Well, its been awhile since I’ve been around these boards. My 2018 surgery was very successful and I recovered quickly. However. Last year I began having similar symptoms and an MRI confirmed the two...
Over the last few years I’ve been experiencing peripheral neuropathy in my feet which has gotten worse recently. I am now reluctant to drive as I have trouble sensing where I place my right foot and...
Hi Susie: I continue to do well, almost 1 month post-surgery. No more pain meds except for Tylenol. Still on Gabapentin. I have 2 more visits from the home health PT which have been so helpful with...
All went well on Tuesday, though surgery took longer than expected due to extensive work rebuilding my lumbar spine. I wentinat 8:30 A.M. and came out at 2:30 P.M. Pain is bearable. I’m taking 1- 10...
OK, I’m in the home stretch. I had my pre-op appointments last Wednesday and am all ready for surgery, which is on for Tuesday, September 4th. I’ve been re-reading my book (Prepare for Surgery Heal...
Thank you so much, Susie! Dr. Brara said that although this is a major surgery, its much less complex than the 2015 operation. I hope to do at least as well recovering as I did back then - if not...
Thank you for the good words and encouragement, Karen. I do appreciate it. I really feel connected to and supported by my Healing Well family!...
OK, here’s the latest update: I met with Dr. Brara on 8/1 as planned. He spent a lot of time asking questions, checking my reflexes and going over the MRI from every angle -including top down, which...
Good news! My referral to neurosurgery came through. On August 1 I’ll be meeting with Dr. Brara (the neurosurgeon who performed both of my cervical spine surgeries). It will be interesting to hear...
Latest update: I've been to PT twice now and am going again this afternoon. Two different sets of exercises haven't really helped much, if at all. Pain and numbness in my right foot, leg, and now...
Hi Darla! Welcome to this forum. It was truly invaluable to me both pre and post op as I was in for a multi-level posterior laminectomy and fusion from C3-T2 back in 2015. And I’m back here again due...
Thank you, Susie. The Dr. has increased the Gabapentin dosage from 300mg once a day to 300mg three times a day. This was done gradually over about 6 weeks. I’m looking forward to my PT on June 13th....
Thank you, Chartreux. I think I’m on the right track so we’ll see....
My MRI photo. Note the compression of the nerves between L4-5, and also the offset vertebrae. I believe the numbness in my legs and feet as well as the pain are due to this compression. The injection...
Susie, my next appt. with the Dr. Is in July though she told me I could contact her at anytime with questions of concerns. I’ve been on Gabapentin 3 weeks now and am up to 3 300mg pills per day. I...
T12 - L1: Unremarkable. L1-2: Unremarkable. L2-3: Broad-based disc protrusion. Moderate central stenosis. Mild bilateral foraminal stenosis. L3-4: Broad-based disc protrusion. Hypertrophic changes of...
OK. So the MRI results are in. Not good news for L4-L5. And some disc bulging higher up in my lumbar spine. I need to start another thread to address this as TENS for Piriformis is no longer the...
It sounds like you’re very well prepared, mslesalee. Will you have help at home after your surgery? Try to rest as much as possible. And what I’ve found is to take your pain meds when your pain...
Great, mslesalee! I’m happy to be of help. I was so relaxed and confident going into surgery that it made it easier on both the Drs and myself. The Peggy Huddleston book turned out to be a godsend. I...
Thanks much for the info. Now it appears I might be heading down a different path: Yesterday, April 24, I had my appt with the Physical Medicine Dr. She was very thorough and highly suspects a disc...
I was recently diagnosed with PS and have been doing the stretches as recommended by my Dr. It’s been 3 months and I really don’t notice much of a difference. I’ve tried Ted’s Pain Cream,...
Thank you, Susie. I’ll check it out....
Hi mslesalee! First off, I want to direct you to the thread I started on 3/14/2015: “7 Level Posterior Laminectomy and Fusion with Local Bone Graft.” I hope it will be helpful to you. Also check out...
Bpage, did you have your surgery? If so, how did it go? How is your recovery? I just got back on here yesterday after being gone for a couple of years. Yep, sometimes life gets in the way. Anyway,...
