Calling all Spinal Fusion TW members

I can relate being 6' 2" and 206 but it will feel good if it can show what is causing the pinched nerve, being it a bulge or herniation of the disc.

 

DDD here. Disc starting to slightly bulge at L5/S1. Pains been considerably better since I’ve lost weight. Will eventually be joining this club.

 

I know this is a fusion thread but for anyone looking through contemplating laser, it's fast and easy. Don't get it confused or lump it in with fusions. It can be a lifesaver BUT when the Dr. says "Quit picking up heavy stuff", that's what will prob. keep you from this procedure. Listen to him.

 

Always nice to have the peace of mind once you get the scan results.

 

Hi De!

You're super active too so that always helps!

 

@Nunya Bizness you get in here!

 

Yes, I learned quickly that if you stop moving, you get stiff.

 

What started my neck pain was probably wear and tear by years of bad posture, but when I noticed the acute pain of the pinched nerve was when I was at the gym 5 months ago, was on a stretching mat with 35 LBS of steel plates on my chest as I was attempting to do a situp, when I felt a lot of pain in my upper shoulder blade, which I feel was referral pain from my cervical spine.

 

I've seen a lot of mixed results with laser and minimally invasive procedures. There's a lot of anatomy in the area and it's always better when your surgeon can actually visualize what he's doing.

We have a new neurosurgeon here who's into minimally invasive stuff big time. Says recovery time is shorter (and it can be) BUT

about a month ago she fused the wrong level in a patient's neck. He woke up and his symptoms were worse than when we put him to sleep. Next morning she had him back in the OR fusing the correct level.

My surgeon still uses a semi wide approach so even for a small decompression he makes about a 4" incision.

 

People think I'm some crazy over energized fool because I'm always moving around. I'll get up and move around during meetings and am constantly moving my feet when trying to stand still.

 

I always get this burning pain under my shoulder blade when my neck starts to flare up.

 

One of the biggest hurdles for me right now is having to sleep in a recliner.

 

Another thing to think about before opting for the fusion route. Once the level is fused there can be a real domino effect if you don't adjust your lifestyle and activities.

As I mention earlier, I'm fused from L4-S1. I have already had two decompressions at L3-4 and know from the last scan that I have a bulge at L2-3. In my neck I'm fused from C5 - C7 and have a bulge at C4-5. Taking the disc away and fusing levels put all the stress that the fused level absorbed and moves it up to the next unfused level.

Altering your activities accordingly, building and maintaining great core strength and focusing always on good body mechanics is an absolute must.

 

This video is an eye-opener on sleep for people like us:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edYo2Sp2WoU

 

I bet. Worst thing I can do is to fall asleep in mine. Getting up is slow and very painful.

 

That’s me, I can’t sit for more than an hour and I got to get up. My deer hunts keep getting shorter. I can’t stand riding in a car for more than 30 minutes.

 

I'll check this out when I get off work

 

I start getting fidgety after about 30min in a chair so have to get up frequently. In the truck I can go for a couple hours if I shift around but in my wife’s car a little over an hour and I’m done.

 

Of all the MRI's I've had done, which I think is 3, I've always had to close my eyes, and pretend I'm someplace else. Hum a song in my mind, anything to not think about being in that Tube. Luckily for me, my last procedures were CT scans which I don't mind at all. Tootalljamz, I couldn't imagine being your size stuffed into that tube.