1. < Spine Health

Has anyone had a Foraminotomy ?

Posted by annie1 @annie1, 3 days ago

I had a laminotomy/decompression of L 3-4 in March this year, which helped alot in some ways, I can walk longer and stand longer, but now since mid July I have new pain that the surgeon says is foraminal stenosis and wants to clean it out and do a fusion. I am wary of fusion. I have read about a surgery called "foraminotomy" and want to know if anyone has had this without fusion. Please advise.

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irr4et | @irr4et | 2 days ago

Yes. I had it in neck area and no fusion. I came out of it with mild nerve damage from the fact they had to slightly shift some nerves aside in order to do the foraminotomy.

REPLY
1 reply
dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | 2 days ago
In reply to @irr4et "Yes. I had it in neck area and no fusion. I came out of it with..." + (show)
@irr4et

Yes. I had it in neck area and no fusion. I came out of it with mild nerve damage from the fact they had to slightly shift some nerves aside in order to do the foraminotomy.

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@irr4jet
What levels did you have done and what nerve damage do you have? How did you know officially you had nerve damage and which nerves were affected? Were they able to test and confirm nerve damage and is it permanent or can the nerves recover?

REPLY
irr4et | @irr4et | 1 day ago

In 2007, I had “minimally invasive microneuro” surgery at Allegheny Hosp by Dr Hae Dong Jo, neuro surgeon now retired but I’ve heard he trained his son who is also a neuro surgeon, to do this type of surgery on the neck nerves. (I am now 73). Be sure your blood clots well if u decide to have this surgery. Mine did not because I ate Salmon frequently in late 2006 and early 2007. It has omega 3 oil which slows clotting time. Be sure you get off of any omega 3 fish oil and baby aspirin long before surgery. Quercetin supplement also slows clotting time.
He operated at my left C 4/5 and 5/6 to remove bone spurs that were impinging sl on the nerves coming out of the spine in those two spaces. Plus he had to scrape out a stenosis area. My excessive bleeding made it very hard for him to see, even though the assistant suctioned constantly. I’m not sure how the nerve damage happened. It was probably bc my surgery took four hours instead of two bc of the bleeding. Nerves should not be touched or stretched if at all possible. I could not move my left arm for a few days afterward but a Physical Therapist began to wk with it and within 6 wks I had full use of it. It did ache, burn and sting a lot and two fingers of left hand are to this day about 40% numb but it doesn’t present any problems. I did have a nerve conduction study done 9 mos later on my left arm by a neurologist in my hometown which confirmed that I had mild nerve damage. I was developing Fibromyalgia during that yr but didn’t realize it. Four years later (2011) I started taking 25 mgs twice a day of Lyrica for two yrs then dr increased me to 50 mgs twice a day for four years (because pain would break through). Then I had to increase to 75 mgs twice a day for about three yrs. Now I’m on 75 mgs three times a day plus medical cannabis and one Tylenol tablet at bedtime. I’ve stayed at this dosage. Lyrica only helps nerve pain. I couldn’t make it without Lyrica reliving my nerve pain. Stay off of sugar, vinegar, msg, caffiene, hot pepper, chocolate, citric acid and high and medium histamine foods such as strawberries, avocado, raspberries and bananas. All these foods really increase pain badly. Pain grows each yr when it’s not kept under control. Don’t take any opioids. Live in a state where you can get on medical cannabis. Chronic pain causes elevated cortisol which interferes with sleep alot, runs down the adrenal glands which at same time causes very low BP. And constant cortisol ages us fast.
Cold weather really makes Fibro ppl hurt so much worse do I go to west coast of Fl for the winter mos. I know I’ve given

REPLY
2 replies
irr4et | @irr4et | 1 day ago
In reply to @irr4et "In 2007, I had “minimally invasive microneuro” surgery at Allegheny Hosp by Dr Hae Dong Jo,..." + (show)
@irr4et

