looking for friends and advice after third back surgery

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Fri, April 17, 2009

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lump under inscision

Hi my name is jeremy im 37 ive been in pain most of the last 8 years. i had my first back surgery (s1-L5) laminectomy/discectomy in 2002 the disc was ruptured and in shreds. after that surgery i often had pain but not dibilitating i was diligent w/physical therapy, made lifestyle changes such as giving up skiing, playing basketball, and stopped playing pool which was hard because billiards was my passion. i was able to able to control my pain with limited pain killers, ice and take short amounts of time off work.

then about one year ago i started getting bad again and i had my second surgery (L5-L4) percutaneous nucleoplasty it was unsucsesful and the surgeon was pessimistic that another surgery would be of any benefit. after getting a second opinion my original surgeon agreed to try a laminectomy/discectomy. he said there was a 50% chance of no improvement and if there was any improvement there would be a 50% reduction of pain at best. well that surgery was last friday and after the surgey the doctor was still pretty pessemistic about the outcome because the disc was prtruding right into the spinal cord as oppossed to a nerve root which he said is easier to fix.

The doctor told me to expect to be in pain for the rest of my life and ive applied for social security disability. he has me on vicodin every four hours which is not helping very much ive asked for something stronger and he has been reluctant but when i talk to him monday morning im going to be quite insistent.does anyone have any ideas what i should ask for. also im finding difficult to come to terms that i wont be able to work my social life has been reduced to zero after telling freinds no i cant do this no icant go there its geting so they dont call anymore and when i talk to anyone its always about my back and how am i feeling. sorry for being so long winded i just have alot of worries and alot on my mind.

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treena

4/19/09 2:12pm

jeremy, you have a long way's to go from here the s.s. people don't get in any hurry to help you and realy don't care about you in any way i was young when i got down in my back and couldn't do any thing the doctor told me to sign up on s.s. so i did . it was 2 years then i got it BUT NOT WITH OUT A FIGHT.... learn to do thing's that you can do and things that you can't do that will help you alot. but don't give up .... the pain want leave and people will stand tall as you can and wait for the thing's to come to you and they will i'am 51 now and still can't work or do any thing i want but i can enjoy a few thing inlife like church and the freinds you make there want leave you they will help you hope and wishes for you treena

jeremy

4/19/09 3:46pm

thanx treena ive been told it will be a fight for ss im applying the first time on my own both my surgeon and my familly doctor said they would fight for me so i cant see paying a lawyer. by the way can anyone tell me what a % a lawyer usually charges.

i'd say my biggest problem is emotional right now im having a hard time dealing with the fact of not bein able to do my job which i love im an electrician and can trully say i love to get up for work everyday. i also hate that when ever i talk to my freinds anymore i tell them i cant do the things they are doin like sports, outdoor stuff like right now the steelhead salmon are running in the streams by my house and i cant go catch them. whenever i talk with them it seems like they just pity me. also my house is goin into forclouser and when it sells i have to move in with my mom ( ooh boy ). sorry im rambling.

Karen Lee Richards

4/22/09 4:05am

Hi Jeremy – I just wanted to let you know that the attorney fee for Social Security disability is 25 percent of back payments due you. It's only paid if you win. (If you lose, you owe nothing.) Social Security will pay the attorney the 25 percent and send you the remaining 75 percent. Good luck to you! – Karen

Scooter

4/19/09 5:24pm

Hi Jeremy, I'm so sorry that you have to go through all of this. I know exactly how you feel. I've been in pain for over ten years now after having five back surgeries. It's been almost four years since I was last able to work. I got my disabilty on the first try. It only took five months without the use of a lawyer. I think lawyers take up to 33%. With both of your doctors backing you shouldn't have a problem. You need to see a pain management doctor. After my last surgery my neurosurgeon referred me to one.They are usually more understanding about giving you meds that actually work. I also understand what you are going through with your friends. I lost a few of mine. When you don't have anything in common anymore,it's hard.Don't give up. I loved my job also and I know how you feel about that too. I'll be your friend.Anytime you need to vent go for it. I think it helps. Sharon

jeremy

4/19/09 6:26pm

Thank you scooter i appreciate the info on ss and thanx for offer of freindship ill take u up on that. ill definatly ask about pain managment i know my doctor wants post surgical physical therapy and we'll take it from there. i've been exceeding the vicodin every four hours and can only sleep 2 hours at a time so tommoro morning im gonna call for something stronger i told doctor after surgery ill stay on vicodin but its just not working ( i've been on them over a year ) from what i see here oxycontin or percecet is next step. any advice on either ie: side effects, effectiveness?.

i'm ussually so active and upbeat i've never been depressed like this before i hope its just post surgical and i get past it soon.

