Disc Replacement?

[Paramuscle]

My back got messed up pretty good when I worked for my rich uncle. He used to fly me to all kinds of cool places. Now I am 50 and I have a 102 year old back. I have 5 discs in various stages of degradation and I have turned down the offer to fuse my back multiple times. I have never heard of anyone coming out of that better off than they were. I get injections and those are amazing but I have been looking into artificial disc replacement. My L5/S1 is gone. My last report stated it had ruptured and the material was gone. I am just wondering if anyone has any experience with this topic? I am making an appointment for a consultation.

~PM

 

[Wilson6]

My back got messed up pretty good when I worked for my rich uncle. He used to fly me to all kinds of cool places. Now I am 50 and I have a 102 year old back. I have 5 discs in various stages of degradation and I have turned down the offer to fuse my back multiple times. I have never heard of anyone coming out of that better off than they were. I get injections and those are amazing but I have been looking into artificial disc replacement. My L5/S1 is gone. My last report stated it had ruptured and the material was gone. I am just wondering if anyone has any experience with this topic? I am making an appointment for a consultation.

~PM

Had L5/S1 fused and a Prodisc L placed between L4/L5. Came out WAY better than I was. ROM is unchanged if not improved. If they fuse L5/S1 you don't lose much and it provides a base for the Prodisc level above that maintains ROM and preserves discs above that level. My procedure was a hybrid ALIF. Brace off in 3 months, pretty much back to normal in 6 and full activity in one year. No pain and feeling and function has returned in the right foot dosiflexion, left side drop foot is permanent as I waited too long. Getting the right neuro and general surgeon is key. Fusion is always the default if they get in and can't do a Prodisc bc the vertebra are too far gone.

 

[Tuffoldman]

My wife was in a really bad accident about 14 years ago did a lot of damage to her back but she just lived with what it was but it progressively got worse and worse. About 3 years ago we got to the point where she was having paralysis in her left leg she could just be walking along with all the sudden just on the ground. The surgeon that did her spinal fusion l4 l5 s1 was done without a hitch other than the 8 hours that she was in surgery. Fast forward 3 years later she's back running marathons and doing everything she could do prior. Not everyone heals the same she is an extremely good shape bone density is good and she found a surgeon that actually talked to her and everything worked out perfectly. The recovery is the most important some people try to move too fast and hurt themselves or they don't get up and move around enough and things just don't heal right. Find a surge in your comfortable with check there background/happy/upset clients and make the decision from there. There are new techniques coming out all the time but when it's time to get it done you want to get it done before the rest of your spine deteriorates and causes even more issues

 

[Paramuscle]

The neurosurgeons (2) back home were not doing disc replacement and they only offered fusion. The problem is that one wanted to fuse 7 vertebrae and the other wanted to do 5 and I just really don't think that sounds very good. They told me I should heal good but the amount of muscle they would have to cut through would make it extremely painful and I am allergic to every pain medicine they have ever tried. I know this because I have had 13 surgeries now and every opiate, synthetic, and even NSAIDs caused full blown anaphylaxis. I can take Gabapentin and I use it several times a day as it is. I don't think fusing half my back is an acceptable means and being out of work for months simply isn't viable for me. This is the reason I have just pushed on without aid. I do the injections but when it gets bad on me, I have to use a cane and its a fucking nightmare for me. I found the idea of the artificial disc replacement very interesting because of the limitations I have in terms of injures and my inability to tolerate most traditional pain remedies. This is the reason I find it interesting and very hopeful as well. I am going to have a consultation for this soon and I am hopeful. Thank you guys for the information it really helps.



~PM

 

[5.0]

I have never heard of anyone coming out of that better off than they were.


Now you have. I had l4/l5 fused about 12 yrs ago and did my first pl comp within 3yrs. I too heard a lot of horror stories but my back is solid and pain free

 

[Bigtex]

My back got messed up pretty good when I worked for my rich uncle. He used to fly me to all kinds of cool places. Now I am 50 and I have a 102 year old back. I have 5 discs in various stages of degradation and I have turned down the offer to fuse my back multiple times. I have never heard of anyone coming out of that better off than they were. I get injections and those are amazing but I have been looking into artificial disc replacement. My L5/S1 is gone. My last report stated it had ruptured and the material was gone. I am just wondering if anyone has any experience with this topic? I am making an appointment for a consultation.

~PM

Let us know how this comes out. I have the same issues in the L4 and L5. If I every heal up from shoulder replacement, that is next on my list. Tired of all the pain.

