2-Level Dynesys

[slsunflower]

Hello -

I had a 2-level Laminectomy & Dynesys w/ Fusion (local bone) almost 5 wks ago.

I am still trying...harder than ever before, and hurting! I hurt myself almost 5 yrs ago teaching school. Four years of court battles finally produced a discogram and this surgery.

I am still having surgical pain, plus my pain I already had - which is way worse. I knew I would have this pain still for a while, but I didn't know it would be greater than before.

My right side of my pelvis just can't be used! I can put NO upper-body pressure onto that side of the pelvis at all. It hurts the low back/pelvic area to manipulate the right leg. Before the surgery, I was driving my 2 kids around w/ my left foot on both petals. Now, I can't even drive!

My MD suggested it is spinal muscles. The only thing that remotely helps is wearing a si brace down around my hip joints - or lying down on the side that hurts.

We'll see! Right now, mornings are spent mostly crying b/c of the pain. I hardly am seeing my kids, 5 and 1.

I just want to be down to the level of pain I was in when I walked in for the surgery! I want to be able to put weight on the right side of my body!

I guess this is how recovery goes....but I couldn't be trying harder, I know.

I just wish I had done this after Christmas. Yes, I was in horrible pain then, too, but I at least could have held my kids on my lap. I at least could have left the house in the morning before the pain was too bad & could have bought them some gifts.

So...I'm obviously not much good for giving advice now, but I will once I'm doing better...and I could use some help, too! Thanks

[fireyangel76]

Hi sun,
So sorry you are having so much pain post op. I did not have a bone graft so I no nothing of the pain with them. After my Dynesys I do recall having alot of hip and pelvis pain when upright. It doesn't sound like I had anything compared to your pain you are having.
Hang in there and I hope you find some light at the end of the tunnel. Try to have a Merry Christmas and hopefully you will have a new year that gives you pain free days!

[mmglobal]

Sunflower... what were discogram results? I'm so sorry that you are still suffering so. It seems unusual for you to be in this shape 5 weeks post-op...

Does your doc have a game plan other than wait it out. If that's his plan... how long are you supposed to wait before he starts more diagnostics? (Maybe he's already done more diagnostics?)

All the best,

Mark

[slsunflower]

Hi both!

Fireyangel76, How are you doing now? How long has it been? Merry Christmas to you, too!

MMGlobal, My discogram results were extremely positive for the L5-S1, reproducing all of my on-the-spine-pain exactly. Above it, it did a little pain w/ abdominal pain. It was worked on b/c of the pain shown & b/c my MD didn't feel comfortable w/ the bulges it was already showing. My very bottom disc - he couldn't really get into despite trying many times. It is not a 'true disc,' & my MD doesn't even feel it's capable of being a pain generator. The MD performing the disco stated the same. None of my right side pain (the worst - the reason for the surgery) was generated - but they said it wasn't necessarily supposed to be, if it's referred pain.

Right now, his plan IS to wait it out, w/ Percocet & muscle relaxers. I may need to ask to go back on the oxycontin, but I don't even know if he'll say yes. In about 2 wks, he wants to start me walking in the pool. That should be fun, coming out in the winter air! Oh well. I am a water person through and through. The only thing is, I've been like this a while, and I know that I can't use my right leg in the water, either. I've tried for years. Often, I swam w/ my arms & let my legs drag behind. Kicking w/ the right leg was never a possibility b/c of the rear pelvic/back pain. Even pointing the toe (like using the gas pedal) or wiggling the toes causes pain to the right back/posterior pelvis. I have NO idea what that means. It's definitely mechanical - that's all I understand. Then, I see him at Week 10. That's all I've heard about a plan!

Thank you both!

[fireyangel76]

Sunflower,
My pre op pain sounds much like what you describe and always on my right side and to the foot. I never had a dicogram and from what I hear it is not pleasant. My problem was herniation L5-S1 for which I first had a microdicectomy. That worked for a few months and then the pain returned. Finally almost 2 years later I got my doc to order a new mri (seemed like he thought he had to pay for it himself) and I had herniation again and scar tissue. I also have a buldge at L4-L5 that they seem to think doesn't cause pain but I am wondering if that is not the case.
It has been 10 months for me since my dynesys at L5-S1. Only 1 level for me. I am in much better shape now than before. I have far less pain although I do get some nerve stuff down my leg still, but it is not near the pre op stuff. I do now have restless leg syndrome since surgery and my reseach finds that it may be related to back surgery, not that any doc I see will say it.
All in all I am doing great. Now in saying that..if I do very little I am great. When I try to increase my activity as in house work, grocery shopping, lifting, bending or stooping I feel it and it puts me down for a few days. The surgery is a success to the surgeon, but as for me...I would like to be able to do normal things.
Like you I started walking in the shallow end of my pool. BURRR! It was cold getting out even in the summer and I would tense up so much it hurt worse. I started taking a very warm terry robe with me and as soon as I got out I put in on. Forget the towel it take s to long. I also do my treadmill 30 min a day at about 2.8 MPH, no incline, back still doesn't like that. I do my recumbent bike every other day also. I was doing good with these activities but it didn't translate into normal activities...I have no idea why not!
I haven't done the treadmill or bike for a month now as I decided to be stupid and fall on some stairs and hit my thoracic spine, I broke a few ribs and who knows what else. I am on the mend now and will try to get back on an exercise program.
Like Mark said...which I didn't want to jump out their and say...I think it sounds like you are having more than expected pain. I can say with out a doubt, I never had the kind of pain to the extent you describe post op.
I so hope you start to feel better soon.

[johnb]

The most important thing for you is following the doctors recommendations so your fusion will take regardless if you have dynesys or rigid instrumentation. Most of the people I have talked to have had the dynesys without fusion. Take it easy as you are early in your recovery as it takes sometime for a fusion to form. Did you get a bone growth stimulator?

johnb