No surgery til bones are stronger

Posted by willow5 @willow5, Nov 7 9:26am

well, my scheduled surgery is off til my bones are stronger. L5 S1 and 3/4 surgery. Doc wants me on an anabolic bone builder. I’ve been on alondronate for 3 years, lumbar t score is 0, but hips are getting worse. Seeing endocrinologist today.

I’m going to take an online Gokhale seminar. Is it REALLY possible to stop the nerve pain down my leg and into my foot through different exercises? The L5 S1 nerve is very compressed. I’ve been doing core works for years maybe twice a week. I now only walk about 1/2 mile (was a runner). Never had a PT that does much hands-on.

Also, my scoliosis is about a 30% curve. Kind of mid back.

And then there’s the folks who have conditions like mine with no pain. Back to ready the Sarno method? A bit confused now 😂

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Spine Health Support Group.

willow5, I am sorry to hear that your surgery is postponed. I am experiencing a similar problem. I posted a question on the Osteoperosis and Bone health about it. I have a neurosurgeon and an orthpedic surgeon who recommened spinal fusion from t10 to s1. The neurosurgeon said my dexascan showed mild osteopenia, and he will not do the surgery until I am on a treatment plan for that for six months. The orthopedic surgeon said I could go forward wtih surgery and begin a treatment plan later. Luckily, I was able to schedule an appointment with an endocrinologist in December to get a real diagnosis on this. I have scheduled the surgery with the ortho surgeon in January, but that may change depending on what the endocrinologist says.
Please post the outcome of your visit with the endo doctor, I hope the appointment goes well for you.

REPLY
@berniej1

willow5, I am sorry to hear that your surgery is postponed. I am experiencing a similar problem. I posted a question on the Osteoperosis and Bone health about it. I have a neurosurgeon and an orthpedic surgeon who recommened spinal fusion from t10 to s1. The neurosurgeon said my dexascan showed mild osteopenia, and he will not do the surgery until I am on a treatment plan for that for six months. The orthopedic surgeon said I could go forward wtih surgery and begin a treatment plan later. Luckily, I was able to schedule an appointment with an endocrinologist in December to get a real diagnosis on this. I have scheduled the surgery with the ortho surgeon in January, but that may change depending on what the endocrinologist says.
Please post the outcome of your visit with the endo doctor, I hope the appointment goes well for you.

Jump to this post

Hi Bernie,
The endocrinologist said that over the last six months or so, that the surgeons in our area want their patients on anabolic bone building drugs. I assume he meant patients that have osteoporosis, to get their bones strong enough to hold the hardware that is put in. My lumbar T score is now 0 (such great news!), but the hips are not improving with weight lifting and fosomax. So based on that my surgeon isn’t wanting to operate. I’m grateful my surgeon wants a good outcome so is willing to put it off.

There’s Evenity and Tymalos. Evenity has been around about five years. Tymalos (spelling is incorrect) quite a bit longer. These drugs hopefully will be approved by Medicare as long as the doc says its in preparation for surgery.

I’m actually grateful for the delay. I want to set up a program for more specific core strengthening and stretching. I am also going to check out a few acupuncturists and do some mind/body work.

I’d rather not have surgery, so this six month delay lets me delve into other things to see if I can help myself there. You never know! But i know I’m not willing to live life not knowing if I can only walk 1/2 mile before leg pain kicks up. And I do wonder if I should check out a neuroligist. I never have. My surgeon has a dynamite reputation. The endo thinks he’s fantastic, as does a sports med doc I’ve gone to.

Good luck on yours. I imagine medical views may vary in different areas. I’m just north of San Francisco.

REPLY

@willow5, It's so good your surgeon is making sure that you have the best results for the surgery. Even if you have big and strong bone taking Forteo or Tymlos will give you greater assurance that the hardward will not migrate after placement. The anabolics will also increase the speed of healing.
I don't think that you can relieve the pain where the nerve is very compressed with exercise.
I would not recommend Evenity both because of the possibility of adverse events and because it isn't a true anabolic, but rather a mix of antiresorptive and anabolic.
It it wise to keep exercising, but with care to avoid twisting and bending.

REPLY

Well, my doctor whole heartedly recommended the Evenity so I think I’ll adhere to his advice based on his research and reading of the medical literature.

I love exercising and can’t imagine ever not doing it! My trainer is very knowledgable. During exercise nothing hurts, I imagine that’s the increased blood flow.

REPLY

I was on Tymlos for 2 years. It brought my bad osteoporosis to osteopenia. The surgeons meant weekly to discuss my case for the double fusion. They decided to do the surgery. It worked so then I was put on Tymlos. I still have very bad lower back pain and they are going to do a Sprint PNS procedure. I then got polyfibromyalgia rheumatica. I was put on prednisone so I assume my osteoporosis is back. I received my first Prolia injection on Thursday. I pray the Sprint procedure works as supposedly it's my last option,

REPLY

Im in the same position..Ive been taking EVENITY for 7 months and unless my bones are stronger, mine will be postponed again= Will have them checked November 22nd!

REPLY

Gosh, 7 months hasn’t done the job yet. Well, you still have a few months left to be on Evenity. It’s a maximum of one year. Good luck on the check!! Keep us posted.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.