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Pain Management Community

Reply: Failed Fusion...Now What???

UPDATE: Apparently my phone no longer notifies me of any posts to this forum. I...

Posted by HighOct4ne

36 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Failed Fusion...Now What??? UPDATE: Apparently my phone no longer notifies me of any posts to this forum. I...

Reply: Failed Fusion...Now What???

I have to say your story is exactly like mine...and I mean EXACTLY. I recently had a...

Posted by HighOct4ne

36 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Failed Fusion...Now What??? I have to say your story is exactly like mine...and I mean EXACTLY. I recently had a...

Reply: Second Discussion on Spinal Cord Stimulator.

First off, Beth is awesome. She has been such a help in "calming my nerves" for this...

Posted by HighOct4ne

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Second Discussion on Spinal Cord Stimulator. First off, Beth is awesome. She has been such a help in "calming my nerves" for this...

Reply: Failed Fusion...Now What???

I would like to thank you all very much for your responses, they have been very helpful...

Posted by HighOct4ne

36 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Failed Fusion...Now What??? I would like to thank you all very much for your responses, they have been very helpful...

Reply: Failed Fusion...Now What???

Thank you all for your comments and feedback. i am most likely going to try the spinal...

Posted by HighOct4ne

36 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Failed Fusion...Now What??? Thank you all for your comments and feedback. i am most likely going to try the spinal...

Failed Fusion...Now What???

Hi everyone...my name is Chris. I have been suffering from lower back pain for the past...

Posted by HighOct4ne

Hi everyone...my name is Chris. I have been suffering from lower back pain for the past 12 years. I was diagnosed as having degenerative disc disease (spondylolysthesis) which also resulted in severe sciatica. I have tried many different remedies to help relieve me of this pain, including back braces, tens units, hot/cold packs, physical therapy, massages, different types of narcotics (which offer a little relief) and most recently, a spinal fusion. I had the surgery (laminectomy and L-5/S-1 fusion) in November of 2011 and thought everything had gone as it was supposed to. About 5 months after the surgery I began experiencing the same pain as I had before the surgery, and recently I have been in more pain than I have ever been in. The "geniuses" that have been treating me all along (for the past year) said (as a result of numerous x-rays and even a CT scan) that everything was fine, and they didn't know what was wrong. Sooo... I decided to go to a different pain management clinic and they confirmed I had a broken screw and my spine never fused. I didn't know what to think...all this time I had believed the doctors I was seeing before (that everything was fine). None of them believed me, and just kept dismissing my claims. Needless to say, it was frustrating to say the least. Anyways... After talking to the "new" doctor, he said I ultimately have 3 choices: -Stay on (possibly increase/change) narcotics (which I really don't prefer to do). -Go forward and try the SCS and see if it offers any type of relief. Or... -Have another surgery to try to attempt the fusion. This requires going in and removing all the original hardware, and replacing it with (possibly different) hardware. However, the surgeon explained to me if I elected to have a second surgery, my career (as a corrections officer) would most likely be over. I'm only 32, and never been in a life altering decision like this before. My wife has been supportive, and pretty much convinced me to at least try the SCS... but if I eventually have to have the surgery ( to add stability to my spine) wouldn't I be better off to get it now??? I'm new to the forums, but would like to get some advice from those who actually experienced issues such as this and could possibly offer a different perspective. Thank you all very much for reading my post, and thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. God bless!!!View Thread

Posted byHighOct4ne

36 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Failed Fusion...Now What??? Hi everyone...my name is Chris. I have been suffering from lower back pain for the past...

Reply: Second Discussion on Spinal Cord Stimulator.

Hi. My name is Chris, and I am new to the forums. I've been reading about the SCS for...

Posted by HighOct4ne

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Second Discussion on Spinal Cord Stimulator. Hi. My name is Chris, and I am new to the forums. I've been reading about the SCS for...

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