Any of you have a fused neck?

[CobraNutt]

I've been dealing with back pain for 24 years. I ruptured a disc at L4-L5 in 1991 from repetitive motion/trauma. The diagnosis uncovered other issues above and below the ruptured disc (Grade 2 Spondylolisthesis & degenerative disc disease). I've avoided surgery since then, and it is still a last-resort option for me. At the time, I was told by a team of specialists (same guys that performed Tony Danza's surgery when he hit the tree in Deer Valley) that there was a 50/50 chance that they could do surgery and make things better...or worse...but they wouldn't know until they actually got in there to see the damage. Just had new MRI/CT scans done in November, and it's still the same. Unfortunately, it's affected more than just my back. I fight depression and have ballooned considerably over the years as it has affected my activity levels, along with my desk job.

I've done two rounds of cortisone shots...the first one took the edge off, but the 2nd one did nothing, so I'm back to dealing with it and coming to the conclusion that I simply need to fight through it and get active again. I have 100+ lbs to lose, and I'm pretty sure that will reduce a lot of the pain and inflammation. I'm hiring a personal trainer to help me get started and get me in gear.

I hope the surgery does what you expect/hope it will for you! It's miserable living with it! Best wishes to ya!

 

[DAA]

I have very similar lower back issues, right down to the popped disc between L4 and L5. Been managing it "ok" with starving and exercise for years. Have bad days, weeks and months with it now and then, having a bad month with it right now.

The surgery I'll be having soon won't be addressing that at all though.

It's for some new stuff in my neck, bone spurs pinching a nerve. Been in pain 24/7 with it for about six months now. Steroids did help it, a lot, but they wore off pretty quick and it's not a long term solution. So, having discectomy and fusion of C6-C7 to deal with that. Should give me back use of my left arm and relieve the constant pain in that area. Won't do anything for the long running lumbar bull crap though...

But it could be worse! I still plan on doing the ghost town tour and backpacking Grand Gulch in April. And The Maze in May. And my food still tastes good. I don't poop my pants yet. And I can still get it up. It could be a LOT worse!

- DAA

 

[CobraNutt]

But it could be worse! I still plan on doing the ghost town tour and backpacking Grand Gulch in April. And The Maze in May. And my food still tastes good. I don't poop my pants yet. And I can still get it up. It could be a LOT worse!

- DAA

Haha! This stuff makes us appreciate the simple things in life, that's for sure!

Backpacking is out for me. 50-100 yards of hiking and the legs start going to sleep. Weight has a lot to do with that. I need to do a little more of the starving a and a lot more of the exercise!

 

[Gary T]

I have my surgery scheduled. Going to be the first sick day I've taken off work in 22 years.

- DAA

Good luck.

 

[Rot Box]

I have my surgery scheduled. Going to be the first sick day I've taken off work in 22 years.

- DAA

How did the surgery go Dave? (assuming you had it) did everything go as expected? Are you happy with the outcome so far?

I've spent my thanksgiving weekend in bed. Ruptured, bulged herniated L3 and L4 a few years ago. Over the last few months I thought I was finally getting on top of it only to have it drop me to my knees again. This blows haha

 

[DAA]

How did the surgery go Dave? (assuming you had it) did everything go as expected? Are you happy with the outcome so far?

I think it went "pretty good". My damage nerve is still trying to heal. So, 9 months after surgery, I do still have some pain, on some days. But it's fairly minor compared to what it was and it was 24/7 before. So much improved there. I am still weak on my left side, but working hard to regain some strength. And having some success. Put it this way, my left arm is MUCH stronger now than before surgery, but still a lot weaker than it was before the nerve got torn.

Doc told me it was going to take up to two years before I could expect to be as healed as I'm going to get. So, I'm hoping for more improvement still to come.

But, that's my neck issues. Not related to the Lumbar stuff... I don't have a "good" disc in my lower back, but don't even have one anymore between L4 and L5, so I sure can commiserate on what you are going through. It's sort of a way of life for me. The success rate on the lower back stuff isn't nearly as high as for the cervical ACDF surgery I had done. And there really wasn't any choice anymore on that one - I had bone spurs pinching a nerve so hard the nerve was torn and was never going to heal without removing the bone spurs. The lower back surgery still scares me though. I have talked to so many people that have had it done. Seems like a crapshoot. A lot of them say it's the best thing ever and they wish they had done it sooner. But then some say it's the biggest mistake they ever made and it has all but ruined their life.

Surgery was promoted as my best option 10 years ago. Been putting it off and will keep putting it off for as long as I can. But I know, at some point, it will have to happen. The tech has improved considerably just in the 10 years I've been avoiding it though. And just keeps getting better. Figure if I can put it off even another 5 years, I'll hopefully be money ahead.

And the way I manage my pain issues has a lot of healthy side benefits. When I hit about 190 pounds, the pain starts getting more frequent and severe and by 200 pounds, it's constant and frequently debilitating. I was at about 210 at 40 years old when it really all went to crap. I got down to 175 and felt much, much better. And have worked hard and struggled to stay under 185 since. Starving and exercise don't come naturally to me. Without intense pain and loss of mobility as motivation, I'm sure I'd weigh at least 30 pounds more than I do and would not be able to walk the distances I routinely do. So, like I said, a real silver lining to the cloud, is I've been in MUCH better physical shape the last 10 years than I would have been without lower back pain to motivate me .

But it's also why I know, eventually, I'll lose and surgery will have to happen. I've been battling various nagging small injuries that make it difficult to exercise, some foot stuff that makes walking painful too. All it will take is one longer term injury that prevents me exercising, gaining too much weight, not having the ability to work it off or the positive mental attitude I get from the exercise to keep starving myself. A vicious cycle type deal where I get heavy and stay heavy, and it will be surgery time. Time waits for no man and something like that is bound to happen sooner or later... I'm fighting it as hard as I can though!

- DAA

 

[Kevin B.]

Dave, you're scaring the crap out of me. All I fight now is my weight and a little arthritis in one ankle. I need to win one of those fights in a hurry before they get friends, because I'm not sure I've got the strength to manage chronic pain the way you do.

 

[Rot Box]

Good to hear things are improving Dave. Love your positive outlook too I think you're right the technology really has come a long way in the last few years and it's only getting better. Hopefully one day soon they can remove the bone and nerves altogether and replace it with titanium or something haha.