1. < Spine Health

Laminectomy surgery

Posted by valeu (Tami) @valeu, May 7, 2023

I’m having a Laminectomy on my L4/5 in 15 days @ Mayo. What is best to wear for clothing afterwards- comfort/ easy move and get on? Any other helpful suggestions would be great and thank you!
Tami

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gcranor | @gcranor | May 10, 2023
In reply to @martyk "Hi Grancor, Thank you for your comments. I too have chronic pain and have tried everything..." + (show)
@martyk

Hi Grancor, Thank you for your comments. I too have chronic pain and have tried everything under the sun without any benefits. The pain management doctor recently started me on Gabapentin and Belbuca for the pain. This doctor does not do the pain pump. He has referred me to another doctor that does. I haven't met him for a consultation for the pain pump. Do you know if there are other companies other than Metronics that make the pain pump? Also, can you tell me what percentage of your pain was helped by the pump? How was the procedure and how often do you have to refill the medicine? Thank you for your reply. Marty

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I only know of Metronic’s for the pump, refills about every 3 months. It takes my pain down for sleeping and enjoying short walks. I try everything I can to stay active with an average pain of a 5. The new bugle and tear keeps it the pain to 8 by the evening. I also take 1800 mg’s per day 1200 30 minutes before bed. The procedure was a walk in the park compared to any of my back surgeries.

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1 reply
martyk | @martyk | May 10, 2023
In reply to @gcranor "I only know of Metronic’s for the pump, refills about every 3 months. It takes my..." + (show)
@gcranor

I only know of Metronic’s for the pump, refills about every 3 months. It takes my pain down for sleeping and enjoying short walks. I try everything I can to stay active with an average pain of a 5. The new bugle and tear keeps it the pain to 8 by the evening. I also take 1800 mg’s per day 1200 30 minutes before bed. The procedure was a walk in the park compared to any of my back surgeries.

Jump to this post

Sorry to hear that your pain is at 8 in the evening. My pain is about a 5 during the day and a 6 in the evening. The doctor started me on 150mg of Belbuca twice a day or pain. I also take 600mg of Gabapentin three times a day. Thanks for the info on the pain pump. I hope things get easier for you.

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heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | May 12, 2023
In reply to @gcranor "Was the injury by an accident; getting fusion for S-1 it T-10 is one heck of..." + (show)
@gcranor

Was the injury by an accident; getting fusion for S-1 it T-10 is one heck of an operation and just the nerve endings and muscle rebuilding would take a couple years.
I am fused for S-1 to T-12, however my surgeries started in 1987 and the last one was in 2021. I now have another disc bugle with a tear on the nerve at the T-12. I am not sure what I am going to do yet; my pain doctor is treating with injections to see if it will heal the tear. I do have a Metronic’s pain pump implanted and this has been a miracle and has allow been to do some of things I love to do.
Good luck with the operation; and remember the neurosurgeon does not treat pain and they step away from treatment as soon as you heal from the surgery. I hate that as it feel they walk away from there work, good or bad.

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I find that each time I get my pain pump readjusted, my pain level goes down a little bit. It's a slow process, but so far it is well worth the time. You are correct. Neurosurgeons do the surgery ( a very delicate and precise process) and then your pain specialist takes over. I am fine with this. If neurosurgeons had to spend their time dealing with pain management, they might not be able to take on as many surgeries.

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rico2 | @rico2 | Sep 14 10:30am
In reply to @martyk "Hi Grancor, Thank you for your comments. I too have chronic pain and have tried everything..." + (show)
@martyk

Hi Grancor, Thank you for your comments. I too have chronic pain and have tried everything under the sun without any benefits. The pain management doctor recently started me on Gabapentin and Belbuca for the pain. This doctor does not do the pain pump. He has referred me to another doctor that does. I haven't met him for a consultation for the pain pump. Do you know if there are other companies other than Metronics that make the pain pump? Also, can you tell me what percentage of your pain was helped by the pump? How was the procedure and how often do you have to refill the medicine? Thank you for your reply. Marty

Jump to this post

I have posted before about ACDF and severe chronic neck, back, leg and foot pain from my army days so I won’t rehash those. I have been on gabapentin at 600mg 3 times a day and hydrocodone 5/325 for years. I was on 3600mg gabapentin but due to complications they scaled it back to the 1800mg a day. My pain doctor talked to me about the balbuca and she thinks it will be better to control the roller coaster relief of the hydrocodone giving quick pain relief but wearing off rather quickly - at least in my circumstances. I will be interested if the balbuca helps you.

I am a little nervous to get off the hydrocodone because it took us over 30 years of trying different meds and injections and PT to find a combination that actually worked for me. Thanks to those that don’t live in our pain deciding opioids are bad and must be eliminated are slowly leaving chronic pain sufferers not much hope for relief. I’m betting once off hydrocodone I won’t be able to go back because of the opioid crusaders if the balbuca doesn’t work.

I will be following your post to see what happens with you.

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kburt911 | @kburt911 | Sep 19 7:41am

I've had 3 failed laminectomies and afterwards I just wore yoga pants. It made it easy to go to the bathroom and easy to pull up over your surgical dressings. In the very beginning I didn't even change at night as it was one less change when you are in pain.

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