Eddie G Prodisc L4-L5 October 2006

[Eddie G]

SURGERY DATE: 10/24/06

AGE AT SURGERY DATE: 38

SURGEON: Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC: NYU

DEVICE(s), LEVEL(s): Prodisc L4-L5

COST =?
AMOUNT BILLED: ?
INSURANCE ALLOWED: ?
OUT OF POCKET: Private nurse at hospital, fancy massage chair, weekly 2 hour massage
TRAVEL: Minimal
EXPLANATIONS: Worker's Compensation


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...:
12/16/03 I had a nasty fall at work. Twisted when I fell on ice. I was totally airborne.

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...):
Discectomy in 2004. Epidurals and Facet injections. Trigger Point Injections, Medial Branch Blocks, Acupuncture


PRE-OP MEDICATIONS:
Oxycontin, Neurontin, Valium

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...):
Discogram 5/15/06 L4-L5 DDD & asymptomatic annular tear @ L5-S1
Discogram 10/27/08 positive @ L5-S1

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.):
7/10 pain in lower back
6/10 pain down right leg, sometimes left leg.
Occasional paralyzing pain

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):
70%back pain, constant, burning, stabbing, stiffness, dull pain, throbbing pain
30%leg pain, stabbing
Sometimes the pain would drop me to the floor.

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE:

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: Could not move in hospital bed for 3 days. Not even roll over. Worst experience ever. Stomach did not wake up for 3 days. All I wanted to do was hit the button for pain meds and sleep. The fusion patient next to me seemed to be up and around and recovered quicker than me. Dr. Goldstein was wonderful however. I wish the nursing staff was as good as Dr. Goldstein was.

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.

Don't forget the detail update section below!

DATE UPDATED: __11/6/06_ FUNCTIONALITY: _3_ SATISFACTION: _3_ [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _1/15/07___ FUNCTIONALITY: _3__ SATISFACTION: _3_ [3 MONTHS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _5/3/07__ FUNCTIONALITY: _3_ SATISFACTION: _3_ [6 MONTHS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _8/4/07__ FUNCTIONALITY: _3_ SATISFACTION: _3_ [1 YEAR POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: __11/2/08__ FUNCTIONALITY: _2_ SATISFACTION: _3 [2 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [3 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [4 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [5 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [6 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [7 YEARS POST-OP]

6 WEEKS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ECT... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):Well I've started outpatient physical therapy this week. I have ALOT more flexibility and hopefully the pain will be subsiding more & more. One of the therapists stretched me out so much, he was practically giving me a chiropractic adjustment. I was wary at first but I felt so much better afterwards that I'm looking forward to the next session. I need more time and more exercise.

I will keep my positive attitude and I will get better.

I've been going to P.T. 3x a week and it has really made me more flexible & mobile. I still have 7/10 soreness in my back and still some pain down my right leg. Despite my slow recovery, I still feel optimistic I will heal from my injury. I feel I made the right decision by going with ADR over fusion. (I can be fused in the future if need be)

One personal goal is to be back to work at my desk job by late February



3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
It's been 2 1/2 months since my Prodisc implant. I'm still sore. It's a constant soreness. I have some leg pain that comes & goes.
At physical threapy I do an assortment of back strengthing exercises. I had to cut back from 50lb. weights to 30lb. weights as it was too much for me. I started eliptical machine training but was only able to do 30 seconds at first. I add 30-40 seconds each week. I'm now up to 3 minutes. My treatment calls for 10 minutes. My goal is 30 minutes.The big guy there picks me up like a ragdoll. He presses on my spine while I push up causing mass popping. He stretches me in ways I havent stretched in years! All in all it's a good experience and it gets me out of the house.
I'm still out of work. I will not go back until I can drive painless for 30 minutes. My desk job will be there waiting for me so I'm in no rush. I'm progressing at my own rate. Not fast, not slow, my pace. My goal for returning to work is March as I'm sure I'll be driving & sitting for more than 30 min. by then.