 

[matthewk04]

I had two artificial disks placed in my neck instead of fusion in late November. Definitely reduced pain but I’m not close to 100% yet. The numbness and tingling in the arm came back a few months later but has started to dissipate. Sitting on hard surfaces still can throw it off (all the disks in my neck and the upper back ones are in bad shape from an accident) I was planning on being back to work in January now shooting for September. The main issue being I need to be able to sit and stand for 45-60 minutes straight without numbness or tingling which I’m getting close be able to do. The standing js

The surgeon wanted to do fusion and still says the prognosis is the same as fusion for what it’s worth. My wife got us arena comedy show tickets for Xmas it fell on her birthday in late march and I had the worst flare up since the surgery from the combination of being relatively tall and being stuck in a tight seat with concrete behind me. Both my legs and arms went completely numb, it was bad. I had to stand outside with my head on my arms on a counter top security kept thinking I was intoxicated but I had to tell them that’s not it I just need to do this for a while because I can’t sit.

But I would say that in the whole it was worth doing and would do it again, the recovery has just been longer than anticipated.

 

[matthewk04]

The standing part is fine*

 

[matthewk04]

The told me cutting through my 21 inch neck was going to be a longer recovery. I couldn’t speak in more than a whisper for a few months. Think a 90 year old who smokes ten packs of butts a day…

 

[5.0]

Let us know how this comes out. I have the same issues in the L4 and L5. If I every heal up from shoulder replacement, that is next on my list. Tired of all the pain.

What's going in with the replacement? I had mine done 4 months ago and feel amazing. Did you get infections or have problems with hardware?

 

[Kosher Fried]

Had L5/S1 fused and a Prodisc L placed between L4/L5. Came out WAY better than I was. ROM is unchanged if not improved. If they fuse L5/S1 you don't lose much and it provides a base for the Prodisc level above that maintains ROM and preserves discs above that level. My procedure was a hybrid ALIF. Brace off in 3 months, pretty much back to normal in 6 and full activity in one year. No pain and feeling and function has returned in the right foot dosiflexion, left side drop foot is permanent as I waited too long. Getting the right neuro and general surgeon is key. Fusion is always the default if they get in and can't do a Prodisc bc the vertebra are too far gone.

I remember when I asked my neurosurgeon if I'd lose range of motion with my l4-s1 360 fusion... He asked how my rom was now lol...

Anyway... Very similar situation.

Terrible back from the military for 15 years. Finally couldn't take it anymore.

Back home in 4 days... 6 weeks in brace. 3x/week physical therapy, and hired a personal trainer to just focus on range of motion.

I also took a therapeutic dose of gh for 6 months, about 3iu/day.

Surgery was in December. Brace off mid January (when I also stopped taking pain meds after several SEVERAL years), done with pt by march. By June I was jumping and bouncing all over the place. I also grew about 1.25" from the 2 spacers.

They went in the front and back, and wrapped my fusion with a cage?

Disc replacement seems so awesome, but you can only do it for 1 disc and you better not have degenerative disc disease above or below. They also make several different types.

Regardless, my fusion was the best thing I've done in like 20 years

 

[Paramuscle]

I remember when I asked my neurosurgeon if I'd lose range of motion with my l4-s1 360 fusion... He asked how my rom was now lol...

Anyway... Very similar situation.

Terrible back from the military for 15 years. Finally couldn't take it anymore.

Back home in 4 days... 6 weeks in brace. 3x/week physical therapy, and hired a personal trainer to just focus on range of motion.

I also took a therapeutic dose of gh for 6 months, about 3iu/day.

Surgery was in December. Brace off mid January (when I also stopped taking pain meds after several SEVERAL years), done with pt by march. By June I was jumping and bouncing all over the place. I also grew about 1.25" from the 2 spacers.

They went in the front and back, and wrapped my fusion with a cage?

Disc replacement seems so awesome, but you can only do it for 1 disc and you better not have degenerative disc disease above or below. They also make several different types.

Regardless, my fusion was the best thing I've done in like 20 years

They're doing up to 4 discs now with the artificial replacement but I think the surgeon choice is very critical in that. They're is a cat out in Beverly Hills who is doing up to 4 now and reportedly having great success with that. I have an appt this Friday to see what they say. I haven't had any current imaging in a couple of years so I know they're gonna want new imaging. I have had the injections and therapy and blah, blah, blah. The injections are wonderful but when they stop working, they stop working. I am allergic to everything for pain except Gabapentin and that works wonders but it isnt gonna do much for a full blown invasive surgery and I know this because as I said, I have had 13 surgeries already. I am really hoping this is a less invasive option that maybe I can tolerate. I am so tired of the pain I can tell you that.



~PM