In 2007, I had “minimally invasive microneuro” surgery at Allegheny Hosp by Dr Hae Dong Jo, neuro surgeon now retired but I’ve heard he trained his son who is also a neuro surgeon, to do this type of surgery on the neck nerves. (I am now 73). Be sure your blood clots well if u decide to have this surgery. Mine did not because I ate Salmon frequently in late 2006 and early 2007. It has omega 3 oil which slows clotting time. Be sure you get off of any omega 3 fish oil and baby aspirin long before surgery. Quercetin supplement also slows clotting time.
He operated at my left C 4/5 and 5/6 to remove bone spurs that were impinging sl on the nerves coming out of the spine in those two spaces. Plus he had to scrape out a stenosis area. My excessive bleeding made it very hard for him to see, even though the assistant suctioned constantly. I’m not sure how the nerve damage happened. It was probably bc my surgery took four hours instead of two bc of the bleeding. Nerves should not be touched or stretched if at all possible. I could not move my left arm for a few days afterward but a Physical Therapist began to wk with it and within 6 wks I had full use of it. It did ache, burn and sting a lot and two fingers of left hand are to this day about 40% numb but it doesn’t present any problems. I did have a nerve conduction study done 9 mos later on my left arm by a neurologist in my hometown which confirmed that I had mild nerve damage. I was developing Fibromyalgia during that yr but didn’t realize it. Four years later (2011) I started taking 25 mgs twice a day of Lyrica for two yrs then dr increased me to 50 mgs twice a day for four years (because pain would break through). Then I had to increase to 75 mgs twice a day for about three yrs. Now I’m on 75 mgs three times a day plus medical cannabis and one Tylenol tablet at bedtime. I’ve stayed at this dosage. Lyrica only helps nerve pain. I couldn’t make it without Lyrica reliving my nerve pain. Stay off of sugar, vinegar, msg, caffiene, hot pepper, chocolate, citric acid and high and medium histamine foods such as strawberries, avocado, raspberries and bananas. All these foods really increase pain badly. Pain grows each yr when it’s not kept under control. Don’t take any opioids. Live in a state where you can get on medical cannabis. Chronic pain causes elevated cortisol which interferes with sleep alot, runs down the adrenal glands which at same time causes very low BP. And constant cortisol ages us fast.
Cold weather really makes Fibro ppl hurt so much worse do I go to west coast of Fl for the winter mos. I know I’ve given

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Yes my nerve damage is permanent. It did get some better over ten yrs following surgery, but after that it stayed the same.

REPLY
annie1 | @annie1 | 1 day ago
In reply to @irr4et "In 2007, I had “minimally invasive microneuro” surgery at Allegheny Hosp by Dr Hae Dong Jo,..." + (show)
@irr4et

In 2007, I had “minimally invasive microneuro” surgery at Allegheny Hosp by Dr Hae Dong Jo, neuro surgeon now retired but I’ve heard he trained his son who is also a neuro surgeon, to do this type of surgery on the neck nerves. (I am now 73). Be sure your blood clots well if u decide to have this surgery. Mine did not because I ate Salmon frequently in late 2006 and early 2007. It has omega 3 oil which slows clotting time. Be sure you get off of any omega 3 fish oil and baby aspirin long before surgery. Quercetin supplement also slows clotting time.
He operated at my left C 4/5 and 5/6 to remove bone spurs that were impinging sl on the nerves coming out of the spine in those two spaces. Plus he had to scrape out a stenosis area. My excessive bleeding made it very hard for him to see, even though the assistant suctioned constantly. I’m not sure how the nerve damage happened. It was probably bc my surgery took four hours instead of two bc of the bleeding. Nerves should not be touched or stretched if at all possible. I could not move my left arm for a few days afterward but a Physical Therapist began to wk with it and within 6 wks I had full use of it. It did ache, burn and sting a lot and two fingers of left hand are to this day about 40% numb but it doesn’t present any problems. I did have a nerve conduction study done 9 mos later on my left arm by a neurologist in my hometown which confirmed that I had mild nerve damage. I was developing Fibromyalgia during that yr but didn’t realize it. Four years later (2011) I started taking 25 mgs twice a day of Lyrica for two yrs then dr increased me to 50 mgs twice a day for four years (because pain would break through). Then I had to increase to 75 mgs twice a day for about three yrs. Now I’m on 75 mgs three times a day plus medical cannabis and one Tylenol tablet at bedtime. I’ve stayed at this dosage. Lyrica only helps nerve pain. I couldn’t make it without Lyrica reliving my nerve pain. Stay off of sugar, vinegar, msg, caffiene, hot pepper, chocolate, citric acid and high and medium histamine foods such as strawberries, avocado, raspberries and bananas. All these foods really increase pain badly. Pain grows each yr when it’s not kept under control. Don’t take any opioids. Live in a state where you can get on medical cannabis. Chronic pain causes elevated cortisol which interferes with sleep alot, runs down the adrenal glands which at same time causes very low BP. And constant cortisol ages us fast.
Cold weather really makes Fibro ppl hurt so much worse do I go to west coast of Fl for the winter mos. I know I’ve given

Jump to this post

Wow, thanks for the info. I have lumbar stenosis and already had decompression. I confess I do drink coffee with 1 sugar, and I have been taking Oxycodone. I was on Lyrica for many years and it wasn't doing anything. I limit myself to one cup of coffee a day, well maybe one and a half sometimes.

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