6 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
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I was out of work yesterday due to my back pain. I spent most of the day in bed. It was thundering & lightning the night before so when the barometer moves, my back aches. I’m not doing very well but I’m glad that I can at least make it to work. I only missed two days in the month that I've been back. The hardest part about my job is driving there. I still drive with an exercise ball on my back which helps. I can still only sit for 20 minutes at a time which is exactly how long my commute to work is. If there is traffic, I usually pull over to stretch out my back.
I have my own heating pad and a couch to take my breaks at my office. My pain was 9/10 yesterday.
My last visit with the surgeon (Dr. Goldstein) was April 16. He said I may have permanent injury which I really wasn’t too happy about. He said to give it a year until I start getting bummed out. I don’t need to see him again until October. Hopefully I'll feel better by then. I finished (graduated) physical therapy on Tuesday which is good because the combination of getting up at 5:30 in the morning, working all day, then exercising at 5pm was just too much for me. Physical Therapy gave me a list of exercises for me to do at home.


1 YEAR POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
Well, unfortunately my hideous back pain is still there. My entire life seems to be revolved around my @&#%$ back. I had to turn down sex, DJ gigs, sex, a car trip to North Carolina, doing home improvements, sex, ect. (I do however mow the lawn with a self propelled mower, it's good exercise) My leg pain is still there because I forgot to bring my Neurontin to Sweety's house and after 2 days of not taking the nerve blocker, my leg pain came roaring back. I really thought it had subsided but I guess I'm part of that darn 10%. I had the paralyzing pain for a few days.
My work doctor is referring me to a pain specialist in hopes of testing the L5-S1. My previous discogram showed a tear in the annulus. I really hope they just do a velocity test but if I have to get another discogram, so be it. Anything is better than living in pain like this. I'm not doing ANYTHING until after my September nuptuals.
My bike riding days are temporarily over because someone came into my garage and stole my bike!
I was home and the perp is lucky I didn't catch him because I would have beat him with my cane like a WW1 vet!

2 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
The Prodisc disc is implanted perfectly. It seems the L4-L5 may not be a pain generator.
Had a Medial Branch Block and trigger point injections over the summer. The procedures went well. I was sedated and did not feel a thing....until I woke up.
I started walking and the pain was just waiting for me. The pain followed me when I sat down. I regret to have to tell Dr. Oza his little plan for me was FOILED! I don't really know where to turn next. I don't want an implanted electric stim in my back but what else is there? I tried EVERYTHING! Very frustrating.
My pain is 8/10 and I am out of work. I am up most of the night. I never even sleep correctly anymore.
Had a discogram recently which was positive on the L5-S1 level. There is a window of hope now. Maybe there is something they can fix. My pain generator may be an annular tear.


3 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

4 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

5 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

6 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

7 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

[Eddie G]

Im in the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases. I found an unsecured network to do my updates on. Surgery went well. My blood pressure was a little high but thats expected with all the pain. The fusion took 5 hours on Tuesday afternoon, and I was up walking around today. Only a little but it meant alot to me to get out of bed considering my disk replacement had me stuck in bed unable to even roll over for 3 days. Today is the first day I can eat solid foods since my belly finally woke up. EVERYONE seemed obsessed with me being able to pass gas so every time they walk in the room I rip a loud one and give a big thumbs up. I guess that may be why they stopped asking me.
I hate pain pumps I could hit the button every 6 minutes so when I would fall asleep and miss a few doses I would wake up in horrible pain and have to wait 18 minutes to feel SLIGHT relief. Once they put me back on Oxycontin my pain was manageable. It's an 8 until I get up then tummy hurts up to 10.
Surgery went well. Great surgical team.

[Eddie G]

Day 3 and I still have alot of pain, especially when getting up. I force myself to get up & walk as much as possible though. They gave me a pee bottle but I would prefer using the bathroom, hence the walking. Blood pressure went down. I had a private duty nurses aide who just went home. She was very helpful washing me and giving me ice chips during the night. She also helps me out of bed which is a big procedure since I have the air boots on. I need to prepare myself to go home this weekend. I somwhow need to keep the cats off me when I get home too. That willl be challenging!
Cant wait to play with my Playstation3.

