Spinal Fusion

[*GSXR~SNAIL*]

Damn Randy! I have nothing to offer, but if there is anything I can do, don't hesitate!

Thanks buddy.

[birchyboy]

Nothing I can do to help either. Make sure the doctor uses Loctite though. Probably red, not blue.

[bulldog]

Anyone here had the pleasure of getting a spinal fusion? Two weeks from today I get one. Yeah...so excited....not really. This has been going on for years, but I'm at the point where I've tried practically everything and honestly, taking pain meds gets pretty old.

GSXR~SNAIL, have you considered using "medical marijuana" instead of pain pills? I know it is a taboo subject but I have a friend that was always zombied out from all the pain medicine the doctors had him on. He went the medical marijuana route and says that it controls the pain better and he can actually live a halfway normal life now. From my experience of him he is way more coherent on the MM than on the pain pills. It may be an option you should consider for pain relief.

[Joe]

Nothing I can do to help either. Make sure the doctor uses Loctite though. Probably red, not blue.

Safetywire:
You can't pass Tech with Loctite.

[guessinthe2000]

That thing looks effing scary

[brennahm]

He's in N FL so I don't figure he'll be much help.

[TT5.0]

Have you looked at any other options? My wife got an artificial disc replacement instead of a fusion. It is an option that allows you to keep full range of motion. They physically remove the disc, and replace it with one made from metal and plastic. Google "ADR", or Pro-disc for more details. If the disc replacement doesn't end up working out, they can still do a fusion on top of the artificial disc. My wife had her L5-S1 replaced, and it seems to be a lot better. Unfortunately, she is now having problems with another disc around L2-L3.

Here is the link to the Pro-disc for Lumbar site:
http://us.synthesprodisc.com/EN-US/D...ProDiscLumbar/

There are other types of discs also, but this is the one my wife got. The bad part about the actual surgery is that they have to go in through the front, so abdominal muscles get cut, and recovery can take some time.

Dr. Kenneth Pettine in Loveland is one of the best spine surgeons in the world, and was the first to ever perform a 3-disc replacement. I would highly recommend at least a consultation with him.


Edit: Here's a couple of crappy phone pics of my wife's backside... Please keep the staring to a minimum. The screws they added are apparently a new technique to hold in a tendon for facet joint longevity.

[*GSXR~SNAIL*]

GSXR~SNAIL, have you considered using "medical marijuana" instead of pain pills? I know it is a taboo subject but I have a friend that was always zombied out from all the pain medicine the doctors had him on. He went the medical marijuana route and says that it controls the pain better and he can actually live a halfway normal life now. From my experience of him he is way more coherent on the MM than on the pain pills. It may be an option you should consider for pain relief.

bd-

I'm hoping this surgery gets rid of the pain and nothing is needed. But, I'll keep this in mind.

[Dysco]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173810
Here's a few words on my surgery. If you dig around, there are a couple of shots of my actual spine.

My fusion is 14 levels- from T2-L4. It got infected and I had 6 surgeries in total. My range of motion is non-existent and my pain is pretty minimal. I felt comfortable trailriding 3 years post-op.

And titanium will set of metal detectors all day long.

(Hi everybody!)

[*GSXR~SNAIL*]

Have you looked at any other options? My wife got an artificial disc replacement instead of a fusion. It is an option that allows you to keep full range of motion. They physically remove the disc, and replace it with one made from metal and plastic. Google "ADR", or Pro-disc for more details. If the disc replacement doesn't end up working out, they can still do a fusion on top of the artificial disc. My wife had her L5-S1 replaced, and it seems to be a lot better. Unfortunately, she is now having problems with another disc around L2-L3.

Here is the link to the Pro-disc for Lumbar site:
http://us.synthesprodisc.com/EN-US/D...ProDiscLumbar/

There are other types of discs also, but this is the one my wife got. The bad part about the actual surgery is that they have to go in through the front, so abdominal muscles get cut, and recovery can take some time.

