Back Issues :: Spinal Cord Stimulator Or Spinal Fusion Surgery?
I had back surgery in March 2013 that left me with mechanical instability, acquired spondylolisthesis and lots of pain.
I have 2 ortho spine surgeons telling me that I need a bi-level spinal fusion surgery to repair the damage, but after the botched first surgery, the thought of another surgery scares me to death. Plus, since surgery is what spine surgeons do, the recommendation seems obvious.
I also started seeing a new pain management doctor (we moved to a new state) and he is suggesting that I consider a spinal cord stimulator trial, with surgical implantation if we find that it helps the pain.
So...I'm left confused. I see the positives and negatives of each, but I'm just not sure if one makes more sense over the other. I think that my spondylolisthesis will worsen over time and could pose a threat of nerve damage, while the spinal cord stimulator is designed to mask pain and does nothing to address the instability.
I'd love to know if anyone else has faced a similar decision...or has thoughts, ideas, comments, suggestions for considering one over the other.
Back Issues :: Clicking After L5 - S1 Spinal Fusion
I am almost 2 years post op from an L5 - S1 spinal fusion. I had three surgeries in 9 months before the fusion. I have never been 100% since. The pain is not as severe or crippling, but there is much that I am unable to do. I cannot stand for more than 20 minutes, cannot walk around for more than 30 minutes and have to alternate sitting with laying down. I take Vicodin 1-2 times each day for the pain. I also have numbness in the left foot from the middle toe to the pinky and around the outside of the foot to the heel. My concern now is that I hear a "clicking" when I get up from sitting or lying down. I live in Minnesota and the winter is brutal! I suffer more with extreme cold and damp weather. Is this something to be concerned with or just another item to learn to accept? Is it possible to have an MRI after a fusion?
View 3 RepliesMenstruation :: Spotting And Trouble Sleeping On My Stomach And Back
I'm a 29yr old woman no pregnancy in my past at all my husband and I have been unprotected for 7yrs no birth control my cycle does not change its clockwork same time every month with all the perks (cramps, bloating, sore breast, ect.) I was due this month on the 20th however I started spotting and its unpredictable but never enough to use more than 2-3 napkins a day if that i'm also experiencing some clots not too big i'm in no pain but I recently have been having trouble sleeping on my stomach and back it feels like to much pressure tomorrow makes day 11.
View 1 RepliesDihydrocodeine :: Spinal Fusion - Only Possible Cure?
after contracting cervical spondylosis through an industrial accident i have taken many different forms of medication, namely diclofenac, tramadol and co-dydramol, none work, two disc replacements later, c5-c6 c6-c7, still symptoms persist, tramadol are horrendous, sleepless nights itchiness mild vertigo drowsiness, a truly awful drug, diclofenac caused some form of breathing difficulty, although im not an asthma sufferer, i think the only possible cure for this illness is a spinal fusion, my surgeon seems reluctant in doing this as he is trialling new discs, i never wanted to be a guinea pig, i just wanted to be cured, four years later im worse than ever, no work cant drive cant sleep at night, any ideas?
View 1 Replies5 Months Post Op L4 / L5 Spinal Fusion - Still In Pain
I'm 5 months post op from MIS fusion of l4/l5 and in pain.
Had microdiscectomy at the same level november 2013 without any relief. The back pain only got worse. The disc was completely dehydrated and I was offered the fusion 6 months later. Not that much pain after the operation but it has increased a lot. Severe back pain in the lower back and all the way up to the shoulders.
Hip Socket Pain And Buttocks Post Spinal Fusion ALIF Surgery
I am a 40 year old male that has had two back surgeries. First Surgery February 2014 Lumbar Spine Posterior Discectomy Micro-discectomy on L4 & L5. Surgery failed no improvement. My Second surgery March 2015 Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (alif) surgery on L4, L5, & S1 with cage implants and bone grafts harvested from my own hip bone. I experience sciatica on my right leg and most frequent on left leg ;shooting pain down my right/left hip/buttocks, goes down the back of the leg. The last 3 years left foot numbness. My worst pain is in bed getting up is very painful. Before my ALIF surgery I suffered from sciatica foot numbness and pain in mostly my left leg region. After 6 weeks post ALIF surgery or so I started getting pain in my buttock/hip region. This actually started during my physical therapy. At first I was doing water therapy this is when it started. My last day of water therapy I was literally about to go to ER from P.T clinic. From there on it just had gotten worst, no real improvement. I went back for more P.T sessions stretching and other exercises . What Physical Therapist did notice that my hip motion was very limited and not much improved happen during all my sessions about 40 or so. Its being about 10 months after surgery and 4 months of P.T. and pain on hips doesn't go away. I have to be careful going up or down stairs. Getting out of bed or moving around in bed its a battle. I have spoken to my surgeon and he says it will take more time for recovery and possible have to live with this pain as a fact of life. I have also spoke to other doctor s and pretty much same response. Once thing I just found out recently is about Hip Bursitis. I was diagnosed with Arthritis. My surgeon keeps on saying its my Arthritis causing pain but prior to ALIF surgery I never had this buttocks pain , specially getting in and out bed. I was wondering if anyone has had same symptoms after spinal fusion surgery having Hip Pain From Arthritis or Hip Bursitis?
View 10 RepliesAnxiety :: Trouble Sleeping
I made an appointment for therapy. They said they would call me back, so..fingers crossed! Where I'm at right now, it's 3:23 AM and I can't sleep.. I've been trying to sleep for almost 2 hour's now. Every time I try to close my eyes & just relax, my heart starts beating fast, I get a slight lump in my throat feeling, and my head/neck feels tingly. I also, get a panicky feeling. It's driving me crazy. This always happens when I need to be up at a certain hour.
