[Kathy]

Wow, it really doesn't seem like 5 1/2 months since surgery, it really does pass quickly.
I have been seeing Dr. Blumenthal of Texas Back Institute for my follow up, as he is an investigator in the trial. He said early on the only way it could be better placed was if he did it. LOL I take that as a compliment and him tooting his own horn!

My old pain is gone; but I am having different pain. I knew going into this that I had 2mm herniations on the disc above and below this one; but none of the surgeons I visited (Dr. Bradley, Dr. Zigler and Dr. Garcia) all felt these were not my pain generators. During my discogram, these discs were injected and caused no pain, only L4/5 caused pain, at a level of 10/10. I also had facet arthritis prior to surgery; but once again, all 3 surgeons still felt I was a good canidate for ADR. I had to be within certain medical guidelines for the clinical trial, so I was not beyond those limits. I had also had a facet rhizotomy prior to ADR and had no relief from it. The surgeons also took this in account and felt that my facets were not my pain generators.

I asked Dr. Blumenthal the other day why he thought I still have pain. He said that in like 10-20% of the population, facets will cause problems after ADR. He set me up for facet injections and thinks this could fix it completely (which I have heard of from fellow spineys who had/have to get them every few months post-ADR and feel great). I asked Dr. Blumenthal if I was a good canidate for ADR. He said that I was, that my disc was placed perfectly, is moving exactly as it should and looks great; he said Dr. Garcia did a wonderful job.

I also feel like this could be muscular pain, as I haven't been doing my PT like I should. I really need to schedule a time in my day to do it and make myself do it. My main issue has been that my pain management doctor is so eager to get me off meds, that they keep cutting me back and I'm on just enough to function my daily duties and no extra. I am currently taking 3-5 10 mg vicodin a day, plus Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Zanaflex. I also had run out of Lyrica and did not call for my refill and was off of it for about a month and think that caused my temporary increase in pain.
I have also noticed that on the days that I make myself be active, that I feel better the next day and vice versa, the days that I lay around, then I feel worse the next day.

I am glad that I had ADR, as I have seen my pain going from a 9 or 10 daily to a 3 or 4 daily. I have reduced my meds from 40 mg of Morphine and 60-80 mg of Vicodin a day to 30-50 mg of Vicodin a day. I am also able to completely get rid of my pain with meds, whereas before it would only go down to a 3 or 4 with meds.

Another plus, since I was in the clinical trial, all of my post-op visits and x-rays are paid for 100% by the sponsor! They also give you $100 gift cards at your 1 year, 2 year, etc visits. They told me they do this, because people will have the surgery and feel great, so they won't come in for their follow-ups, not realizing that they are important for the study to be done correctly.