[kc0iet]

Please note that this was originally posted in 2004. I am restarting this thread, and trying to update it as I have been away from the boards in a very long time and am not able to access the original post...

Originally Posted by kc0iet on July 27, 2004
SURGERY DATE: June 4, 2004

AGE AT SURGERY DATE: 39

SURGEON: Dr. Zecheal & Ritter-Lang

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC: Stenum Germany

DEVICE(s), Charite LEVEL(s):L4-5 & L5-S1

COST = 24,000. Euro (Approx. $30,000. US)
AMOUNT BILLED:
INSURANCE ALLOWED: $27,900 !!!!!
OUT OF POCKET: About $2000 plus travel!
TRAVEL: $1730.
EXPLANATIONS? Two coach tickets.


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...: Low back pain ongoing since age 19. DDD

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...): Steroid epidural injections (several through the years) - PT

PRE-OP MEDICATIONS: Bextra - Neurontin - Percocet

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...):Positive discogram in May 2004.

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.): Tingling and numbness in both feet and legs.

PRE-OP CONDITION (Please include %leg pain/% back pain, pain levels, type of pain, ability to work and function, disability status, etc.... be direct, but be as verbose as you need to):

Low back pain 65% Leg pain 35% Leg pain was achey with numbness and tingling in both feet, constant. Back and butt pain was all over the place depending on the amount of pain meds and activity level. Most days, with meds 6 out of 10.

Was able to function pretty well if I wore my brace until February of 2004. Have been off of work since 2/3/04. By the time I arrived in Stenum my quality of life, well, I had no life. I arrived in Stenum 2 days early and could not even enjoy it. Could barely even walk up the hill to the hospital.

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE: 7 weeks

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: No complications. Two level surgery completed in 65 minutes. Roaming the halls in the hospital the next day. Roaming the streets in Stenum and climbing stairs by day 4!

RATE FUNCTIONALITY / SATISFACTION AT INTERVALS BELOW:

FUNCTIONALITY:
1. Very poor: much worse... disabled after surgery.
2. Poor: worse after surgery.
3. Neutral: No improvement, or improvements offset by new problems.
4. Fair, some improvement, limitations are still serious.
5. Good, substantial improvement, some limitations.
6. Excellent: no limitations.

SATISFACTION:
1. Very sorry I had the surgery.
2. Somewhat sorry I had the surgery.
3. Too soon to tell, or I'm ambivalent about the surgery.
4. I'm somewhat glad I did my surgery.
5. I'm very glad I did my surgery.

FUNCTIONALITY: __4_ SATISFACTION: __5_ [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: __4_ SATISFACTION: __5_ [3 MONTHS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: _3__ SATISFACTION: _4__ [6 MONTHS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: _3-__ SATISFACTION: _3__ [1 YEAR POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: _2__ SATISFACTION: __2_ [2 YEARS POST-OP]

6 WEEKS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ECT... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
Doing very well. Still learning not to over do. Starting to do light PT exercises. I had NO leg pain until I started exercises, now leg pain has returned. Back pain is gone most of the time. Some days there is some pain but not the same pain as before surgery. Incision looks great. Some pain directly on incision but the abdominal pain is gone. Still some soreness in spine at discs. Pain level most of the time, with meds is 2 to 3 out of 10. I am presently taking Bextra 10mg daily, Oxycontin 20mg twice a day and Percocet if I am active. Like when I mow the yard, go camping or am up and on my feet for several hours. Still not back to work. I have sent in another work excuse thru Sept. 4th. My current job is very physically demanding and I can not take any narcotics.

Well, not as good as I had HOPED at this point, but in honesty as good or better than I EXPECTED.

Cheers until September!

3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):Well all, today is my birthday! The big 40!! It is also my 3 month and 3 days post-op anniverary. Still doing very well. Still learning not to over do. Starting to do strength building exercises and more physical activities. The leg pain is completely gone most of the time since I started taking Calcium. Back pain is gone most of the time. Some days there is some pain but not the same pain as before surgery. Incision looks great. Slight pain directly on incision but the abdominal pain is pretty much gone. Still some soreness in spine at discs but very little. Pain level most of the time, with meds is 0 to 3 out of 10. I am presently taking, Oxycontin 20mg most nights but not all and Percocet if I am active (1 to 3 daily). Like when I mow the yard, go camping or am up and on my feet for several hours. Many days no drugs at all. Still not back to work. I have sent in another work excuse thru Oct. 1st. My current job is very physically demanding and 12 to 15 hours on my feet is not uncommon.

Cheers till December!

6 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]): I did return to work in October, and that was a mistake. Apparently my spine was not ready to be on my feet 12 -15 hours a day etc. I am working but it is very difficult.

1 YEAR POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]): I am giving away most of my trips because I cannot tolerate it. Still working but when I take a trip I work four days and am flat on my back for three so that I can do it again.

2 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]): January 2006 was my last day at work. The pain in my legs and back was so severe that I was in tears at the end of every day. My ADR’s subsided, rotated and migrated. Films of my spine now look like a backwards ‘S’. I returned to Stenum in February of 2006 for a revision surgery and came home with a posterior fusion at L4-5. Two weeks later, something popped and the pain was back full force. No doctor’s here in the middle of nowhere so I traveled to Dallas, TX and a SCS was implanted, without success. I vow NO MORE SURGERIES! By June of 2006 I was using an electric wheelchair for mobility and rarely left my bedroom.


For the rest of my story (to date) I will start a new post in this thread…