View 22 RepliesTrouble Sleeping At Night - I Don't Want To Wake Up
I find it really hard to sleep at night, It almost like my body is exhausted but my brain won't shut off.
I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and one of the symptoms is insomnia. I can't sleep at night but when i finally get to sleep and my brain has shut down when it comes to getting up in the morning for work, I can't. I sleep through alarms, people could be screaming down my ear, world war 3 could be happening and i wouldn't wake up.
Trouble Sleeping At Night - Depression?
So my whole life i have lived with my grandma and grandpa. A year ago my grandad died. Since then my grandma has been feeling very sad and lonely. I never had this problem with sleeping until the past 4-5 months, where i just stay up until 4-6 AM even though i go to bed around 12o'clock. I just play video games and in the weekends i go out with my friends and party. I am a student in college and me not being able to sleep at nights is preventing me to attend properly in School, I just skip classes more and more even though i want to do good. When i look at the big picture i just find it so depressing, this life i'm having even though I don't think i suffer from depression. I'm just unable to sleep at nights, this is a major problem to me. I don't know now what i should do, move to my mom in England?
View 2 RepliesSleep Issues :: Trouble Sleeping
I'm 52 and have no history of sleep problems. In fact I generally sleep through anything. That is until seven weeks ago today. I went to bed as usual, but didn't get to sleep till about four in the morning. The same thing happened the next night and the next etc etc. sometimes I'll go to sleep quickly but wake up a couple of hours later- just for a bit of variation ha, ha. The thing is, I'm pretty certain what caused this, but it makes me sound a bit pathetic. There's a woman at work who I've become quite friendly with. Just friends I must stress and she has given no indication that it is anything more. Anyway, I had a week off work and the night before my first day back I started to get butterflies in my stomach and realised I was excited about seeing this woman the next day. That's the first night I didn't sleep. I became quite infatuated for a couple of weeks, but that intensity seems to be waning now. However, I'm still left with the insomnia. I must stress that this type of schoolboy crush is completely out of character. She has a partner an so do I - 20 years now I wouldn't want to do anything to ruin it.
View 2 RepliesSertraline :: 50mg100mg Trouble Sleeping
started sertraline 50mg in end of march start of april on those for 3 weeks then switched to 100mg have been on that dose for about 5 weeks now the whole time ive struggled with sleeping its so irregular sometimes wake up every hour i stuggle as gets me down as i know im tired but my body dosent feel it. so the nights feel super long and i dread them as they come around . few other things but wanted to see if anyone else has this problem too but positivity wise i have noticed a big change in my moods the tablets have helped alot but too me more things keep popping up thats starting to even out the good and bad effects.
View 1 RepliesHernia :: Trouble Sleeping Due To Pain
anyone any tips to help with trying to sleep as pain some nights is unbearable.
View 8 RepliesBeta-Blockers :: Trouble Sleeping
I am taking beta blockers. I have had a heart attack couple of days ago and I guess beta blockers I have to take as prevention. No one needs a heart attack, right? But, even in that short period of time, some side effects occurred, I had trouble sleeping. Although, I have to admit that I am not sure if this was because of the stress or because of the beta blocker.
View 1 RepliesPregnancy :: Trouble Breathing And Sleeping
I'm 33 weeks and I'm having so much trouble breathing and sleeping is anyone having this problem or had this problem ??
View 5 RepliesFluoxetine :: Tired But Trouble Sleeping
I've been on fluoxetine for over 2 weeks now. At first I was ok, a little tired in the day but I could sleep right through the night with no problems.
The past few days I've had some good days and not napped through the day as I've felt good (emotionally and physically) but then as of Sunday night the tiredness knocked me. I'm really tired all day and when I get to sleep at night I wake up every few hours and struggle to get back to sleep, meaning I'm more tired in the day again
I take my tablets at night time as it helped a bit more than in the morning
Has anyone else experienced this? If so could the doctors help or do you have any natural ways of overcoming it?
Trouble / Difficulty Sleeping Due To Exams
Im a student à 21 years old. In two weeks, I will be on exams. It's a very stressful period for me. Its a period during which Ive some sleep issues. Ive some difficulties in order to fall asleep. And when I finally fell asleep, I wake up between two and three times a night.
View 9 RepliesSleep Issues :: Having Trouble Sleeping - On Antidepressants
I've been on antidepressants for my mental health but I've not been able to sleep, there are days I can sleep 2-3 hours but then there are days I am unable to sleep at all. I've tried relaxing before bed, warm milk, clearing my mind before bed, having a bath etc but those aren't helping. I don't want to take sleeping tablets due to my other medication. Has anyone got any advice or tips to help me just a little. I've had trouble sleeping for 6+ years.
View 5 RepliesCardiovascular :: Trouble Sleeping After Bypass Surgery
I've had my bypass surgery finally. I waited very long for this to happen. I was not an urgent case though, but still I was very nervous about this. I’ve been told I will get my surgery done in about a month and it turned out that I had to wait for two more months. I was scared something may go wrong while waiting. Luckily nothing did and I’m ok now. I’m recovering. The only things that bothers me is that I haven’t been able to sleep. What are your experiences when it comes to troubles sleeping after bypass surgery?
View 10 RepliesWeight Loss Pills :: Trouble Sleeping ?
I've been taking these pills for a week now and I have lost some weight, but I have trouble sleeping. I try to get 8 hours of sleep, but taking these pills I only get 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I take 2 before breakfast and 2 before lunch. Anyone else ?
View 1 Replies