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| My herniated L5-S1 disc as of December 2015 |
After the xrays we went to check out and found that the soonest pain management appointment was February 10th.... 6 weeks from that day. SIX WEEKS with having to endure endless, debilitating pain. Needless to say, I was devastated! We drove home and I contacted Jeremy, our PA at Dr. Webb, my chiropractors office. He saw us the next day and determined I could not stay in this kind of pain and he prescribed Tramadol for the pain, in hopes it would help until he could see about getting me into a different pain management doctor. I went home with renewed hopes that I could soon get some relief.
Tramadol ....that was interesting! I took the first pill and felt really off. I tried to help my farmer man with one of our roos who had an injured foot. I was sitting on a stool helping hold "Rudy" when Scott looked at me an asked, "Are you ok?" I was not and I told him I didn't feel right. He took
"Rudy" out to his pen on the porch and came back to me. I told him just put me on the floor because I felt myself blacking out. He CARRIED me to the couch were I promptly passed out. I remember feeling floppy when he put me on the couch and then nothing. Apparently, I looked like a ghost. He said I was completely pale and even my lips were white. I came back around and we figured my blood pressure had dropped, it runs low to begin with.
Well poop! That pain med wasn't going to work. I called my sister in love, Ginger, she is a Pharmacist, to ask if we could half or quarter the Tramadol. We got the go ahead and tried a quarter. Well, I didn't pass out, but came close. Tramadol is a no go for me. Back to Ibuprofen and Naproxen and just rest.
Jeremy came through for us! We had an appointment schedule for January 11th for Dr. Epter at Augusta Pain Center. I was thrilled!
I muttled through until the appointment and we really liked Dr. Epter's PA Troy, but Dr. Epter seemed to get his feathers ruffled when I asked some questions and really got ruffled when I said my brother in law, a nurse anesthetist, had looked at the MRI as well and had an opinion. Oh well, as long as he does a good job I'll be happy!
We decided that some steroid epidural injections might be the way to manage the pain since no one would address the actual injury. I was disheartened a bit, since they said that they have to treat the radiculopathy aka leg pain first because that was what the insurance dictated. Really? Why not treat the bad disc in the back that is CAUSING the leg pain? Once again insurance companies are dictating our care! We make the appointment for the first injections - a transforminal epidural steroid injections in two weeks.
I will admit...I was quit freaked out over the idea of needles being injected into my back....all with NO anesthetic and unfortunately, I cannot take the "take the edge off" Valium type meds so it was all me.
The day of the first procedure I prayed, knowing many others were praying for me, applied lavender to my sternum (supposed to be an anti anxiety pressure point and lavender is very relaxing) and remembered to just breathe. The procedure went very well! It hurt a little on one side and a little more on the left, but it wasn't unbearable! Yea! AND the best part was my pain was greatly reduced for 36 hours after the procedure! I was thrilled! I understood that it was just a diagnostic procedure and that the injection and relief was only temporary. I was ready for the next injections in two weeks and more relief- selective root nerve blocks on both sides.
The two weeks finally passed and I was much less nervous about the procedure to be done as we went for the second set diagnostic injections. Well....I was mistaken. These injections REALLY hurt! I don't know if some other factors played in like...... the fact there were two machine representatives in the procedure room who were there discussing issues with the RF Ablasion machine which made it hard for me to relax and focus prior to the procedure, or the fact that they STAYED during my procedure and discussed the procedure as I was going through it (I was not asked if it was ok if they stay either) or the fact that I felt Dr. Epter rushed the procedure as I was NOT numb on either side when he started or finished, but it was really bad. When I sat up to get off the table I was shaking uncontrollably and apparently I looked bad because one of the nurses asked me if I can was ok. I managed to get off the table and as I was walked to the recovery area the head nurse said "What in the world did they do to you? You didn't look like that when they took you from me?" She was awesome and quickly had the other nurse hook me up to the blood pressure/pulse oxygen machines and send the other nurse to get me some apple juice. Scott was allowed in about ten minutes and his first reaction was are you ok? You don't look ok? So apparently I really did look bad! After a period of time the shaking slowed and I was allowed to leave. I felt really bad!
