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hHello from poorly recovered lumbar spine in central New jersey

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    hHello from poorly recovered lumbar spine in central New jersey

    New or old I'm not quite sure. I first discovered you all after a cervical spine revision in late 2000 and used you off and on until sometime in 2006. dropped off until about a month ago when deeply frustrated by the fact that a November 27, 2013 lumbar decompression L1 through S1 and fusion with rods, screws, cages - the works from l4-s1 has left me worse off after than before.

    I am weak in pain and cannot walk more than 50 feet without much difficulty. however I am still doing my Internet newsletter which since the spring of 1992 as been my only source of income. consequently my medical issues are not my full-time occupation. I have been online a long long time. I joined the NJIT electronic information exchange system in June 1980. I did use another health related forum system off and on between 2011 and 2014. Gave up on that one because of no feedback. so far I have received no response here either and wonder what I'm doing wrong. I am definitely inpatient and jumped right into a 1200 word new thread in spinal disorders describing my current situation in some - perhaps too much? - Detail.

    Would appreciate even general advice from anyone. issues right now are mainly an apparent inability to regain muscular strength after the very nasty surgery of about a year and half ago. I have had a bunch of tests none of which have been able to identify any specific situations that can account for my current disability. Perhaps the most appropriate area in which to ask questions could be one focused on physical therapy approaches to postoperative treatment of the lumbar spine.

    The neuro muscular chief at the University of Pennsylvania whom I saw December can identify no ongoing denervation. he says I have multiple lumbo-scral radiculopathies and prescribes continued work out at my local gym. I just paid for a year's worth of 30 minute sessions three times a month with a trainer and have so far been unable to find the right mix of exercises that do not wind up making my situation worse. when this happens I slack off for about three days and generally feel better. something is going on in my pelvic area that I don't like. when I heard that's where it really hurts. Unable to walk without considerable bending forward and when I tried vertical stretching.... arms overhead fingers around the door top .... THAT exacerbated the pelvic pain.

    #2
    hi Gordon and welcome. I have not had surgery but my pain is in the same area. I am still at the back injection stage. I have had so many sessions of physical therapy and have found they do nothing but exacerbate all my conditions. Wonder if water therapy might be better for you. My mother went through the cage in her back and I have a friend who has two. Neither have recovered from their surgery. I hope someone here has something better to tell you. Definitely get that pelvic condition looked at. Seems it's always one thing after another.

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      #3
      I much appreciate the response. Does the automatic notification here work? I better check my spam filters.

      Curious about ways in which to get pelvic condition looked at.

      I have had EMGs of course they shoot electricity into the limbs.... not the pelvis

      the sugeons xray last october claimed fusion complete and had no suggestions.

      MRI on sept 25 2013 noted presence of extreme stenosis which should not have been therte if surgery did what it claimed. But wwhat to do? More surgery?

      I don't think i could survive such.


      With the hardware i now have in that area the MRI reading also said that artifacts prevented seeing the nerve bone situation clearly in some places.

      Consequently I am wondering what course of action i should be aware of that perhaps i am not?

      But again many thanks for response and would dearly appreciate any other ideas, suggestions opinions as well as any elucidation here.

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        #4
        Here is a resource from today's NY Times.

        The Healing Power of Your Own Medical Records

        Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

        anyone here have a medical record story worthy of mention?

        Comment


          #5
          great article. I have seen a few things such as med discrepencies, diagnosis assumptions. Medical letters written to the wrong doctor, doctors lying to my face but nothing noteworthy. My mother bought a book about things doctors dont tell you or want yuo to know but for the life of me I can't remember the name of it.

          Try posting in chronic pain and other forums like that. You are more likely to get a bit of advice there and sometimes it takes the right person to check in.

          Comment


            #6
            my dear Gordon, my whole body aches with pain for all you have and are going thru.. so much water under the bridge, I would not know where to start. Keep copies of every scrape of paper you get your hands on, find someone to be a good advocate for you, help you keep it all straight. You do need someone strong in your corner of this earth and they can make a diffrentce. Good ones are hard to find. A relative you trust, a friend, maybe someone you meet in a hospital. Don't be afraid to ask questions, demand answers!! They owe you that. After all, YOU are the patient, not them.

            I have so much I could say, but not able to sit for long. Just keep at it, post to any and all the forums here at BrainTalk you think may be of help. Plenty people here have similar problems. I have been a member here since 1999. Of course there have been some breaks in between that have hurt the attendense, but we have some very good and caring people here now. KEEP TRYING!!

            I CARE!! Julia s
            Did you ever know that you're my hero and every thing I would like to be I can fly higher than an eagle
            'cause you are the wind beneath my wings

            for my brother Ben

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