[mmglobal]

Eddie... you home yet?

Do you have Guitar Hero?

[Eddie G]

I got home from the hospital. I now have a hospital room in my living room. I rented an electric bed, I borrowed my Grandma's spare hospital food tray, I have my Playstation3, phone, massager, laptop all here next to me. This isnt too bad. I cant wait until this pain subsides. Should take at least 6 weeks. Im watching football all day today. Ive been looking forward to football for a week since they cut me open.

The only time I got nervous was when I was in the operating room. I was fine with the IV going in and all the probes & wires...no prob. Once they stuck that mask over my face OH BOY! I was claustrophobic!!! I smelled the air coming in and then I was out. I woke up shaking uncontrollably for like 2 minutes. I said to myself, relax relax relax.... Im awake Im awake.... and I finally relaxed. My mouth was super dry so Sweety & my Mom were feeding me ice chips for a while. The whole time I was lying there some woman was moaning LOUDLY! "OHHH THE PAIN!!! OOOOHHHH THE PAIN!!! OHHHHHH THE P A I N N N N!!!!! Over & Over & Over & Over & Over! OMG!!! And she WOULD NOT stop for the whole time I was in recovery!!!! She spent so much energy moaning she could never have gotten herself to relax. I wanted to say: "Hey Lady Shut UP!!! There are sick people here!!!"
I felt EXACTLY the way she sounded but I didnt have the energy to distress everyone else around me by moaning at the tippy top of my lungs. I tried to do as much as I could without bugging the nurses too much. Once I got the hang of it, I got in & out of bed by myself. I only really had to call them for my pain meds. I was up at all hours of the night so I needed my breakthroughs at like 1am....5 am...and I had to call a couple of times to get those after waiting 1/2 hour. I walked as much as I could to wake my stomach up.
I paid to have a nurse's aide stay with me from 8pm to 8am Tues, Wed, Thurs. I figured Thanksgiving would have alot of nurses taking off so I wanted a backup plan. Ive been through this all before so I knew what to expect. The first 2 days were unbearable. I just wanted to sleep. I finally turned the corner on Thanksgiving and was able to get out of bed and pee. I really hate cathethers but I hate even more having to take them out! OUCH!!!!! Ripping off my stomach bandages was no picnic either. The doctor came in and just pulled it right off with no warning. I have to remember to shave my entire body if I ever need surgery again. It looks like I went to a waxing salon in a saloon. (a waxing saloon, get it?) The surgeon made my original scar 2 inches longer and I now have 4 new holes in my back. They cut me on both sides this time. Doc Goldstein said there was hardly any scar tissue and what little he did see he scraped off. Dr. Nalbandian entered my stomach through the other side this time so there was not much to re-disturb. It will take some time to see if this operation worked. Being home isnt too bad. Im actually able to climb a flight of stairs but I am limiting that to emergencies like getting my exercise ball from my room or getting the ethernet cable for the Playstation. My appetite is good and everything is working correctly....EVERYTHING
I'm sure glad the worst is over!
So the plan tonight is to watch more football and if I'm awake Im playing GTA4.
No Mark, I dont have Guitar Hero but I like that game too. I like the old school games too like Space Invaders, Front Line, Pac Man, Dig Dug etc... All the stuff I spent my allowance on as a kid
When I got home the new 3 Stooges set was waiting for me and the latest Benny Hill. I have a pile of Randolph Scott westerns and my Sherlock Holmes book. That should keep me entertained for a few hours.
The cats have been good so far but I know they will jump on me during the night during one of their play fights and I will wake up screaming but I cant sleep with the brace on so I have to hope for the best.

C-Yaaaa!!!!

[Gil Denis]

Hi Eddie

Hope all is well. I read your history and i am wondering how long should i wait to have adr. My pain is 1to4 and still do not take anything for pain. DDD L4-L5 with L3 to L4 disc problems. Suggested fusion at L5-S1.

Best recovery

Gil