Dr. Kenneth Pettine in Loveland is one of the best spine surgeons in the world, and was the first to ever perform a 3-disc replacement. I would highly recommend at least a consultation with him.


Edit: Here's a couple of crappy phone pics of my wife's backside... Please keep the staring to a minimum. The screws they added are apparently a new technique to hold in a tendon for facet joint longevity.

TT5.0-

Thanks. I actually asked my doctor this as my first question, he said with the injuries I have, I wasn't a candidate for this. So, I went to another doctor for another opinion and he essentially repeated what my doctor said. To be honest, I didn't understand the explanation completely, but they both said I wasn't a candidate.

Weird, because that's one of the issues I have among many with the back. The discs at L3/L4 and L4/L5 have, due to trauma, went from bulging, to herniated, to now completely desiccated (flat). Additionally, there are rather sizable bone spurs, again due to the trauma, that are infringing on the foraminal spaces putting a lot of pressure on my spinal nerves. I get a lot lower back pain, radiating pain over both my hips into my groin, numbness to an extent down my right leg and weak strength in my right ankle.

The crappy part about this is that it's been going on for a long time and has just become intolerable. If I wasn't such a knucklehead and had it treated properly much earlier, I wouldn't be dealing with this now. Early treatment is the key. I was actually in the military when I suffered the injury initially, loading sidewinder missiles on F-15's, but military doctor after military doctor diagnosed it as muscle spasms and prescribed a muscle relaxer and Tylenol. Obviously, it was a little more than that at the time, and over time has just progressed. Exercise, physical therapy, traction, pain meds of all sorts were a little too late.

[*GSXR~SNAIL*]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173810
Here's a few words on my surgery. If you dig around, there are a couple of shots of my actual spine.

My fusion is 14 levels- from T2-L4. It got infected and I had 6 surgeries in total. My range of motion is non-existent and my pain is pretty minimal. I felt comfortable trailriding 3 years post-op.

And titanium will set of metal detectors all day long.

(Hi everybody!)

Holy crap, that's one hell of a fusion.

I asked the doc about the metal detectors, he says I get some kind of metal implant card. But he said based on feedback from his patients, it depends on the sensitivity of the detector. Some go off all the time, some didn't.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Man! Sorry to hear that, best of luck!

[FZRguy]

So glad you got your life back Mike! We gotta ride when you get back to the metro area (you haven't seen the sumo), and go for some Indian food.

Good luck with your surgery GSXR. Keep us posted on your rehab.

[Matty]

Good luck Randy.......

[ghostrider_9]

Holy crap, that's one hell of a fusion.

I asked the doc about the metal detectors, he says I get some kind of metal implant card. But he said based on feedback from his patients, it depends on the sensitivity of the detector. Some go off all the time, some didn't.

I've never had an issue with them and I fly quite frequently with my job.

[Dysco]

Holy crap, that's one hell of a fusion.

I asked the doc about the metal detectors, he says I get some kind of metal implant card. But he said based on feedback from his patients, it depends on the sensitivity of the detector. Some go off all the time, some didn't.

The implant card thing won't get you past the TSA without a grope. A little fusion may not cause you to beep. I beep every time, but I am smuggling pounds of titanium, not ounces.


My best advice is about PT. Join a gym if you haven't and start working in the pool- even before your surgery if you can. I would walk the length of the shallow end forwards and backwards for 10 laps or so, then grapevine it in both directions for 10 laps or so- and then repeat to exhaustion. The trick is to tense up your core while you do it while still breathing regularly. A good PT outfit can teach you everything your need to know, but as soon as the doc recommends PT, get on it and treat it like the most important thing you're doing.... because it is. The best I ever did was 2-a-days at the gym in the pool and then doing light weights and core strengthening. Your health is more important than anything else: job, friends, etc. That doesn't mean don't take care of those things, but don't skip your PT ever.

