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L4 L5 titanium discs

Posted by krispine @krispine, 5 days ago

I have been told I need to have L4 and L5 replaced with titanium discs and have heard horror stories about how “life changing” it is. In addition, I am highly allergic to virtually all opioid pain medication. This has prompted the doctor to recommend a week stay in the hospital to manage the pain with medications and others to counter my symptoms. I am at a loss as I am already living with unrelenting pain 24/7 so I am struggling to weigh my options, neither of which is great. Are there any other options out there for individuals such as myself?

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dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | 4 days ago

@krispine
Have you tried spinal injections of lidocaine and steroids?

I have had cervical and lumbar spine surgery c5-c6 and l3-l5 to decompress and fuse with titanium plates and screws. I am a 55 year old female and have no regrets getting the surgeries. I actually need surgery on c6-c7 now. They can adjust medications for pain preparing for, during and after surgery taking into consideration any allergies to medications.

Long term, chronic pain can cause anxiety and depression and getting some relief and improvement of quality of life is worth it. Get a 2nd and 3rd opinion from orthopedic spine specialists to help you make the best decision for you.

REPLY
1 reply
dallasnana | @dallasnana | 4 days ago

I had an L3-4 artificial (titanium) disc replacement in 2008 and went home the next day. I did take oral opioids for a short period of time but the pain was not that much worse than the back pain I was experiencing prior to the surgery. That pain was totally relieved by the artificial disc. Everyone’s pain experience is different and there are other modalities to manage it besides opioids. I hope the opioid free types of pain meds in development now may be available to you soon. Best wishes for successful improvement of your situation.

REPLY
1 reply
krispine | @krispine | 2 days ago
In reply to @dlydailyhope "@krispine Have you tried spinal injections of lidocaine and steroids? I have had cervical and lumbar..." + (show)
@dlydailyhope

@krispine
Have you tried spinal injections of lidocaine and steroids?

I have had cervical and lumbar spine surgery c5-c6 and l3-l5 to decompress and fuse with titanium plates and screws. I am a 55 year old female and have no regrets getting the surgeries. I actually need surgery on c6-c7 now. They can adjust medications for pain preparing for, during and after surgery taking into consideration any allergies to medications.

Long term, chronic pain can cause anxiety and depression and getting some relief and improvement of quality of life is worth it. Get a 2nd and 3rd opinion from orthopedic spine specialists to help you make the best decision for you.

Jump to this post

Hi.
Yes, I have had 5 injections. The lidocaine relieves the pain for several hours (or less) but so far, no substantial response to the steroids. Diagnostically, the injections are helpful in defining the specific area. Interestingly, I had 4 titanium discs put in in 2021 (C3-C7) and recovery was a non-issue. In fact, I am not even aware of them now all this time later. My surgeon said I had one of the better responses to the procedure. You would think, then, given that success, that I would not be struggling with this decision. I think my concern is the belief that cervical vs lumbar is a totally different ballgame with more risk in the lumbar region. My surgeon told me that it is roughly a 50/50 chance of a successful recovery with one of the risks being repeat surgery. Given my allergies to pain meds, I am trying very hard to come up with an alternative. I understand swimming is great as it exercises that back with no risk of overextending while at the same time building up the surrounding muscles for greater support. Yes, you are correct. Depression is a very real issue with long-term pain even for someone like myself who is not normally given to that. I think, again, exercise may be part of the solution in that it naturally improves mood. Thank you so much for your input. It is very helpful!

REPLY
1 reply
krispine | @krispine | 2 days ago
In reply to @dallasnana "I had an L3-4 artificial (titanium) disc replacement in 2008 and went home the next day...." + (show)
@dallasnana

I had an L3-4 artificial (titanium) disc replacement in 2008 and went home the next day. I did take oral opioids for a short period of time but the pain was not that much worse than the back pain I was experiencing prior to the surgery. That pain was totally relieved by the artificial disc. Everyone’s pain experience is different and there are other modalities to manage it besides opioids. I hope the opioid free types of pain meds in development now may be available to you soon. Best wishes for successful improvement of your situation.

Jump to this post

Yes. Thank you for your input. I am going to pursue swimming in an effort to alleviate pain and improve mood.

REPLY
cateh | @cateh | 1 day ago
In reply to @krispine "Hi. Yes, I have had 5 injections. The lidocaine relieves the pain for several hours (or..." + (show)
@krispine

Hi.
Yes, I have had 5 injections. The lidocaine relieves the pain for several hours (or less) but so far, no substantial response to the steroids. Diagnostically, the injections are helpful in defining the specific area. Interestingly, I had 4 titanium discs put in in 2021 (C3-C7) and recovery was a non-issue. In fact, I am not even aware of them now all this time later. My surgeon said I had one of the better responses to the procedure. You would think, then, given that success, that I would not be struggling with this decision. I think my concern is the belief that cervical vs lumbar is a totally different ballgame with more risk in the lumbar region. My surgeon told me that it is roughly a 50/50 chance of a successful recovery with one of the risks being repeat surgery. Given my allergies to pain meds, I am trying very hard to come up with an alternative. I understand swimming is great as it exercises that back with no risk of overextending while at the same time building up the surrounding muscles for greater support. Yes, you are correct. Depression is a very real issue with long-term pain even for someone like myself who is not normally given to that. I think, again, exercise may be part of the solution in that it naturally improves mood. Thank you so much for your input. It is very helpful!

Jump to this post

If I can suggest something about swimming - if you use a swim snorkel (available at a good sporting goods store like Sports Basement) it will prevent discomfort/irritation that can happen from twisting when doing the crawl. I am fused from T12 to L4 and find that swimming is great for managing pain - endorphins are natural pain relievers. Also, as you get stronger from the exercise, the pain tends to lessen.

REPLY
1 reply
krispine | @krispine | 1 day ago
In reply to @cateh "If I can suggest something about swimming - if you use a swim snorkel (available at..." + (show)
@cateh

If I can suggest something about swimming - if you use a swim snorkel (available at a good sporting goods store like Sports Basement) it will prevent discomfort/irritation that can happen from twisting when doing the crawl. I am fused from T12 to L4 and find that swimming is great for managing pain - endorphins are natural pain relievers. Also, as you get stronger from the exercise, the pain tends to lessen.

Jump to this post

Thank you for those insights. Very helpful!!

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