We left the center to go get a bit of dinner and I had pain reduction for about and hour. I was sure hoping for much more! I felt sick on the way home and fell asleep during the car ride. When we got home I went straight to bed and slept for two hours. When I got up I still had noodle legs from the procedure and needed help walking. I was up for awhile and then started shaking again. Some hot tea and raisin toast with sunbutter and things eased up.
The next few days were really tough! The injection sites really hurt, so much more than the first time, and my back and legs were worse than ever. I managed to deal with it for 5 days until it was just too much. Scott ended up coming home early from work due to the fact I was totally down and in terrible pain. We called the pain center and had to leave a message and called Jeremy at Action Medical too. Jeremy called back first and Scott talked with him about how things were going. He was very concerned and said he was going to find us another surgeon to see as he felt my quality of life was so poor that I really needed someone to take care of the disc issues and get me back up. The pain center called later in the day and we had an appointment the next morning to see about what we could do.
We met with Troy at the pain management center and he said that this kind of pain increase was normal.....REALLY?? and that the little bit of pain relief I had gotten was also a good sign that they were in the right area. He went on to say that if I went ahead with the ablation at the L5-S1 area and it didn't fix all of the pain then they would start moving up! WHAT?? He said we have choices whether to continue or not....or what? Just be in pain?? I was so upset and disheartened. I told him if we did move forward they were going to have to find something I could take before the next procedure. He did give us a prescription for Toradol for pain and Gabapentin for nerve pain. We left there feeling lost and unsure what to do next. Luckily for us, Jeremy had come through.....we had an appointment at a surgeons THE NEXT DAY!
You have to understand that normally it is 3 to 4 WEEKS to get in to see this surgeon! Jeremy knows him personally and called him and to explain my case and the extent that we had already gone through with not really any results and ask that I be seen immediately. Jeremy rocks in my eyes!
We met with Dr. Justin Bundy and his PA, at Augusta Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Specialists last week. We have answers and we have a plan to FIX the problem!!! They really listened to us and even had xrays taken AND read immediately. We found out that my L5-S1 vertebrae is now 6mm...it should be 14 mm! THIS explains the back pain as well as the radiating leg pain!
Dr. Bundy said we have two choices...option 1) a microdisctecomy where they only remove the part of the disc that is protruding. A quick, easy day surgery and minimal recovery, but he said I would have recurrences and flair ups and would end up with additional surgeries or option 2) an Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion or ALIF....fusion, that scared me! He explained that they would go in from the front and remove the bad disc, insert a cage and transplant bone in the cage, and secure the two vertebrae with a plate and screws.It would require and overnight stay in the hospital and the recovery is 3 to 6 months and the bone would totally fuse in 12 to 18 months. He said it is a once and done and he wouldn't expect to see me again for 20 plus years since the rest of my vertebrae look wonderful.
WOW! A lot to digest, but we decided to go for the ALIF. I will admit, I am THRILLED with the idea of one surgery and getting back up and going with minimal changes in my mobility. I am not thrilled about the idea of a more invasive surgery, an overnight stay in the hospital and 3 to 6 month of recovery, but it is what we need to do to get me off this couch so we are going to do it! My farmer man is more concerned about the general anesthesia risk...I have major issues with anesthesia and have a very hard time waking up. I tend to crash. I too am concerned about this, but I think if we talk with the anesthesiologist prior to the procedure and explain my issues I will be ok.
So for now we have an appointment with the vascular surgeon mid March and are waiting on the actual surgery date which, from the looks of it will be 4 weeks or so out, but definitely after the vascular surgeon appointment.
In the meantime, I will be doing all I can to be as healthy as possible for the surgery .....eating well and doing what exercises I can while horizontal to keep my muscles in the best shape I can. I had to stop taking the Toradol because you can only take it for 5 days because of the damage it can do to your kidneys so I am back on Naproxen for pain and Gabepentin for the nerve pain and hoping they work well enough to get me through. Today is the first day off the Toradol and I have to say I don't miss the stoned feeling and so far the pain is tolerable.
Just an update for those who want to keep up with me! The next post will actually be about some happenings here on the farm....it goes on with or without me!
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