hi
well my fusion is being done on the 25th of this month could you inform me what would they do instead my problem is motion movement bones rubbing hence re-herniating the above disc is also prolapse so that's why they are doing a two level fusion my new surgeon is clinical lead in complex spinal surgery, im sorry if i didn't fully read or understood your first post.
regards clare xxx just to clarify i suffer with bad back pain due to inflammation as well as compresed nerve pain xxx
Hiya Yogi.
It sounds like you have something called arthritic 'end plate' osteophytes. I don't know if you have seen your MRI and X-ray images, but if it is, it should look like 'gnarly knuckles' growing from the ends of the vertebrae and compressing your discs. If this is the case, your condition will almost certainly be considered complex!
If so, the Surgeons I told you about in my last post, will 'not be able' to use their limited MISS Endoscopic skills for your benefit. Please ignore them, my apologese to you!
You are a long way done the road to surgery and very close to D-day, so I am not sure if changing Surgeons now is even the best option given you condition. After all, even Mr. Knight will recommend 'fusion' if your pathology and deteriorated symptoms require it!
I think that speaking, in person, to your existing Surgeon, to gain more understanding of his anticipated post-op improvements, may help calm your understandable fears.
Best wishes Yogi, take care
SPINELF
Hiya everybody!
The string of posts that I will be adding to the Healthy Pages Back Pain Threads over the weeks and months to come, are directed at the long term, chronic and severely disabled back/spinal pain sufferers.
I will not be directly addressing the very real and equally worrying symptoms and concerns of the first time, early onset, back strain type, back pain sufferers!
I unreservedly apologize to those sufferers for this!
As a recovering, post operative, back pain sufferer myself, my health simply won’t allow me to dedicate the volume of quality time needed to do justice to this subject.
However, I do hope that there will be some ‘nuggets’ in there somewhere for ‘all’ sufferers, and I sincerely hope that I will be able to return to this subject in the future.
Best wishes
SPINELF
Welcome back and thank you for the info. to come, I'm sure it will help people! I was always grateful for your positive replies when back pain was laying me low 🙂
Hiya Mouse
[Thank you Mouse, you're very kind!
How are you these days? Good I hope?
Speak soon.
Cheers
SPINLEF
[Thank you Mouse, you're very kind!
How are you these days? Good I hope?
Speak soon.
Cheers
SPINLEF
Actually I have a glimmer of hope re. the back pain! I was diagnosed with a severe vitamin d deficiency in April so have been prescribed a high dosage to bring the levels back to normal. This deficiency has been found to be a significant factor in the incidence of chronic lower back pain (research reported in BMJ and studies done in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere - see Google). My fingers and toes are now crossed!
I want to point out to anyone reading this suffering from chronic lower back pain that it is very much worth getting your vitamin d levels checked (and please note that vitamin d is a hormone not a vitamin hence the serious effects of a deficiency).
I do hope you find some help Spine Elf, and power to your campaign!
Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi i gyd, Mouse!
I'm seeing my GP soon, and I will definitely be adding Vitamin D supplements to my shopping list! Great call!!
SPINELF
Hi, what I don't ubderstand is that if this kind of surgery performed by Dr Martin Knight is available, why does the NHS not offer it? Is there an actual reason? I mean, since your post I have read more on this and seems like it is probably easier to recover from at the very least.
1 million dollar question!
I will be covering this question in detail, in my coming post’s Hopeshasgone, but just to wet the appetite:
Old dogs, new tricks syndrome.
Lack of Incite.
And
Initial costs.
You see butty, the powers that be ‘cite’ more expensive up front costs for MISS procedures. But when you factor in, much higher ‘post operation’ NHS Hospital costs for: longer in-patient care (up 7 days), drugs, Physiotherapy and infection control etc, the costs are very similar. When you factor in ‘re-operations’ very common with Fusion, for example, the financial and clinical costs are higher!
It should be introduced, full stop!
Regards
SPINELF
Hi Spinelf,
I know this isn't anything to do with MISS, but as you are talking about NHS treatments and how they are behind with modern surgical techniques, I think they also need to offer artificial lumbar disc replacement. I know someone who had an accident ay work and this person received the implant and has made a full recovery. I think for people who have had significant damage to their discs should be offered this option because not everyone wants a fusion. I know they offer artificial cervical discs, but I think people whose discs have been badly ruptured may benefit more from this treatment rather than fusion. Disc replacement is not tje best option for everyone, but I think it is worth offering. It may obviate the need for future disc operations. People who have had one discectomy sometimes develop problems with the same disc again so this may be a good solution for people who are likely to herniate again, and there are such people.
Hiya Hopeasgone! Sorry for delay!!
(((( I think for people who have had significant damage to their discs should be offered this option because not everyone wants a fusion. I know they offer artificial cervical discs, but I think people whose discs have been badly ruptured may benefit more from this treatment rather than fusion.))))
I could not agree more with you Butty!
I have said many times, that I strongly believe, that spinal pain sufferers must consider a 'spinal fusion' to be the procedure ‘of last resort' in their spinal care! Its terrible clinical outcome rates and inherent morbidity issues are simply too awful for this old and out dated procedure to be undertaken any sooner! I think, almost anything is better!!!
Apart from some outstanding ‘robustness issues' surrounding the 'fixing' of the ADR' s end plates to the ‘end plates of the patients vertebrae’ I strongly believe that ADR's are definitely the future of spinal treatment for those sufferers with severely destroyed or deformed discs. The way they preserve the mobility of the patient is the key to that success and to a sufferer’s improved quality of life!
Speak soon, Take care!
SPINELF
''the true state of play''
''THE TRUE STATE OF PLAY''
As promised, here my first '3 posts' giving my objections, rationale and research in support of my campaign to blow the whistle on THE TRUE STATE OF SPINAL SERVICES IN THE UK, and to help every fellow spinal/back pain sufferer to avoid the terrible mistakes I made during the first 5 years of my 9 year search for a safe and effective spinal decompression operation.
I offer my experiences and findings in order to try and stop you my fellow sufferers, experiencing the same 'life wasting' therapy and treatment protocols and from becoming another me, and also in the hope, that you will feel as sickened as me by the shockingly poor care that I (and others) have received by those who we trust to care!
Best wishes
SPINELF