the Crappie start spawning.
So now that you have that part of my story let me say that I would look around, talk to folks, and inquire every where I could to find the very best neurosurgeon I could find that will do the whole job from start too finish!!!!:thumbup:
Then have the surgery done and do everything the Dr. tells you to do no matter what!!!!
Two more warnings......
Bear in mind that if the pedicle screws and rods are put in your back anchoring everything into place that over a period of time the screws can work loose which will cause you pain and the only cure for the pain is to have another surgery to remove them.
The other problem that sometimes occurs is that the vertebrae above the existing fusion deteriorates and when the offending screws are removed the deteriorated part of your spine will need to be fused and the same can happen over and over again until your whole back is fused.
We have one member that had a major fusion done when he was quite young and he seems to do pretty well with his back although I haven't talked to him lately.
There's more I can tell you but that's the gist of everything.
