Calista

Thank you so much.

You confirmed what I already knew. I needed to know for my own sanity. I was forced into the diskectomy surgery. I was in so much pain I could not keep arguing with my surgeon, and the acuity of the situation, I did try to see another ortho, but wait was longer than I could handle.

During surgery, L3/4 extruded under pressure, and MRI missed a second fragment under L5 nerve root. I subsequently sustained permanent femoral nerve damage, but at the time it was unknown whether continued compression from two level disc space collapse, my reflexes were not tested nor did surgeon perform the bending/ flection X-Rays, but he knew of retrolisthesis in 2016, and has been following my spine for 13 years.

Why his decision changed and the multiple tests that he knows were needed were not performed, long story. I am not suing him, but I wanted someone to asess me as I was. I was adament about a fusion, said if insurance says no, I will pay cash. I accept all risks, and how I explained to you why I would want a fusion,I stated all to my surgeon.

All I feared became reality plus worse, because of discrimination, I had nerve damage, posterior scar tissue, told XLIF was best option. I tried to see other surgeons but none would see me until a year post op sithin driving didtance in NJ – My insurer does not sllow me to go out of state or network, no option to purchsse.

I was afraid of continued impingement, and second surgery was performed 6 mos later, as it took 2 months for the surgeon to believe me that I had significant pain and motor weakness, and someone else testing leg and stated to me “you do not have much going on with that leg” – another physician colleague of his had to tell him for him to believe me. It was so demoralizing. I did not stay on nsrcotics, as I wanted to go work, so stopped, but the pain prevents me from being active. The XLIF, I did not yield much, a smidge of movement with knee reflex was noted,as opposed to zero, but ended up with the old and new nerve pain.

I needed a full posterior decompression during the first surgery, and even without I had disc space collapse and aggravation of nerve issues. It resulted in more stenosis at L3/4 , same degenerative changes, now bilateral groin pain, full saddle anesthesia, spasms returned albeit chronic misery vs I need a gun misery, and the patellar reflex, only care because of associated weakness and balance issues. I still have the pain radiating around left hip to lateral spine crossing over tibia. Cannot stand up straight, walk much on left leg, both feet go “to sleep” when sitting for more than a few minutes. So now almost 2 years later and most days are spent standing, leaning on my counter top on right leg like a flamingo, because the only other comfortable position is laying down on my Tempur-Pedic GrandBed. I stretch and work on quads and core but cannot do enough because pain exasperates and then is relentless for next 24-48hrs.

I tried to go back to work, but cannot, and am now treated like a FBSS that is my fault by other surgeons. I do not state what happened because no one would treat me at all. Had new MRI w/wo contrast, and in addition have residual disc herniated behind both new cages, and every level is either antero or retro listhesis of 3mm (except original is 8mm) including L2/3 which may or may not be causing issues, height looks fine, no stenosis noted or other pathology. However I am not a fan of minimslky invasive, as MRIs often do not show issues, at least all mine were underaporeciating vs what was visualized intraoperatively. And surgeons now want a CT myelogram, my insurer does not want to pay for after $5000 NRI on Tesla 3 machine, which was probably overkill.

I am going to lose my house, and everything I worked for I am losing, have no help and am stuck until someone realizes that untreated pain, and disability for 2 yrs with zero income, no amount of psychological help will mitigate the fact that I have blown through my savings, money tied in house is tied because I cannot work, and I need to move with nowhere to go, no plan, while patiently waiting until someone that practices at least an hour away which is a painfully long drive for me now, to prevent going to previous surgeons’s friends/ colleagues, obtains the CT and thinks that posterior decompression, and anything else thst might be wrong is worth the risk.

I worked with medical experts my entire career, my father was a physician, and I had a complete respect and admiration for the profession. Now I am so conflicted after being in my situation. I obviously know better than get involved in malpractice, let along mention. But I was called for jury duty, and the practice that was evaluating me immediately thought I was asking for disability certification, and even when explained that I cannot drive 2 hrs rountdtrip to sit for 8 hrs, no one called me back regarding note request. I got elsewhere, but the discrimination over the past 2 years, had me questioning myself – and avoiding healthcare professionals because after being dismissed and symptoms not taken seriously starting in March 2018.

I knew bias exists, but knoe first hand why women (or obese, non caucasian, or patients with psychiatric dx) either are treated subpar or avoid treatment due to previous discrimination. I knew the prevalence in cardiology and ER visit treatment of women, as well as derogatory mnemonic for galbladder disease, the source of the term hysterectomy, one if the most overperformed operations, but living it vs knowing it, is miserable.

But thank you for giving an honest opinion, based on the facts presented. I know not all were as I did not have them, but at least hearing it was a reasonsble decision, restores some of my sanity after reading every article published on the topic ;)

Thank you again, you provide a great service to patients. I wish I had found your website during the 10 day debate with my surgeon over the first surgery. 20/20 hindsight is brutal.

Sorry, made mistakes
retrolithesis is at L3/4.
Found scoliosis report too
Mild upper thoracic scoliosis, mostly rotational deformity along with left lumbar mild scoliosis with rotational deformity. I was told by surgeon curve was approx 20 degrees.