Scooter

4/19/09 8:32pm

Hey Jeremy, I've been on Oxycontion for ten years now. I take Oxycontin time release pills and then oxycodone for breaktru pain. It's much better that way. One of the benefits is that you are not taking acetaminophen like you do with the Vicodin or Percocet. I have no side effects at all. I hope the physical therapy works for you. In my case it didn't help,but I have scar tissue wrapped around the nerve roots where I had the five surgeries. Sometimes physical therapy does help. I hope your doctor changes your meds for you so you can get some relief. Let me know how you are doing. Oh, I almost forgot....The depression is normal. It took me a long time to accept this new way of life. I still have problems with it. Also,maybe you should be on a muscle relaxer. I take Soma three times a day for back spasms. Write to me, Sharon

jeremy

4/19/09 9:13pm

thank u for rx info sharon u have been most helpful i am also on flexeril twice daily. this will be about my 8th time in p.t. the last two time not helpful i think the dr. automaticaly orders it after every surgery, im already in very good physical condition so i dont see this round of p.t. working. in fact i think social security has a get back to work traing program and if they do and i'm able some time in the future id love to pursue becoming a physical therapist.

again i appreciate your time and info

Sarah

4/25/09 2:08am

Jeremy hi I commented u before.My name is Sarah I'am 28 yeard old and have had two Thoracic Lamnectomys in which my spine has been decompressed twice having 5 bones removed all together.I was told that if this was a disc issue drs never would have operated on my thoacic but it was an emergency.The first was when I woke up screaming in pain one day when I was 26 in Oct 07 and was rushed to the hospital to find that I had an Arachnoid cyst pressing on my spinal cord.That was a C5-C6 and had nothing to do with a disc issue.I was told that this was something that started building while I was till developmenting and could never have been detected prior to having these pains.My surgery was very serious my surgeon had said that if I didn't go to the hosp when I did I could have been paralyzed and had more serious damage.I never fully recovered and then in June 08 I went for my 6month mri and it was all accumulating again 3inches above where the incial cut was.I went in for another surgery having to have 3 more bones remove to get to the cord again.My incision is about 81/2 in long due to both surgerys.I have been on disability and have just applied for ssi benefits b/c I'am no longer able to work.I'am on 5 different meds everyday and have not been able to do anything that I used to including drive.I can just about type on the computer and not even for very long.I too talk alot about what has happened to me ecspecially since I'am still in shock it all happened and I'am so young.I wud never wish this on anyone.I just have to take one day at a time and go for 6month mri's to see if it's coming back.I still can't do physical therapy either.I could go on and on but I won't.I wish you luck with everything and hope u get better.

cindi

5/ 4/09 11:14am

hi jeremy, altho i have not had any surguries, i can certainly relate to your pain and what goes with it....i was walking acroos the road one sunny, beautiful autumn day, when an idiot ran a stop sign and hit me, this was almost 4 years ago. i have chronic back pain because of it ,,my L4 and L5 disc are protruding, after 10 injections, none that have worked (except one and only for 2 weeks :( i am currently taking 75 mg. fentanyl patch and vicodin every 4-6 hours for b/t pain. i agree with scooter, i think it was that said you may have to go to a pain specialist and also to not feel dicouraged if the pain management drs. are not commpassionate to your pain, keep on trying until you find one that is ( i had to)....i also can relate to what is happening to you and your friends....my friends and my husband and i used to get together with our friends once a month to do things, because my cancelling all the time (because i know 1 hr. into whatever we are doing , i will be in horrific pain and begging for my bed and heating pad ).. and pretty soon most stopped calling :(...i am also afraid this has , this meaning PAIN , has unfortunately hurt my marriage.....we all go thru a depression but now i am just plain pisssed!! i know what i can and cannot do and altho i want my life back, i am trying hard to live the life i now have and keep on hoping there will be something more or insted of ppain meds to get my life back. i hope the best for you and if you ever need a shoulder, i have a BIG one , that is why you are here to vent and to share and maybe help someone as i hope someone can do for you! cindi

jeremy

5/ 8/09 2:29pm

thanks cindi, i'll take you up on that shoulder to cry on, i had to go back to hospital for a staph infection which resulted in them having to reopen my inscission cut away some tissue and bone. i spent 9 days in the hospital and got home monday night. i'm still very sore all i can do is lay in my bed in fetal position in extreme pain so i cant type much now but look forward to future correspondence.

p.s are you the same cindi who is friends with scooter,i enjoy chating with her.

jeremy

cindi

5/11/09 2:06am

hi jeremy, i just wanted to wish you a good night rest, i am the one the one who writes to "scooter"..we ave become suc good friends , because of our unfortunate PAIN,...speaking of which, i must get to my dear ol' heating pad! :(......i would love to talk more, if you are interested,but at this point....i am in too much pain, sorry :(..but must go for now...just wanted to say thank you for answering my post about mothers day..and for me , unfortunatly, i wanted to do "what i used to do" with my kiddos and think , of course , i overdid it and am now "paying the price"....how i hate being in pain and not being able to do what i "used" to do...but i DID have a wonderful mothers day..........just feel bad for my kiddos and wish i could do more....oh gosh,SO SORRY about goimg on about myself...forgive me......if you ever, ever feel like talking or just venting.. i have a BIG shoulder and would love to hear from you......forgive me , please for goimg on about myself...,,sorry i must go and probaly take a damn pain med, and go to ...sleep??? sleep, now what is that :) :) , i forgot :)..wishing you a pleasant nite...cindi

looking for friends and advice after third back surgery

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