Hi Susie! Good to be back. I logged on yesterday to do a search on Periformis Syndrome - my latest health issue - and happened across this thread. What are the chances? :). Anyway, this is almost...
Susie, I did post here yesterday evening - but I don’t see my post? Maybe because I replied by quoting msleslee(sp?) and posting that way? I’ll try again later today. By the way, I’m doing extremely...
It looks like it's getting close to the time when you'll be able to get an MRI to see what's going on. I really hope the problem isn't major and that further surgery won't be necessary. Let us know...
6 month post-op report: I have to say the last six months have gone by fast! No real issues with my posterior seven-level cervical thoracic laminectomy and fusion. I have a decent range of motion...
Vernita, how are you doing? I know it's been a couple of months since your surgery so I wanted to check in. Hope all is going well with your recovery....
Thank you, Abilene and Vernita. I am still surprised at how well the recovery and healing is going. I'm now driving again after three months and in fact am on vacation up in Northen CA (nowhere near...
Thanks for the good words, Vickie and Susie! I'll report back again once I have the next post-op which will be in three months (6 months after surgery). After that, I will only need one more post-op...
Update: 3 months post-op as of today. Good news! At the third post-op appointment last week I was told the cervical collar can come off. Yay! It's wonderful not having to wear it anymore, especially...
I'm thrilled you did so well, Vernita! Continue the meds as directed, and take lots of naps. Glad you got that recliner, and I'll bet little Pearl will be right there to snuggle up to you. :-) The...
Yesterday I had the second post-op appointment, now 6 weeks out. Bad news is I must wear the hard cervical collar another 6 weeks; but the good news is I can take it off while eating, showering, and...
Though this book does not deal with specific medical issues such as the ones you describe you may find it helpful in dealing with your pain: "Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster: A Guide of Mind-Body...
Thanks, Susie! I feel very fortunate regarding the excellent progress so far. I do indeed have a superb neurosurgeon: Dr. Brara is head of the Neurosurgery Department at Kaiser Permanente Sunset in...
Still progressing well. I am very careful walking, and have been able to avoid crowds - for the most part. Like Abilene, I've very protective of my neck and do feel a bit nervous when people are too...
Last Monday I went in and my neurosurgeon's PA removed the 30 staples and six sutures. That was no problem at all. Then I had to go to radiology for x-Rays. That was tough because they had to remove...
Vernita, so far I found I cannot concentrate long enough to get into reading a book - and I've always been an avid reader. I can read a short magazine article, posts here and on Facebook, etc. but...
Great news! June 10 will be here before you know it. The more you can prepare beforehand the better....
OK, I'm at 11 days post op and doing better than expected. Pain has not been too bad and is decreasing day by day. I can now go about about 6 hours before I need another Percocet. Overnight is no...
Oh Vernita, I'm SO happy to hear this news! I have been thinking about you and will send good thoughts and prayers for a very successful surgery and a comfortable, fast recovery. Hugs!...
Susie, I was relieved that even in the hospital they kept my pain meds coming every 4 hours. This was on the third day after I was off the PCA pump. I can pretty much get through the night but...
All went very, very well and I was discharged from the hospital today after just four days. It was no walk in the park but the pain seems manageable. I'll write more in a day or so after I settle in...
The hospital called and I'll be reporting in at 5:30 A.M. for my 7:30 A.M. surgery tomorrow, April 23rd. I would very much appreciate any thoughts and prayers you'd like to send my way. And of course...
Prayers going out to Sister Pam. Please feel better soon!...
Thank you all so much Vernita, Dixie, and Abilene. I'm waiting for the call from the hospital to tell me what time to report in tomorrow. I'll let you know!...
Thanks to everyone here for your thoughts and prayers. I'll post again this coming Wednesday when I find out the time of my surgery on Thursday. I imagine it will be early, like the last time I had...
Here I am, at T-7 days and counting. I feel I'm as ready as I'll ever be, and continue listening to the relaxing/healing CDs 2x per day. I'll find out the time I have to be at the hospital when they...
I'm sure the new neurosurgeon will have a much better plan for your surgery once he goes over your films and medical history in regard to your cervical spine issues. I know we'll all be waiting to...