lumber back fusion

[mpenny]

I am in Montana: I would like to hear from people who have had back surgery. I went to a neurosurgeon yesterday, I have stress fractures in l4,l5,s1 with a bulging disk at l5. I went to this visit on a reservation of rights by workers comp. I need a TKR which the os will not do until my back is fixed. Fusion only has a 50% rate of reducing pain. Has anyone had a disk replacement ? The rate of pain relief % is much higher. I am going for a second opion, on my own Ins. This is a big deal to me, life changing. My second question is what will workers comp do with my bennifits? If they do not pay for my back even though I said it has hurt to every Dr. for the last 2 years after a fall downs the stairs, after I had a fulkerson osteotomy, that has failed. The recovery time for this surgery is quite long. Please anyone have any ideas.

[Still in Limbo]

My Lower Back Condition is Getting Pretty Dire, My Epidural Fibrosis, (Scar Tissue) is in My Spine where They Removed Half of My Disc, and has Attached to My S1 Nerve Root that is Crushed, and Wrapped in Scar Tissue and will Never Heal. I also have Retrolethesis, and the 4 Discs above the L5 Area are Dried and Bulged, and Pressing on Nerves, but has been even Before My Injury. I also have Severe Arthritis due to the Injuries. In the Morning, I Walk like a Drunk, until I get My Muscles Working Correctly to stop Me from Walking Like a Slinky. The Reason I have Typed all of this is: My PM Dr. said that I would be a 100% Candidate for a Fusion at My Lower Back to Help Stability, but She Told Me in No Uncertain Terms that it WILL NOT Help the Pain, and then We are going to have to Worry about More Scar Tissue Attacking the Fusion Surgical Area. Each Person's Back Condition is Different, and the Spine is Your Main Travel Corridor for Our Nerves that Allow Us Movement, and Pain when Something is Wrong, and My Opinion Only I would want at Least 2 Second Opinions before any Surgery Should I be in Your Situation. Sometimes too Many Surgeries are not the Correct Path, and You May want to Consider Pain Management to Help with the Pain. If Your Injury is Life Threatening, then that's a Different Matter, but if it's just to try and Stop Pain, only You can Decide when Enough is Enough!! My Very Best to You, and I Hope You make the Right Decision!


P.S., I was 42 when Injured, and I'm 47 now!