My second best advice is to find a caretaker if you don't already have one for the first few days out of the hospital. It's going to hurt BAD for about a week, then kinda bad for 6 weeks, then it'll have pain half-lives. Don't be afraid to medicate. It's far worse to go unmedicated than feeling overmedicated, DAMHIK. Plan on getting rides for a little while- driving with a lot of pain and no meds is almost the same as driving while on pain meds. 2 years to full recovery is a good ballpark, but you'll be able to do a lot in the meantime.

Finally, if you're married or you have a significant other taking care of you, order flowers in advance for the second or third day you're home. This will pay serious dividends.

[Dysco]

So glad you got your life back Mike! We gotta ride when you get back to the metro area (you haven't seen the sumo), and go for some Indian food.

Yeah we do! I spent the last 6 weeks in Salida doing a clinical and I'll be headed up to Steamboat soon. I graduate in May, so my schedule should free up a little. Kate got a WR250R so now we're both well equipped.

[Dysco]

I found my post on recovery...

Dysco's advice for life after major surgery or injury.

1) Make a plan. Write yourself a note about how you're feeling and where you want to be at the end of your mess. Reread it when you get discouraged. Write more. Keep them all.

2) Take care of the person (or people) that is taking care of you. This is critical. Order flowers for your wife before surgery to be delivered afterwards, make plans with other people (friends or a CNA service) to give your caretaker a break or whatever you think will work to make life easier for them. Whatever you're feeling physically, they're feeling emotionally. (It's a bad idea to schedule a "party" that they will have to prepare for and clean up after.)

3) Hospitals aren't hotels. The harder you work in them, the less time you'll have to spend there. Get out of bed to pee, walk around the unit as much as they'll let you, and work to let the nurses and CNAs know you want to do as much as you can on your own. Eat your meals. Healing takes calories. If a nurse sucks, tell the patient rep. If a nurse was awesome, tell the patient rep. They can't improve things if they don't know about them, nor can they reward positive outcomes.

4) Make a list of questions for your doc. In the 5 minutes you might see him or her a day, you may not be able to remember your questions. The doc is usually in a hurry- they are busy people. Don't bog the conversation down with stories about irrelevant stuff. If you stick to business they will actually spend more time with you.

5) Write everything down that the doc or physical therapist tells you to do to get better. Keep an accordion folder to keep your instructions straight. Follow the instructions. Make sure to make the difference between a limit and a benchmark. A limit is "don't walk more than 1/4 mile a day." A Benchmark is "I want you to be walking at least a mile a day." Follow the limits, double the benchmarks.

6) Stop when it hurts bad. Pain is going to change you. There is good pain, bad pain, and pain that's always going to be there. Figure out when to stop before the bad pain, ignore the others.

7) Come up with a plan to get off your pain meds. When you're prescribed a med for pain, ask not only about the side-effects, but about how to get off of them. Some drugs require you to taper them off, some you can stop cold-turkey. If you don't taper some drugs, you will experience withdrawal symptoms- It'll cost you at least 2 days of recovery. If you find yourself increasing the number of pain pills you take, call the doctor. If you have to take pain meds for longer than two months, ask your insurance to pay for a pshrink or a program to follow. Dropping the meds altogether may make you a difficult person to live with. Continuing to take pain meds after you don't need them WILL make you a difficult person to live with.

8.) Physical therapy is the most important part of your life. Rest is the second most important thing. If work makes either one of those too hard, take leave or use more leave. You can work part time on FMLA if the doctor orders it. Tell them what you need specifically and they'll make it happen. PT office visits are for learning how to do things on your own, ask lots of questions, tell the therapist exactly what you want to be able to do, then double the time you spent there at the gym or at home. A slow 2 hour PT session at the gym was really effective for me. Sometimes I went twice a day.

9) PT doesn't stop. I was in better physical shape 4 months after my surgery than I am now because I stopped working out all together. (The difference now is that I'm much stronger and have better balance) Stay with the gym routine and build up. PT is forever. You'll feel better about yourself and you'll probably end up in better shape than you were in before. I regret not sticking with it and it'll be harder to get back into it now that I've decided to go back.

