Pain and Depression

Kanutta · #1 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 12:02 AM

I'm so sorry to hear that you still are struggling so hard, I wish that you soon find someone ore something that can help.

We have had some members with unsuccessful outcomes after ADR on the Norwegian spine forum ( it's a national patient organisation for spine sufferers, funded partly by the govermement).

It's hard to find information in norwegian, (and also in english) about revision surgery, but I found this tread on a german forum:

http://www.diebandscheibe.de/ibf/ind...howtopic=28242

The subject of this tread is revison surgery, where people ask for help where to go, where to find a surgeon etc. They also have a hard time finding a surgeon willing to do the revision, and are left alone by their original surgeon..

Theese people have had their surgery in an ordinary clinic, not the private clinics we often hear about.

I'm not that good in german, but maybe some one on the forum can translate some of it, the essence...I was thinking of B 13, or maybe Anastasia or her husband.

I just posted the tread on the Norwegian forum, and when I saw your post I thought that it couldn't harm to post it here either...I hope Mark doesn't mind.
But I don't think he will, he's not that type.
I read Marks posts with great pleasure, and I'm impressed of the medical knowledge he has about many things, and he also seems to be very honest.

Keep strong, and I am following you and thinking of you Roblin!

Kanutta

Roblin · #2 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 04:32 AM

Thanks Kanutta for the link to the German board. I am not good in German but I used a free translation to read it and translate it. It basically told of some people who sounded like they were in a situation much like mine except they only had the one level problem at L4/5 which is the really difficult ProDisc to remove. Facet issues seems to be a common problem. One person said that they had L4/5 removed in early 2007, but did not say who removed it. I hope that there is someone on this board who is fluent in German and could contact that person and see who it was that removed it for them. I am still trying to figure out what to do. My pain management doctor told me Thursday that he thought trying a spinal cord stimulator first was my best option. I am just not sure what to do. I have a 3 level problem and I don't think realistically that there is a doctor anywhere that wants to touch me and even if they could, I probably couldn't afford their price. It is so sad that when a person is in pain and depressed that the doctors want to send them for psychological testing before they will touch them. The doctor that was going to do the surgery in February made me go see a certain psychologist for testing and he said that I was fine to have the surgery. Then, the surgeon decided I had to get something done with the SI joints first and cancelled the surgery. Then, the pain management doctor told me I should be careful with that doctor because he didn't have my best interest in mind. I went to another doctor who said try a spinal cord stimulator first so I went to my pain management doctor and he said I will have to go back to that same psychologist for the same stupid test to have a spinal cord stimulator put in. What is up with that? I am not crazy, I just hurt! I am so frustrated!
Roblin

Roblin · #3 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 04:44 AM

Mark,

"With such a significant structural problem, it would seem that symptom maskers like SCS would only be after reasonable options to address the mechanical problems have been exhausted. I have several clients with SCS... some have them after ADR, some have them removed when they get ADR."

I also wanted to comment on this. I couldn't agree more, but do you know of anyone who has had 2 ProDiscs removed? I haven't heard of anyone. I not only need those 2 removed, I need a 3rd level fixed. Has anyone heard of anyone that has had such a surgery? If so, I would very much like to be put in touch with them. If not, does anyone know of anyone anywhere that has had 2 ProDiscs removed at the L4/5 and L5/S1 level? I am not sure at this point I am willing to be another doctor's guinea pig! Thanks for your help!
Roblin

mmglobal · #4 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 05:44 AM

I have a client who has had 2 Charite's removed. (L3-4-5). Contact me off the forum and I'll give you details and contact info if you would like.

IMHO, each revision is a one of a kind surgery... each revision is a unique case. Unfortunately, we'll ultimately see the day when revision experience will be so great that revisions won't seem like the great unknown.

Mark

KL Aguilar · #5 (**permalink**) 06-28-2008, 11:32 PM

I think I should look into antidepressants. The pain I have most of the time now is more or less tolerable, but the other things (dealing with WC who takes months and months to authorize anything; lack of money--also partly due to WC who pays me, then stops until ordered by the court to begin paying me; dealing with the huge bureaucracy of my job AND WC--each blames the other; being disabled; making medical and surgical decisions; my MIL recently diagnosed with terminal cancer; having a baby grandson who I cannot take care of even for a few hours as I can't pick him up; gaining weight) all of these are causing me to begin each day feeling overwhelmed.

I take Flexeril when I get muscle spasms (frequently), Vicodin on occasion, but not much else spine-related. What antidepressants work with these medications?

dshobbies · #6 (**permalink**) 06-29-2008, 04:59 PM

Do you have a pain managment doctor who oversees your meds? Living in constant pain isn't easy and there's help out there but you have to pursue it. Tell him/her about your depression and it might take a few tries/combos before finding what's right for you but it is so worth it. You'd be amazed at the difference it can make.

Wishing you better days, Dale

Roblin · #7 (**permalink**) 07-02-2008, 04:31 PM

Dear K L Aguilar,
Please check in to an anti-depressant as they can be helpful. The pain meds alone can cause depression not to mention pain and an altered lifestyle being major contributors of depression. I am on Cymbalta which also has the added benefit of some pain relief although I can't tell that it is doing anything for my pain. Sometimes I don't believe it is helping my depression until I miss taking it or try to take my self off of it and then I am so depressed I want someone to shoot me and put me out of my misery. LOL but not at the time. Be careful on what you choose to take because many of them can cause weight gain which can also be a cause for increased depression at least it is for me. Cymbalta doesn't cause weight gain but many of them do. I am still waiting to hear from Dr. Regan to see if a revision for me is going to be possible with a 3 level problem. I sure hope so or I don't know what I will do.
Best wishes on getting some help with the depression!
Roblin