ADR and Facet issues- need advice/support

[lkastl]

Hi

I am thankful for this site and hope to find advice and support from the members as I struggle with what to do. Maybe there is someone here in the same or similar situation as I am. I am 9 years out from a l5-s1 prodisc. I was part of the US clinical trials. I had a prior posterior decompression at that level,(what I thought was a foraminotomy, but was perhaps more) which I now know is a contraindication in todays criteria. At the time, the surgeon was aware of it and didnt feel it was a issue as I was stable at that level.

Anyways, I had many good years, with a few bad flare ups when I did too much, that I managed to get over, although they took a LONG time to settle back down.

I have been in another bad flare up for the last 5 months. Perhaps it will settle down too over the next year, but it is the worse one yet. I am being treating conservatively by a physiatrist, who suspects it is my facets at that level. At first we were doing s1 nerve root injection, because I had a lot of leg pain along with the back pain, but we were getting minimal results. Last injection he did both the facet and the nerve, and the results were better, so he thinks it might be the facets. We are thinking of more steroids in the facet to calm it down or a RF lesioning.

I am depressed, anxious and scared. My life is ruined again and I cant do anything for myself and my family. I fear a revision is in my future at some point and I don't seen any successful revision patients posting, so I don't think the results would be very promising. Maybe I just have to learn to live with this and go on pain management.

So, I guess I am looking for help and advice from anyone who has facet issues post ADR. How have you managed? Did steroid or RF lesion get you over the hump? Anyone had a revison? Any new facet technologies worth waiting for ?

Sorry so long and rambling . . .

Thanks
Laurel