10) The bike is last. The bike you had going in may not be the best bike for you coming out. Start small, start slow. Build up gradually. It sucks but it's better.

[ghostrider_9]

I found my post on recovery...

Dysco's advice for life after major surgery or injury.

1) Make a plan. Write yourself a note about how you're feeling and where you want to be at the end of your mess. Reread it when you get discouraged. Write more. Keep them all.

2) Take care of the person (or people) that is taking care of you. This is critical. Order flowers for your wife before surgery to be delivered afterwards, make plans with other people (friends or a CNA service) to give your caretaker a break or whatever you think will work to make life easier for them. Whatever you're feeling physically, they're feeling emotionally. (It's a bad idea to schedule a "party" that they will have to prepare for and clean up after.)

3) Hospitals aren't hotels. The harder you work in them, the less time you'll have to spend there. Get out of bed to pee, walk around the unit as much as they'll let you, and work to let the nurses and CNAs know you want to do as much as you can on your own. Eat your meals. Healing takes calories. If a nurse sucks, tell the patient rep. If a nurse was awesome, tell the patient rep. They can't improve things if they don't know about them, nor can they reward positive outcomes.

4) Make a list of questions for your doc. In the 5 minutes you might see him or her a day, you may not be able to remember your questions. The doc is usually in a hurry- they are busy people. Don't bog the conversation down with stories about irrelevant stuff. If you stick to business they will actually spend more time with you.

5) Write everything down that the doc or physical therapist tells you to do to get better. Keep an accordion folder to keep your instructions straight. Follow the instructions. Make sure to make the difference between a limit and a benchmark. A limit is "don't walk more than 1/4 mile a day." A Benchmark is "I want you to be walking at least a mile a day." Follow the limits, double the benchmarks.

6) Stop when it hurts bad. Pain is going to change you. There is good pain, bad pain, and pain that's always going to be there. Figure out when to stop before the bad pain, ignore the others.

7) Come up with a plan to get off your pain meds. When you're prescribed a med for pain, ask not only about the side-effects, but about how to get off of them. Some drugs require you to taper them off, some you can stop cold-turkey. If you don't taper some drugs, you will experience withdrawal symptoms- It'll cost you at least 2 days of recovery. If you find yourself increasing the number of pain pills you take, call the doctor. If you have to take pain meds for longer than two months, ask your insurance to pay for a pshrink or a program to follow. Dropping the meds altogether may make you a difficult person to live with. Continuing to take pain meds after you don't need them WILL make you a difficult person to live with.

8.) Physical therapy is the most important part of your life. Rest is the second most important thing. If work makes either one of those too hard, take leave or use more leave. You can work part time on FMLA if the doctor orders it. Tell them what you need specifically and they'll make it happen. PT office visits are for learning how to do things on your own, ask lots of questions, tell the therapist exactly what you want to be able to do, then double the time you spent there at the gym or at home. A slow 2 hour PT session at the gym was really effective for me. Sometimes I went twice a day.

9) PT doesn't stop. I was in better physical shape 4 months after my surgery than I am now because I stopped working out all together. (The difference now is that I'm much stronger and have better balance) Stay with the gym routine and build up. PT is forever. You'll feel better about yourself and you'll probably end up in better shape than you were in before. I regret not sticking with it and it'll be harder to get back into it now that I've decided to go back.

10) The bike is last. The bike you had going in may not be the best bike for you coming out. Start small, start slow. Build up gradually. It sucks but it's better.

This all sounds vaguely familiar. It's almost if Randy and I talked about most of this stuff yesterday. It's nice to have it echoed from someone else that has been through the same thing.

[usmcab35]

man thats some crazy hardware, can you get it aniodized first? good luck man!

[musclemutt99]

Randy, I hope that you procedure goes well and I will keep you in my prayers.

[*GSXR~SNAIL*]

Great information! Thanks for sharing...both of you.

I found my post on recovery...

Dysco's advice for life after major surgery or injury.

1) Make a plan. Write yourself a note about how you're feeling and where you want to be at the end of your mess. Reread it when you get discouraged. Write more. Keep them all.

2) Take care of the person (or people) that is taking care of you. This is critical. Order flowers for your wife before surgery to be delivered afterwards, make plans with other people (friends or a CNA service) to give your caretaker a break or whatever you think will work to make life easier for them. Whatever you're feeling physically, they're feeling emotionally. (It's a bad idea to schedule a "party" that they will have to prepare for and clean up after.)

3) Hospitals aren't hotels. The harder you work in them, the less time you'll have to spend there. Get out of bed to pee, walk around the unit as much as they'll let you, and work to let the nurses and CNAs know you want to do as much as you can on your own. Eat your meals. Healing takes calories. If a nurse sucks, tell the patient rep. If a nurse was awesome, tell the patient rep. They can't improve things if they don't know about them, nor can they reward positive outcomes.

4) Make a list of questions for your doc. In the 5 minutes you might see him or her a day, you may not be able to remember your questions. The doc is usually in a hurry- they are busy people. Don't bog the conversation down with stories about irrelevant stuff. If you stick to business they will actually spend more time with you.

5) Write everything down that the doc or physical therapist tells you to do to get better. Keep an accordion folder to keep your instructions straight. Follow the instructions. Make sure to make the difference between a limit and a benchmark. A limit is "don't walk more than 1/4 mile a day." A Benchmark is "I want you to be walking at least a mile a day." Follow the limits, double the benchmarks.

6) Stop when it hurts bad. Pain is going to change you. There is good pain, bad pain, and pain that's always going to be there. Figure out when to stop before the bad pain, ignore the others.

7) Come up with a plan to get off your pain meds. When you're prescribed a med for pain, ask not only about the side-effects, but about how to get off of them. Some drugs require you to taper them off, some you can stop cold-turkey. If you don't taper some drugs, you will experience withdrawal symptoms- It'll cost you at least 2 days of recovery. If you find yourself increasing the number of pain pills you take, call the doctor. If you have to take pain meds for longer than two months, ask your insurance to pay for a pshrink or a program to follow. Dropping the meds altogether may make you a difficult person to live with. Continuing to take pain meds after you don't need them WILL make you a difficult person to live with.

8.) Physical therapy is the most important part of your life. Rest is the second most important thing. If work makes either one of those too hard, take leave or use more leave. You can work part time on FMLA if the doctor orders it. Tell them what you need specifically and they'll make it happen. PT office visits are for learning how to do things on your own, ask lots of questions, tell the therapist exactly what you want to be able to do, then double the time you spent there at the gym or at home. A slow 2 hour PT session at the gym was really effective for me. Sometimes I went twice a day.

9) PT doesn't stop. I was in better physical shape 4 months after my surgery than I am now because I stopped working out all together. (The difference now is that I'm much stronger and have better balance) Stay with the gym routine and build up. PT is forever. You'll feel better about yourself and you'll probably end up in better shape than you were in before. I regret not sticking with it and it'll be harder to get back into it now that I've decided to go back.

10) The bike is last. The bike you had going in may not be the best bike for you coming out. Start small, start slow. Build up gradually. It sucks but it's better.

This all sounds vaguely familiar. It's almost if Randy and I talked about most of this stuff yesterday. It's nice to have it echoed from someone else that has been through the same thing.

[*GSXR~SNAIL*]

Man! Sorry to hear that, best of luck!

Good luck Randy.......

man thats some crazy hardware, can you get it aniodized first? good luck man!

Randy, I hope that you procedure goes well and I will keep you in my prayers.

Thanks fellas.

[derekm]

as far as mmj i smoked before during and after accident and always preferred mmj (well ANYmj) to any pills. unfort my current employer frowns upon any mj usage but fortunatly i see dr nelson vatenze once weekly for chiro. best chiro ive found since testing the waters a few yrs ago